Heart's Price (MxM)

Chapter 26

"You look different," Julian says, as he opens my passenger-side door and slides in. When I'd arrived to pick him up for our trip to the standing stones, he'd been sitting on the front steps, backpack in hand, like a kid waiting for the school bus, and it makes me feel like a kid too—sneaking around behind my big brother's back.

"What do you mean, 'different'?" I ask, as he tosses his pack in the back seat and I pull away and head back out towards the highway.

"I dunno," he replies, studying me with a frown. "Just... different. Did something good happen?"

"No," I say, a bit defensively. "Nothing happened."

Surely Julian can't tell just by looking at me.

He continues to stare. Then his amethyst eyes narrow, then go wide, and then a slow grin spreads across his face—ear-to-ear, as they say.

"Noah! Did you finally get some red-hot dragon action?"

"Julian!"

"Omigod you did!" He cackles, delighted. "Tell me everything! I bet he's hung, right? I mean, talk about Dragon Ba—"

"Julian!" I shout, face burning. "Before you say another word, please remember that I am driving you to a remote, wooded area where your body will never be found. Ever."

"Fine, fine," he says, only half pretending to pout. "Keep it all to yourself. Never mind the only action I'm getting these days is second hand. But sure—don't share."

"Julian..."

I'd known that not being able to touch his mate was hard for Dane, but I hadn't considered that it might be hard for Julian, too.

"Hey," I say, just barely stopping myself from reaching over and touching him myself, "we'll figure this out, okay? I promise."

He sighs, amusement fading. "I hope so. I mean, I'm not really that desperate, you know, but... I want to get close to Dane without feeling like my skin's on fire—other than in a good way, I mean."

"Yeah. I know."

I turn my attention back to the road, and he says nothing more, just staring out the window with his head resting against his hand.

"You are right, though," I say offhandedly, as I make the turn onto the highway that will take us up into the wild, forest-clad hills.

"About what?" he asks, turning to look at me.

"Ambrose," I say, hiding a smile as I feel my face heat again.

He laughs—that musical sound that makes my breath snag behind my ribs—but when he speaks his words aren't what I expect.

"I'm sorry, Noah. I didn't mean to embarrass you. And it's not like you're wearing a sign that says 'I just got laid, and it was great,' or anything. It's just... It's good to see you looking like something closer to happy, I guess. We've been worried, to be honest."

I glance over at him, unable to hide my surprise. "Really? Is it that... obvious?"

He nods. "I mean, not to everyone. But to me... yeah."

I refocus on the road, and silence settles again. Julian lets it lie, his own attention on the trees skimming by as we wind our way further up into the lonely, wild hills.

A question itches at the back of my tongue, and at last, I voice it, breaking the quiet barrier that's fallen between us.

"Before Dane," I begin tentatively, "were there... many others? I mean, did you have... other relationships?"