Damn the butterflies erupting in my stomach. Abandoning my pretense, I turn back to Nikolo.
“Ah. Well. Cool.” Fuck, I’m glad we’re alone so no one can see my epic fumble. What in the name of the Gods wasthat? What was it Nikolo said about me being confident the other night? Because just look at me now. I take refuge behind the counter. “So what are you up to then? After. With your friends?” I needlessly clarify.
“Just heading to a bar to see some faun band—Buffalo Bettys. We used to go see them play all the time, but you know shit happens. We all grow up.” He looks down at himself and laughs. “Well, kind of anyway.”
“Sounds like fun.” I pray to the Gods that the jealousy burning my guts isn’t evident in my voice.
“Should be.” He goes to put his hands in his pockets before realising he doesn’t have any, then saunters up to the counter, leaning against it on his elbows. “What are you up to tonight?”
“Bed?” I say, instantly regretting it when my imagination produces an extremely vivid vision of Nikolo there, too, naked and tattooed and absolute perfection beneath my sheets. Nikolo nods, slowly, his throat bobbing as he nods.
“Solid plan.” He notices a book beside the register, reaching out to slide it over to himself. The move brings him precariously close to me. The almost-not-quite contact is a knock to the guts. “Radomir: Creator of Darkness.Nice.” He reads the title of the book. “Did you see they’re making movies of these?”
“Yeah, Lusce is excited about seeing it. He was obsessed with the books, apparently. He’s dragging us all to go see it.”
Nikolo pulls a face, his lips twisting into a wry smile. “Luscewas obsessed? I’m sorry, but weren’t you always reading these?”
I scoff defensively, torn between embarrassment at being busted but also kind of thrilled that he even remembered. I tried pretty hard to keep my extra-curricular under wraps so Aleksi didn’t give me even more shit for it, but, obviously, I wasn’t as sneaky as I thought.
“Yeah, well, if you’re going to go and remember things accurately, you could say I was a fan.”
“Willan, this book is hammered. You must’ve read it a thousand times.”
I slam my hand over his to snatch the book away but he holds firm, so we end up with my hand just sitting on his. I know I should pull my hand away, but I can’t seem to make myself.
“Where’s my Daily Vampire Updates, Willanator? It’s been two days. I’ve missed them.” The combination of my hand on his, the vaguely vulnerable tenor of his voice, the reminder of the messages I’ve been sending and my childhood nickname has all kinds of feelings running through me at a million miles a minute.
“I, uh, I wasn’t sure if I was just being annoying or whatever.”
“I would have unsubscribed if I didn’t want them.” I swear his thumb is stroking mine. Or maybe he’s just trying to get me to move my damned hand. It’s pointless. I’ve lost control of it completely. It lives there now.
“Okay. I’ll keep that in mind.” I swallow against the thick lump in my throat when I finally meet Nikolo's grey eyes.
“Cool.” He says, licking his lips. “So, how’ve things been? How’re classes?”
“Eh, the usual. The intermediates almost set the place on fire three times in one class. That was fun.”
Nikolo bursts out with a laugh, rising on his toes so he leans even closer to me. I like him being closer, but as he does he moves his hand andthat—that I hate.
“No shit. I have no idea how you handle that. I would lose my shit.”
“Iwould have lost my shit. Wasn’t my class. It was Betheny. Lusce was there. He was pissed because his favourite boots got burnt.”
“Lusce, hey. He takes classes here?” He says the name with a funny little twist, nodding his head thoughtfully.
“Yeah. He also works here in the shop. That’s how we became friends.”
“Finn mentioned something about that, actually. You guys all seem really close.”
“Yeah, we’re a tight group.” Nikolo looks at me and blinks twice. I swear to the Gods there is a question lying unsaid between us, so I take a chance. “It helps that none of us have slept together. I mean, Jax and Lusce are basically an old mated couple at this point, despite the other people they keep trying to date.”
“Ah. Yeah. Cool.” Nikolo winds a little tighter before he relaxes, standing up straight and pulling his curls up into a messy ponytail in his hands before releasing it with a roll of his neck.
“Hey, you’ve still got the braids.” I say with a smile. When he leans back onto the counter, I reach out to touch the plait now resting over his shoulder.
Probably in need of some blood, Nikolo’s skin is paler than usual and the faintest pink glows from his cheeks.
“Yeah, of course.” He smiles, meaning his cheeks brush my fingers.
