Flight of Fancy (21 page)

* * * *

The next thing he knew, he was blinking at a bright-white ceiling and familiar fluorescent lights. The smell of antiseptic hit him.

“I told you to take it easy, didn’t I?” Dr. Cannon sighed. “You men never listen to me. And trust me—I have a bone to pick with my sons about how they handled your security. Don’t worry. I’ll take them to task.”

It took a moment for Aidan to regain clarity, but when he did, he yelled for Gavin. Or tried to. All he managed was a cough.

“Easy.” Dr. Cannon brought him a cup of water. “That was some nasty stuff in those darts. Properties of monkshood and curare but without the deadly consequences, fortunately. Thus you have a paralytic without death. You managed to stave its effects well enough. Gavin is fine, just sleeping.” She nodded, and he turned his head to see Gavin sleeping in a bed on the other side of the room.

Gladdened and almost dizzy with relief to see Gavin okay, he drank the water as well as another cup she handed him. “Thanks. Is Jack okay?”

“He’s fine. I had to do some work with him, though. His brain trauma healed with some fancy footwork, if I do say so myself.” She smiled, but the look she gave him told him she knew he’d been responsible. “That’s some trick you have there. Might want to keep it tight to your chest, though.”

“Huh?”

“Exactly.” She nodded. “You have a few people wanting to see you.” Dr. Cannon had just pushed through the door when Aidan remembered to thank her.

“No problem. But really, Aidan. You’re becoming a repeat customer, and we don’t like to see our patients too much in any given month. Take a vacation.”

“Good idea.”

Before the door could close after her, Avery, Nathan, and Jack entered.

“You look like shit,” he said to Jack, whose left eye was bloodshot. The rest of him looked okay, though he seemed paler than he’d been the last time Aidan had seen him.

“Thanks, brainiac,” Jack said sarcastically. He glanced at Gavin and nodded. “Sleeping like a baby. Figures.”

“Hey. He took a hit.”

“Relax. I’m glad he’s fine. We have an audit coming up in few months. I need him back at work tomorrow.”

“Nice, Jack.” Nathan huffed. “I can’t believe you used the Cannons instead of us. Didn’t I tell you Avery and I were available?”

Jack stared at Nathan until Nathan muttered under his breath and finally left. Avery took a good look at Gavin and nodded. “Just the way I’d seen him. Good.” And by seen, he most likely meant in a vision. Then he followed Nathan out the door.

That left Jack and Aidan.

His boss just stared at him. “Nifty trick you used back there.”

“What’s with the word
nifty
?”

Jack raised a brow.

“Never mind. But hey, I could say the same. I know our psychic crap is weird, but hell, man, you’re off the charts.” How was it even possible to shift your bones and skin to literally change shape?

“Tell you what, Aidan. You shut your mouth about me, I keep quiet about you. And don’t worry about Avery and Nathan. They saw and know nothing.”

If Jack said it, Aidan trusted he meant it. “Okay. So that’s your thing, huh? Shape-changing?”

“And being a royal pain in the ass, yeah.”

Aidan grinned, and then Jack went and ruined his mood by saying, “That mind thing. You never mentioned you could do that.”

“Because I can’t.” Didn’t want to be able to do it. “I did it once by accident. It just…happened this time.”

Jack glanced at Gavin, still sleeping soundly. “I see.” He rubbed his eyes, and Aidan felt badly that he’d nearly killed the guy. “Look. I really don’t like getting involved in my team’s personal lives. You have no idea how much I hate this, but with Kitty gone, I—”

“Gone? What happened?”

“She’s on a case. And no, I didn’t want her on it. It just happened. Shut up and let me finish. Christ.” Jack swore under his breath before continuing. “Look. It’s no secret you and Gavin click. I’ve seen it since day one, and hell, he’s probably the only guy on the team that can handle your ego.”

“
My
ego? What about Nathan?”

“He’s taken.”

“Not what I meant,” Aidan growled.

“I’m just saying you and Gavin make a good team. Our CPA thinks I don’t know how he cracked a few secure servers to get his intel.” Jack snorted. “Right. I admit, I’m impressed. He’s a good source to go to for insider info, especially since our other source crashed and burned.”

Aidan didn’t think it was his place, but he wanted to ease Jack into the truth for Gavin’s sake. “I don’t think he likes fieldwork so much.”

“I didn’t think so.”

“Smug doesn’t become you, Jack.”

