“What?” Everett blinked at him, then shook his head. “No, of course not. Because you make your living protecting people.”
“It’s just an interlude in my life for a bit of time. And time is relative.”
“Mathematics and physics together make sense, but why literature? And what particular study?”
“Math comes easy to me. Physics because I like knowing how the universe works, and literature because words are our greatest gift. Life is about stories. I specialized in nineteenth-century English literature.” Dax took the Valkyrie figurine and held it in his hand. He sensed no magic in it, so he carefullyplaced it into a box. “I want to know about everything, so those won’t be my only degrees.”
“So you plan to go back to school?”
He nodded. “As I said, this is just a blip in time. I enjoy the job, though, and working with my friends has been great.”
Everett paused to study him. “I’m guessing you’re around thirty, but I’m thinking I’m wrong because of all those degrees.”
Dax winked at him. “I’m older than I look.”
Everett looked like he was dying to ask just how old, but he was too polite to do so. Instead, he went up one of the attached ladders, pointing his tight little ass right at Dax’s face. Heat speared through Dax, and he couldn’t look away from it, his mind unable to filter whatever Everett was saying to him. Those cheeks would nestle so perfectly in his hands…
But then, Everett wobbled on the ladder. Dax shot forward and grabbed both sides of his hips to steady him.
Everett went completely still, then slowly turned his head and looked down at Dax.
Dax cleared his throat. “Thought you were about to fall,” he murmured. But he didn’t let go. Couldn’t make himself let go. His desire spun through him so fiercely, he could only stare up into that unusual, attractive face—and it wasn’t his imagination that Everett was returning his attraction. It was there in his blazing, narrowed eyes and the way his lips parted as he licked them, leaving them wet and shiny. Dax tightened his fingers, making Everett gasp softly. His nostrils flared as the musky scent of lust hit him.
He’d never felt this kind of intenseneed, and it didn’t make sense. Everett was not his soulmate—couldn’t be his soulmate. His earlier devastation washed over him like a tidal wave, and he forced his hands away from those slim hips and stepped back.
He didn’t know Everett well, but he could sense he was a good person, and his obvious affection for his grandfathershowed he was capable of love. Plus, Dax couldn’t shake the curiosity about the passion he could also sense in the man. It felt like a live wire stretched between them, a connection he somehow knew would only grow stronger with time. Everett was exactly the kind of human he’d want as a soulmate, and it was unbearable to feel so much while knowing it could only be a dead end, that a relationship between them would doom him to pain and grief.
Everett continued to stare at him a long time before he slowly handed Dax some books off the shelf. He stayed quiet, but he didn’t have to speak. His confusion and lingering desire stayed stamped on his face.
Dax went back to packing, making sure to hold each item long enough to feel for magic. The whole time, he called himself a fool for taking this job, because this man could not be what he truly wanted.
Chapter Seven
Everett
Everett winced as he climbed the ladder for what seemed like the thousandth time. A quiet week had passed, and with Dax’s assistance, they were almost done with the top shelves.
Dax looked up at him. “You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. I usually run daily and lift weights a couple of times a week, so I’m in pretty good shape, but going up and down these ladders so much has certain muscles aching.”
“Why don’t we switch jobs today? I’ll handle the ladders, and you take over the boxes.”
Everett thought about it as he took another step up, and pain shot through his right ass cheek. “Okay, I think that’s a good idea. These ladders are pretty sturdy, so they should be able to handle your weight.”
Since nothing had happened during the week, Everett should probably have let Dax go, but he just liked being around him. He had a friendly, intelligent nature that appealed to Everett on every level, and it didn’t hurt that his entire physical presence did the same. Everett loved his wide shoulders and bulging arms, and he especially loved his ass. It was nicely round andmeaty looking, and Everett kept getting lost in fantasies of digging his fingers into it.
Thing was, there was something…different about Dax. He had a feel to him that made Everett aware the moment he entered the room. Like an aura that felt almost physical. He could literally sense Dax’s nearness on the surface of his skin. He couldn’t make heads nor tails of it.
Everett climbed down the ladder, his ass screaming the whole way. Dax walked past him to start removing the higher items. Everett stayed at the bottom of the ladder, so Dax could hand him everything, then took things to the desk. Once he had a few items, he’d start wrapping them.
Dax handed him a rather delicate wand that had a pearl handle and a glass end. It had always been a particular favorite of Everett’s because of the swirling shade of purple in the glass. He carefully set that aside because he wanted it near the top of the box. Or maybe he’d just keep it separate to take home by itself.
As Dax kept handing him things, Everett watched him, wanting to know more about the man. Especially, whether he was attracted to women or men. Or both. “So, what’s the weirdest date you’ve ever been on?”
Dax looked down at Everett’s question, which had admittedly come out of the blue.
Everett shrugged. “Just thought we could share some fun stories to pass the time while we’re packing.”
