Page 16 of Dead Air (Moon Murder Mysteries)

Twelve

N o more Mr. Nice Ranger.

After weeks of teasing and almost kissing, Niall wasn’t letting Chance out of his cabin until they kissed.

He couldn’t quite remember what happened the night before because everything had gotten very hazy after Niall had blown Chance away with the grilled trout and ramps.

He’d intended to actually blow Chance but Niall had woken up the next morning in his bed, feeling disappointingly refreshed and without a single ache or pulled muscle.

Niall had invited Chance to dinner again and they had shared a cozy pasta with grilled vegetable marinara and a wild berry “cobbler” from the freezer.

They chatted and laughed by candlelight and Chance had insisted on feeding Niall again, but began to make excuses as soon as the bags were washed and hung up to dry.

“I had a lovely time but it’s getting late,” Chance said, checking his watch.

“Is it?” Niall refolded the towel on the table, smoothing out the lumps as he stalled. “How about a cup of tea before you go?” he asked, turning and almost bumping into Chance.

He laughed softly as he caught Niall. “I should probably take off.” Chance’s thumb caressed Niall’s cheek, as if he didn’t really want to go. “It’s getting dark and I wouldn’t want to wander into the wrong campsite.”

“Come on. There’s no one camping up here except for us.” Niall leaned in and his lips stretched but Chance pulled back. The hand around Niall’s jaw dragged down his neck and to his chest and Chance sighed as he gave it a tender pat.

“I want to… You have no idea how much I want to kiss you and…keep kissing you until I know what every one of your smiles and pouts and frowns taste like. But?—”

“No! Don’t start with a but,” Niall groaned, twisting his hands in the front of Chance’s shirt. “Unless it’s mine,” he added cheekily, making Chance grin.

“Noted. Any chance you’ll relocate to Georgetown?”

“Hmm…” Niall pretended to be pensive, nodding and staring over Chance’s shoulder. “How do you know you’ll want me to in a few weeks? What if I’m nuttier than a bag of granola or really bad in bed?”

“I love nuts,” Chance said as he tapped the tip of Niall’s nose. He winked, setting off fireworks in Niall’s tummy. “And we both know you’re an animal in the sack.”

Niall shrugged nonchalantly, but he was cheering on the inside. “Maybe. There’s only one way to find out.”

“What if I get attached?”

“I’d like for us to be attached,” Niall said with a wide, cheesy smile but Chance’s expression grew serious, his brow furrowing as his lips tightened.

“I know you want me and I can feel that we have incredible chemistry, but you don’t want to let me in. I can handle a fling, I just don’t want to walk away from this wondering if you could have been the love of my life or if I made something worse here.”

“You won’t! I’m in a really good place, literally and mentally and emotionally,” Niall insisted.

“I couldn’t live in Georgetown because it is too close to things I’d like to keep behind me.

That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t visit you or meet you in the middle.

It’s not that far once you’re down the mountain. ”

“So you are hiding and any hopes I had of using you as arm candy for parties and fundraisers are dashed,” Chance said as he wound his arms around Niall’s waist. “What if we could have more?”

Niall wanted to focus and to take the conversation seriously, but Chance’s body was so warm and firm.

And he was so strong and smelled like heaven.

It didn’t make any sense, the way Chance always looked like he’d just gotten a fresh haircut and his beard trimmed or how he always smelled like soap, warm grass, and sunshine.

Even when they worked up a sweat in their climbing gear. It was driving Niall wild.

“More?” His teeth dug into his lip, stifling a desperate moan as Niall felt something large and hard pressing against his hip.

“Mmmhmm… Like a life,” Chance said as his head lowered, his lips brushing Niall’s cheek and ear.

“A life. Life is nice.”

The hot huff of Chance’s breath as he chuckled made Niall shiver.

“What if I could give you a beautiful life? Think about it, Niall: the two of us in a cozy little cottage with two dogs and a dour, old cat. On the weekends, I’ll bring you tea in bed and we’ll take the dogs for walks in the woods or on the beach.

We can go on roadtrips to the other parks and spend a few weeks in Alaska.

I’ve always wanted to sleep under the Aurora Borealis. ”

“Me too!” Niall leaned back in Chance’s arms, stunned. He could barely believe how perfect Chance was but it was like he knew Niall’s dreams and deepest wishes, right down to the two dogs and the dour, old cat. “Alaska’s on my bucket list.”

