Page 11 of Enchanter of Dragons
Fersen
Maybe Fersen was making a mistake. His heart pounded at the thought of sharing a bed with Jaega—and it wasn’t because of the trauma that came from Decius. It had everything to do with Jaega being the man of his dreams he had spent his entire life hoping he’d be lucky enough to find one day.
But Jaega would surely never be interested in damaged goods like Fersen. He was a respected general who could have anyone he wanted. Why would he look twice at Fersen? The idea that Jaega would settle for Fersen was laughable. He wouldnever.
Fersen’s heart skipped a beat when Jaega exited the bathroom. The dragon shifter was magnificent in every respect. Fersen’s unicorn reared up inside of him, urging him to offer himself to the man who had given them so much. But Fersen didn’t want Jaega to think he threw himself at everyone. That was the furthest thing from the truth.
For such a big man, Jaega got into bed with Fersen gingerly. “Please let me know if I make you uncomfortable at any point. I will not take offense if you change your mind. It is no problem for me to sleep in a chair by the fire if it makes you more at ease.”
Fersen took a steadying breath. The heat of Jaega made his heart practically gallop in his chest, but from lust and not fear for once. “Thanks, but I’m fine.” He hesitated before adding, “I feel safe with you.”
“That is because you are. I will protect you from all harm.”
Jaega’s promise filled Fersen with wild ideas about a future together that could never happen. He needed to stop thinking like that because those kinds of thoughts could only lead to hurt.
Ever the gentleman, Jaega kept as respectful of a distance from Fersen as the bed allowed. It was almost disappointing. The thought of being embraced by Jaega’s powerful arms filled Fersen with complicated emotions. He felt a very real longing for something he knew he’d never be lucky enough to experience. It was an unexpected reaction when he assumed his awful experiences in King Decius’s captivity would have turned him off sex and men forever.
But Jaega was the opposite of that bastard in every single way. He wouldn’t dream of making sexual demands that made Fersen uncomfortable. Jaega was undoubtedly a thoughtful lover. It was something Fersen had no experience with, but he desperately wanted to with Jaega.
Fersen forcibly stopped those thoughts in their tracks. The last thing he needed to do was get aroused so close to a dragon shifter who had a keen sense of smell. Jaega would be able to detect Fersen’s arousal in an instant, which was enough to make his thoughts settle down for the evening.
Instead, Fersen focused on the miracle of feeling safe for the first time since his ordeal began months ago. Jaega’s steady breathing was a calming influence. Fersen knew with certainty that nothing could harm him, so long as Jaega was by his side.
* * *
Waking up to the morning sun disoriented Fersen. He hadn’t even noticed he had fallen asleep. It took a moment for him to piece together where he was. He tensed at the feeling of being held by someone but relaxed when he remembered it was Jaega and not King Decius.
Fersen closed his eyes with a sigh, focusing on the warmth of being embraced by Jaega. The sense of security it gave him to be held by such strong arms was something Fersen never wanted to give up. He would be the luckiest man in Talwyn if every morning started that way.
It took a moment to realize that if it was morning, that meant he had slept through the night for the first time in months. He hadn’t had a single bad dream or night terror about his captivity and abuse. Jaega’s presence was so reassuring even Fersen’s mind had surrendered its fears to him. It was a miracle Fersen had assumed would never happen.
Fersen had never felt so safe in his life. Jaega’s massive body dwarfed his as it curled around him. Since Jaega was a fire dragon shifter, heat radiated off his body. It seemed to go straight to the pit of his stomach, which burned with a burgeoning need for the remarkable man holding him. He wanted Jaega to show him the difference between the brutal sex he had endured with Decius and gentle lovemaking. But the very idea was ridiculous when Jaega had no reason to love Fersen.
Rather than indulge in a pity party, Fersen refocused his attention on how incredible it felt to be held in comfort for the first time in his life. He wanted to memorize every moment so he could wrap the memory around him later like a warm blanket on those lonely nights when his bed was so empty.
He was pulled from his thoughts when he felt Jaega tense behind him. “Sorry, I—” Jaega apologized, pulling away.
Before Fersen could even process what he was doing, he guided Jaega’s arm back down to hold him once more. “Please.”
“You do not wish for me to move?” Jaega asked, his voice thick with sleepy confusion. It was surprisingly endearing to Fersen.
“I’m sorry. I know I’m being horribly selfish,” Fersen whispered, tears gathering in his eyes. He was pathetic. “But this is the first time I’ve felt safe in a very long time. I’m just not ready to give it up yet.”
The tension melted from Jaega’s body at those words. He pressed his body against Fersen’s once more, holding him even tighter. It was the best feeling in the world to Fersen.
“If it brings you comfort, then I am happy to remain,” Jaega said in a rumbling voice that made the fires of lust stir within Fersen.
He was playing a dangerous game. “Thank you. I’m sorry?—”
Jaega shushed his protests. “There is no need for apologies. I moved only because I worried I would cause you distress.”
It took a moment for Jaega’s words to process. “You don’t want to move because I disgust you?”
“Disgust me?” Jaega repeated in confusion. “How could you ever disgust me?”
“Because even though I haven’t told you what King Decius did to me, I know you know.”
“That wasnotyour fault,” Jaega said with firm conviction. “The only disgusting thing is him. You are the single most resplendent person I have ever come across. Nothing he did couldsully you.”
