Page 44 of Guarded
“With the greatest respect, it doesn’t have anything to do with you.”
“Jeremiah is one of my oldest and closest friends,” Nox countered. “His happiness is important to me. As is yours, might I add.”
All the fight left me. It was hard to be mad at Nox. Often, he spoke sense, even when you didn’t want to hear it. And after our last date, it was even harder to keep Jeremiah at the distance I needed to. “I know. Thanks, Nox. I’ve got it under control though.”
“Mm-hmm.” His gaze darted out the front door. “Are you going to make him wait the extra hour? Because although I want him happy, fucking with him is also tempting.”
“Really? I would’ve thought you’d tell me to get my arse down there pronto.”
“Nah.” He chuckled. “Before Micah and I worked our shit out, I spent many hours sitting on the boundary of the property somewhere. Feels fitting that Jeremiah should do the same.”
He didn’t stick around to hear what I was going to do, saluting before strolling off into the depths of the house. I heard Micah’s shout of surprise before the sound of something heavy hitting a door met my ears. Then moans and the distinct sound of kissing.
I stepped outside with a sigh. I was happy for them. I was.
But I was also jealous.
I want that.
I decided to walk down the long, winding drive to meet Jeremiah. I wasn’t going to fly down to him likethe pull was demanding, but I wasn’t going to make him wait the hour either. A walk felt like a good compromise. A sensible boundary.
Besides, maybe Sam had a point. Perhaps a walk was what I needed to clear my head.
A brisk breeze whipped around my bare arms, making me regret not picking up a jacket. Mid-May in the UK meantlayers. I kept forgetting that. Juniper were primarily based in Italy, so carrying a jumper wasn’t something I’d been used to there during spring.
I was used to most things about my life with the Seraphim now. Everything except the cold. I was always chilly.
Good thing you have a fated mate who can heat you up just by touching you.
I pursed my lips, choosing to ignore both that and the fact that my steps were getting faster and faster.
The walk hadn’t been nearly enough to clear my mind. I was as confused as I had been at the start. So tell me, why, the second I rounded the corner and saw Jeremiah sitting in his car, did all my thoughts suddenly vanish? Why did the noise fade and the chaos calm?
You know why.
I did. That was what scared me the most. I’d had that before, and it had been taken away from me.
What if the same thing happened again?
Jeremiah spotted me almost instantly, and the look of pure joy that came over his face was almost enough to make me forget my fears.
Almost.
He scrambled to get out of the car so fast that his seat belt got caught on his shoulder. I bit back a laugh as he cursed and shoved at it.
God, he’s cute.
“Hi,” he said breathlessly as he finally freed himself and rounded the car. “I wasn’t expecting you yet.”
I bit my lip shyly. “Seems I couldn’t wait any better than you could.”
Jeremiah stopped a foot away from me, his gaze sweeping over me. “It’s so good to see you, Noah.”
Just as he had the other times we’d met, he held himself stiffly, like he wasn’t sure what to do. And just as I had, I let my instincts guide me. Kissing him on the cheek was normal. Friends did that.
I wasn’t sure friends lingered like I did. Or if one of their hands curled around the back of their friend’s neck, stroking the short hair there. And I was fairly certain afriendwouldn’t inhale deeply, drawing his scent as far into their lungs as they could.
I shouldn’t linger, I knew that, but I couldn’t help it. All I could think about was his hand on mine as we sat atop the Parthenon. The ridiculous smirk he’d worn as we’d got into trouble together.