“What’s stopping you, then?” Chance asked, giving Niall a gentle shake. “You deserve an amazing life with a man who will cherish you and make your wildest dreams come true. Why the hell are you hiding and why are you hiding from me?”

“I…” Niall was dizzy, his heart was beating so fast and so hard. “I’d probably feel better if you kissed me.” His brows rose hopefully but Chance shook his head.

“I’d be distracted and you’d ‘miss’ another chance to share something real with me.”

“I’m not so sure I’d miss it,” Niall said, still ducking around the truth. “I don’t really know why I’m still hiding. I had a really bad ex but it was so long ago and the last I heard, he’d moved on.”

“How bad was this ex?” Chance asked, his tone severe. But his hands were gentle as they spanned Niall’s back, cradling him protectively.

Niall had gotten so good at jettisoning any thoughts of Andy to the imaginary compost heap in his brain.

He preferred to bury those memories deep so something healthier could grow in their place.

“About as bad as you can imagine.” The black eyes and busted lips, the lies and excuses, the humiliation and the shame…

It all came back to Niall in a terrible, nauseating rush.

“No. It was hell but I’m a different person now. ”

“This is why I’m afraid to kiss you,” Chance rasped, shaking his head. “I’ll never want to stop and I won’t be happy if I can’t give you everything you deserve.”

“Wow…” Niall was dizzy, his emotions pinging between lust, his anger toward Andy, and…love? “This is really intense. We haven’t known each other that long and you haven’t even kissed me yet.”

“It is,” Chance agreed. “But I can feel that this—we—could be real. That I could make you happy if you’d give us a chance.

” His nose wrinkled and Chance coughed softly.

“I do know people and I have friends who can make problems go away, if you’re still afraid of this ex. Or if you want some closure.”

All the heat left Niall’s body and his heart dropped into his stomach. He hated Andy and he was still afraid of him, but Niall could never wish for that and he got sick at the thought of being the cause of anyone losing their life. “What? No. ”

“Anyone would understand if you wanted some closure and justice, Niall. He was a monster and no one would miss him.”

“That’s not—! How do you know?” Niall countered and Chance shushed softly.

“Anyone who could hurt you would have to be a monster. I’m sorry, I got a little carried away. Abusive men are one of my pet peeves and I already feel like it’s my job to keep you safe.”

Niall gave Chance’s chest a swat. “I can keep myself safe and I’ll forget you said that if you’ll kiss me.”

“Fine,” Chance sighed, gathering Niall in his arms again. “I have a feeling I should be sitting down. My heart is racing,” he said with a shaky laugh.

“Good idea. The bed’s right behind you,” Niall purred as he rose on his toes and offered his lips.

“Calm down, Ranger Filthy.”

Niall was anything but calm as their lips touched and brushed. A rush of heat swept down his body, flooding his boxers and turning his knees into jelly. The cabin was spinning as Niall’s lips parted and their tongues tangled.

I know you.

Wild hunger and giddy delight radiated from Niall’s core and his heart sang as Chance’s hand closed around his ass. Their bodies locked together perfectly, as if they’d been made together and for each other, and instead of the nervous awe of a first kiss, Niall was home.

“It’s you.” His eyelids fluttered and opened and for half a second, Chance’s eyes were a bright, burning blue before they were green and seeking.

“Me?” Chance’s lips curved as they nudged Niall’s before diving in for another kiss.

Need burst within Niall and he could already feel Chance’s beard between his asscheeks and his lips around his cock. He craved the feel of Chance deep in his ass, filling him with driving heat as he pinned Niall to the bed.

But these weren’t heated fantasies. These were memories and Niall was already addicted to his touch. Only Chance could sate these longings because he’d planted them deep in Niall’s soul and there were already roots.

“Wait!” Niall raised his head, blinking. “I know you!”

Chance’s brows jumped and he nodded slowly. “Yes… We’ve been hanging out for weeks.”

“No. I mean, I know you . We’ve…done it before. A lot.” Niall pushed Chance away and looked down at his own hands and his body. “Is this a dream?”

“What are you talking about?” Chance reached for him but Niall held him off, shaking his head.

“Something’s not right! I thought they were just dreams but when we kissed, it was just like those other times. It was like I already know you and I know exactly what I want you to do to me.”

“You know that’s not possible, though. Right?” Chance asked slowly.

Niall nodded. “Right. But I’m not crazy, Chance. That didn’t feel…new or strange. It felt…too right, if that’s possible,” he said and received another puzzled look.

“That sounds like a good thing. Why are you getting upset?”