Nymon grinned.He had Tex where he wanted him.“I’d love to show you my home and to let you use my shower, but I think you’re a liar, and I don’t know if I should let you inside.”
Tex looked confused.“What are you talking about?”
“You’re not here because you’re curious about demons.”
They stared at each other.Nymon was pretty sure that he’d let Tex into his home even if Tex never told him why he was actually here.Something deep inside of him was telling him that he could trust Tex.He’d never felt this with anyone else before, and he didn’t understand it, but he wanted to believe it.He also wanted to kiss Tex, but that was an entirely different problem.He doubted anyone would blame him for that.Even Kael would have to admit that Tex was hot if he met him.
Not that it would change anything.If anyone found out about this conversation, they’d blame Nymon.They wouldn’t be wrong to.Maybe Nymon was letting his cock take over.Maybe he was an idiot.
Tex rubbed the back of his neck.“How do you know I’m lying?”
“It’s kind of obvious.I’ve wanted to explore the human world for most of my life, but I’m still here.Maybe more than knowing you’re lying, I’m being jealous, but I’m pretty sure there’s more to your story than you’re saying.”
“I don’t want to scare you or make you hate me.”
“Why would I hate you?”
“Because maybe I’m not here for a good reason.Maybe if I tell you, you’ll get scared.”
“I can’t imagine being scared of you.”
“Maybe you should.”
Nymon considered that.“Maybe I should,” he agreed.“I’m not, though.I don’t think you’re here to hurt me.”
Tex looked conflicted.“I’m not,” he confirmed.“You’re too trusting.”
“Probably, but in Starhaven, it doesn’t matter.No one here is going to hurt me.I’ve known these people all my life.”
“It doesn’t mean one of them can’t hurt you, and you haven’t knownmeall your life.”
“I don’t see what the problem is.I already told you I trust you won’t hurt me.”Nymon looked around, but they were still alone.“Look, I really want to take you home and help you be more comfortable, and I want to ask you questions about your world and all that, but I need to know why you’re actually here.I just told you that I trust you not to hurt me.Are you going to trust me enough to tell me what’s going on?”
Tex looked around again.“All right,” he said, his shoulders slumping.“But not here.I can’t risk anyone else hearing what I’m about to tell you.”
“We can sit in my greenhouse while you explain.”
“Isn’t that too close to your home?”
“My greenhouse isn’t my home,” Nymon pointed out.He didn’t tell Tex that he’d let him inside the house even if he didn’t tell him why he was here.He wanted to know.
Tex considered that for a moment before nodding.“All right.Deal.”
Nymon shouldn’t feel like he’d won something, but he did.He was taking Tex home.
Tex was a shifter.
Nymon was taking a shifter home.
He probably shouldn’t be as excited as he was at the thought, but he couldn’t wait to find out the truth.He couldn’t wait to talk to Tex and find out more about his world.He wanted to know more about Tex himself.It had to be cool to turn into an animal, like Tex did just now.One second, he was standing there in his human form, and the next, a wolf was blinking up at Nymon.Nymon wanted to reach out and pat Tex’s head, but he liked having all his fingers attached, so he kept his hand to himself and tilted his chin in the direction of his house.“It’s this way.I guess you might remember since you were there yesterday.”
Tex nodded, which was weird because right now, he was a wolf.Even though Nymon had known about shifters all of his life, he’d never met one, and it would take him a little while to get used to having Tex around like this.
He might not have to.He doubted Tex would stick around for long.
But while he was here, Nymon would take everything he could.He had a lot of questions he’d been yearning to ask, and he hadn’t had anyone to ask them to until now.He hoped Tex was ready for that, but if he wasn’t, well, he’d have to find a way to deal with it.
* * * *