His boss snorted. “You should talk. Anyway, you and Gavin have some mandatory time off. No question. I don’t want to see either of you until next Wednesday, at which point, numbnuts over there owes me overtime. I can’t
believe
how fucked up our paperwork is now.”

“It’s Ian.”

“I know.” Jack cursed again. “I need Gavin back. I need you on the floor. And I need you available for missions, and more than just work for Stallbridge. I might have a few independent contracts coming our way.”

“Outstanding.” Aidan liked the thought of real-world operations. But this time, for something more than a stupid book. “So that book we got back. It’s that important?”

A closed look came over Jack’s face. His eyes flashed with something Aidan couldn’t read. “So I’ve heard. Look, I gotta get back. Hurry up and heal, fix your pathetic private life, and I’ll see you Wednesday morning, sharp.”

Jack left without another word.

“My life’s pathetic? He should talk,” Aidan murmured. He glanced at Gavin, so at peace, and sighed.
Hell. He loves the unlovable—me. And I think—hell, I know—I love him. Where the hell do we go from here?

GAVIN WOKE UP with a doozy of a headache. He blinked up at the ceiling in Aidan’s bedroom, not sure what the hell had happened. One minute he’d been floating with Aidan in the air, in his arms. He remembered a lot of talk about love, and how Aidan couldn’t feel that particular emotion for anyone. Then Gavin had put his foot in his mouth and told Aidan how he felt.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

He didn’t know why he thought he had all the answers. Hell, he’d gotten lucky on a case, had a little too much confidence, and suddenly, he knew everything. He groaned, praying Aidan wouldn’t kick him out for either his arrogance or for dropping them both. He still wasn’t sure how he’d gotten down, naked, and into bed.

“Good. You’re awake.”

A glance at the doorway showed Aidan, dressed as usual in jeans and a button-up shirt that accentuated his broad chest. He smiled, a brilliant grin that took Gavin’s breath away.

“Uh, yeah.” Gavin cleared his throat and tried to build a wall, so Aidan wouldn’t know how pathetically in love he was.

“You took two darts, and we weren’t sure how long you’d be out. But Doc Cannon said the drugs weren’t harmful, just put you to sleep.”

“Huh?” Gavin sat up, and the sheets fell to his waist. He felt uncomfortable and vulnerable, especially since Aidan had no problem staring. “I need to piss.”

“Lovely.” Aidan shook his head. “The bathroom is open. Use whatever you need. I’ll wait.”

Gavin shot out of bed and used the facilities. Then he took a long, hot shower, soothing aching muscles he hadn’t known he had. After drying off, he brushed his teeth, feeling like himself again. He didn’t have clothes with him, but he didn’t want to leave wearing only a towel. He was already at a disadvantage when it came to Aidan. Being half-naked wouldn’t help. When he spied Aidan’s dark blue robe, he had his answer.

He exited and found Aidan waiting for him, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Aidan turned at the sound of Gavin’s feet slapping on the hardwood floor. He stared, and the hint of a grin turned him from dark and sexy to beautiful. Gavin swallowed hard. “Can I have some clothes? My bag should be in the other room.”

“No.”

“No, it’s not in the other room? Or no, I can’t have any clothes?” When Aidan just kept staring with that odd smile on his face, Gavin lost his patience. “What the hell is your problem?” He felt a blush creeping across his cheeks and stopped in his tracks.

“You’re hot. You know that?” Aidan laughed when Gavin blushed harder.

“Shut up.”

“And so damn cute.”

Aidan smiled at him again, and Gavin wondered if he’d fallen into another dimension, where the impossible happened on a regular basis. Aidan complimenting him and smiling weren’t normal. Appreciated, but not normal.

“You don’t remember anything, do you?”

“About what? We were in the air, and then nothing.”
And I was telling you how much you love me. I’m such a dumb-ass.

Aidan shook his head. “You missed all the fun. Samson Ruelle was here, in the bedroom.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Wish I was. Fucker knocked you out and tried to down me. Then, ah, we kind of got into it. I nailed him just as Jack and the others came barreling in. Samson had a dozen buddies with him surrounding the house, who are now in custody. Samson, unfortunately, didn’t make it.” The flat meanness in Aidan’s eyes spoke volumes.

“Don’t ask me to be sorry about that. Because I’m not.” Gavin clearly remembered how that freakish giant had been all over Aidan. And the abuse Aidan had suffered at his hands still made Gavin want to pound him.

A softening on Aidan’s face warned him to hold his mental shields tight. “You’re not reading me again, are you?”

