Page 18 of How Not to Date a Griffin

The kiss was chaste, their lips meeting for a split second before he returned. They lingered this time, and it was still the most pure kiss Reid thought he’d ever felt.

It was warm and sticky and humid and Reid was suddenly thankful for his mustache, but Nolan sure as fuck didn’t seem to mind as he tilted his head. Their lips met softly and Reid pushed in for more, and then he tasted the salty tease of Nolan’s sweat on his lips and suddenly didn’t care about his own anymore.

Their lips parted, and heat pooled in Reid’s stomach at the first brush of Nolan’s tongue against his. Nolan let loose a short little gasp, and Reid tasted it straight from the source, the warmth and want going straight to his head.

Before he knew it he was leaning up, pushing Nolan back onto the chaise lounge, and Nolan’s hand was sliding up into his hair, nails raking across his scalp. A moan spilled out before he meant it to, but shit, he loved that.

Now Nolan knew it, too, and he threaded his other hand into Reid’s hair, tugging lightly.

Fuck. Reid slid his knee further between Nolan’s, finishing what the other man had started moments ago. They both groaned at the friction as Reid rolled his hips down.

It was sloppy and fast and wonderful and everything that their tension-filled, flirty evening should end with—

The bang of a metal door startled them both, and Reid jerked up, spying the flash of a light in their direction.

Heart pounding, he ducked his head, and met Nolan’s wide eyes. “Someone’s here,” he said.

At the same moment, a deeper, scarier voice said, “Who’s out here?”

Nolan’s eyes widened further, and it would’ve been slightly comical, with his red lips and redder cheeks, were it any other circumstance.

“We have to go – come on.”

Reid stood, gripping Nolan’s hand, and pulled him in the direction of the edge of the roof, letting his wings out. They fluttered, muscles tense as he shook them out, and spun Nolan into his grip. “Hold on,” he said.

“Stop right there!” A beam of light hit Reid right in the face, and he lifted two fingers to his temple in a sarcastic salute before tipping Nolan right off the roof with him.

Nolan went instantly silent, where before he’d been quietly repeating, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.

His arms wrapped tightly around Reid’s waist and he buried his head into Reid’s neck and Reid reeled, grateful his muscles moved on memory alone, because all his thoughts were consumed by the man in his arms.

He flew them back to the hotel in moments, landing softly between two buildings, in the shadows. Nolan slumped against the wall and covered his face with his hands. “Oh my god, that just happened,” he breathed.

Like someone had kicked him in the chest, Reid’s heart seized. “I’m so sorry,” he said.

Here Nolan was, this stand-up, prim and proper guy, and Reid had almost gotten them arrested, or something possibly worse.

“I am so sorry,” he repeated, uttering each word with sincerity, projecting it into his earnest gaze as he moved a half-step away. “I have been up there a million times and never before has there been security. I didn’t mean to put you in a situation like that. Please believe me.”

God, suddenly he felt like how he feared he looked to the rich twats that buzzed around them on the street only feet away. A troublemaker, a low-life, or something. It filled his chest and he hated it, and he hated that he’d made Nolan feel unsafe and scared and—

“It’s okay,” Nolan said, taking his hand—when had he moved to stand before him again? “I know you didn’t do it on purpose.”

“Oh,” he breathed, his anxiety stuttering in its dramatic climb to a peak. Nolan’s touch was firm, and Reid forced his shoulders to relax, his concern fading with each breath. “Right.”

“You got us out of there, right? Pretty certain my soul left my body when you threw us off the roof, but we’re alive!” His cheeks were flushed bright pink, as if they’d been kissing again, eyes wide and genuine as he squeezed Reid’s hand.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said softly.

“It was just a reaction,” Nolan promised. “I knew you wouldn’t let anything happen.”

Fuck.

Reid wanted to kiss him again, because who was this guy? Who literally placed his life in Reid’s hands hours after meeting him with this blind, addicting trust?

He didn’t realize the silence had stretched out for so long until Nolan cleared his throat. “I think I have another crisis,” he said suddenly.

Blinking, Reid snapped back to the moment. “What’s wrong?”