“That’s my cue to leave,” Adam said. He knocked my shoulder affectionately with his. “See you at the gym later.” He stalked past Liam, pausing to say, “Liam. I’m not going to waste my breath telling you not to hurt him or I will murder you, because Jasper can take care of himself. That said, if you hurt him?” His voice lowered menacingly. “I’ll tell your mum.”
“Okay. You do that.” Liam reached out and ruffled Adam’s hair as he passed.
Adam smacked his hand away without missing a beat. A few seconds later, the front door opened and shut.
Liam turned to me, smiling when he saw me balancing a plate of scrambled eggs in one hand and a fork in the other.
I swallowed a mouthful. “Sorry,” I said, “this is rude, but I couldn’t wait. I am starving. You might wake up cranky in the morning, but you should know, I wake up ravenous. Do you want some?”
He shook his head. “No, thanks. I usually eat later.” He watched me shovel the rest of the food in my mouth.
He’d had a shower without me and was dressed. He wore yesterday’s trousers, and had obviously raided my dresser because his socks were bright white athletic socks, and the t-shirt he was wearing saidSWEAT!!!on it.
He lookedamazing.
I set the empty plate down, poured myself a glass of water, and drank it self-consciously. He was still watching.
I finished the water and licked my lips.
Liam crossed the kitchen. He kept coming until he was pressed against me. One hand held the side of my neck; the other was at my hip.
He was more awake now, his blue-grey eyes alert.
“I,” he said, “am going to make you a very happy man.”
“What did you have in mind? Because I was liking the sound of the shower, although you went and had that without me.”
He gave a small huff of amusement, then the humour drained away to leave nothing but a fierce, intense focus. “A very.” He kissed me. “Happy.” He kissed me again. “Man.” Again. “For a lot longer than a romp in the shower.”
“You’re off to a great start,” I told him sincerely.
“I’m off to a shit start. I messed you around. Made you think you weren’t important. And you are, Jasper. You are. I don’t know how I got lucky enough that you’re willing to give me a chance to prove that I can be the best thing that ever happened to you, but so you know? That’s my plan.”
“You already are the best—”
“Not yet, but I will be.” He leaned in and kissed me softly. “I will be. Let me prove it?”
“Okay.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded enthusiastically.
He grinned at me. “All right. Now. Let’s go. I’ve got three days off, and I have a lot of reading to do.”
My stomach plunged with a mix of nerves and excitement.
“You didn’t think I’d be satisfied with reading just one of your stories, did you?” he said.
“I hoped?”
“Yeah, no.” He took my hand and led me out of the kitchen into the sitting room. “You can go to work, and the whole time you’re at the gym, you can think of me here at your computer, prowling like a sexy panther shifter through your darkest erotic fantasies. Yes, I saw that title,Liam Is A Sexy Panther Shifter: A/B/O version. I’m not sure what A/B/O means, though. Guess I’ll find out.”
I moaned faintly with horror.
“I’ll be taking notes,” he said. “Making plans.”
“Oh, god.”