Page 11 of The Suspicious Mate

"Don't ever discount your gut feelings. Always follow what your base instincts tell you to do." Noa was deadly serious. Kallan nodded and felt a little on edge, knowing that Noa took the things he described so seriously and did not try to dismiss his discomfort. "If you see that man again, call me, and I'll sort it out, good or bad."

"Okay." Kallan was impressed that he would offer his help in such a way. If Kallan was reactionary, Noa was running the risk that he could be thoroughly inconvenienced with nonsense calls. "But I doubt I will see him again."

"Call me," Noa stated.

“I will.” Kallan relented.

"You ready?" Noa smiled, and his good humor was back in place as he reached out and put his arm around Kallan's shoulders.

"I'm ready." Kallan let the arm remain and walked in step with Noa as they made their way out to Noa's large black truck. It wasn't new but was well cared for, and the chrome accents glistened in the sunlight. Noa assisted him into the seat and buckled him in even though Kallan was certain he could have managed on his own.

The attention was nice, and he did enjoy Noa's hands. His touch was almost hypnotic in the way it made Kallan feel. He couldn't explain it, but being near Noa gave him a sense of peace and a belief that nothing could ever hurt him.

Noa was solid, capable, and ready to help, and Kallan wanted to believe that it was all genuine and not simply a play to be accepted. The moment that thought came to mind, he dismissed it. Noa's behavior was true and not just a show. He knew what fake concern looked like, and Noa was not fake. The longer he was in the man's presence, the more he liked him, and not just because he was handsome as hell. Kallan realized that Noa was so much more than the asshole he met on the phone.

“There’s a nice breakfast place out on Findlay.” Noa broke the silence. “Then we can hit the antique shop in the Market. From there we’ll go downtown and take in the shops there. The salvage business is closer to the rail yard, so we’ll do that last.”

"Sounds good." Kallan turned and smiled at Noa, who returned the expression and also reached over and took Kallan’s hand holding it in his as he made his way through town. The move was natural, and Kallan had no problem with it. He could very well be setting himself up for a big letdown when Noa tired of him, which considering his track record, was the most likely outcome.

He was a very eligible man of means and nice looking, and yet he did not have a steady boyfriend and, according to Mac, has never maintained a relationship beyond a couple dates. But Mac claimed it was only because Noa hadn't met the right man.

Kallan, at twenty-three, had been around the block a few times and knew men like Noa did not keep anyone long-term. Commitment was a dirty word in Noa's world, and Kallan needed to keep that fact front and center as he enjoyed the man but would not and could not fall for him.

They pulled into the restaurant and parked, and once again, Noa helped him from the truck and held his hand as they entered and took a seat near the front windows. He was not trying to hide and, socially speaking, didn't appear to be afraid of anything. Kallan liked his manner of confidence and conviction. Everything the man did pulled Kallan closer to him even as he tried to remain realistic. The meal arrived along with some fantastic coffee, so Kallan decided it was time to further break the ice.

“How long have you lived in Cincinnati? Do you have family here?” He began.

"I moved here from Colorado almost two years ago for a job offer that didn't work out, but I found a place at Club Zephyr with Cross Mercer that I liked and suited me." He spoke casually, relaying basic information, but Kallan got the impression there was more to the story. "My parents had me late in life, and unfortunately, I don't have many relatives remaining apart from a few cousins that still reside in Colorado."

“How old were you when you lost your parents?” Kallan suddenly felt sad for him.

"Mom died when I was still a baby, and Dad died just a few years ago." Noa finished his breakfast and began on his second cup of coffee.

"What about you? What brought you to Cincinnati apart from Mac's incessant needling." Noa smiled, and Kallan laughed.

"Davidson didn't have a lot to offer, and working for the oil company was proving to be a dead end as far as my position was concerned." There was a long story there, but Kallan wasn't ready to share it with Noa.

"Mac told me you worked data entry and were in an office most of the time. It seems that would afford a chance to move up, unlike some blue color placements." Noa was seeing through him, but still, he hesitated to tell the whole truth.

“Mac and I have been close our whole lives. He's looked out for me since I was a baby, so sometimes I don't tell him everything so as to not upset him or make him feel he needs to do something." There that was truthful but vague, and Noa would probably not be interested in the drama, so they won't pursue it further, or at least that was what Kallan thought.

Noa set his coffee down and pinned Kallan with a stare that said he was not going to be satisfied with that vague answer. “What didn’t you tell him?”

"Just stupid work drama, nothing you need to be concerned about." Kallan tried to brush it off, but the stare did not let up, and the silence was pressing hard.

CHAPTER SIX

Noa waited, feeling that Kallan's resistance was weakening. He wanted to know why he left North Dakota and why he didn't tell Mac the truth. It was none of his business, but still, he wanted to know. He wanted to know everything about this young man, especially what would prompt him to quit his job and move several states away.

"I was also a personal assistant for two of the field managers. It was an as-needed aspect of my job, and I would, from time to time, accompany one or both to worksites." Noa watched as Kallan began to squirm and look around the restaurant, clearly uncomfortable with the direction of their conversation.

“What happened?” Noa asked softly and reached over and placed his hand over Kallan’s.

"Doesn't matter; it's over now." He forced a half smile he wasn't feeling and glanced down at their hands.

“It does matter.” Noa pressed.

“They made unprofessional requests that I was not interested in fulfilling.” Kallan made himself clear without going into detail. “They made it clear that I would have no chance of advancement unless I was willing to play along. They were careful in their word use and made sure there were no witnesses. I put up with their innuendos and threats for about a year and then quit and moved here.” Kallan picked up his coffee and finished it.

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