Page 55 of Broken Ice
He’d fucked up. God, he’d really fucked up.
Beau had not given a single thought to how Emilio might feel leaving him. It literally hadn’t crossed his mind. He had become so embroiled in the drama of his heats that he’d forgotten that Emilio was part of this too, now.
After the talk about Alex, after witnessing how caring and attentive Emilio was during the heats, Beau should have fucking known better.
Emilio shifted, groaning as he opened his eyes. Beau tried to stay calm despite the way his heart was thumping.
“Hey,” Beau said softly.
“Hey,” Emilio croaked, smile taking over his face for all of three seconds. Very suddenly, the expression froze, his body tensing.
“It’s okay,” Beau hurried to say, but Emilio stared at him with wide, frightened eyes.
“Your heat is over.”
“Yeah. And I’m totally fine,” Beau assured.
Emilio didn’t seem to hear him. “I fell asleep. And I…oh, fuck.”
Beau’s heart truly wouldn’t survive Emilio panicking again.
He scrambled up and straddled Emilio, ignoring that he was butt-naked while Emilio was fully clothed.
“Hey, look at me. I’m totally fine. You did exactly what I asked you to do. I trusted you, and you kept your promise.”
Emilio blinked up at him.
“I’m really, really fucking sorry about what I asked you to do,” Beau said. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you to come over and then leave. It wasn’t fair to you. I’m—I’m really sorry.”
Emilio’s hands came up to hold Beau’s hips loosely. “I’m sorry,” he said, voice scraped raw.
“No, Emilio—you didnothingwrong, okay?”
Emilio shook his head. “You told me to win, and I couldn’t even…”
“Oh, my God.” Beau cupped Emilio’s face and bent forwards so they were nose to nose. “Emilio, listen to me. I get to decide how my heats go.Idecided that I didn’t want you here during the game, and you listened to me. You were perfect. You were so perfect.”
Emilio swallowed audibly.
“I shouldn’t have asked for that because it was unfair toyou. I didn’t—I shouldn’t have done it, and I’m sorry.”
Emilio stared at him. “I don’t think I can do that again.”
“And you won’t have to because I’m never going to ask that of you again.”
Emilio closed his eyes. His jaw was clenched as if he were keeping something inside. “Okay.”
“What do you need?” Beau asked desperately.
“I…I don’t know.”
Emilio had been taking such good care of him without even being asked—it was time for Beau to do the same. “Let’s get you out of these clothes, okay?”
Beau undressed Emilio down to his boxers, pulling the soft blue blanket over both of them.
“Can I get on you? And scent you?”
Emilio nodded.
