Noah choked. ‘Not at all.’
‘Right.’
‘But now…?’
‘Oh, just come in.’ Quinn stepped aside, and as Noah walked in carrying his wonderful scent with him, he thought of what he’d just done.
Would Noah be angry at him for submitting chapters to Hermione? Oh god, had he done something awful?
‘It’s evening,’ Quinn said as he shut the door.
‘What’s that got to do with anything?’ Noah said, taking in the apartment. His eyes rested on the half-drunk wine bottle.
Quinn stepped in front of it, hoping that Noah wouldn’t judge him for drinking wine alone in the evening. Normal when others did it, but not him. ‘You’re adding to the vampire mystery, you know?’
Noah rolled his eyes. ‘Please, if I was a vampire, I’d be sucking your blood right now.’
Sucking his blood? Oh god. No, he wouldnotthink of Noah sucking any part of him.
Well. Unless…
No.
‘You could fight it,’ Quinn said. ‘Like Edward Cullen. Wine?’
‘Oh, sure.’ Noah nodded. ‘Edward Cullen?Twilightfan?’
‘Team Edward.’
‘Team Jacob.’
How absurd to be standing in his apartment with Noah, pouring him a glass of rich-tasting wine like this was normal. He handed him the glass to and watched him drink, mesmerised by his neck and his Adam’s apple.
Noah gave an awkward smile, standing in the middle of the room.
‘Sit,’ Quinn said, as if he were a dog.
They sat apart on the sofa, Quinn trailing his foot along the carpet. What to say to a romantic novelist? What if he noticed his own books on his shelves?
‘You know, you’re never meant to invite a vampire in.’
Quinn panicked. Like maybe he’d made a huge mistake and sealed his fate.
But then he remembered vampires didn’t exist, and he relaxed.
‘Well, you’re here now.’ Quinn held out his glass. ‘Cheers.’
They clinked glasses, and Noah’s eyes turned to the laptop.
‘Writing?’
‘Oh, that, um, yeah, sure.’
Noah cocked an eyebrow. ‘Hiding something from me?’
He couldn’t tell him. What if he got angry? He couldn’t handle an angry vampire in his apartment. That was the last thing he needed.
‘Just thinking about some stuff,’ Quinn said. ‘Anyway, how come you’re out at night again? It must be freezing out there.’
