Page 90 of Across the Sapphire Sea
“I’m not. I was only thinking. Now off with you. You’re leaking on the fancy rug.”
Elias planted a kiss on Valeri’s mouth and took off for the wash basin. Something had definitely been wrong, but if Valeri wouldn’t speak of it, there was no use continuing to nag. He’d learned that lesson over and over again. At least Valeri found Elias’s soggy condition amusing rather than irritating.
He stripped off his wet clothing layer by layer. Remy and Laurence had fared no better, their clothes were a sopping mess too, but they’d gone easy on Sachi, who squealed when the smallest splash hit her skin. And Aella easily avoided the other’s attacks. Mahu had left just in time.
Running the soap over his skin, Elias thought of Mahu’s advice and wondered if Valeri was in the proper mood for a serious conversation. He rinsed off, wrapped a towel around himself, and wandered into their bedroom.
Valeri stood with his back to Elias, gazing out the window. A fresh white linen shirt, long gray smallclothes, and thick socks lay waiting for him upon the bed. Elias walked past them, dropped the towel, and hugged Valeri from behind. Words had always been difficult for them, but not touch. Touch came naturally.
Elias squeezed his arms around Valeri’s middle and pressed his front to Valeri’s back. He burrowed his nose through the chestnut curls to touch the nape of Valeri’s neck and inhaled deeply. He pressed a kiss there, then gave the spot a little bite for good measure.
Valeri took a shuddering breath. Almost as if…
Was Valeri crying?
“Turn around,” whispered Elias against the soft skin of Valeri’s throat.
Valeri shook his head. He grabbed Elias’s arms and held them tight against his stomach, keeping them locked together with Elias unable to see his face.
A sniffle. However unlikely the sound might seem, Elias heard the snuffling, then felt Valeri’s chest shaking.
“Valeri, are you…crying?”
Valeri didn’t answer. Elias hadn’t really expected him to. Lately, they didn’t communicate well in the best of circumstances, but with Valeri in tears, he couldn’t imagine pulling a conversation from him in this condition. He’d never seen Valeri cry. Even hearing the evidence for himself, the reality was difficult to believe.
“Come to bed,” said Elias. “Let me hold you.”
Valeri nodded. Elias led him to the bed and pushed him to sit on the edge. A tear hovered on his cheek, his eyes watered to the brim. Elias wiped an escaping tear with a gentle swipe of his thumb.
“Darling, tell me what’s wrong.” Elias stood between Valeri’s legs and held his face in his hands.
“I don’t remember the last time I shed a tear, and yet tonight I’ve cried twice.” Valeri gave a pathetic little laugh and put on a smile that looked incongruous on his face.
“What can I do?”
Valeri gazed up at him through dark, wet lashes. “Nothing, my sweet. This isn’t your fault, nor is it your problem to fix.”
“But—”
Valeri put two fingers against Elias’s mouth. “No buts. I want to hear of your night. Tell me about the magic lesson and how you ended up leaving a trail of water to our door.”
Elias narrowed his gaze. “Is that really what you wish to talk about? It’s not important.”
“It’s very important.” Valeri’s gaze turned serious. “Your happiness is priceless.”
“Not if it comes at the expense of yours, it’s not.”
“I’m not unhappy,” said Valeri.
Elias huffed. “You are lying through your teeth, Valeri. Don’t think I don’t know.”
“I’m not unhappy with you,” Valeri amended. “Put some clothes on, please, you’re entirely too distracting like this. All that beautiful skin on display.”
Elias leaned in. “You can have me if you like. Any way you want me. I’m feeling indulgent.”
“Yes,” Valeri murmured. His mysterious tears had begun to dry. “Soon. But for now, clothes, please. I want to talk with you.”
“All right,” Elias consented, backing out from the warm spot between Valeri’s thighs to pull on the linen shirt and the soft smallclothes and socks. “Get in the bed though. I meant it when I said I wanted to hold you.”
