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He tucked that thought away to examine later.
Or possibly never.
“It didn’t work out,” Nolan replied.
Eli made a face. “Yeah, no shit, Sherlock. I figured that part out since you’re no longer together. So, what happened?”
Nolan raked a palm over his jaw, then back into his hair. He sighed, and it sounded resigned. “She said I was emotionally unavailable and accused me of having one foot out the door from the moment we started dating.”
Eli raised both eyebrows. “Did you?”
“If I did, I didn’t realize it.”
Interesting. As he drove through an intersection, Eli risked another glance at Nolan. The man was a catch—smart, funny, a great conversationalist, hard-working, friendly, unafraid of a challenge. Why would someone like that be emotionally unavailable?
“Were you bummed when she broke it off?”
“I guess, but it’s not like I was heartbroken,” Nolan said. “Amber’s great, and we had a lot of fun. There was certainly potential there when we first started dating, but . . . I don’t know. It wasn’t like we were soulmates, so things fizzled I guess.”
Eli turned into his townhouse complex. “Do you believe in soulmates?”
“No. Do you?”
“Yes, but not in the romantic sense. In the platonic sense? Sure. I think we can have many platonic soulmates—people who get you for different reasons. Like, my sister says her friend Liz is her travel soulmate because they travel so well together. And Deeley and Sandbaker are soulmates of the bestie variety. But romantic soulmates? Pfft. The entire notion of finding your soulmate is ridiculous. As if there’s only one perfect person for me out there. Please. I’m awesome. I’d be compatible with so many different people.”
Nolan laughed. “Spoken like a true jock.” He seemed to finally realize where they were, because as Eli parked, Nolan looked out the windshield and said, “Uh . . . this isn’t where I’m staying.”
“No.” Expectation fueling his movements, Eli grinned and turned off the engine. “But my couch is.”
And with that, he got out of the car, trusting Nolan to follow.
Arms crossed over his chest, Nolan stared at the couch in Eli’s living room. He still wanted to test it out, but first . . .
“It looks even bigger here than it did in the store.”
“Yup,” Eli said happily.
“No regrets?”
“Dude. Have you seen it? It’s like you said—it could be in a sleep study. So? Want the nickel tour?”
“Sure,” Nolan said even though he didn’t want the nickel tour. But it would be uncouth to maul Eli thirty seconds after walking in the door, wouldn’t it?
“Soooo.” A smile playing on his lips, Eli tucked his thumbs in his jeans pockets and tipped his head in the direction of the couch. “That’s my couch.”
“I see that.”
Eli jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “That’s my kitchen,” he said without looking away from Nolan.
“Uh-huh.” Nolan stalked toward him, taking his time and letting the anticipation build. It was becoming clear that nickel tour was an exaggeration.
“Bedrooms are upstairs.” Eli’s gaze dropped to Nolan’s mouth. “Laundry room is in the basement.”
Nolan hooked a finger into one of Eli’s belt loops and drew him forward. Eli gasped, sending Nolan’s thoughts scattering. Fuck him, he should’ve mauled Eli the instant the front door closed behind them.
“Eli.”
“Hm?”
