“Are you in IT?” Daniel asked Noel, though he knew he wasn’t because Xavier had already told him that. Plus he knew from their past that this man worked in the field.
Noel shook his head. “No.”
“Then I don’t see how you can help me.”
“My people filled me in thoroughly before I came here, but Daniel…” He paused and took another step closer. “We really do need to talk. I suggest we go somewhere private so I can explain what happened.”
Something occurred to Daniel then. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall next to him. “Tell me something. What do you see when you look at me?”
Noel didn’t hesitate to answer. “I see a beautiful banshee.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You were always able to see my eyes and my fingers then?”
Noel nodded.
“Well, that’s another lie.” So Noel was one of the humans who could see through their glamours. That would explain Daniel’s strong reaction to Aa— Noel in the past. Also why Arcane Intelligence had sent Noel as their representative.
Could Daniel’s suspicions have been right? Could Noel be his soulmate?
This lying, disappearing poor excuse for a human who had broken his heart?
“I didn’t mean to lie.” Noel ran one hand over his hair and sighed. “Again, I would really have us talk somewhere more private.”
An alert rang on the computer in Daniel’s office, so he waved off Noel. “Maybe later. One of my tracers just landed.” He turned away from them and went into his office, but when he went to close the door, Noel had followed him, determination tightening his lips.
“Look,” Noel said as he firmly shut the office door. “I’m here for another week. This time. My plan is to settle here. I’d like for us to have that talk, because… You’re the reason I picked Seattle for retirement.”
“You’re retiring? Kind of young for that, aren’t you?”
Noel took a step closer. “I’m forty-five, so yes, and my agency isn’t too thrilled with my decision, but I have my reasons. I’d like to start seeing you. I always regretted the way I had to play things when we were together. Always regretted how I left.”
“Well, sucks to be you,” Daniel muttered as he took a few steps away from Noel. The man’s presence was just too powerful, and Daniel was feeling overwhelmed by emotion.
That wasn’t a good thing.
But Noel wasn’t going to let him move away. He followed and kept following even as Daniel moved backward until his back hit a wall. Noel didn’t stop until he had both hands braced on the wall on either side of Daniel’s head.
“I fucking missed you,” he said, his gaze roving over Daniel’s face.
Daniel swallowed. “I didn’t miss you,” he growled. But he couldn’t help inhaling Noel’s scent.
One eyebrow went up. “Now who’s the liar?” He leaned closer, his gaze narrowing in on Daniel’s mouth.
Daniel knew what was coming. He could have pushed or kicked or screamed Noel away. But he didn’t.
“Fuck, I missed you so much,” Noel whispered, and then he took Daniel’s mouth.
And he took and took.
The kiss just obliterated everything else. Daniel’s office disappeared, and he forgot there were others in the building. Fuck, he forgot his own name.
Noel moved his hands to either side of his neck and tilted his head to deepen the kiss. He explored every part of Daniel’s mouth, and it never occurred to Daniel to stop it because, despite all his strength and abilities, he was powerless to do so. All he could do was meet that tongue slide for slide and feel the heat of Noel’s body as he pressed into Daniel.
And it was like being yanked back in time to five years before. All the same intense feelings, the desire—it was all still there, this maelstrom of wild passion, ready to take him over again.
Daniel sank into the kiss, sagging against the wall only to be held up by Noel’s strong body and steely hands. He felt caged in the most delicious fashion. Surrounded by heat and lust.
And Noel.
