He looked to Damien with fear-filled eyes and took a cautious step toward Caroline.
Hating that he had put such fear in the boy, Damien shook his head as he quickly rounded his desk and kneeled before him.
“Now, now, it is all right,” Damien coaxed, taking George’s little hands in his own. “Are you hurt? Did you cut yourself?” he asked, inspecting the little palms for any cuts. He found noneand released a breath of relief before looking into George’s eyes.
The little boy fervently shook his head.
“I-I d-d-did not m-mean to dr-rop it,” he stammered, tears welling in his large brown eyes.
“It was an accident,” Caroline interjected.
Hearing the apprehension in her voice, Damien felt another bout of guilt moving through his chest.
Did she think I would punish him?
He shot her a glance as he nodded.
“I know that,” he said softly, rubbing the little boy’s palms with his thumbs as he turned his gaze back to George.
“You have nothing to worry about, George, I promise. I am not angry. I just need to know that you did not hurt yourself.”
From his peripheral vision, he saw Caroline’s posture relax, and in front of him, George took a deep, calming breath.
“N-no,” he replied meekly.
“Good, that is good,” Damien said with a nod. “Accidents happen. We are all allowed to make mistakes, as long as we learn from them. Right?”
George nodded vehemently, the fear fading from his eyes.
“Right,” George agreed. “I-I guess there are some things Jeremy does that I sh-should not do.”
Damien huffed out a laugh and turned a curious glance toward Caroline, who, blessedly, gave him a small smile.
“He has been imitating Jeremy for a few days now,” Caroline explained. “Says he wants to be as funny and happy as he is.”
Both Damien and Jeremy chuckled at that.
“Well, lad, I am honored,” Jeremy said, clapping a hand on George’s shoulder. “But you are correct, there are some things that I do that you should not. Besides, you are not like me. You do not need spirits to keep you happy and funny.”
George turned to him, curious. “But Damien does not drink spirits as you do, and he is a bad dog,” he replied.
“What?”Damien laughed.
He looked toward Caroline, whose face was now beet red in the most adorable way. Beside them, Jeremy cackled.
“That is my fault,” Caroline explained sheepishly. “I explained to George that you were like a bad dog. You may bark and growl sometimes, but you never bite.”
Oh, I would bite you. I would bite you in places that would make you moan and whimper in ecstasy if you would only allow me to.
The devious thought arose unbidden, as did the heavy throb of lust that bloomed in his groin. Damien shook his head, attempting to dispel both, and forced out another laugh.
“I did not know you had such a low opinion of me,” he muttered as he looked up at Caroline.
Regret filled her brown eyes as she nibbled anxiously on her lower lip.
Oh, God, please stop that, or I will bite your lip for you.
“It was the only analogy I could think of at the time,” she whispered back.
