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Bruiser snorted. He tightened his arm around Uriel, and pushed the doors open.

The first thing Uriel saw were the dick drawings. They were huge, plastered all over the bed and walls, hanging in front of the doorway like curtains they had to walk through.

“What the hell,” Bruiser said.

A disembodied voice surrounded them. “Tonight I’ll tickle your love muscle, we’ll huddle in the snow and you’ll lick my love popsicle. I’ll open your ass-ring, our butts will do some kissing. We’ll exchange our liquid vows from my hole to yours.”

“Oh dear gods,” Uriel whispered.

“I need to bleach my ears,” Bruiser groaned.

To his credit, Hunner hadn’t completely devastated the bedroom. Beneath the strings of bright pink tinsel with plastic dicks hanging off them, Bruiser’s bedroom was a stately navy blue, with a huge bed in the middle, piled high with pillows on one end.

“Your duvet looks so soft,” Uriel said, stepping forward and running his hands all over it. At least, the parts that weren’t covered with drawings.

“Better than the one at the cabin,” Bruiser agreed. He quickly moved through the room, gathering the dick drawings and stuffing them into the trash. This left the bed covers looking so soft and inviting.

Uriel couldn’t help himself. He flung himself onto the bed and wriggled his limbs, as though he was making a snow angel. Bruiser laughed.

Then Bruiser flung himself onto the bed too, next to Uriel, so he bounced Uriel into the air. When Uriel landed, Bruiser began making a “snow angel” too, smacking his limbs against Uriel’s so they ended up in a friendly slap-fight.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this. It’s like we’re kids,” Uriel said.

Bruiser shrugged. “That’s what a partner is for, right? Someone you can be silly around, without them judging you.”

Uriel eyed him. “I’m going to judge you for your thick eyebrows.”

“Oh?” Bruiser snorted. “Just that?”

“Depends on what I find in your hoard.”

“Hmmm. Fine.” And Bruiser launched himself at Uriel, tickling him.

Uriel gave an ungainly squawk. It was embarrassing. He tried to tickle Bruiser back, but his fingers slid over Bruiser’s ribs and Bruiser didn’t react. On instinct, Uriel pushed out his magic, freezing Bruiser in place.

Except this froze Bruiser above him, straddling his hips. For several heartbeats, they stared at each other, Uriel’s pulse thumping loudly. Suddenly this seemed a lot more intimate than before.

Uriel released the magical hold.

“Huh,” Bruiser murmured, planting his hands on either side of Uriel’s head, trapping Uriel beneath him. He leaned closer. Uriel should feel threatened, maybe, but all he felt was safe. “I wonder what that was.”

“You could tell me,” Uriel whispered.

Bruiser’s gaze dipped briefly to Uriel’s mouth.

Uriel stopped breathing. Were they going to kiss for real?

23

DRAGON RIDING

“You don’t know how gorgeous you are, do you?” Bruiser murmured.

Uriel’s heart stuttered. “M-me?”

“No, I’m talking to the ghost behind you,” Bruiser snarked, but his gaze didn’t leave Uriel’s face. He raked his eyes from Uriel’s forehead down to his chin, then back up, eventually landing on Uriel’s lips. He cradled Uriel’s jaw, calloused thumb dragging just beneath Uriel’s lower lip. It sent a burst of tingles through his skin. “You’re brave and strong,” Bruiser continued in a whisper. “You get creative with your spells. But the thing I like most about you is that you don’t bend easily.”

Uriel raised an eyebrow, his mind whirling with Bruiser’s words. “Most alphas don’t like that.”