Page 29 of Pregnant With Their Babes

A spell. Ithasto be a spell.

Dagr bit the inside of his cheek to fight the growing need tenting his pants. When it was apparent that their merman was asleep, he dragged himself to his own cabin. As he lay in his own bed, he gazed up at the ceiling, sure he wouldn’t sleep a wink all night.

Sadly, he was right.

All he could see was the pain and longing in Oz’s eyes as he’d walked away. All he could think about was their time coming to an end. And all he could feel was the aching of his cock, wanting a man neither of them should want.

Later, when the sky turned gray, he rose from the narrow cot… knowing he’d find no rest.

* * *

Oz’s head ached with each pulse of his heart. He rolled over in the empty bed—the light from the lone window in the room much too bright. As he lifted his head and realized he was quite alone, memories of the night before tumbled back into his mind, reminding him how large an ass he’d been—driving away the very man he craved there with him. He rubbed his palm along the empty side of the bed, soaking in the coolness of the sheet.

Tormenting himself. Dagr should’ve been lying beside there, warming him.

Not only had he sent Dagr away, but Llyr, too. Visions of them strolling out the night before screamed in his head. That image had only caused him to drink more before stumbling up to his room alone.

What had occurred on the ship? Had Dagr taken Llyr to his bed?

Pain lanced inside his chest at the thought—but a revelation hit him. Maybe Llyr could be the best thing for Dagr. Their love affair was coming to an end. They would both be miserable. Dagr deserved someone to take that pain away.

Maybe it could be Llyr.

If the witch doesn’t give us bad news.

He lay there another moment, envisioning Llyr and Dagr together. They would be so attractive, Llyr’s pale, cool beauty in sharp contrast to Dagr’s warm, tawny good looks. Llyr would fit perfectly against his Dagr.

Oz could barely breathe from the imagining of it.

Forcing himself up, he sat and placed his bare feet on the cold wooden floor. It was a nice shock to his system, waking him a bit more. After washing and dressing, he left the inn and headed toward the docks. Once on board, he found Dagr giving Mr. Tyler a list of orders to get the men working throughout the day. He came to a stop beside Dagr, and sensed his lover was stressed.

“Anything you wish to add, Captain?” Dagr asked stoically.

Oz let his stare roll over Dagr’s handsome features—cross or not, his friend was the most attractive of men. He’d never met Dagr’s equal. And never would. “I’m sure you’ve done an exemplary job, as usual, Commander.”

Dagr offered Oz a salute before spinning to stalk off.

“Dag—wait,” he called, following behind.

Dagr persisted until they were almost at his cabin’s door. Oz’s mind wandered, wondering what went on inside the night before and he was sick from the thought. He didn’t wish to know. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Dagr’s glare softened some. “For?”

“Being an asshole?”

Dagr’s jaw tensed.

“I don’t know what to do about Llyr… and I reacted poorly. I’m already on edge with what I’m facing.” He paused a moment, the words rushing out too fast. Oz meant every one of them… and he refused to let them pour out without meaning. “Iloveyou. With all my heart. I never wished to push you away. I handled a bad situation poorly.”

“Yes. You did.”

“Can you forgive me?” Oz whispered.

Dagr eyed him, silent. After a few seconds, he let out a low breath of air on a sigh. “Neither of us has been ourselves since he came on board.”

Oz glanced at his door again, a bevy of images screaming through his hungover brain. “No. We most definitely haven’t.”

Dagr scoffed. “I’ve been too tough on him. But you’ve been too easy… making me appear to be the bad guy.”

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