Page 230 of Scales ’N’ Spells: Volume One

“I’m not sure protecting is among his brain’s top five things he wants to do to Tori,” Ravi taunted.

“I’m sure it’s at least in the top ten,” Cameron added with a giggle.

“I think you’re both wrong in assuming his brain is working at all right now,” Gunter added.

With a grunt, Baldewin shoved to his feet. “I’d rather be with my mate than listen to this mocking. I accept your generous offer, Hoheit. Sleep well.”

“Sleep well, Baldewin,” Alric said and then grinned wickedly. “And try to get some sleep. We need Tori to be well rested tomorrow when it comes to dealing with the Taavi.”

“True words spoken by a man too often tempted by his own mate,” Baldewin taunted right back.

Alric wrapped an arm around Cameron’s waist, pulling his mate into his lap who yelped in surprise. “This one has been a bad influence on me.”

Baldewin left the suite to the sounds of laughter and mock fighting. Spirits might have been dampened by the meeting with the Taavi Clan, but Alric was not willing to give up. It might be slow going, but they would make some progress in convincing them that dragons were not evil.

He quickened his pace down the hall to his own hotel room. With great care, he quietly slipped into the darkened room to find Tori still sprawled across the bed with the blankets twisted up around him. It looked as if he’d barely moved while Baldewin had been gone.

Stripping down to his briefs, he slipped into the bed behind Tori and pulled him in close. The mage shifted, turning to Baldewin until his face was pressed against his neck.

“Everything okay?” Tori asked in a low, sleep-husky voice that sent the blood racing to his dick. Baldewin tamped down the urge to wake Tori so they could make love again. His sweet mage needed his sleep.

“I just checked in with Alric and Rodrigo. We’re going to try talking to the clan again tomorrow after breakfast.”

Tori hummed softly before yawning. “Thought so.”

“Sleep, my mate. We’ll talk more in the morning.”

Tori only gave a little nod, and Baldewin felt the last of the tension slide out of him as he drifted back to sleep in his arms. Closing his eyes, Baldewin found himself falling asleep with a smile on his lips. The day might not have gone well, but this was the perfect night.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Tori fumbled the shoe in his hand a second time. He’d never thought watching someone brush their teeth could be sexy, but then he’d never had a half-naked Baldewin bent over the sink brushing his teeth in their shared hotel bathroom. Yeah, he could watch his mate brush whatever the hell he wanted. He was lucky his brain remembered to pump the blood through his body, because it was currently enjoying the Baldewin show.

“What are you thinking for breakfast?” Baldewin asked after rinsing his mouth out.

“Huh?”

Baldewin grabbed a hand towel and wiped his face off. He grabbed his glasses off the counter and looked up in the mirror as he slipped them on, meeting Tori’s gaze over his shoulder, and grinned, as if he knew Tori was utterly lost in the sight before him. “Breakfast? First meal of the day? For you, it’s typically served with a vat of coffee large enough for me to swim in.”

Tori frowned at the man for a second before picking up his shoe and shoving his foot into it. “I don’t recall ordering a mate with so much sass and snark.” He finished tying his sneaker in time to see Baldewin looming over him. He tried to jump to his feet, but it was already too late. The dragon wrapped an arm around his waist and tackled him back onto the bed, covering him with his larger body.

Baldewin had to be an Olympic-level cuddler. The man knew how to hold him with the perfect amount of pressure while snuggling his face against Tori’s neck like it was made to be placed there. His mate was warmth and safety and sexiness all rolled into one loving package.

“Are you dissatisfied with your mate? Would you like to trade me in for another model?” Baldewin teased.

Tori couldn’t even joke about it. Baldewin was perfect for him in every way. “Nope. You’re mine completely. I dare another mage to come near you. I’ll make every strand of hair fall from their body and flip their skin inside-out.”

Baldewin lifted his head and stared at Tori, blinking wide-eyed at him in surprise.

Placing his hand to Baldewin’s cheek, Tori leaned up a little. “I feel like I’ve been waiting a lifetime for you, never really believing that you could exist. I never want to lose you.”

His mate closed his lovely, grey-green eyes briefly, but not before pain flashed through them. He turned his head and kissed the palm of Tori’s hand. “Nothing and no one will ever take me from you. You’re my mate. And when we return to Burkhard, we will be officially bonded together in front of the entire clan.”

Tori closed his eyes, sinking into Baldewin’s reassurance. Calm fell over him by slow degrees. Logic clearly stated that Baldewin loved him and they were mates. There was no threat to their bond. But logic didn’t always rule his brain after living so much of his life buried under anger, fear, and loathing. But time and Baldewin’s love would help to mend that, he had no doubt.

“I can’t decide whether I want food or to remain just like this for another hour,” Tori murmured. He was hungry, but this was so nice, too.

“Food and then meeting. After that, I can hold you until you are sick of me,” Baldewin countered.

Tori opened his mouth to argue that they skip the meeting entirely when raised voices in the hall stopped the words in his throat. They nearly moved as one. Baldewin snatched up his shirt from where he’d draped it over a chair and pulled it on as he hurried to the door with Tori.