They finished their meal in comfortable silence, legs brushing up against each other under the table until they both stopped pretending that it was an accident. Electricity shotthrough Finn where they stayed pressed together, a long line of shared heat.
Eventually he sat back, groaning at how full he was. Jaime mirrored him, complementing the food they had just shared and patting his belly. Finn had to look away, or else he’d never be able to stand without showing everyone in the building the raging erection he’d been trying, and failing, to tame.
Andi swung by with some boxes, and Finn grabbed the check before Jaime could as they got up and left, waving goodbye and saying they’d be back soon.
Finn ushered Jaime back to the truck with a hand on his lower back. It may have been his imagination, but he seemed to relax more into the touch than he had before. Swinging open the passenger door, Finn cast a quick glance around to make sure no one had followed them out of the restaurant before crowding Jaime inside the vehicle, putting an arm up to box him in.
But instead of stepping up into the truck, Jaime turned to face him—and Finn realized just how close they were in that moment. Jaime’s head was tipped back to meet his eyes, exposing the long length of his neck, and he barely resisted the urge to run his lips and tongue and teeth along it.
Softly, Jaime said, “Can I ask you something now, too?”
Finn didn’t move his arm or step away. “Of course.”
Jaime fidgeted a bit with the hem of his henley, shyly glancing down to Finn’s chest and back up. He swore he could feel the pull of that stare, like a magnet drawing them together.
“You said Silas is usually the one to stay with clients, but this time he couldn’t. Is that the only reason why you’re the one here with me? To protect him from whatever he can’t be involved with?”
Finn raised his eyebrows, unsure how to answer that. It certainly was not the only reason—it hadn’t even been the first reason—but Finn didn’t want to spook Jaime with the full truthjust yet. There were still so many things to consider before Finn allowed himself to be more open with him, about the level of danger he was in with the Salt Creek pack and everything else that Finn was.
So he gave Jaime some of the truth, fangs threatening to descend from the closeness between them, from breathing in his sweet lemon and vanilla scent. “No, that is not the only reason.”
Finn took a step closer, and Jaime did not retreat. “When the news broke, I recognized who you were immediately. I wanted to make sure you were ok. I know that you did not invite me back into your life, Jaime. And I respected that for a whole fucking year. But when the contract came through, and I had a real, legitimate chance to see you, I couldn’t stay away. I just couldn’t. And if that’s all you want this to be, me, hired to keep you safe while you prepare to testify in court, I’ll try to respect that too.”
He cupped Jaime’s face, eyes flicking back and forth to gauge his reaction. “But I told you the truth in there. I want more, with you. If that’s something you want, too.”
Jaime’s hands grasped Finn’s sides, fingers tangling in the fabric of his sweater as he gently pulled him closer. “Yes, Finn.”
Almost. Finn almost kissed him, when he saw Jaime’s green eyes go hazy and soft, darting down to his mouth and back up, their lips the barest brush against each other. But the sound of loud voices cut through the moment as a group of deer shifters strode by, bringing Finn back to the world and reminding him of their surroundings.
Fuck, they couldn’t afford to lose focus in public like that.
Sensing Finn’s train of thought, Jaime let go of him and turned, hopping up into the passenger seat. He swung the door shut behind him, and as he walked around the truck to the driver’s side, Finn tried to find the scraps of his remaining self control, because even the barest brush of Jaime’s lips against his had unraveled him completely.
Chapter 11
Jaime
Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me!
He’d been silently begging Finn to close the distance between them, standing so close in the parking lot outside of Andi’s, the place where they were always meant to start.
Where they should have started a year ago.
Jaime had really thought Finn was about to do it, but then the bubble they were in popped, and they realized that they shouldn’t be starting this, whateverthiswas, out in the open.
Finn had been right about it being a gorgeous day outside; it seemed like everything was waking up from a long winter slumber. Jaime had remembered his own coat, even though he’d heavily debated “forgetting” it to see if Finn’s offer to wear his was genuine, but he ended up setting it aside in the truck anyway to feel the fresh breeze on his skin.
They drove around Silver Rapids for a while, occasionally getting out to pop into a shop or two that Finn said he thought Jaime might like. He was always right.
The first they went into was a bookstore, and Jaime blushed when, after wandering around for a while, Finn found him scanning the back of a very smutty queer romance novel.
He smirked at Jaime, a knowing look in his eye. “Haven’t read that one, yet?”
Jaime squawked, fumbling for something to say as Finn’s rumbling laughter made his stomach do funny things.
Finn stepped up behind him, all heat and desire at Jaime’s back, and leaned over to prop an arm up against the bookshelf. He whispered, “Do you think I haven’t noticed what you’re reading, baby? When you tuck yourself into that giant man-eating couch of yours by the fire? You’ll have to tell me which ones you like best, and maybe I’ll give it a try.”
Finn winked, stepping back, and sauntered around the corner toward the mysteries and thrillers section, leaving Jaime gaping. And so fucking horny.
