Page 39 of The Vampire's Receptionist
Does mental pain count? He didn’t say it out loud. Honestly, he’d curl into a ball and cry if he wasn’t still holding his coffee. He probably should have put it down before.
Dorian cleared his throat, and Kian heard him settle something on the nightstand. “I think I know what’s wrong. I’ll take care of it. Avery, you said you had a meeting with your publisher this morning. Are you going to be late?”
Avery hesitated, but must have decided he trusted Dorian to handle the issue, because he eventually moved away from Kian. “You’re right. I’m sorry I can’t stay. Kian, Dorian has my phone number. Text me if you need me to grab you anything on my way back, okay? I hope you feel better!”
Kian didn’t look up as the human hustled out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Something Kian should have done the night prior, before acting so shamelessly with Dorian. Ugh, he was just making things worse by thinking about it.
The bed shifted as Dorian sat on the edge beside him. He carefully took Kian’s mug away, setting it aside, and Kian used the freedom to hug his knees, keeping his still burning face hidden from the handsome vampire.
“I’m sorry,” Dorian murmured. It wasn’t the reaction Kian had been expecting, and he jerked his head up in surprise.
“Sorry for what?”
Dorian’s face was pained as he explained, “I took advantage last night. I know how people react to feedings, it wasn’t right for me to–”
“No!” Kian shouted, eyes wide with horror. He was embarrassed, sure, but he didn't want Dorian to think last night was anything other than one hundred percent consensual. His outburst unfortunately startled the poor man, which only embarrassed Kian further. He pushed past it, his face burning. “You didn’t take advantage. I wanted it. I just–” He whimpered, fighting the urge to bury his face again. “I forgot that we had an audience. It was bad enough that I practically begged, but I completely forgot about Mr. Hawksley and I…” He trailed off with a groan, giving in to the urge to hide his face. He’d never be able to look either man in the eye ever again.
“Ah…” Dorian said, clearing his throat awkwardly. “I hadn’t, um… hadn’t thought of that. If it makes you feel better, the hallway was empty when I left your room. I believe Ozen stayed only long enough to ensure you were alright before giving us privacy. He is also incredibly discreet when it comes to sexual matters. He won’t speak a word of it, I’m sure.”
Dorian’s reassurances made him feel a little better. Not by much, but he trusted the man not to lie to him. He still didn’t think he’d be able to look Ozen in the eye, though. Cautiously, he looked up to find Dorian reacting similarly to how Kian had. His cheeks were adorably pink, and he looked awkward, to say the least. That helped more than the assurances did. It was easier to take when Kian wasn’t feeling it alone.
Finally realizing he had Kian’s attention, Dorian forced a small smile. “I’m sure it will be fine. At least it wasn’t Taron. He wouldn’t hesitate to tease.”
Kian felt his lips twitch in an urge to smile back. What was it about this vampire that made it so easy for him to relax? And why did he want to do anything to make the man stay?
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
While he felt sure his friend wouldn’t speak a word about what happened last night between himself and Kian, Dorian still felt embarrassed. He’d been completely enraptured with the little whimpers and gasps coming from his squirming feeder. He couldn’t think of anything other than getting his hands on the beautiful man. He’d had to make a beeline for the shower to handle his own reaction afterward. He’d nearly come in his pants listening to the sounds Kian made during his release.
He’d expected a little embarrassment in the morning from the both of them. He fully intended to sit down and have a discussion with Kian about it after he’d eaten. But now that they were sitting beside each other, he was reluctant to return to the topic. He didn’t want to make things any more awkward than they already were, especially after Kian’s earlier reaction. He’d hoped to ease the strain between them, not make things harder.
To distract them both from the embarrassment, he moved the tray of food from the nightstand to Kian’s lap. He looked a little less pale than he had the day prior, the dark circles under his eyes faded slightly. A few more days of decent rest should put him back on his feet. The thought relieved Dorian. He’d been stressed about Kian’s health since the incident, andhe looked forward to things returning to normal. Though he was slightly disappointed that they wouldn’t be spending every meal together once Kian was finally allowed to go home. Dorian had grown to like having someone around to talk with. He hadn’t realized he was lonely in his home until he was staying with others.
“What’s this?” Kian asked, eyeing the tray curiously.
“Charred white bean breakfast pizza. I found a recipe online. I hope you like it.”
He’d never heard of a breakfast pizza before, but he liked experimenting with meals from time to time, and he wanted to brighten Kian’s day. Thankfully, Kian seemed game to try it, and Dorian watched him carefully to see his reaction. Kian groaned as he took his first bite, sending Dorian’s libido into overdrive. It sounded too much like the noises Kian made the night before. It made Dorian want to take the pizza away and find other ways to draw those noises from the beautiful man.
Kian must have felt his stare, because his cheeks flushed pink again, and he shifted a little awkwardly beside him. Realizing he was making him uncomfortable, Dorian cleared his throat and stood, wandering away to check on the plants in the room. Isaac said his cousin would come by after lunch to check on all the plants and make sure they were healthy. Dorian didn’t want Kian trying to use his magic to heal them if they weren’t doing well, not until he was cleared by Doctor Chapman.
“I, uh… Do you have any meetings today?” Kian asked, his voice strained from the awkward tension.
“A few, yes,” Dorian nodded. He looked apologetically over his shoulder. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you assist just yet. You need more rest.”
Kian looked as though he was fighting back a scowl, pushing the food around on his plate. Dorian couldn’t imagine beingbedridden. He was almost always working, and in his down time, he kept himself busy. Being stuck in bed sounded abysmal.
Since it was his fault that Kian was stuck there, he offered, “I can move you to the media room, if you wish. Or maybe the library?”
Kian waved the offer away, jerking his thumb at the nightstand. “Avery already brought me some books to read, and I’m not really a tv person. I’m fine.”
He said that, but he didn't look thrilled at the thought of reading, and Dorian still felt guilty. If he had the time, he’d take a short vacation so that he could be around to at least provide Kian with some entertainment. Being alone in this room wouldn’t help matters.
“How about I move you to the office? We can make a space for you to rest there, and with Isaac and Maverick around, there are plenty of people to socialize with. I’d feel guilty leaving you in here all alone.”
A mix of emotions crossed Kian’s face, too quick for Dorian to decipher. He didn’t feel as though they were in a place where he could ask. Kian didn’t trust him yet to be open with him. Instead, he waited for Kian to decide what would work best for him.
Kian shook his head.“I don’t want to be a burden. I’m fine here. Thank you, though.” He flicked his gaze to Dorian and away. “When, uh… When did you want to have your next feeding?”
