“How dare you,” Lord Fine said, though not meanly. “There’s not a drop of fancy in me. I actually see the world for exactly as cold and callous as it is.”
He spoke as if that were certain fact—except at that moment, the worldwasn’tcold. Their space had warmed enough that Sebastian could relax his stranglehold on the blanket, letting it fall loose on his shoulders. And the moment didn’t feelcallouseither, not when Lord Fine’s profile was limned in the flickering glow of the flames he’d built to stop Sebastian’s shivering. Not when Lord Fine had seen Sebastian’s demons and unflinchingly chased them off. “Not everything in the world is cold and callous.”
“Well, maybe notyou, I suppose,” Lord Fine said. “But I most certainly am. So there will be absolutely no more excuses made for me, do you understand?”
“Yes,sir,” Sebastian muttered.
“Oh, duck, if you’re trying to be sarcastic, you should know I love the way that sounds in your voice.” Lord Fine had the barest ghost of a smile. “And you should also know by now I’m a remorseless prick who would happily pop those handcuffs back on you until you see things my way.”
Sebastian snorted, but a grudging smile of his own was tugging at his mouth. “You don’t scare me either, you know.”
“Only because you have more heart than sense.” Unlike Sebastian in his T-shirt, Lord Fine was dressed in striped silk pajamas that shimmered in the firelight. It had been a long time since Sebastian had spent a night in the company of someone who wasn’t dressed to wake at any second. Lord Fine was a handsome man in whatever he wore, but seeing the strong lines of his body dressed for bed projected such a welcome air of steadiness and domesticity that Sebastian was having a hard time looking away.
Lord Fine’s eyes were also on him, lingering on Sebastian’s throat above the blanket, where his collarbones were probably visible above the T-shirt’s collar. “Is that—one of the American army T-shirts?”
Sebastian’s skin was almost buzzing under Lord Fine’s gaze, or maybe he was just warm from the fire. “It is,” he admitted. “I’ve been told I need to size up.”
“Who told you that? I’ll have them drawn and quartered. You’re wearing the absolute perfect size.” Lord Fine abruptly stood up. “Well, come on, then.”
“Where?”
“Bed.”
“Bed?”
“We’re sharing. Like we should have from the bloody start—are you always so stubborn? We’ll sleep back to back, like soldiers. Well, to be fair, I always had my own tent, but I feel certain you’ve done it.”
Sebastian’s cheeks flushed with sudden heat. That was not a path of memories to go down in front of Lord Fine, especially not when the man was offering to share a bed. “But—”
“Besides, I wake at the slightest noise,” Lord Fine went on. “So you’ll only make it inconvenient for me if this happens again and I have to cross the room. And you said it’s worse when you’re cold, so perhaps if you’re warmer you won’t wake at all.”
“But—”
“Sebastian,”Lord Fine said testily. “Stop arguing with me and get your arse in the bed.”
He held out his hand expectantly.
Sebastian bit his lip. Then he took Lord Fine’s hand, much warmer than his own, and let himself be pulled up to his feet.
The bed was more than big enough for two men, so that they could lie facing in opposite directions and not touch. Lord Fine, whether on accident or on purpose, had maneuvered so Sebastian was on the side with the fireplace, just able to see the orange flames flickering across the room. The bed was still warm, and Sebastian still had the extra blanket on top of him.
When was the last time he was this comfortable?
The heavy rain continued to pelt the window and balcony doors. Sebastian watched the flames, and then sighed quietly. “You must think me a coward.”
“Are you daft?” Lord Fine said incredulously. “I mean, I do think you’re a posturing fool for not taking me up on my offer in the first place. But a coward? After the torture you went through? No. I think you must have the courage of a lion.”
Sebastian automatically wrapped his hand around the tattoo on his wrist.
“Look,” Lord Fine went on gruffly. “You know what the war was like. Whatever badness you think you’ve done, you did it under blood magic. I’ve done plenty without that excuse.”
Sebastian half glanced over his shoulder, seeing only the edge of Lord Fine’s back. “Are we actually going to compete over who is the bigger scoundrel?”
“I would win,” Lord Fine said decisively. “Because you’re an angel, while I’m an actual beast.”
Sebastian pursed his lips. “You’re really not so bad, you know.”
“Ugh, you are such a menace with those rose-colored glasses,” said Lord Fine. “I bet you said the same thing about your mangy, rabid strays, and now two of them live in my home.”
