Page 30 of The Last Gargoyle's Christmas Wish
Uzoth stared at him a moment. “Then we better get you something to eat.”
Still, they just stood in the middle of the room, holding each other, neither willing to pull away.
CHAPTER 17
Uzoth still couldn’t comprehend what had passed between him and Grady. And with Grady’s touches and kisses, Uzoth felt like his body had awakened after an age of hibernation. He’d forgotten what true pleasure felt like.
Afterwards, they’d gone out into the main room, and Grady had eaten and spoken with some of the others. But soon they’d retired to bed, and Uzoth and Grady had retired too.
“I’m sorry. I think I’m way too tired to get up to anything more tonight.” Grady gave him a weary smile and pulled down the sheets. “But I’m looking forward to getting a good night’s sleep with you.”
Uzoth stared at the bed. “You want me to sleep with you in your bed?”
“I know the bed isn’t big. So it’ll be a bit tight. We’ll have to be close.” Grady paused. “Where did you plan to sleep? Not out there in the snow, right? Not in this.”
Uzoth looked out the window. A blur of white existed beyond. “I do not sleep. When I sit and watch, I enter a lower level of awareness. It allows me to continue watching to some extent, but it conserves energy. It is not sleeping, however.”
“Oh. That’s right.” Grady scratched at his beard. “You told me about that. Then I suppose you don’t want to lay in the bed with me all night. I imagined it’d get pretty boring. You can?—”
“Perhaps I can lie with you,” Uzoth interrupted. Because although he would not sleep, the idea of lying beside Grady held so much appeal.
“You sure? It’s fine if you’d rather not.”
“I wish to lie beside you.” Uzoth yearned to. He took a step towards him. “I think that would be…extremely pleasant.”
“I think so too.” Grady smiled softly. Grady stripped to his undershorts and climbed in, looking at Uzoth expectantly. “But I won’t be offended if you get up during the night if you get bored.”
“I will not be bored lying next to you.” Uzoth could not fathom that occurring. He sat on the bed. It sank beneath his weight. “I have never lain in a bed before.” Uzoth swung his taloned feet up. They hung off the end.
He lay down on the mattress. “It is very soft.” His body pressed against Grady’s. They did not really fit on the small bed.
Grady chuckled. “I imagine it is much comfier than squatting on a rooftop in the snow.” Grady tugged the blankets over them.
“Yes. It is much comfier.”
Grady leaned over him and turned off the lantern. “Would it be all right if I…”
“If you what?”
“If I…cuddled with you?” Grady asked softly.
Uzoth’s throat tightened. “That would be more than fine, Grady.”
Grady lay down and snuggled close. He rested his head on Uzoth’s chest. After a moment, Uzoth wrapped an arm around Grady. Within a couple of minutes, Grady’s breathing deepened. A few minutes later, Grady began to snore.
Even if he could, Uzoth did not wish to sleep. He would not want to miss a single second of Grady asleep in his arms. Hewanted to cherish every passing moment. After all, he had no idea how long Grady would want him around.
Unfortunately, during the night, they were woken by a commotion.
“Grady!” Lachlan screamed. And they raced to Lachlan’s room. It appeared that Kit, Lachlan’s familiar, was in fact a cat shifter, and he had shifted into his human form.
Lachlan stared at Kit in horror. Confusion and hurt radiated from Kit as he desperately tried to touch Lachlan. Whilst Grady tried to suggest Lachlan take Grady’s bed to sleep, Lachlan decided to share a room with Kit but not a bed.
Afterwards, they returned to Grady’s room. Grady paced and fretted.
“Bloody broomsticks! I’m just not sure what to do!” Grady said. “Should Kit even be sleeping in the same room as Lachlan? I mean, there are two beds, and it’s Lachlan’s choice, but…” He trailed off. “I just don’t know.”
Back and forth he strode across the small room.
