He observed me for a moment, his expression thoughtful. “Your dragon likes it. But what about you, Terry? Because while this is fun, I don’t want to do it if there’s the slightest chance…”
“Shh. I love it, Lothair. All of me. I love seeing you,feelingyou fuck. If I ever witness you breed someone, I might spontaneously combust. And when you kissed me while I was balls deep in Rico, it was like the sky opened and angels sang.”
“Then why are you fidgeting?”
I sighed. “Maintaining the sex life we both crave will come with a lot of challenges. Your career, your public image, your security. It’s all fragile.”
Lothair grinned, carefree as always. “I’ve been fucking omegas for years. It’spartof my public image.”
I poked his chest with a finger. “And it’s always been risky.”
“I’m getting a sense of déjà vu. We’ve circled back to when you first started working for me, haven’t we? May I remind you that you yourself told me Zach is as safe as they come?”
“He is. I hope that, with Zach, if we’re all okay with it, that it could become a regular thing.”
“Then relax. He enjoyed himself last time, and he likes you as a client. He all but jumped at the opportunity to see you again. He’ll be here soon, and we’ll make sure to blow his mind on top of the hefty fee we’re already paying him. How about we take it one step at a time, huh?”
Was Lothair suddenly the reasonable one? “I’m overthinking it.”
“A little.”
I laid my head on Lothair’s shoulder. “No wonder people say non-monogamous relationships get complicated.”
“Ours is simple in comparison,” he said. “I love you above anything else in the world, and you love me too. That’s why you worry. But you don’t have to carry everything on your shoulders, Terry. Speak to me. I’ve been known to behave like an immature asshat, but that was because I had no reason to care. Now I have all the reasons. Talk to me, and we will sort these things out together. You planned our visits to Priapus, no doubt taking extreme measures to keep me safe, and now you set up the thing with Zach, again with my comfort and pleasure on your mind. But you don’t have to do everything.”
“I need you happy.”
He pulled back, staring at me with a hint of frustration in his features. “And I needyouhappy. When you’re worried about something, you tell me, and we work together to solve it.”
I sighed. “I talked to Boone on Wednesday. They still haven’t been able to locate Carlos. He’s vanished.”
Lothair’s jaw ticked. “Okay. Maybe he’s trying to start over somewhere far away from here.”
“Or he’s keeping a low profile while plotting revenge against Paris and you.”
He opened his mouth to say something then clenched it shut. He caressed my cheek and the corner of my mouth with the pad of his thumb.
His eyes turned sad. “It’s my fault. I keep dismissing the things you worry about, so you’ve stopped sharing themwith me. I’m sorry, Terry. I’ll get better at listening, I promise.”
I gaped at my mate, stunned into silence.
He swooped in to kiss me. The wave of tenderness almost stole my breath. I kissed him back with all my might until he softened the kiss and eased back.
“I love you,” he said. “I need you safe and happy too, you know.”
“Maybe Iamparanoid.”
Lothair pressed his lips to my forehead. “I don’t believe that. You’re cautious and responsible, while I’m the reckless idiot courting trouble whenever I can. But you’ve already made me better, Terry. You gave me a reason to care about myself.”
“I love you too, Lothair. More than I can express.”
“Can you relax tonight? Enjoy yourself. Let me make you feel good. We’ll worry about the what-ifs tomorrow.”
“Yeah.”
He hugged me, and I straddled him. Our kisses got more frantic, and by the time the doorbell rang, I was throbbing with need, my cock aching in my pants. Lothair moved me from his lap onto the sofa and squeezed my hard bulge.
“Party time!” He winked before he went to open the door.
