Adrien wrapped his arms around himself, still a little cold, and cleared his throat. “Hi.”

“Yes, hi,” Simon said, almost laughing. He stepped out of the pantry wearing an old-fashioned butler’s uniform, which made Adrien blink as well.

“You’re cold, I take it? I told him that we’d need to put heaters in that room, but he thought the pregnancy hormones might make you too hot.” Simon tutted. “I’m always right, you know. And you can tell him I said that.”

Adrien smiled timidly, shoving his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “I am cold, yes. And hungry.”

Simon swung open the refrigerator door and pulled out a tray. “I’ve got you covered, lovey. Have a seat here at the counter. Let’s fill you up. Can’t have you or the baby going hungry while you wait for dinner.”

“Oh.” Adrien walked toward the counter that separated the living area from the kitchen. He sat on a stool. “If I eat all this, I’ll be too full for dinner.”

“That’s what you say now! But there’s no rush. You have all evening to eat. Heath wants you fattened up. He’s worried that you’re too thin.”

Adrien looked down at himself, noting how the hoodie and jeans hung on him. “I’ve been sick lately.”

“From the baby,” Simon said knowingly. “Being here with Heath will fix that. There are soothing properties in the… Ah, well…” He flushed and waved vaguely. “And the pheromones, too. You’ll be more comfortable now that you’re with us,” he finished up with a happy smile.

Adrien accepted the glass of water Simon pressed into his hand, as well as a handful of supplements.

“Vitamins. Everything the doctor ordered to grow a strong child.”

He swallowed them, feeling oddly childlike, and memories of the time he’d been sick with a terrible illness swept over him. He remembered his father praying by his side, refusing the doctor’s orders for medications, until, finally, so frightened that Adrien might die, he’d given in and let the doctor give him the handful of pills that helped him get better.

In a way, his father’s worst fears about the medicine came true. His return

to health at the hands of science had been part of why Adrien eventually stepped away from the religion his father had adhered to so blindly. His youthful infatuation with the handsome doctor might have also inspired him to consider leaving their little town, but it was the magazine the doctor left behind with photos of art from around the fifteen countries of the world that had inspired him to go to college.

Something about Simon reminded him of that sickness. The caretaking, perhaps. The scent of roasting vegetables, maybe.

“When will Heath be back?” he asked after he no longer felt like he would fall off the stool in hunger.

Simon smiled again, shoving a big casserole of some kind into the oven.

Adrien’s mouth watered, even though he’d just consumed half the plate of cheese, meat, and bread that Simon had set out in front of him. “He’ll be here soon, I imagine.” He glanced toward another big steel-and-wood clock. It somehow looked more appropriate in this room, built into the earth beneath the castle as it was. “He hated to leave you, but he’d agreed to this appointment before he knew you were coming today.”

“It’s all right,” Adrien said. His cheeks heated as he remembered the way they’d spent the very short time they’d had together before Heath had left.

“Let me light a fire in the big oven down the hall. It will warm the walls.”

He smiled again. “I’ll also call for some small heaters to be put in your room.

I’ll be right back.”

Once he was alone, Adrien stood up and explored the space. It didn’t look anything like the part of the castle he’d followed Heath through to get here. It was like a rabbit’s den: cozy, nesty, warm. And the light from the sunset cast a glow against the creamy walls, making Adrien relax. His breathing came in steady, soothing waves.

He ran his fingers over the low, soft couches and the similarly comfortable-looking chairs. There were throw pillows, some big enough to be chairs in their own right, a comfortable chaise, and several ottomans.

Additional books lined one wall of this room, but there was no entertainment center that he could see. Fluffy rugs felt nice under his bare feet, and he sighed as the heat from the oven, wherever it was located, kicked in and the room seemed to embrace him with warmth breathing through invisible vents and the walls themselves.

“Yes, make yourself at home,” Simon said, returning to find Adrien

testing out the couch. “And if those clothes start to bother you as the room warms up, take them off. Heath will be worried to see you dressed.”

Adrien blushed. “You mean I should…? With you here? I don’t know.

It’s, ah, that’s…”

Simon waved a hand dismissively. “Do what makes you comfortable, lovey. As the pregnancy progresses, your skin will become more and more sensitive. Just know that I’ve seen many a naked man in my life and find them, in general, highly unremarkable. You are completely safe with me.”

Adrien mumbled some vague response and grabbed a book from the shelf, feigning extreme interest in it to prevent any more talking or thinking about his body or nudity. Or his skin being sensitive. Or his body changing.

He still hadn’t allowed himself to think much about any of that.

“I apologize that I’m so late.”

Adrien’s heart kicked, and he looked up to find Heath walking toward him from the door that led out to the hall. He wore his suit still and looked more handsome than the last time Adrien had seen him, though he still missed the beard.

“I see you’ve met Simon.”

Adrien started to stand up, but Heath put out a hand to stop him. “Stay comfortable.” He frowned. “You’re wearing clothes.”

“I was cold.”

“I told you,” Simon said from the kitchen where he bent to pull the casserole from the oven again. The cheesy, delicious scent made Adrien’s mouth explode with saliva and his stomach, which had seemed so full only moments ago, groan with hunger.

“Did you start the big oven and have heaters put into his room?”

“I did.”

“Yes. Thank you. I can feel that it’s warming up in here.” Heath tugged at his tie and tossed his coat onto a nearby chair. He rubbed his hands through his hair, messing up the perfectly coiffed darkness, leaving it a handsome, shaggy mess that fell into his gray eyes. He removed his cufflinks and folded his shirtsleeves up his forearms, revealing the hairy, ropey muscles that Adrien suddenly remembered gripping in the throes of heat.

He flushed, his cock growing thick in his jeans and his mouth pulsing with more saliva. He glanced toward Simon, embarrassed to be aroused in front of him.

“Take your clothes off,” Heath said. “Your body needs to breathe.”

“I can breathe with my clothes on,” Adrien said, putting his chin up. He wasn’t going to be naked and hard in front of Simon, no matter what Heath said.

Heath regarded him thoughtfully, but clearly decided not to push the issue. For some reason, Adrien had the impression that the discussion wasn’t over, so much as shelved for another time.

“The food is prepared, the heating issue is resolved, and I believe the two of you should be alone.” Simon straightened his uniform and put up his chin, his jowls wobbling a little in a friendly sort of way. Something about Simon was so comforting to Adrien that he almost hated to see him go, but at the same time, if Heath was going to insist that he get naked—and the other things Adrien wanted to do did require nakedness—then he supposed it was best if Simon left.

“I’ll be back in the morning to make his breakfast, see to the laundry you’ll no doubt make”—this was said in a cheeky way that made Adrien squirm, but didn’t imply any discomfort on Simon’s part,—“and, of course, make sure that he gets some fresh air and sunshine while you’re at the office.