The Hero and the Hidden Royal - Renae Kaye Page 0,11

and not peeling off. It seemed to have done the job. He brushed Sam’s blond hair back so it wouldn’t touch the area, and examined the bruise forming. Sam would have a goose egg on his head. There was some grazing, too, where the bricks had got him. Derek hoped Sam hadn’t been planning to attend a wedding or anything formal in the next couple of days. He looked rather battered for official pictures. The bruising continued to Sam’s left eye, and Derek examined the swelling there, too. He really should’ve insisted Sam put an icepack on his eye immediately.

As he opened his mouth to ask Sam if he wanted some ice, Derek suddenly realized that Sam’s eyes were focused on his face.

His face.

“Hi,” Sam said softly with a small grin.

While concentrating on Sam’s injuries, Derek had calmed down enough to become visible. Sam was looking at him. Sam was smiling at him.

Zip.

In a fraction of a second, Derek—clothes and all—disappeared again.

~~~~~~~~

Chapter Four

“OH, DAMMIT,” Sam groaned. “Come back.”

“Sorry,” Derek said, and moved away to pack up the first aid kit. Sam couldn’t see him, but could see the items moving almost magically back into the box. Derek picked up the box and marched it back to where he’d retrieved it from.

When he turned back to Sam, the other man had a speculative look on his face. “So you turn invisible when you’re nervous?”

Derek sighed and slumped back against the sink in the kitchen. His trousers were coming back, so Sam should know what direction he was in. Derek didn’t need to worry about accidently getting hit or run into.

“Yes. Nervous, or scared, or anxious. My dad always said it was the fight-or-flight response. Anything that would cause a normal person to have an adrenaline surge in order to fight the danger or flee causes me to vanish.”

“And so when you’re thinking about something else, like whether something was hurting me, or concentrating on something, you come back?”

“Yes. Or when my mind stops being frightened. So when I fall asleep or get knocked out, I’m there.”

“Knocked out?” Sam asked with immediate concern. “Who’s knocking you out?”

Derek shrugged. “Lots of people. Several bike couriers. Four dogs at the last count. There was the time I got caught up in a marathon and was trampled. I once got taken out by a football. Birds hit me a lot, too. Sometimes I’m only shaken and stunned, not unconscious, but yes, if pain is in the forefront of my mind, it takes away the fear momentarily.”

“And if you’re concentrating on something?”

Chuckling, Derek rolled his eyes. “I guess it would depend on what I’m concentrating on. If I’m trying to defuse a bomb, then no, I’m not going to be visible. But if I’m reading a book, or trying to unblock a drainpipe, then maybe.”

“What about emotions like happiness and laughter?”

Derek nodded, but realized Sam couldn’t see it. His clothes were back in sight, but that was all. “Yes. If I’m laughing, I’m not nervous. Watching a movie or reading a book, especially if it’s Tolkien, then I’m not nervous.”

A cunning look transformed Sam’s face and Derek froze. Slowly Sam got to his feet. “What about arousal?”

Derek’s jaw dropped. “What about it?”

Did Sam know about his crush on Aragorn? And how he totally shipped the Aragorn-Legolas love pairing? And his fascination with Thranduil?

“Are you visible when you’re making love?” Sam took two steps forward.

Zip.

Derek didn’t need to look down to know he had disappeared again. It didn’t stop Sam’s approach. He put out his hands as if to capture Derek if he tried to get past, but Derek didn’t have the brain power to make a run for it. One hand found his shoulder and before he could squeak more than a brief “Sam!” the bigger man had gathered him in his arms. Derek’s hands rested on Sam’s chest as he feebly tried to push away.

Feebly, as in he didn’t put much effort into it, because being in Sam’s arms was entirely delicious.

“What are you doing?” Derek yelped.

“Seeing if you come back if I kiss you.”

Then Sam closed his eyes, used one hand to hold Derek’s face and work out where Derek actually was, and lowered his head. Lips touched lips.

As a first kiss it was stupendous.

Derek couldn’t believe this was happening. Things like this didn’t happen to him. He didn’t save people from being murdered or invite strangers back to his house or have relatively normal conversations with them. And he definitely didn’t go around