The day passed at a crawl. Nathan was glad he’d dropped his things in the locker room, because the constant urge to check his phone was almost overwhelming. He wanted to know if Storm had responded, and the chance to see him again had something like hope taking root in his gut. He couldn’t stop thinking about how warm his chest had been under Nathan’s palm. Not many guys were bigger than him. Nathan was six foot one. He’d never thought being crowded against a wall by someone taller than him would give him such a sinful thrill. Logically, he knew nothing could come of this infatuation, but no amount of well-reasoned logic could stop him from obsessing. No one had ever made him feel like this before.
He waited until he’d showered in the locker room and gone back to his car to head home for the afternoon before allowing himself to check his phone. By then, he was practically vibrating with need.
What’s yours? I’ll pick you up and take you there.
Heat rolled through him. Storm wanted to know where he lived? Just because he wanted to know, or because he’d been instructed not to give their Rink’s address away? If it was the latter, he couldn’t exactly blame them. But he really hoped it was the former.
Going to blindfold me on the way there?
He put the car in drive, but his phone chimed again before he could move out of his parking spot.
Only if you’re into that kind of thing.
Nathan had to hand it to him. He managed to both give nothing away and give Nathan a strange fluttery feeling in his gut with that one sentence. Rather than risk embarrassing himself with a response tothat, he typed out his address and tucked the phone away, determined to ignore it while he drove. He had to get home and make sure everything was presentable.
Or maybe he should avoid inviting Storm inside at all. He couldn’t risk getting too friendly. Whatever had happened between them in the coffee shop was… strange and intense. How much worse might that be when they were alone in his house?
When he pulled into the narrow driveway at home, he paused, staring at the façade of the little white stucco house and wondering what Storm would see when he looked at it. He’d lived on the grounds of HQ for years while he saved up for it. It was quaint, surrounded by trees and on a narrow street, not far from Angeles National Forest. There was a brick walkway and stoop. It wasn’t a big place. Less than a quarter of an acre, with a privacy fence edging the property, and the house itself was not quite a thousand square feet. But he’d lived alone all his adult life, so it was all he needed.
Telling himself he didn’t care what a demon thought about the home he’d worked for, he threw himself from the car, yawning as he keyed open the front door.
He needed a nap or an afternoon coffee if he wanted to be alert for this encounter tonight. Maybe both. Toeing his shoes off by the door, he collapsed on the sofa, promising himself he’d get up and make coffee in just a few minutes.
Chapter6
Storm
The house was somehow exactlywhat Storm might’ve pictured for Nathan. Both it and the lawn were clean and meticulously cared for. The house was an obvious labor of love for him. Storm might go so far as to call it a sanctuary. And here he was, being invited to observe it. Nathan could’ve refused to tell him where he lived. He could’ve given him a public location like the coffee house for Storm to pick him up from. Instead, he’d invited him here. It sent a private little thrill through him that Nathan trusted him enough to let him come here.
The light beside the front door was on, and the looming trees blocked out the last fading rays of the sun. Storm shut off his truck and strode quickly to the door. He didn’t want Nathan to rush out before Storm saw the inside.
He knocked—and waited. And waited. And knocked again.
After a few minutes, the cherry wood door opened, revealing a disheveled Nathan. “Sorry, I’m so sorry. Have you been waiting long?” He squinted at Storm, his hair askew, and Storm resisted the urge to reach out and touch it.
“No. Just got here. Did I wake you?”
“Uh.” He glanced over, and Storm leaned in. The invisible press of holy warding kept him from setting foot inside, but he was able to follow Nathan’s gaze to the navy blue sofa inside the living room. The impression of his head on one of the throw pillows was still slowly rising.
“I did. Should we do this another time?” That was the human thing to offer, right? It would be weird for him to push his way inside and tell Nathan to show him how he’d been lying.
“No, no, I still want to. I didn’t mean to…” He trailed off, his shoulders sagging. His brow furrowed and his gaze fell away, like he was disappointed in himself for falling asleep.
Storm risked stepping closer, crowding into the doorway as much as the warding would allow. He wanted those slate-gray eyes on him, wanted to be the sole focus of Nathan’s attention. What he knew of the guild wasn’t great. If they were working him so hard he was falling asleep the moment he sat down, that wasn’t exactly his fault, and Storm didn’t want him berating himself for that or any other reason.
Nathan straightened, looking up at him. His gray eyes were soft and trusting, if a little nonplussed. Was Ira right? Did Nathan feel inexplicably drawn toward Storm? Goddamn, he hoped so.
“Long day?” Storm asked softly.
Nathan’s head moved in a noncommittal way. “No more than usual. I just didn’t sleep all that well last night.” His cheeks darkened, and Storm felt there was something more than he was saying.
Storm gripped the doorway, needing an anchor to keep him from reaching in and dragging Nathan closer. “Lock up. We’ll get coffee on the way to the Rink.”
Something complicated crossed Nathan’s expression, and then he shook himself. “No, no, I can just?—”
“Shut up.” He said it gently, but Nathan’s mouth snapped closed.Interesting. No anger followed, though Storm thought there was a flicker of surprise in Nathan’s eyes. “There are a dozen coffee places between here and there. It’s no big deal. Close up and come on.”
Nathan’s throat bobbed hard. “Okay,” he agreed breathlessly, reaching for his keys. He turned and grabbed his laptop off the coffee table, locked the door behind them, and followed Storm out into the night.
