Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
“I have other reasons, too.”
“Oh.” His expression clouded. “There’s someone else? Someone important in your life? Why didn’t you say something?”
“No, there’s no one, and I wouldn’t have kissed you if that were the case. There’s just…something I need to figure out before I can even give this a chance.” Dax moved back to Everett and cupped his cheek. “Will you be patient?”
“I’ll wait for you for as long as it takes.” He nuzzled into Dax’s palm. “I have a feeling you’re worth every long moment.”
Dax backed farther away, though it felt like his body was being tugged toward Everett, like a heavy-duty, elastic rope was tied between them. He’d been right about a bond forming between them. He had to take the time to figure it out. Talk to Xavier.
There had to be a solution.
Everett adjusted himself in his pants. He seemed faintly embarrassed that he was hard, but Dax had the same issue—and it was more than obvious, apparently, because Everett was staring. When he looked back up at Dax, his eyes were glazed over, and Dax had to close his own.
He knew he was giving mixed signals. Agreeing to a date, then backing off like this. But he honestly didn’t know what to do, and this feeling of helplessness wasn’t something he was used to. “I did have a wonderful day with you,” he finally said.
“Same.” Everett stood and smoothed his hands down his jeans. “How about we call it a night? We’ll go back to packing up all those figurines tomorrow, and then tomorrow night, maybe we could watch a movie or something. Take things slow.” He chuckled. “Though slow is honestly the last thing I want with you.”
Dax didn’t know what to say. He wanted to agree, to let his desires spill from his lips, but he couldn’t make the situation more confusing, so he just kept silent.
Everett looked away from him. “Goodnight, Dax,” Everett whispered before he left the room.
Dax stood there for a long time, his hands in fists as he warred with the need to follow. To change his mind and try. He knew that Everett didn’t understand his reticence and was probably a little offended by it. He knew he was doing the man a disservice. But Everett didn’t know what he was. Had no idea that Dax had spent over three hundred years afraid to be with a human. That was a long span of fear to get past.
The thing was, Dax was going to have to. Everything in him screamed that this wonderful man was his true soulmate. No matter what his research showed.
Chapter Eleven
Everett
They were back in the study, and Everett was finding it incredibly hard to keep his hands off Dax as they packed. He’d spent the entire night tossing and turning, and even jacking off had done little to alleviate the deep, aching need in his body. He’d never experienced anything like this before, and he just knew, with everything inside him, that they had something unique—something rarely found in this world. He didn’t even understand how he knew that after such a short time. But he did.
He watched Dax carefully wrapping everything he handed him. He liked the focus Dax used, and he could easily imagine Dax using that sharp intellect to feed more knowledge into his brain. In their off hours, Dax was always reading. He switched between textbooks and Everett’s books, and watching him find joy in his work was one of Everett’s newest pleasures. Like last night after their date, Dax had been reading one of his novels. Little smiles had lifted those lush lips, and he’d occasionally paused to tell Everett about a scene he particularly liked. It was surreal to watch someone in real time reading what had come from his brain, to see their reactions. It might have been a little nerve-wracking, too. He just wanted Dax to love the stories so much.
Yesterday had been fantastic until Dax had told him about his worry over their size difference. His fear didn’t make sense to Everett, and frankly, he found it a little insulting. He was strong—stronger than he looked—so he had the feeling Dax’s fear had to stem from something else. Maybe something in his past?
Moving to the desk, Everett started packing items in the drawer himself, but when he opened the formerly locked drawer, he let out a loud, startled sound.
“What?” Dax asked as he hurried around the desk.
“With everything that happened, I’d forgotten all about the jade I discovered in my grandfather’s desk, but something is different about it.” He reached in and held up the stone to the light, then gasped, narrowing his eyes. A fluorescent green light lit the center. “It’s glowing. It wasn’t glowing before. Look at this!” He handed it to Dax.
Dax took the stone and stared at it in his palm. His shoulders tensed up, and something passed over his expression as he looked back at Everett. “It wasn’t glowing before?”