Marie Harte - Flight of Fancy

“What’s with the word nifty ?”

Jack raised a brow.

“Never mind. But hey, I could say the same. I know our psychic crap is weird, but hell, man, you’re off the charts.” How was it even possible to shift your bones and skin to literally change shape?

“Tell you what, Aidan. You shut your mouth about me, I keep quiet about you. And don’t worry about Avery and Nathan. They saw and know nothing.”

If Jack said it, Aidan trusted he meant it. “Okay. So that’s your thing, huh? Shape-changing?”

“And being a royal pain in the ass, yeah.”

Aidan grinned, and then Jack went and ruined his mood by saying, “That mind thing. You never mentioned you could do that.”

“Because I can’t.” Didn’t want to be able to do it. “I did it once by accident. It just…happened this time.”

Jack glanced at Gavin, still sleeping soundly. “I see.” He rubbed his eyes, and Aidan felt badly that he’d nearly killed the guy. “Look. I really don’t like getting involved in my team’s personal lives. You have no idea how much I hate this, but with Kitty gone, I—”

“Gone? What happened?”

“She’s on a case. And no, I didn’t want her on it. It just happened. Shut up and let me finish. Christ.” Jack swore under his breath before continuing. “Look. It’s no secret you and Gavin click. I’ve seen it since day one, and hell, he’s probably the only guy on the team that can handle your ego.”

“ My ego? What about Nathan?”

“He’s taken.”

“Not what I meant,” Aidan growled.

“I’m just saying you and Gavin make a good team. Our CPA thinks I don’t know how he cracked a few secure servers to get his intel.” Jack snorted. “Right. I admit, I’m impressed. He’s a good source to go to for insider info, especially since our other source crashed and burned.”

Aidan didn’t think it was his place, but he wanted to ease Jack into the truth for Gavin’s sake. “I don’t think he likes fieldwork so much.”

“I didn’t think so.”

“Smug doesn’t become you, Jack.”

His boss snorted. “You should talk. Anyway, you and Gavin have some mandatory time off. No question. I don’t want to see either of you until next Wednesday, at which point, numbnuts over there owes me overtime. I can’t believe how fucked up our paperwork is now.”

“It’s Ian.”

“I know.” Jack cursed again. “I need Gavin back. I need you on the floor. And I need you available for missions, and more than just work for Stallbridge. I might have a few independent contracts coming our way.”

“Outstanding.” Aidan liked the thought of real-world operations. But this time, for something more than a stupid book. “So that book we got back. It’s that important?”

A closed look came over Jack’s face. His eyes flashed with something Aidan couldn’t read. “So I’ve heard. Look, I gotta get back. Hurry up and heal, fix your pathetic private life, and I’ll see you Wednesday morning, sharp.”

Jack left without another word.

“My life’s pathetic? He should talk,” Aidan murmured. He glanced at Gavin, so at peace, and sighed. Hell. He loves the unlovable—me. And I think—hell, I know—I love him. Where the hell do we go from here?

GAVIN WOKE UP with a doozy of a headache. He blinked up at the ceiling in Aidan’s bedroom, not sure what the hell had happened. One minute he’d been floating with Aidan in the air, in his arms. He remembered a lot of talk about love, and how Aidan couldn’t feel that particular emotion for anyone. Then Gavin had put his foot in his mouth and told Aidan how he felt.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

He didn’t know why he thought he had all the answers. Hell, he’d gotten lucky on a case, had a little too much confidence, and suddenly, he knew everything. He groaned, praying Aidan wouldn’t kick him out for either his arrogance or for dropping them both. He still wasn’t sure how he’d gotten down, naked, and into bed.

“Good. You’re awake.”

A glance at the doorway showed Aidan, dressed as usual in jeans and a button-up shirt that accentuated his broad chest. He smiled, a brilliant grin that took Gavin’s breath away.

“Uh, yeah.” Gavin cleared his throat and tried to build a wall, so Aidan wouldn’t know how pathetically in love he was.

“You took two darts, and we weren’t sure how long you’d be out. But Doc Cannon said the drugs weren’t harmful, just put you to sleep.”

“Huh?” Gavin sat up, and the sheets fell to his waist. He felt uncomfortable and vulnerable, especially since Aidan had no problem staring. “I need to piss.”

“Lovely.” Aidan shook his head. “The bathroom is open. Use whatever you need. I’ll wait.”

Gavin shot out of bed and used the facilities. Then he took a long, hot shower, soothing aching muscles he hadn’t known he had. After drying off, he brushed his teeth, feeling like himself again. He didn’t have clothes with him, but he didn’t want to leave wearing only a towel. He was already at a disadvantage when it came to Aidan. Being half-naked wouldn’t help. When he spied Aidan’s dark blue robe, he had his answer.

He exited and found Aidan waiting for him, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Aidan turned at the sound of Gavin’s feet slapping on the hardwood floor. He stared, and the hint of a grin turned him from dark and sexy to beautiful. Gavin swallowed hard. “Can I have some clothes? My bag should be in the other room.”

“No.”

“No, it’s not in the other room? Or no, I can’t have any clothes?” When Aidan just kept staring with that odd smile on his face, Gavin lost his patience. “What the hell is your problem?” He felt a blush creeping across his cheeks and stopped in his tracks.

“You’re hot. You know that?” Aidan laughed when Gavin blushed harder.

“Shut up.”

“And so damn cute.”

Aidan smiled at him again, and Gavin wondered if he’d fallen into another dimension, where the impossible happened on a regular basis. Aidan complimenting him and smiling weren’t normal. Appreciated, but not normal.

“You don’t remember anything, do you?”

“About what? We were in the air, and then nothing.” And I was telling you how much you love me. I’m such a dumb-ass.

Aidan shook his head. “You missed all the fun. Samson Ruelle was here, in the bedroom.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Wish I was. Fucker knocked you out and tried to down me. Then, ah, we kind of got into it. I nailed him just as Jack and the others came barreling in. Samson had a dozen buddies with him surrounding the house, who are now in custody. Samson, unfortunately, didn’t make it.” The flat meanness in Aidan’s eyes spoke volumes.

“Don’t ask me to be sorry about that. Because I’m not.” Gavin clearly remembered how that freakish giant had been all over Aidan. And the abuse Aidan had suffered at his hands still made Gavin want to pound him.

A softening on Aidan’s face warned him to hold his mental shields tight. “You’re not reading me again, are you?”

Aidan coughed. “Ah, no. Not really. I mean, I’m not trying to, but you’re kind of broadcasting. Loudly.”

“Shit.”

Aidan chuckled. “Hearing you curse is too funny. You look so sweet, and then that mouth opens up.”

“Fuck you.”

Aidan laughed harder.

Gavin didn’t know what to make of this man. Aidan seemed so open, so, well, friendly . He watched with longing, wishing he could keep his lover like this all the time.

Aidan tapered off and sighed. “You’re going to make me say it. I know you. You like making me verbalize.”

“Big word, Blondie.”

Aidan shot him the finger. Finally. Some normalcy.