“Yes.”
“For future reference, ‘bears’ means something very different to gay guys.”
My pulse spiked at the word gay. That I knew. It meant he was attracted to men or male-presenting people. Caleb had taughtme that as well as other sexualities, like Seth being pansexual. Drakcol mostly didn’t care about gender in regards to who they were sexually attracted to. Some of my people were solely attracted to a single gender, but that was uncommon.
But if he was gay, that meant Bartholomew could be attracted to me. I had no idea why that was so important, but it was. Exceedingly so.
“Teddy,” he said, “is a common nickname for several names. Bartholomew isn’t one of them, but my moms have called me Teddy since I was a kid. I’m not sure why.”
I took his hand. “Humans are so cute. You more so than the rest.”
Bartholomew grunted, but I wasn’t deterred, because his cheeks had darkened. He was talking, and I didn’t want to pass this moment up, even though I was exhausted again. We were going to be great friends… at least I thought so. That’s why I was so protective and why Bartholomew fit.
Why else would he be so perfect?
“You should talk more,” I said.
“Why?”
“I like it.”
“So?” he replied.
He didn’t have to talk, but I loved hearing Bartholomew’s voice. It was so nice and smooth. My brain tried to find a reason why he needed to keep talking, and when I stumbled across one, I snatched it. “It will help me learn more English. This way there will be less confusion in the future.”
“I suppose that’s true. What do you want to talk about?”
The possibilities were endless because I needed to know everything about him. “Do you like my smile?” Something inside of me needed to know he thought I was attractive, for whatever reason. I gave him a wide grin.
His expression didn’t change in the slightest. “You are an odd person.”
My smile faltered, and I looked away, trying to rationalize the hurt prodding my chest. Bartholomew didn’t have to like my smile, even if everyone else did.
A light touch made me turn back to him. Bartholomew refused to meet my gaze as he threaded our fingers together. “Odd isn’t bad. Your smile is fine.”
Fine wasn’t what I desired, but it was better than nothing. I pulled our joined hands to my chest over my throbbing soul. “I think your smile is cute. Like a teddy bear, Teddy.”
“Alright,” he said, seemingly unaffected.
It was a start.
“Tell me more. I need to rest, and it will help me fall asleep.”
“I thought you wanted to learn more English?”
“Sleep for now.”
He lay beside me, head on my shoulder, and started to talk. “When I was twelve, I got lost in the woods, but not really. I knew where I was the entire time, and I wanted to watch the water in the river go by and observe the fish and bugs. My sisters were being too loud for me. But my moms didn’t know where I was. They called every type of law enforcement to find me because both of them were convinced I’d been kidnapped or something.
“Anyway, they amassed a huge search party, and I wandered back, perfectly safe. I got in such trouble, after they stopped crying, and I remember, at the time, not understanding why they were so afraid. I’d been perfectly fine.”
I chuckled, nuzzling him and inhaling his strong scent. Bartholomew needed a bath, but I quite liked the strong earthy scent coming off his skin.
“Don’t disappear on me. I will search high and low for you, never giving up. Not ever,” I promised, and I would. Nothing would keep me from Bartholomew.
Bartholomew grunted, but he began to stroke my chest and stomach as he started another story of him and his family when he was young. I closed my eyes, listening to the even timbre of his voice.
Chapter 9
