Chapter Twenty
Aeren was sitting cross-legged in the center of his bed, a charcoal pencil in hand and a frown marring his handsome face as he glared down at the sketch pad in front of him when a knock came at the door. Knowing that Amanda had removed him from the schedule for the night, he glanced up in surprise.
“Come in.”
When Lamar stepped into the room, his frown cleared to make room for a brilliant smile as he hopped off the bed. “Hi!”
“Hi, yourself.” Lamar started to walk to him and thought better of it, holding out his hand. “I was worried about you.”
“You were?” Aeren sounded puzzled as he bypassed the detective’s hand and wrapped his arms around his waist, burying his face against the detective’s chest. “Why?”
“You left without telling me,” Lamar muttered into his soft curls, trying to inhale the boy’s calming scent without being obvious. “I thought you might be upset about what we did.”
“Oh.” Aeren eased back far enough that he could see up into Lamar’s face. “I’m sorry. Mandy called to tell me that the club wasn’t locked up anymore, so I came home. It didn’t really occur to me that you would worry.”
The delicious, comforting scent that Lamar associated with Aeren began to wash over him.
“You don’t have to do that,” Lamar said gently, highly conscious that he wasn’t a paying customer.
Aeren cocked his head in confusion. “Do what?”
Lamar cleared his throat. “What you get paid for. The, ah, relaxation thing.”
Aeren’s confusion cleared and he laughed, the sound low and musical. “I’m not doing it on purpose, sir.” When Lamar raised a brow, he explained. “Obviously, since I’m an Empath, I can do it on demand, but it also happens spontaneously, when I’m around someone I care about or when I’m very happy.”
Lamar smiled and hugged the boy close before stepping back. “You’re not working tonight?”
Aeren shook his head. “I only work when I need the contact.” He blushed and bit his lip, but met Lamar’s eyes. “I’m still feeling really good from you touching me.”
Lamar’s smile widened. “Have you eaten?”
Aeren shook his head.
“Can I buy you dinner?”
“Yes, please.” When Lamar stretched his hand out, Aeren placed his in it and started for the door. He looked over his shoulder in confusion when Lamar gently tugged him to a stop.
“Shoes?” Lamar suggested with a pointedly amused nod at his bare feet.
Aeren followed his eyes and laughed. “Oh. I guess that’s a good idea.” Sitting on the edge of his bed, he reached for a pair of sneakers and removed the socks stuffed down inside them.
“What’s that?” Lamar asked, catching sight of the sketchpad lying forgotten near the center of the mattress.
“Hmm?” Aeren twisted his head to see what Lamar was pointing to. “Oh, just a doodle. I, uh, draw in my free time.”
“That’s very good,” Lamar complimented. “May I?”
Aeren chewed his bottom lip but nodded, focusing much more attention than was needed on tying his shoes.
Lamar shook his head in amusement and lifted the pad from the bed, studying the sketch closely.
It was a picture of himself naked on his bed, the covers pooled at his waist. The muscles in his shoulders and arms bulged as he supported his weight, staring down intently with naked hunger in his eyes. The moonlight gleaming over his dark skin turning him into an erotic work of art.
“Is this how you saw me last night?”
Aeren nodded and caught his breath, keeping his eyes averted as his cheeks bloomed red. “Yes, sir.”
The growl that crept through his chest was as much of a surprise to Lamar as it was to Aeren.
