Chapter 149: Private Time

Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Private Time

By the time Nero and Sebastian returned to the Sahan guest wing that evening, Nero had failed to acquire Amaru’s pastry chef.

He considered this an unresolved negotiation rather than a defeat.

Sebastian considered it embarrassing.

"You offered him four times his salary while eating food he had prepared for Amaru’s coronation."

Nero closed the doors behind them and removed the silver clasp holding part of his hair back, allowing the long white-blond strands to fall freely down his back.

"He was interested."

"He looked terrified."

"Those emotions can coexist."

Sebastian laughed as he crossed the sitting room, shrugging out of the dark-green jacket he had worn through most of the afternoon and dropping it over the back of a chair.

The kitchens had been intended as a brief excursion for Theo.

Instead, the child had discovered a tray of delicate pastries filled with something between vanilla cream and lightly spiced fruit, eaten half of one, stolen several bites from Nero’s, and then climbed into Sebastian’s arms with a glass of warm milk while insisting he was not remotely tired.

Sebastian had liked the pastry too.

That had apparently been the chef’s mistake.

The moment Nero noticed Sebastian finish it, he had asked who made it with the same focused interest he normally reserved for intelligence reports.

Within five minutes, Amaru had caught him offering the chef employment.

Within ten, the salary had doubled twice.

"He has a position here," Sebastian reminded him.

"He can have a better one in Saha."

"He is Amaru’s head pastry chef."

"Then he possesses excellent references."

Sebastian turned toward him.

"You attempted to dismantle the future king’s kitchen the night before his coronation."

"One employee is hardly dismantling anything."

"Amaru disagreed."

"Amaru was emotional."

Nero said it with such complete seriousness that Sebastian began laughing again.

That seemed to satisfy him.

Nero crossed the remaining distance between them and immediately slipped both arms around Sebastian’s waist, drawing him back against his chest while Sebastian was still smiling.

There it was.

The other problem with today.

Nero had barely stopped touching him since Theo arrived.

A hand at his waist, fingers along his back, a mouth against his temple whenever nobody important was watching, and several moments when Sebastian had caught Nero staring at him with an intensity that went well beyond his usual obsession.

Sebastian had noticed.

He simply had not yet decided whether asking would make matters better or considerably worse.

Nero buried his face against the side of his neck.

Sebastian sighed.

"You’re doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Trying to climb inside my skin."

"That sounds efficient."

Sebastian reached back and caught a section of his hair.

Nero kissed beneath his ear, directly above the edge of the green collar Sebastian had deliberately chosen that morning.

Another grievance.

He felt Nero’s fingers touch the leather.

"You’re still offended by this."

"I gave you a superior collar."

"You gave me a small national-security system disguised as jewelry."

"It also looked better with your suit."

"That argument failed this morning."

"It remains correct."

Sebastian turned in his arms.

Nero’s formal coat had already been discarded somewhere near the entrance, leaving him in deep-purple trousers and a pale shirt embroidered subtly in silver along the cuffs, the upper buttons opened after hours of behaving like a reasonably respectable crown prince.

Now that they were alone, respectability seemed to have lost all value.

Nero’s hands settled immediately at Sebastian’s hips.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow.

"You have been waiting all day."

"Two days."

"Oh, we’re counting."

"I have been interrupted repeatedly enough that I am considering it an organized campaign."

Sebastian smiled.

The previous two days had admittedly been ridiculous.

Nero had not forgiven any of those that interrupted them.

"You survived."

"Poorly."

"You seemed functional at dinner."

"I was suffering privately."

Sebastian touched his cheek.

Nero leaned into the contact immediately.

That weakness still amused him.

"You were trying to hire a pastry chef."

"For you."

"And Theo."

Nero hesitated.

Sebastian laughed and pulled Nero down by the open collar of his shirt.

The first kiss was brief.

The second was not.

Nero’s hands moved around his waist and drew him closer until there was no space left between them, and Sebastian felt the immediate change in him, the restless energy that had been sitting beneath Nero’s skin all afternoon finally given somewhere to go.

Sebastian broke the kiss just enough to breathe.

"So this is what all the staring was about."

Nero’s violet eyes remained fixed on his mouth.

"Partly."

"Partly?"

Nero kissed him again rather than answer.

Sebastian allowed it for several seconds before catching him by the jaw and forcing enough distance to study his face.

"You were strange after Theo arrived."

"I was perfectly normal."

"You threatened Dean with a fountain because he looked at you."

"He deserved it."

"He usually does, but that isn’t the point."

Nero’s fingers tightened slightly against Sebastian’s waist.

For the first time that evening, some of the humor left his expression.

Sebastian waited.

Nero looked toward the collar at his throat and then lower.

Sebastian followed the movement and understood enough to become very interested.

"Oh."

Nero narrowed his eyes.

"Do not."

Sebastian’s smile widened.

"Theo."

"My moon."

"You saw me holding Theo."

"I see you doing many things."

"And you have been behaving like this ever since."

Nero kissed him before the sentence could become more dangerous.

Sebastian laughed into his mouth.

That was confirmation enough.

Nero backed him slowly toward the bedroom doors, one hand moving to the back of Sebastian’s neck while the other remained firmly around his waist.

"You are enjoying this too much."

"Immensely."

"I regret loving an observant man."

"No, you don’t."

Nero smiled against his mouth.

"No."

The backs of Sebastian’s knees met the edge of the bed several minutes later, and Nero stopped there rather than pushing him down immediately, his forehead settling briefly against Sebastian’s while both of them caught their breath.

No phone rang. No knock sounded. No security officer appeared carrying a tablet.

Sebastian glanced toward the door.

Nero noticed.

"If anyone interrupts us tonight, I am firing them."

"You cannot fire Dax."

"I can try."

"And Chris?"

"I’ll negotiate."

Sebastian laughed and pulled him closer again.