Sebastian Quinn and I had gone on adate.
Sebastian Quinn wanted tocomeupstairs.
And me? I wasn’t ready to saygoodnight.
“What do you think, boy?” I asked Bruno as I got out my keys. “Should we let himin?”
Bruno cocked his head andbarked.
“He says it’s all right as long as you cool it with the dog puns,” I said and unlocked the door to thebuilding.
Sebastian followed me in. “He’s showing me his teeth. Yousure?”
“No.” I hit the elevator call button, and the doors opened. “But I’m willing to take therisk.”
We boarded the car. “Did he give your ex anytrouble?”
“Not really,” I said, “but Bruno and I have been on our own the past six months. Plus, Neal was sort of . . . non-threatening.”
“That would implyI’mthreatening.”
“What I mean is that he and I had a different kind of chemistry. We went through the honeymoon phase like anyone else, but it wasn’t that intense. Or thatlong.”
“Aha.” Sebastian nodded, fixing his eyes on me as we ascended. “And Bruno is picking up on our . . .threateningchemistry.”
“He’s veryintuitive.”
“That, or I’m emitting a pretty strong I-want-to-fuck-your-brains-outvibe.”
My breath actually caught in my throat, and my involuntary squeak turned his eyes hooded. “He’s picking up on your BDE,” Isuggested.
“If there was ever a moment for it, it would be now.” He wet his lips. “But I guess I’ll have to take it slow until Bruno’scomfortable.”
“When have you ever taken itslow?”
“It’s been a while since I liked anyone enough to get to know thembetter.”
I stayed on my side of the elevator until we arrived on my floor, even though what I really wanted was to go to him, cancel let’s-take-it-slow, and dive in headfirst.
“I was afraid opening up to someone would endear them to me,” he said. “And I was right. I want to tell you all mysecrets.”
At my door, I let Bruno in and turned to Sebastian. “You can, youknow.”
“I could,” he agreed, “but then I’d have to kissyou.”
“You’dhaveto kissme?”
“Or kill you. Yourchoice.”
“If you were any other guy, I’d accuse you of hyperbole,” I said, “but I’m sure you’ve wanted to do both at somepoint.”
Sebastian shrugged. “As Justin would say, there’s a fine line between kissing andkilling.”
I stepped inside and flipped on the living room lights. “There’s the title of your feature,” I said, removing mybooties.
Sebastian paused in the doorway, his broad shoulders nearly blocking the light from the hallway. “Still want me to comein?”
“Doyouwant to?” Iasked.
