Aiden laughed. “No. I wouldn’t be able to afford what it would actually cost to live here and it’s not like they need it. I donate what I would pay in rent and utilities for an apartment to charity every month.”
“That’s decent of you.”
“Like I said, I’m lucky,” Aiden said with a shrug. “Might as well share the wealth.” He went over to the stainless-steel refrigerator. Opening both fridge and freezer at the same time, Aiden stared inside them for only a moment before he looked at Mike over his shoulder.
“I’ve got Hot Pockets and leftover pasta. Take your pick.”
“Frost wasn’t kidding when he said that’s what you guys usually eat after patrol.”
“Nope.”
“I’ll go with the Hot Pockets.”
“Excellent choice,” Aiden said as he took out the box of Hot Pockets and closed the doors. “I don’t remember how long that pasta has been in there.”
Mike watched through a green filter as Aiden moved around putting the Hot Pockets on plates and popping them in the microwave. Realizing he was still wearing his glasses, he took them off and hung them from his collar.
“Can I do anything to help?”
“Grab us some glasses for water,” Aiden answered, pointing at the correct cabinet.
Mike went over and grabbed two glasses, filling each with ice and water from the ice maker set into the fridge. The snacks were finished heating soon after he had the drinks ready.
“Let’s eat.”
Aiden bypassed the kitchen table and went out to the living room. They sat on the couch as they had during his first visit, discussing everything that happened that night and what they needed to put in the report as they ate. It was comfortable, a true sense of partnership growing between them. They shared information, mentioning details one had seen but the other had missed.
“Okay, let’s get this submitted,” Aiden said once he finished eating. He wiped off his hands and slid the laptop on the coffee table onto his lap. It required a thumb print pressed to a small touch pad on the top of the computer before he could even open it. Once the computer was online, Aiden started to type with his two forefingers.
A strangled noise of surprise slipped from Mike’s throat at Aiden’s slow pecking at the keyboard.
Aiden looked up. “What?”
“You’re a pecker.”
A soft blush tinted Aiden’s cheeks a rosy pink. “I never learned how to type. Caleb is always horrified whenever he sees me at a computer.”
Mike held back a smile at seeing Aiden embarrassed for the second time. “I can’t say I blame him.”
“You can do better?” A single black eyebrow rose in challenge and he held the computer out to Mike.
Mike accepted both the challenge and the computer. “It’s not going to self-destruct on me, is it?” he asked once he had the lightweight machine balanced on his lap. “I’m not the authorized user.”
Aiden worried his lower lip with his teeth. “I don’t think so. Frost uses it all the time. Start typing. If it acts weird, I’ll take it back and put my thumb print in again.”
Mike nodded absently, his gaze caught on the full lower lip that was now bitten berry-red. Aiden shifted on the couch and Mike snapped out of his daze, hoping he hadn’t been caught staring. He took a moment to glance over the screen, reviewing Caleb’s set up for the report program. Then he got to work. He wasn’t as fast as the ACG tech genius, but practice working with similar programs in the Army allowed him to enter the information at a nice, steady speed.
Aiden leaned in, watching the cursor moving from field to field. Mike flicked a covert glance at him. This close he could see how light reflected off the dark strands of his hair, the smoothness of his skin, and just there, beneath his jawline, a small beauty mark that he’d never noticed before. A faint stirring of desire hummed in his blood as he imagined tonguing at that spot while Aiden writhed beneath him. He wondered if there were other spots to discover on Aiden’s pretty skin.
“You’re much better at this than I am. Thanks.”
The low, husky voice drew Mike’s attention away from his search for more beauty marks on Aiden’s creamy throat and collarbones and he looked up to find Aiden watching him. A blush burned the back of his ears when he met those golden eyes, the irises twinkling with amusement. He’d definitely been caught staring that time. “You’re welcome.”
Aiden started to shrug out of his jacket, then paused to look at Mike.
“Is it okay with you if I take this off?”
“Go ahead.”
