A strong hand landed on his shoulder, and Baer looked up to find Clay standing over him. The Earth Weaver was smiling proudly, but there was a look of worry in his eyes.
“That was amazing. You’re getting better with your powers each day,” Clay said.
“Thanks. Still a little foggy in here.” Baer tapped the side of his head with one knuckle.
“I’m sure the longer we work at it, the easier it will get.” Clay gave his shoulder a squeeze and then released him to turn his attention to Lucien.
Part of Baer wanted to laugh as he watched Clay working with Lucien, offering up guidance and support. When they’d first arrived at the plantation, Clay’s only thought was to get this job with the pestilents over with so he could move on. Clay had been a drifter. He hadn’t wanted to settle in one place. Hadn’t wanted to have ties to anyone.
But the man was a natural-born leader. The attitude change had come gradually, but there was no question that a large part of it had come thanks to Dane. The handyman and healer was a family man first. He liked being settled and putting down roots. And for Dane, Clay had finally let himself build a home.
Baer was beyond grateful that Clay and Dane included him as part of their family. He and Ruby had been drifting for far too long on their own, and he wasn’t entirely sure he could blame it on the pestilents and the goddesses. But he was home at the plantation. He felt it every morning he woke up. It was the only place he’d ever been that he looked forward to stumbling down the stairs to see who was already there grabbing coffee. He looked forward to each day, even if it meant battling pestilents and risking his life.
Only now there was Wiley.
He was still looking forward to each day, but now Wiley lay at the center of it all. He needed to see the young man’s infectious smile, to hear whatever crazy thought was zipping through his brain. And his laugh, it was easily the best sound in the world.
Even now, he was wondering what Wiley was doing. Could he slip away from the training field just to check on him? Would he be disturbing his work if he poked his head into the bedroom?
This need to see him, touch him, hear his voice…it was almost like a compulsion. The feeling crawled along his skin like hundreds of ants.
“You know, I think this is the longest I’ve seen you frown,” Grey drawled.
Baer looked up in time to see the Soul Weaver drop onto the ground next to him in the shade. Baer avoided his eyes and looked out into the field to find Clay giving instructions to Lucien as he created flames of different size and intensity.
“We should have brought some buckets of water out with us,” Baer muttered.
“Maybe. But getting a handle on his powers also means being able to put out any fires he starts,” Grey replied.
Baer snorted. “Sure. You tell that to Dane when he’s healing his boyfriend.”
Grey smiled, a rare sight on the man. “Not a chance.”
Baer let his mind drift to thoughts of Wiley as he watched Clay and Lucien work together. He didn’t know what he was fucking doing with the artist, but he knew it wasn’t fair, wasn’t right. But he still couldn’t stop himself.
“Just say it, Baer,” Grey growled.
“I need you to tell me to stop being a horrible person,” Baer said. He looked over to the Soul Weaver to find the man blinking owlishly at him for a couple of seconds before finally giving his head a small shake.
“That…was not what I was expecting you to say. What are you talking about?”
Baer sighed. He reached out and plucked a blade of grass, tossed it aside, and plucked another. “I don’t know. I feel like I’m being a total selfish dick with Wiley.”
Grey shook his head. “I don’t think you have a clue as to how to be a dick. Me? Sure. Clay? Definitely. I bet even Lucien could manage it, but you, Baer? I don’t think you have a dickish bone in your body.”
Baer managed a small smile when he looked over at his friend. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Uh-huh. And how are you treating that sweet boy poorly?”
Baer lost his smile and sighed again. “He’s great. I love hanging out with him. I-I crave him, almost. And then the other morning…” Baer leaned closer to Grey and whispered, “I want to fuck him until neither one of us can move, and then when our legs work again, I want to start all over.”
“And?”
“And…I shouldn’t.”
A harsh bark of laughter left Grey. “Why? Are you really going to tell me he’s not attracted to you?”
“No.”
“Then what? You’re both consenting adults.”