Page 9

Biting his lip, he holds my gaze for a beat, then turns away, calling for Bandit to follow.

Hades settles beside me as I work, adding the stories I learned of tonight. The sound of the shower running drifts from upstairs. Picturing Bram under the spray with steam billowing around him is too easy. Then my brain helpfully adds me into the fantasy.

Concentrating on cryptid encounters is impossible. I’m glad he’s upstairs. My joggers don’t conceal the effect an image of a hot, wet Trevor has on my body. I shift in the chair, palming my hardening dick, but it doesn’t help.

I get up and drink a glass of water. The window over the sink shows a view of the side lawn. There’s a flash of something dark along the edge of the property. Probably a deer, or someone returning to the inn. They’re gone too quick for me to get a better look.

My phone beeps with a text from Charlie, checking in. As I respond to my brother, the shower turns off. I try working again, before giving up.

Hades has fallen asleep, so I ease past him and make my way upstairs.

As I step onto the second level, the sound of a voice that isn’t Trevor and resembles mine comes from his bedroom. Curious, I tread careful steps down the hallway. His door is halfway open. His back is to me and he’s hanging clothes in the closet.

It is my voice. One of the special stories I send exclusively to him is coming from the phone on his bed. I remember the investigation from last fall. He and I talked about the stories, so I know he’s listened to this before.

Happiness as sweet as the maple drink we sampled at the pub slides through me. I should back away, not infringe on his private time.

The jangle of a dog tag and nails tapping the floor come from my left. “Woof!”

Hades’s bark startles me into hitting Trevor’s door. It flies open.

Trevor spins in a flash toward the door. Bandit, who’d been asleep in the dog bed in Trevor’s room, wakes up, shakes, sees me, and barks.

Busted.

Heat flames my neck, my face, my ears. Even the top of my head is hot with embarrassment. I grab hold of Hades’s collar before he can rush into Trevor’s room. “I, uh…”

A flush colors his cheeks and ears. He looks from me to his phone, and in two strides, has it in his hand. With the jabbing of his finger, the story falls silent. He slowly lowers his phone to his side then drops it onto the mattress. “Um.”

It’s one thing for me to be burning red, but I can’t bear for him to be embarrassed, especially over me.

I thought he only listened to the new episodes and stories as they arrived, but if he’s playing them more than once…

Warmth coils low, snaking through me. I release Hades so he can curl up with Bandit.

My hands tucked into my pockets, I step inside the room. “That was a fun investigation.”

“It’s one of my favorites.” His face still flushed, he’s looking everywhere but at me. “Look, I don’t know what to say. Is this weird?”

“Why would it be weird? You said you listen to the stories while you get ready for bed.”

“Yeah, but you know I already listened to this one. We talked about it.” Eyes focused on the floor, he rubs the back of his neck.

I bend at the knees in an attempt to see if I can tell what he’s thinking. My heart pounds because I want to make this right. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have Trevor. “Hey. It’s not weird. Makes me feel good knowing you really like them.”

He finally raises his gaze to meet mine.

What looks like hope shines in his brown eyes.

And maybe a little relief. “I do. It… makes me feel closer to you.” His focus drops to the floor again, his voice tentative.

“I never told you this, but I struggled a lot after you moved away. Went from seeing you every day for seven years to nothing. Then when we started the yearly vacations, that helped, but it’s?— ”

Not enough,” I finish. “I know. For me either.” I take a step closer.

He plops onto the mattress and peers up through his eyelashes. “I know you had to go. You had football waiting for you.”

“But now, I don’t.” Another step. And another until I’m in front of him. I drop to my knees and rest my fingers on the worn patch of denim where his knee meets his thigh. “I’m sorry I didn’t come back sooner. Sorry I didn’t fly you out to see me more.”

Softness comes into his eyes. He squeezes my shoulder. Once. Twice. The feel of our connection is so right. “It wasn’t all on you. Life got in the way for both of us.”

I want to tug him to me and reassure him with my lips, but the moment feels fragile, and I won’t risk our friendship. It means too much. He means too much. “Things will be different now. I promise. If you don’t mind Hades and me crashing here, I can come up more often.”

“You’re always welcome. Anytime.” His voice is low, smooth, and the upturn of his lips warms me from the inside out.

“You should come with me on an investigation, if you can take time away,” I hedge because for the first time in a long time, I realize how lonely I’ve been.

Sure, I have friends and I’ve been lucky to have not one but two careers that I love.

But being back in Maplewood, back with Trevor, fills a hollow spot in my center I tried to run from.

Those enticing lips spread into a beaming smile, his white teeth on full display. “You want me to come with you? Just the two of us?”

“And the dogs. It would be great. The outdoor company that sponsors my podcast sent me a ton of camping equipment. We could try it out. ”

Eyes gleaming and smile radiating, he bobs his head. “I could do that.”

The tightness in my muscles finally eases. “Good.” I pat his thigh. “Now lie down.”

His brows shoot up. “What?”

“Lie down. You don’t need a recording when you have the real thing. I’ll tell you a story.” I stand, and look at him expectantly while he gapes at me. “Come on. It’s a good one.”

After a few seconds more of gaping, he narrows his eyes, a smirk playing on his lips, but then he slides under the covers.

I turn out the overhead light. Shadows envelop the room. Walking toward the bed, with Trevor waiting there for me, I’m hit with an urge to slip under the covers with him and draw him into my arms. It’s so strong, my steps falter.

The mattress sinks under my weight. My thigh brushes Trevor’s arm, but he doesn’t shift away and neither do I. Leaning against the headboard, I begin the story. “It all started when a bear came across my trail camera and decided to take it with him.”

Sitting here with him in the dark is peaceful, listening to him breathe, his low chuckles, and whispered questions. It’s the most intimate thing I've done in a long time.

I hope I get to do it again, and again, every night for as long as I’m here.