Page 136 of Bonds of Fate

It’s Jay’s turn to groan, but he shifts his hips backward so as not to add to the problem. “Fuck. I will never get over how hot that is. Jesus. Luca, let’s have a chocolate croissant, hmm? I think Gideon probably brought you two.”

Leo arrives with the croissant, holding a piece out for Luca, who opens his mouth like a baby bird. He lets Jay pick him up while Leo continues placing tiny bits of chocolate croissant on his tongue. They manage to get Luca settled with Rowan afew minutes later, and soon enough, he’s smiling and eating his treats on his own.

Still, Grayson is curious. Why had Luca gone so deep? Was it something he did? Or, like Grayson’s insane sex drive, was it Nix’s influence? Maybe now that they’re bonded, Luca can sink further into his instincts than before.

Whatever the reason, Luca hadn’t been in trouble. He’d resisted coming up at first, sure, but he was happy now—content on Rowan’s lap, working on his second croissant and kissing the heck out of their sleepy, sated baby alpha.

Who shouldn’t be sleepy at all, given it’s almost noon.

What!Oh fuck, it’s almost noon. That means he’s only got just over five hours to get himself ready and into the studio. He’s up and off the couch so quickly he forgets his pants are around his ankles, and there is no saving his dignity. He manages to land on his hands and knees, though, thank the Goddess, so at least he saves his dick.

There is dead silence in the kitchen, and Grayson is afraid to look. Every single one of his mates is sure to be staring.

“Pretty? You okay there?” Jay asks gently as the rest of the assholes start laughing.

“Wow. Where are you going in such a hurry?” Rowan can hardly get the words out for his laughter, and Grayson can just hear the grin.

Leo wouldn’t be far behind, either. “Maybe you should pull your shorts up first?”

“Grayson, did you hurt something you need me to look at? I can’t do anything about your dignity, but the rest, maybe?” Finn chokes out, coughing over a sip of coffee that undoubtedly went down the wrong way.

“Gray, are you ok?” Grayson can always count on his sweet Luca to have his back. “This is one of the reasons you should go without pants.”Or not.

He manages to roll over onto his back and pull up his shorts, dropping an arm over his red face and ignoring his teasing mates. He scents Jay’s forest pine before he feels a cool, gentle hand on his arm, and his alpha asks again, “You okay, pretty?”

Is he okay? No. He’s fucking nervous, and it’s making him act like an idiot. Grayson normally prides himself on being calm, cool, and collected. Gideon calls him the Ice Prince for a reason, but just thinking about having Nix to himself and maybe getting the chance to complete their bond has him acting more like a Disney sidekick than a princely hero.

“I’ve got a date with Nix tonight, and I am so fucking excited that I’m acting like I’ve never seen a dick before. Fuck. I’ve got five hours to get my shit together, get set up, and pick up stuff I’ve ordered from town.” It sounds insurmountable, but now that he’s committed to the idea, he’s not giving it up.

“A date?” Jay asks faintly. A myriad of emotions flicker across his face—from surprise to envy to disappointment, but he eventually settles on sincere happiness. His smile is genuine when he says, “That’s amazing. I bet he’s excited, too. Let us help you. Tell us what we can do, and we will all mobilize.”

There’s a crash in the kitchen, and Luca has emptied the entire contents of the top shelf of the refrigerator onto the kitchen floor.

He’s always adorably klutzy after he’s been under, and he had been trying to reach something in the back. His mate comes out of the fridge, heedless of the mess, holding a new jar of pickles. Finn is quick to hoist him up and pass him over to Leo while Rowan goes for the mop and trash can.

Jay just smiles, and with a sigh, he says, “Maybe not Luca. But Leo and I can both act as gofers and pick up stuff. I’ll get Finn on Luca-watch for now.” Jay’s smile fades a bit because normally Gideon would care for Luca, but they both knew why he was busy in the gym.

“That would be great.” Grayson leans in and puts his forehead on Jay’s shoulder, and breathes him in. “Tell me I’m not being an over-the-top idiot or a romantic fool.”

“You are a romantic who is a fool in love. I cannot blame you for fear of revealing my hypocrisy.” Such a formal speech from the guy who wrote the song:Leo, You’ve got the Bass (And my Heart)with the moving lyricsLeo, oh Leo, you’ve got me in a trance, With dat phat ass flexin’ in your leather pants.“Get me a list, pretty, and I’ll go wash up.”

“Thanks. There will be a few deliveries, too, and I wanted to ask a few questions?”

“Sure, come on, you can talk while I get dressed. Leo, you wanna come with? We’ve got a few errands to run.”

After Jay and Leo leave to pick up the things he needs, Grayson grabs Nix’s surprise and makes his way out to his art studio behind the house. They’d originally thought to make it into the sound studio, but Luca had adamantly refused to walk across the yard pantsless from December to April inclusively (his words), and by then, the foundation had already been poured. The unanimous opinion had been that it should be an art studio where Grayson could work on his larger pieces and be alone when Finn’s library had too many distractingly sexy studious types reading poetry or medical journals.

The Art House is a long room with light wood floors and a vaulted ceiling made entirely of glass. The walls, too, were more window than drywall, so Grayson was never without light to work, especially during the golden hours before sunset and in the early morning. The dwelling is far away from the shadow of the house or the woods beyond. It was destined to behisspace, and Grayson wanted to share it with Nix.

Placing the painting he’d finished the day Nix had woken from his coma on an easel, Grayson covers it with a cloth. He doesn’t want to field comments from anyone else tonight.

The first look is for Nix alone.

After that, Grayson sets about preparing the things he’ll need for later, setting the timer for sunset on the fairy lights and bringing in wood for the fireplace, taking extra care to be sure all he has to do is set it alight.

There is a large mattress on a low platform near the fireplace and a shower in the restroom. Grayson quickly makes sure both are up to cleanliness standards and unpacks the bags of blankets and extra pillows.

Now, to make sure the next part of his evening is ready. Grayson is hoping Nix doesn’t have an issue with paint or getting messy.

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