Nic nodded because at least Cam was talking about returning. “Okay, we won’t move on Vaughn until you’re back.”
Cam lifted his hands, framing his face. “And think about telling Aidan, at least about the mole inside the Bureau. And go to Moore. I trust him.”
“Shh, Boston.” Nic laid his hands over Cam’s. He was rambling again, worrying about him and Vaughn instead of what was truly terrifying him. “Don’t worry about me,” Nic reassured him, making up for the earlier lost opportunity as best he could. “I’ll fly under the radar. I’ll be safe. You worry about your family.”
“You are?—”
Using Cam’s own moves against him, Nic kissed him quiet, silencing the demanding flutter of his own damn heart as well.
“Call me if you need me,” Nic said. “I’ll be on the first plane out. Or I’ll phone a friend again if need be.”
“Thank you for doing that.” One corner of Cam’s mouth hitched up, and it was the best thing Nic had seen since the call from Bobby. “Kind of nice having rich friends sometimes.”
“They do come in handy.”
Except for when they were traipsing up the stairs. Loudly.
As if in warning.
Nic stepped out of Cam’s arms just as Jeremy came through the door, Aidan and Jamie on his heels. “Did you find what you left, Mr. Price?”
Behind Nic’s back, Cam slipped his keys into his hand. Nic held them aloft, pretending they were his. “Got ’em.”
The pilot poked his head into the cabin. “Report from the flight deck. We can be up in five if we taxi now.”
“Go,” Aidan said, giving Jamie a last kiss. “Love you, Whiskey.”
Jamie slapped his ass as he turned toward the door. “Love you too, Irish.”
“Anything,” Nic said to Cam, “you call me.”
“Be nice to Bird.”
“I can’t promise he won’t answer to ‘Joe’ when you get back.”
Cam’s answering smile was worth every second he’d spend taking care of the furry beast.
“Later, Boston.”
“Sooner, Price.”
They’d been in flight an hour, and despite the plush leather seats, Cam hadn’t been able to get comfortable for a single minute of it. Thoughts raced through his mind, and while he could normally harness that energy for good, today his thoughts kept slipping out of his grasp, spiraling.
He scrubbed at his face, the beard he hadn’t had time to shave itchy.
Maybe a couple hours of sleep would help shut down his jumping thoughts. Jamie wouldn’t mind, engrossed in whatever he was watching on his screen. He reached down to retrieve the pillow he’d tossed aside earlier and found a monochrome blue tie underneath it.
His favorite of Nic’s, the one that perfectly matched his eyes.
Picking it up, he wove the cool silk around his hand, mentally contrasting it with the warm and sticky body he’d dragged his fingers over a few short hours ago. It had been a roller coaster of a night, or rather morning. Nic arriving home, the fire, their reunion at Cam’s place, then the call from Bobby. Nic had steadied him in the wake of the unexpected blow, helped get him to the airport with the same focus and efficiency Cam depended on when they worked cases together. And now Cam was leaving him in the middle of a messy one, the shit with Vaughn still up in the air. He felt pulled in two different directions. Who would have Nic’s back while he was in Boston?
He couldn’t sleep until he knew Nic was safe too. Mel was already on Team Nic. Time to officially add more players. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and texted Lauren. Need a favor.
The text registered as Delivered but not Read yet. This time of morning, she was probably mid-commute to the office. He set the device on the armrest and went back to staring at the clouds, sleep a long-lost cause.
“You keep at it, you’re going to tear a hole in Nic’s tie.”
Cam’s gaze shot to the man across the aisle. Headphones off, Jamie was no longer focused on his laptop screen but on the piece of fabric clutched in Cam’s hands. “It’s not?—”
