“Eli,” Austin said, shocked when his voice didn’t come out weaponised, “can you fetch Tristan a robe?”
Eli strode to the fire, where two robes hung warming by its flickering light.
Austin squeezed Tristan’s biceps. “My chair,” he requested.
Tristan carefully set Austin onto his chaise lounge, sturdy legs accepting the extra weight of his tail without difficulty. Austin roughly pulled the silk sheet resting on the back half over some of his tail, fussing with the fabric as he watched Tristan put on the robe. Only when his cock was hidden did he look back at Liam.
Liam stood where Austin’s tail ended, his calf a mere inch from the edge of his fin. His hand rested on his hip, where his gun no longer was, and he was studying Tristan. His appraisal moved from Tristan’s reddened, injured skin to Austin’s unblemished self.
Tristan’s fingers brushed over Austin’s shoulder. “Would you like some privacy?”
Austin thought about it, then nodded. “I’m quite hungry.”
“I’ll get food.”
“Do you want music?” Eli asked, just before he went outside. “Kada and Jaris were waiting up to see if they’d be needed for entertainment.”
“No. Can you find Liam something dry to wear?”
“I think Inx is his size; I’ll go borrow something fromhim.” He cackled as he left.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Liam cautiously perched on the edge of the coffee table beside Austin’s chaise lounge, arms crossed over his chest. Seconds of mutual appraisal passed in silence.
Liam wore a variation of what he always did: boring green jacket, boring grey pants, boring black boots. The fabric was all rigid, ocean wet that had dried in stiff, briny lines that gave a faint crunch whenever Liam moved. His hair was curled at the edges, the waves lying in thick clumps. There were stamps of tiredness under Liam’s eyes, making him look to be in his fifties, not his forties.
“You’ve put on weight,” Liam said.
Austin snorted. He lifted the bottom of his tail. “Noticed, have you?”
But Liam was looking at Austin’s ribs, his chest, and his collarbones. Austin peered down at his torso. “Have I?”
“And your colour is better.”
“Is it?” His tail had gone from grey to glowing silver, but obviously that wasn’t what Liam was referring to.
“Your eyes aren’t bloodshot.” Liam scrubbed his face with both hands as tension bled from his body. He deflated. “I wasimagining you hiding in a barn or living in an abandoned cove somewhere.”
Austin pursed his lips. “Why would I do anything like that? It doesn’t sound very comfortable.” A need rose inside Austin. He slid his tail sideways, and a prickle of pins and needles spread throughout his lower half. Bare feet touched the warmed wooden floor. He stood.
“No, it doesn’t. Andcomfortseems to be something you have in abundance here.” Liam dropped his hands from his face.
Austin crushed him into a hug. Standing and taller, his arms hooked partly around Liam’s neck, partly around the back of his head, and he felt the prickle of Liam’s beard against the bare skin of his chest. Liam’s surprised exhale was warm on Austin’s abdomen, and then nothing. Stock still, Liam didn’t even breathe.
Under his chin, Liam’s hair crunched. Austin tugged at a particularly thick clump, finding sand gritted through the strands. “I’m sure Eli offered to draw you a bath. You should have accepted.”
Liam said nothing.
Austin relaxed his grip and sank down, finding himself sitting sideways on Liam’s lap as he pressed his ear to his chest. A rapid thumping boomed against his ear, Liam’s chest expanding as he drew in a shaky breath. An unsteady hand lifted to touch Austin’s shoulder, awkward fingers rubbing him.
Austin’s bitter daydreams about Liam in America tossing nieces and nephews high into the air dissipated. He’d hardly do that when he didn’t know how to hug someone. An absurd image of Liam tossingAustinhigh into the air materialised from nowhere, and he smiled to himself. Liam might manage two or three feet.
“How high do you think you could toss me?”
“Excuse me?”
The door opened. Austin was facing away, though he sensed Tristan before he saw him. Liam lowered a protective arm over Austin’s backside, making Austin huff. Tristan came into view, setting down a tray of food next to Liam on the table. Liam’s other arm rose to shield Austin’s front from view.
