Page 23

They’d discussed maybe driving up the coast to spend a few nights in wine country.

And yes, they’d talked about throwing a dinner party Friday night.

Nick frowned, tilting his head as he stared, but Jem didn’t move.

That was strange, too; Jem was a damned light sleeper, in addition to the rest.

Jemdidsleep during the day sometimes, especially now that he was living with Nick. He slept part of the afternoon so he could spend more of his night with Nick, and then slept another four hours from about one a.m. until five in the morning.

Those were the hours Nick generally either went surfing, or walked around the city on his own. Sometimes he’d just hang around the house while Jem slept, catch up on his reading, or even work on the backyard, or the house itself, if he thought he could do it quietly.

Jem was used to his patterns by now.

Nick was used to Jem’s patterns, too.

They were both pretty boringly predictable when it came to their schedules.

Nick changed course and walked over to the bed. He paused only long enough to kick off his shoes, then climbed in with Jem, and wrapped an arm around him from behind. He pressed his chest to the seer’s bare back, the only part of him visible under the white duvet and sheets.

He squeezed the seer against his unyielding vampire body and murmured in his ear.

“Sleepy, sleepy, sleepyhead,” he singsonged softly.

Jem twitched. He jerked slightly when Nick squeezed him, and raised his head. He nearly smacked Nick in the face with his skull in the process, and would have, if it wasn’t for Nick’s highly efficient vampire reflexes.

“Nick.” It came out of Jem’s mouth thickly, but with a hint of alarm. “Nick?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” Nick squeezed him again. “Expecting someone else?”

Jem’s body sagged, some of that base, animal alarm leaving his muscles.

“Nope,” he said, sinking his face back to the pillow.

“Why are you still in bed?” Nick asked. “Couldn’t you sleep?”

There was a silence.

Nick stared down at Jem’s face. He was surprised to see the other man’s jaw harden.

“Where were you?” Jem’s voice came out slightly sulky.

Nick blinked. “Where was I?” He frowned. “Same place I go every fucking night when I leave you alone to sleep. Nowhere. I walked down to Market, then to the Castro, and then I decided I hadn’t been to the wharf in ages, so I––”

“What were you doing in the Castro?” Jem grumbled.

Nick frowned openly down at his mate, bewildered.

What the fuck?

“I found us a dog,” he offered. “A stray walked up to me on the wharf and adopted us, so I brought her home. She’s enormous, but has a really sweet, pretty face. She’s white and fluffy and I’m thinking about naming her Winter. Or possibly Blanche.” He paused, waiting for a reaction. “I suppose I have to hang signs first, make sure she doesn’t have an owner before I get too attached, but I thought I’d swing her by Francine’s firstand get her checked out. She should be able to tell us how long she’s been living on the street.”

Still no reaction.

He squeezed Jem harder.

“She reallyisadorable,” he whispered in the seer’s ear. “If she doesn’t have an owner, can I keep her? She’s very dainty and polite. And she’s nice and big and squeezable for a vampire like me. Almost Panther’s size.”

Jem let out a snort, but there wasn’t much humor in it.