Hayden
The gentle chimes of my security system let me know someone has arrived at my house, and I hurry to the front door, passing Gaz’s passed-out body on the way. He’s sleeping on my couch, and I realize he must have brought me home from the bar. How much did I drink? Holy dragons. Poor Gaz must think I’m completely bonkers for falling asleep in the middle of the afternoon.
My only excuse is that it was a long day.
“Order for Gazley Oleandair,” the robot says. I reach for the two boxes it’s holding and take them from the robot. So Gaz ordered food, did he? It smells delicious.
“Thank you,” I tell the robot. Even though it’s essentially a fancy computer, I can’t bring myself to be rude to the poor thing. It leaves, and I head back inside with the food. Gaz is sitting on my couch, and he offers me a lopsided, boyish grin.
“Have a nice nap?” He asks.
“I did. Thanks for dinner.”
“Anything for you,” he says. We sit side-by-side in comfortable silence as we eat. When we finish, I set the boxes on the kitchen counter and come back to sit with him a little more. I curl up beside Gaz and, because I’m tired and full and satisfied, I dare to lean my head on his shoulder. He slips his arm around me and tugs me a little closer.
It’s the most we’ve ever touched. It’s the most I’ve ever let a man touch me. I’ve never felt okay about letting a guy get this close to me before, but I feel so safe right now, so taken care of.
I feel protected.
“Gaz?” I whisper. I’m not sure why I’m whispering except that the moment seems precious. It feels delicate somehow, like speaking at full volume will somehow break this spell I’m finding myself under.
“What is it, Hayden?” He strokes my hair, and I take a deep breath.
“I had a really good time with you this afternoon,” I say. The words sound lame, even to me, but he doesn’t laugh at me. He just keeps touching me.
“It was a nice way to relax,” he says. “Hanging out, dancing, napping. I always have fun with you, Hayden.”
“You’re my best friend, Gaz,” I say the words, and suddenly, my stomach feels like it’s filled with a million tiny dragon shifters all fighting for dominance. I’ve never told Gaz I love him. I’ve never told him he’s the most important person in the universe to me. I’ve never told him any of this. We hug and we touch, but never like this.
And I don’t want it to stop.
Gaz doesn’t say anything for a minute. Instead, he lifts me up and pulls me onto his lap. Then he keeps hugging me and stroking my hair. There’s no way I should be comfortable with this. There’s no way I should be okay with what is happening right now, but somehow, everything feels so right.
“When I came to Sapphira, I felt very lonely. Moving to a new place is always difficult, isn’t it?”
“So I’ve heard. I’ve never lived anywhere but Diamond, so I guess I’m not the best person to ask about that.”
“Well, I was very uncomfortable when I arrived. Obviously, I am the most handsome man in the city, so there was that to deal with.”
“Oh yes,” I laugh. “You had to deal with all the poor Sapphiran women vying for your attention. However did you manage?”
“I met you,” he says. “Do you remember that day?”
“I remember.”
We were at a bow shop, me and Ezra. Quinn was off getting into trouble somewhere, but Ezra was going to teach me how to hunt, so he took me with him to the store. While we were there, I saw the most beautiful man I’d ever seen in my life. He was tall and dark and handsome: all of the things those old Earth television shows say a man ought to be.
Ezra saw what Gaz was about to buy, and he stepped in and started giving the salesman a piece of his mind. Gaz was so surprised, but appreciative, that he ended up buying exactly what Ezra recommended and the two of them started trading hunting tips. Gaz started coming by Ezra’s place to hang out and since I was already over there so often myself, I started getting to know Gaz.
And once I saw what was beneath his sexy exterior, I started to fall in love with the man he really is.
“You were wearing a pink dress,” he says softly.
“How do you remember that? It was years ago.”
“I’ll never forget, Hayden. You looked so sweet, like an angel. I thought you were Ezra’s girlfriend and when I found out you were related, it was such a sweet relief.”
“Why were you relieved?” I ask the question, even though I’m not really sure I want to know the answer. I should think before I ask questions like this because his answer is going to change everything.
Gaz holds my heart, and he can break it or guard it, and I don’t know which one he’s going to do.
“You’re in my lap, Hayden,” he whispers, and he catches my gaze. “You’ve been sitting in my lap and you haven’t moved. Do you do this with any of your other friends?”
“Never.”
“You’re a smart girl, Hayden.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying, you know how I feel about you, princess. You just aren’t ready to believe it. Not just yet.”
“Pretend I’m dumb, Gaz. Pretend I’m stupid and I don’t know what you’re saying.”
“You want me to say the words, darling?” His hand runs through my hair, gently playing with my curls. My heart begins to soar, and I feel like I’m going to die of happiness or throw up from nervousness.
“Say it,” I whisper, and I hold my breath.
Gaz leans closer to me and presses his lips to my forehead.
“I love you,” he whispers as he pulls away. “I’ve loved you for a very long time, Hayden.”
“You never told me before,” I point out the obvious. “Gaz, you never told me before.”
“Hayden,” he doesn’t stop touching me. “When I met you, I could tell you had been through something terrible. I’m a lawyer, yes, but I’m also a hunter, and I know what wounded prey looks like. I knew you had been through something emotionally devastating, and I also knew that you weren’t ready to talk about it yet.”
“But you never pressed me.”
“I never pushed you, Hayden, because I hoped that one day, we’d be close enough that you trusted me.”
“And that day is today.”
“When you let me hold you at Galaxy, when you fell asleep and knew I’d be right there to protect you, that wasn’t stupidity, Hayden. That was trust. You trusted me to take care of you, and I did.”
“Something tells me you’ll always look after me, Gaz.”
“Tell me you don’t feel the same, Hayden. Tell me I’m being crazy and I’ll leave. Tell me you don’t want me, that you aren’t completely in love with me, that I’m not the one who makes your heart sing. You tell me all of that, and I’ll go, and we can pretend today never happened.”
I look up at Gaz and I see an eagerness in his eyes I’ve never seen before. I see a passion, a depth he’s kept locked away. I see something burning there that I want more of.
I want all of him.
“I can’t tell you that, Gaz, because I love you, too.”
He doesn’t kiss me yet. He just looks at me, and I start to tear up a little bit, because I’ve never been the lucky girl, the brave girl. I’ve never been someone life shone favorably upon. My journey has been hard and treacherous and full of pain, but Gaz makes me feel innocent once more.
When he touches me, I know that everything is going to be okay. The world is set right when I’m in his arms.
“Hayden, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear you say those words.” He strokes my cheek. “I must be dreaming because you’re so perfect. How could you ever love a fool like me?”
“You’re my Gaz,” I say simply, and then I lean up and kiss him, pressing my lips gently to his. Our first kiss is soft, slow. It’s sensual. I feel the passion burning deep in my belly, the desire for more, but I keep that locked up for now. Right now, I just want this kiss. I just want this moment.
Gaz kisses me tenderly, and I realize he’s been waiting just as long for this moment as I have. He kisses me like there’s no tomorrow, like I’m the only thing he needs to live, and then he stops and pulls me close to him once more.
We sit together, embracing on the couch, and I close my eyes as I rest against him.
Gaz loves me.
He loves me.
And I am safe.