“So what?” Elijah asked.
“So I want to see who you are, and from there, we can figure out the best way for us to go forward.”
Us. Elijah’s hands tightened on his knees, then he leaned back and folded his arms on his lap. Silas looked pleased with him, and the silent praise lit Elijah up from the inside.
“I want us to go out and do something… consider it a field test. You keep saying that you’re adjusted and confident, so I want you to prove it to me.”
“Go out?” Elijah asked. Excitement bubbled inside of him. “Outside of Stonecrest?”
It had been a long week spent locked inside the rehabilitation center. Under Baylor’s command, Elijah had been granted certain liberties and taken on the occasional excursion. There was always a party to service, or a house call to make. Supervision didn’t bother Elijah, but the monotony of the same room and the same halls day in and day out did.
“Right. Why don’t we go out? There’s a cute part of town not far from here with small shops, cafes, restaurants. I want to take you so I can see how you get along in public. Sounds good?”
“Like a date?” Elijah bit down on his bottom lip, holding back a grin. Going out with Silas? Being seen with him? A tingling sensation rushed through his core and into his groin.
“No,” Silas insisted. “It’s a field test.”
“A field test date.” Elijah couldn’t hold back his enthusiasm. “Since I want to start a family.”
“I…” Silas pinched the bridge of his nose, right between his eyes. “Well, I guess. A field test date.”
“With you.” Elijah stood up, unable to sit still. “What are we waiting for?”
Getting out of Stonecrest was Elijah’s chance to see who Silas was behind the practiced smiles and professionally targeted conversations.
Elijah had been with enough men to know when one was attracted to him.
Silas wanted him.
For the first time in Elijah’s life, that desire was mutual.
