Page 82 of Trained Royal
“And that is my cue to leave. See you at dinner, brothers.”
Patrick didn’t hear him leave, too engrossed in what he was feeling. Unable to hold back any longer, he dragged his mouth away and rested their foreheads together. “I love you, Kieren.”
Kieren pulled back a little, and Patrick had a momentary panic before Kieren cupped his face and smiled. “I love you, mi corazón.”
Patrick bit his lip. “Where’s that from?”
Kieren tried to duck his head, but Patrick wouldn’t let him. “It’s something my father always called my mother. Mi corazón. My heart.”
Patrick kissed him. He couldn’t do anything else. How he got lucky to have Kieren come into his life, he didn’t know, but he would make sure he made the man as happy as he could for the rest of their time together.
****
Chapter 24
Henry
Henry’s heart was light as he closed the door on Patrick’s make out session with Kieren. It was something he didn’t want to see, but it lifted his spirits that his brother was finally finding his happy ending. At least, Henry hoped he was. Kieren was a good man, and Henry couldn’t have hoped to find anyone better.
Those drawings, though… Henry’s brain fired with different opportunities for Kieren to give his gift to people. Or rather sell. Although that didn’t sound as good. He couldn’t give them away because they were amazing. But he could make a full-time living from selling them if he wanted to.
Now he was with Patrick, he wouldn’t need for a job, but as all their partners had told them before, they didn’t want to be kept men. They wanted a life of their own as well as one with them. Henry couldn’t begrudge them it. If he had a choice, he wouldn’t have wanted to be a part of the royal family because of everything that came with it. Their partners were amazing men to be willing to take them on. To take their family on. Especially with the escalations happening now.
That thought soured his mood, and he wished he was with Robert, but as Patrick had so evilly acknowledged, his boyfriend had told him to stop hovering and go away, but much more polite. It was only because he loved Robert so much. He didn’t mean to be a pain in the ass. He wanted to spend as much time with him as possible, but he could understand why Robert sent him away. Henry could be distracting, and Robert knew that. Robert had experienced that.
Henry rolled his lips inwards to contain his smile as he remembered just how distracting he had been when they’d been closing the flower shop the previous evening. Luckily, they’d remembered to lock the front door so no one came in and found them behind the counter.
His phone rang, and he pulled it from his pocket, smiling when he saw Robert’s name.
“I was just thinking about you,” Henry said.
Robert chuckled. “I hope it was a good thought.”
“Hmm. It might have had something to do with that twine from last night…”
Robert hummed. “Yes, that was rather…unique.”
Henry laughed. “What can I do for you. I know you’re busy?”
Robert sighed. “I want you to come back.”
“Why?” Henry frowned. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes. I miss you. As distracting as you are, it’s too quiet when you’re not here.”
“Even with Naomi and Finn there?” Robert’s friends and employees worked alongside him all week, but they never stopped talking.
“Even with.”
“I don’t want to stop you from working,” Henry said, and he frowned when a thought entered his head. “Why do you really want me there, sweetheart?”
Robert sighed. “I’ve found…I don’t like it when I don’t know you’re safe. It’s more distracting having you out in the world doing something else, than being here talking to me and being underfoot. I prefer the latter.”
“I’m fine, Robert. Nothing’s going to happen.”
“You don’t know that, Henry. You of all people should know that.”
The unintended barb hit home. Hedidknow how unfair and unstable Aunt Charlotte was. He knew all about her little schemes and tortures and hatred for anyone within the LGBTQ+ community. The memories and nightmares still clung to him after all this time, but he understood Robert hadn’t meant any harm with his words.
