Page 50 of Hummingbird and Kraken

“Hello?” Declan called as they reached the small office. “Anybody here?”

“Just a minute!” a voice called from the garage.

Declan took advantage of the wait to look around. Geir just watched Declan.

“Ooh! Look! They have a purple phone charger.” He picked up shimmery coiled wire from the bin on the counter. “Too bad I don’t need a new one. Especially since my phone doesn’t even have a signal at your house.” He dropped it back in the bin.

Then he went to inspect the tires. There was a display in the corner, a sort of triangle formation that was probably bolted to the floor. He stepped on the lowest one experimentally, then held on to the top while he bounced.

Geir thought he should tell him to stop, but all he could see was a perky ass in temptingly tiny shorts, gorgeous long legs, and happiness.

Someone cleared his throat behind him and Geir spun around. A young man stood behind the counter. He wasn’t Tom, but he gave Declan the same sneer.

Geir made his stance firm, chest out, ready to fight with Declan safely behind him.

“Oh, hi!” Declan swooped around him and bounced up to the counter. “I’m here to pick up my car? Tom said it should be ready today.”

The man put on a professional face, accepting Declan’s driver’s license and typing something into the computer. But Geir had already seen it, even if Declan hadn’t.

Geir stepped right up behind Declan, wrapping his arms around him tightly. The base of his spine tingled. Declan was his.

Declan tilted his head back and whispered “thanks” against Geir’s neck. So maybe Declan had seen it. Declan probably got that sort of animosity and disgust all the time. Geir was in awe of him all over again for not caving into it. For being so beautiful and strong at the same time.

The mechanic printed out an invoice and Geir plucked it from his hand. He didn’t need to see it and neither did Declan. He pulled the credit card from his pocket and handed it to the mechanic.

“I can pay you back,” Declan told him, looking worried.

Geir just grunted. It wasn’t up for discussion. Vigdis said that it had all the money he needed in it, so there was no reason for Declan to even worry about paying.

Declan was apparently able to interpret that grunt, because he planted a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Daddy,” he whispered.

Geir was starting to consider the appeal of this Daddy thing. If this was what made Declan happy, he could definitely get used to it. That little whisper made his whole chest feel warm.

The moment was ruined, though, when the mechanic spit loudly on the floor.

He wanted to reach over the counter and shake the man until he apologized, but Declan was still nestled in his arms.

Instead, he fished around in the bin, pulled out the shiny purple phone cord, and slammed it on the counter. “We’ll take that, too.”

The man said nothing as he processed Geir’s card and handed it back. Geir was never coming here again.

Declan picked up the phone charger, looking proud and pleased. Geir wanted to put that look on his face all the time.

The mechanic ripped a set of keys off a board. It had at least five keychains attached, including a string of rainbow beads, a silver spaceship, and some sort of pink, fuzzy animal. Well, at least Geir didn’t have to worry about whose car the asshole was getting when he stalked into the garage.

They turned together to leave just as a young woman walked in, digging through her purse. “Hello!” Declan greeted her cheerfully.

How could he be so calm right now? Geir was still seething.

She looked up, saw him, and gave him a perfunctory nod.

“I love your necklace,” Declan added. “Did someone make that for you?”

“Actually, I’m a jewelry designer. I mean, in my spare time. It’s a hobby.”

“If your art’s important to you, it’s real. No matter how much or little time you spend on it. You don’t have to justify it.”

The woman nodded, thoughtfully. “Are you an artist?”