Aidan coughed. “Ah, no. Not really. I mean, I’m not trying to, but you’re kind of broadcasting. Loudly.”

“Shit.”

Aidan chuckled. “Hearing you curse is too funny. You look so sweet, and then that mouth opens up.”

“Fuck you.”

Aidan laughed harder.

Gavin didn’t know what to make of this man. Aidan seemed so open, so, well,
friendly
. He watched with longing, wishing he could keep his lover like this all the time.

Aidan tapered off and sighed. “You’re going to make me say it. I know you. You like making me verbalize.”

“Big word, Blondie.”

Aidan shot him the finger. Finally. Some normalcy.

“I remember everything you said to me, and what I said to you.” Aidan’s voice grew deeper. “It’s hard for me to open up. I’ve never shared as much with anyone as I have with you. The others, they don’t know the circumstances around my father. And the other stuff.” The abuse.

“I’m not going to say anything. I’d never tell.”

“I know.” Aidan looked at him with the deepest, brownest eyes, and in them, Gavin thought he saw love. “You didn’t mention my mind-warping abilities, for which I’m thankful. But Jack knows. And Ian hinted a time or two.”

“How does Jack know?” Gavin narrowed his gaze. “You used it to kill Samson, didn’t you?”

“In a way. Actually, I manipulated his mind. I don’t normally do that, as it takes a lot of energy. And frankly, I don’t want anyone looking at me like I’m a total freak.”

Gavin grinned. “Too late.”

“Dick.” But Aidan’s smile removed the bite, because he knew Gavin considered him no such thing. “Look, you can’t tell anyone what I just told you, or what I’m about to tell you. I was sworn to secrecy on this.”

Yet he would share with Gavin? Pleased and making no effort to hide it, Gavin nodded and took a seat next to Aidan on the bed. He leaned forward. “What?”

“Well, when Jack rushed into the room, he looked like Tyler, Kerr’s other right-hand man. I mean, the guy wasn’t in disguise. He
was
Tyler. I thought he was going to kill you, so I did what I had to do. Except it wasn’t Tyler, as I found out when Jack literally shifted shape right there in front of me.”

“Holy crap. Jack can change his appearance?”

“Apparently.” Aidan let out a breath. “But you can’t mention it.”

“I won’t.” His mind buzzed. “Damn. That’s incredible.” Then something Aidan said penetrated. “Wait. You were afraid Tyler would kill me? What about you?”

Aidan shrugged and glanced away. “I pretty much figured it didn’t matter. I was flaming out, so why not go out with a bang?” He glanced back at Gavin, and to Gavin’s shock, his eyes had filled with tears. “Knowing you loved me made it all worthwhile.”

“Jesus, Aidan.” Gavin moved closer and cupped Aidan’s face in his hands. He wiped away a tear that trickled over that smooth, stubborn cheek. “Don’t cry. I love you. It’s unconditional.” He smiled, knowing how to get to his lover. “I mean, if I can love you when you’re an arrogant dickhead who’s always telling me what to do, then I can pretty much love you all the time, you know?”

Aidan’s snort of laughter was a balm to that part of him that hated seeing Aidan hurt. Gavin knew it would take time before Aidan could come to feel the same for him, but he was a patient man. He could wait.

“When we touch, I read you, especially when you want me to,” Aidan said quietly as he stared into Gavin’s eyes. “I don’t need time, not to tell you how I feel.”

Gavin’s heart raced, and he slowly removed his hands from Aidan’s face. But Aidan caught them and placed them against his heart. “I’m not an easy man. I like things done a certain way, and yeah, I get off on being in charge in bed.”

Gavin could feel Aidan’s nervousness and just stared, amazed Aidan might be going where Gavin desperately wanted him to go.

“I felt so much more for you than I should have, right from the beginning. You deserve more than me. You’re smart, intelligent, handsome, and let’s face it, you’re hung like a horse.”

“I prefer stallion.” Gavin smiled.

Aidan let out a breath, as if annoyed, but Gavin read his amusement. “Thing is, I never meant to let myself fall for you. I kept telling myself it was the case, that we had to trust each other because of the nature of our undercover work. But I feel for you, Gavin. You worked your way inside me, and you won’t go away.” Aidan frowned. “I tried, believe me. And I know it hasn’t been that long since we’ve been together. But I—” He paused, and Gavin waited. No way in hell he’d rush this. “I want you to move in here. I want us to be together. I mean, sleeping, eating, everything. I’m not an easy person to get along with, but I think you and I fit.”