"Itismorning and you almost smiled once," Aaron noted, nudging Merritt in the side. “That’s a dead giveaway.”
“Don’t reveal all my tricks!” Chase shouted, tossing his napkin at Aaron.
Breakfast passed uneventfully afterwards, Merritt no longer in danger of smiling. But after hints this wasn’t a normal morning, the clues were there. He shoveled down food fast and seemed on edge even though he was at home. The only time he slowed down and enjoyed his food or the quiet morning was when Aaron engaged with him.
Chase breathed a sigh of relief when Merritt rushed out the door, relaxing into his seat. He’d kept a respectable distance throughout breakfast, not even any winks or the friendly flirting he did with everybody. I startled when his hand found my knee under the table. I tried playing it off but the knowing smirk on Aaron’s face signaled how little I fooled him.
"You’re lucky he has other stuff on his mind," Aaron told Chase.
"He really doesn’t know?"
Aaron smirked. “You’dknowif he knew.”
Merritt missed how close Chase and I became last night. Would he smell that? CouldIsmell it? I sniffed, though the last piece of crispy bacon and coffee in front of my place were the strongest scents.
When Aaron left us alone, we shared a brief kiss.
"Aaron’s bringing you by later?" Chase asked when we pulled apart.
"Yeah, we’re visiting Dad again first. Now that we’re all more levelheaded, I’m going to see if he has any more details about the suppression and whatnot."
“There wasn’t a chance to talk earlier.” Chase coughed, gaze suddenly focused on his empty plate. “Listen, uh, we need to be lowkey at the office and whenever Merritt’s around. He’ll flip if we’re sleeping together while your case is active."
"Oh." It made sense but wasn’t my favorite news.
"Hopefully it won’t be too much longer."
"And then?"
Chase’s hand landed on my thigh again, squeezing it as he sent me a filthy smile. "Andthenwe can go to my apartment, have sex as loud as we want, and not worry about whether the neighbors hear."
Yep, see, no reason to fret at all.
It wasn’t a one and done thing. He wanted more. Everything hadn’t imploded in the harsh light of day, which left the door open to more sex, and possibly, whatever else might come too. Things I was beginning to think I wanted when it came to him. Okay, things I’d probablyknownI wanted from him for a while, but I was beginning to realize the feelings weren’t going away.
Better yet, the things I desired were things I was starting to suspect might interest him too...
~
Chase
An energy emanated from the upper floors of the building. From the hum of the fluorescent lights, the coffee percolating, and the officers arriving for their shifts, everything buzzed with a sudden alertness, poised for something big.
The excitement in the air put a smile on my face.
It promptly slid away when walking into Merritt’s office to find both him and Stone. Waiting for me with their arms crossed and twin stern expressions.
"Uh-oh, you two have serious faces."
"We always have serious faces," Stone grunted.
"Okay, you got me there.”
Just an ordinary day,I reminded myself. Stone had known me since I was a teenager and they were werewolves, so they’d notice if I acted off.Don’t think aboutLucas… not his eyes or his body… or how he’d seemed more like the shy, nearly virginal type, which could be fun…for a few minutes. The intelligent, reserved types were like that, either painfully innocent or practically pornographic, no in-between. Because everything about him apparently was designed to entice me, he fell into the latter category and got my blood pumping faster and my dick harder than…
Yep, no thinking about any of that. They’d remove me and I promised Lucas I’d see this through this no matter what.
"We’re ready to prep you on Bolton." The statement sounded more like an order as Merritt grabbed my attention.
