Page 23 of The Hummingbird’s Gift

Chapter 6

Rohahen

Rohahen woke up to the sun streaming in his windows. He could tell by the angle of the light that it was much later than he usually rose, and it took him a moment to remember why he’d slept so late.

When he did, he was almost afraid to roll over. Had it all been a dream? Or worse, what if every beautiful moment had actually happened, but Tier’s interested melted away again in the morning?

Inch by nervous inch, he rolled his bulky body over until he caught sight of a bronzed arm, a scruffy chin, long strands of black hair shot through with sexy glints of silver.

Tier was in his bed.

Tier had called him beautiful and gorgeous last night.

Tier had teased him and bit him and given him the most earth-shattering orgasm of his life. His nipples and a few places on his ribs and thighs were still sore, and it was heavenly.

Even more importantly, though, Tier had accepted him as a heart-singer and invited him to be the next Guide to the tribe.

Ro hugged himself. He was so happy that he almost couldn’t breathe.

He watched Tier as he slept.

He looked tranquil. Almost young. The tension that usually tightened his face and shoulders was gone. Ro loved seeing him that way.

Part of him wanted to wake him up, or at least snuggle up against him. But a bigger part wanted to take away his worries and see him relaxed and rested all the time.

And maybe he was still a tiny bit worried about what things would be like in the light of day. Last night was a lot more intimate and committed than just grooming his ears had been. In a single night, they’d gone from sharing snacks and conversations to being effectively.

Well, if Tier got awkward again, Ro decided, he would just talk right around it until he was comfortable again. Or maybe woo him further with food.

At the thought, Ro’s stomach rumbled. He hadn’t eaten much for the past few days because he’d been so upset, and before that he’d been in a coma. Now that he knew Tier was his, his appetite came roaring back.

He smiled at the idea of making breakfast in bed for “his man.” Declan would get a kick out of that.

Moving slowly to avoid waking Tier, he lifted a loose strand of his hair to his lips, gave it a tender kiss, and let it drop back to the pillow.

Then he pulled on a pair of pajama pants, gently closed the bedroom door, and wandered into the kitchen. Recipes and choices bubbled through his head. He wanted this meal to be perfect, to express everything that he hoped for and everything that Tier meant to him.

He started with a traditional recipe of roasted corn pancakes with fresh blueberries. Tier loved those at gatherings, and so Rohahen always ordered extra grain from the tribe in New York that made it.

He would make omelets, too, he decided. They were nourishing food, full of proteins and vitamins. Plus, he had grown all of it himself.

He liked that idea. Customs and strength. Even if Tier didn’t think of it as anything more than tasty.

While he was flipping pancakes, he chopped fresh vegetables from the farm and stepped outside for a moment to pick some oregano from the plant in front of his house.

He waved at his father, who was sitting on his porch next door, but quickly stepped back inside. He loved his family, but he didn’t want to broadcast his new situation just yet.

Not that it was probably a secret at all. Tier had taken a little while to figure things out, but he hadn’t been subtle about any of it. Anyone who hadn’t seen his display at the gathering would have doubtless heard about it by now.

He chopped up the herb and mixed it into the sunny yellow mixture. Soon two fluffy, golden half-moons sat on the plates and all the pancakes were stacked in neat piles. Ro grabbed the honey to add to the tray.

“Good morning,” Tier’s deep voice rumbled.

“Oh!” Ro fumbled the honey but caught it before it could fall. Tier was in his house! In his kitchen! He still couldn’t quite believe it.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Ro set down the honey, then turned around. His face felt warm and he couldn’t quite meet Tier’s eyes.