“Very.”
“Me too, so there’s no need to worry,” Felipe said, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “Did Ansley say something to upset you?”
“If I say yes, will you fight him?”
“Can he defend himself?”
“Probably not very well.”
“Then, no.”
“Damn,” Oliver replied. Even with the compress over his eyes, he could picture Felipe smiling. “But, yes, he did say things, a lot of things. I don’t always know what’s well-meaning advice versus needling, especially with Ansley, but it got to me. I’m well aware that most people would find me difficult, even if you don’t. I thought being more agreeable would make things easier.”
“Here are my feelings about Ansley’s advice: has Ansley ever been in a long-term relationship? One that wasn’t constantly on and off.”
Holding the compress against his eyes, Oliver took a sip of coffee and mumbled into his cup, “No.”
“Then, don’t listen to him. Hell, doing the opposite of whatever he suggests might be better.”
“So I should be my usual difficult self and hope someone is willing to put up with me?”
At the slide of Felipe’s arm around his shoulders, Oliver pulled the compress off his eyes in time to catch Felipe’s lips in a kiss as he bent down. His partner’s mouth curled into a smile beneath his. Pulling back, Oliver stared into Felipe’s eyes. In their depths, he thought he could count the years they would have together like rings on a tree. If he had his way, there would be many, but he wanted more. He wanted eternity with Felipe. There were so few people who saw him for who he truly was or wanted to be, but Felipe did. And he wanted limitless years to show him he could do the same. Felipe’s hair brushed his cheek as he leaned closer, making Oliver shiver.
“The right person won’t find you difficult. He’ll find you principled and smart and charming. You’ll be exactly what he always needed,” Felipe said, his breath tickling Oliver’s ear. He kissed Oliver again, deeply enough that Oliver nearly forgot the lingering heaviness of his eyes and the lateness of the hour. “We should go to bed soon. Even if we aren’t breaking into the institute until nightfall, I’m sure Ansley will want to meet again for a few hours to iron out details. Do you want to stay here or go upstairs?”
“Upstairs.”
While Oliver tidied up the laboratory and emptied the coffee pot, Felipe grabbed what they would need from his room. The halls of the Paranormal Society were quiet but alive with the sounds of the witching hour. As Oliver and Felipe walked together hand-in-hand to the apartment, Oliver heard snoring, sighs, pages turning, a hushed prayer, but no sound was as sweet as the contented huff of Felipe’s breath as Oliver settled into bed beside him. Felipe wrapped his arms around Oliver’s middle and held him tighter that night.
Chapter Sixteen
Bachelors
From the driver’s sideof the steamer, Felipe watched Oliver eat his bagel with lox. Every now and again, Oliver would bring it to his lips but not quite bite it as something caught his attention on the other side of the windshield. They had slept through breakfast, and with lunch service still several hours away, Felipe wasn’t certain his gnawing fatigue or Oliver’s already frayed nerves could handle a missed meal. Borrowing a steamer and grabbing a very late breakfast on the Lower East Side sounded like the perfect solution. He had already bought a pastrami on rye with extra meat from Sussman’s delicatessen and wolfed it down on the way to the appetizing carts to buy Oliver’s bagel and a second one for himself. While the threat of tremors and dark circles had subsided, Felipe’s pulse quickened at the thought of the conversation he wanted to have with Oliver. There was still one thing from the previous night he wanted to discuss, but he wanted to make sure Oliver was in a good mood with a clear head when he did, which was why he spirited him out of the society for food before Ansley could barge in and ruin it.
“So I’ve been thinking about last night.”
