Page 6 of Snowed In

“I studied cooking in Paris when I was in high school,” Magnus told him. He started toward the bedroom and heard Adam following him.

“What? Like, Le Cordon Bleu?”

Magnus laughed so hard he almost lost his direction as he felt the wrong wall for the doorknob before correcting himself. “No. It was a school for the blind, but Ididlearn some French cuisine while I was there.” He reached into the top drawer of his dresser, then used his foot to find the bed before sitting.

So far so good. He hadn’t made a fool of himself.

Mostly.

“So you’re going to make me foie gras?” Adam asked.

Magnus turned his face toward Adam and lifted a brow. “Is all you think the French eat?”

“I mean, I figure they also eat McDonalds and shit. But yeah, that and snails, right?”

He was helpless against his grin. Why did he like this man so much? Was it his stark, unapologetic honesty? He couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Leaning forward, he swept his hands along theground, searching for his boots. “I’ll, ah…I’ll show you…” Where the hell were they?

“Can I help?” Adam asked. His voice was softer now. Hesitant. “I don’t want to be rude. I mean, I know you can find your own shoes, but…”

Magnus laughed quietly. “Yes, please, or we’ll be here until the storm comes. I wasn’t thinking when I took them off earlier.”

He heard Adam walk close to him, heard a gentle thud that was likely a knee hitting the floor. Then his boots were pressed against the back of his right hand. “These are nice. Designer?”

“Coach,” Magnus said. He wasn’t much into designer things, but he knew the reputation. “They were a gift from someone I no longer speak to.” Charls. A once-lover Magnus thought might make a life with him who, it turned out, had a fetish for sucking someone off ten feet away from Magnus without him knowing.

That discovery had been particularly painful. And the last relationship he’d had. It was why Adam terrified him. People always let him down.

“Yeah, I knowthatlook,” Adam said as he righted himself. “Ex-boyfriend, right? Bad breakup?”

Magnus carefully put his boots on, then pushed to his feet. “Obvious, am I?”

“I haven’t dated much, but I’ve dated enough to know that expression. Cheating?”

It was more than that, but yes. “If it’s all the same, I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Of course. I’m sorry.” He sounded it, and Magnus felt awful because he hadn’t meant to make Adam feel bad. It was just something he had no desire to revisit. It was a mistake. He’d learned his lesson.

He wouldn’t do it again.

He reached out and after a second, found Adam’s arm. “Come on. Let me grab my cane, but you can guide me to the car and I’ll tellyou all about the delicious meal I’ll make that has absolutely no duck liver or snails at all.”

Chapter Three

Adam

DearGod, Adam was in trouble. Being with Magnus at work and having all of his attention in the lab was bad enough. But being in the house with him? In the car? In the store with his arm gently on the back of Adam’s elbow as he waxed poetic about the best way to roast a chicken?

If he hadn’t been half in love before, he was definitely half in love now and careening toward the edge of completely falling for a man who would likely never want him back.

Adam’s plan to get in, get the thumb drive, and get out fizzled the moment Magnus offered to cook him dinner. He told himself to decline, to be polite and say thank you, but he couldn’t. Magnus had a look Adam recognized all too well. He was lonely and sad and trying to cover it up by saying this was how life always was.

It was Adam’s mantra. It was a familiar song etched along the back of his tongue. He’d perfected that melody. And there was no chance in hell he could keep letting Magnus sing it when he could offer him company for a little while.

After all, it was only dinner. What could it hurt?

“The one thing I’ve not been the best at is finding mold when it’sjust growing,” Magnus was saying as he was feeling his way along the zucchini pile.

They were all a little sad looking. Most of the produce was, but that wasn’t unexpected considering the shop had been cleared out for Christmas feasts and the storms had likely prevented delivery trucks from restocking.

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