Page 32 of Secret
"If you want to drop by for a middle of the night cup of coffee, I'd like to see you."
Kasey's pulse kicked up. While they had talked several times since the night out with Faith, they hadn't seen each other. Memories of their conversation that night, and the way it had felt to have Noam hug him from behind had played like a recording through his mind since it happened. "I'd like that. You sure I won't be keeping you up?"
"You will, but you're worth it. I know we're having dinner tonight, but I don't want to wait to see you." Noam blew out a long breath. "Is it fucked up that I feel like a teenager asking a date out to prom?"
Kasey laughed as he tossed the items into the lake one by one. "No, I like that I make you feel that way. You do the same to me." He loved how honest and open they were with each other. There wasn't any doubt or questions about what the other was feeling.
Kasey closed his eyes, wondering how long that openness would last and if it would be enough to see them through things when they got more serious.
"Where are you now?" Noam asked.
"Just getting in my car. I'm about fifteen to twenty minutes away." He glanced up at the night sky, enjoying the moonlit night.
"Perfect. I'll get a fresh pot of coffee going for us. See you in a few." Noam hung up.
Kasey smiled. He liked that Noam called him, maybe even missed him. It was nice having someone to talk to, even if he couldn't open up about what he really did for a living and how he spent his nights, there was still plenty for them to discuss and share. He got the feeling that Noam had a rough past, but he hadn't dared venture there yet. Like his own past, it was something that would take time to open up about. They hardly knew each other. The shit in Kasey's past wasn't stuff you told just anyone about. Hell, half the team didn't know the details of it and how it brought him to join the team.
Walking to the trunk, Kasey opened it and pulled out a screwdriver and a different license plate. It was the one that really belonged with the car. The one he had on it now was one that Carter had managed to get for them to use in case their vehicles were spotted on home surveillance when they did a sting. The fake plates were registered to the local police force, so if someone happened to get the plate numbers, the cops wouldn't be able to hunt them down. He didn't like changing the plates out in the open, but it didn't feel safe going over to Noam's home with the fake ones on. That was something someone like Noam would notice. It was a simple thing, but cops paid attention to plate numbers out of habit.
Once he had the old plate off and the new one screwed on, he shut the trunk and climbed into his car just as his cell phone started to ring again. He frowned seeing Noam's name again. "Miss me already?"
Noam sighed. "Yes, but that's not why I'm calling. I'm going to have to cancel on you tonight. I just got called into work. I'm going to be several hours. I'm really sorry."
Kasey could almost guess what call Noam had gotten. He'd bet money that Noam was headed to the crime scene he'd just left. That made him a little uneasy. He'd thought about it before, but now, this made him think again. Dating a detective really wasn't a good idea. There were too many secrets, too many things that could draw attention. Still, the idea of not seeing Noam again left him feeling cold and lonely. He was tired of cold and lonely. He wanted to feel alive, and that's how he felt when he was with Noam. "It's okay. Work always comes first. We both understand that. Go, be safe, and give me a call tomorrow when you wake up. We're still on for dinner, right?"
It sounded like Noam was changing clothes, and that was a visual that would stay with Kasey all night.
"Yeah, definitely on for dinner. I'll call you before that, but plan on me being to your place around five or so." Noam sighed. "I better get going. Have a good night, Kase."
"And you stay safe, Noam. Goodnight."
"Night." Noam disconnected.
Kasey leaned back in the seat of his car, looking over the large lake, wondering how he was going to make this work. He was playing with fire, but no matter how bad the burn, he didn't want to let go.
