Page 45 of Nico

When I finally pulled back, Isaac followed me, chasing my lips with another kiss as though he wasn't quite ready to stop.

I laughed softly and pressed a hand to his chest. "Food first."

Isaac shook his head, but he was smiling too.

I picked up the menu and tried very hard not to think about how much I was already looking forward to the rest of the evening.

10

ISAAC

Outside Griffin's bar, the town was quiet, the streets nearly empty.

The cold hit me immediately. Our breaths curled in pale clouds beneath the streetlights as the door shut behind us, muting the sound of laughter and music inside.

Beside me, Nico shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket and looked up at the sky.

"I think I lost track of time,” Nico commented.

"You were explaining Shadowfall lore to Griffin for forty minutes,” I reminded him.

His head snapped toward me. "It was relevant."

I laughed. Nico looked absurdly pleased with himself.

"See? You're getting better at this whole fun thing."

"I've always been fun,” I informed him.

He snorted. "Sure, grandpa."

“Excuse me, did you just call me grandpa?" I demanded.

"You go to bed at ten."

"Because I enjoy sleeping,” I told him.

Nico bumped his shoulder lightly against mine as we walked toward my truck. It felt familiar and dangerously easy, and that was the problem with Nico.

Somehow he'd slipped past every defense I'd spent years building without me even noticing it happening.

Between breakfast conversations and security briefings, coffee deliveries and stolen kisses, Nico looked at me like I was something worth looking at.

I reached for the passenger door and pulled it open for him.

"Thank you.”

The streetlight caught his face as he looked up at me.

His cheeks were pink from the cold, and his hair was slightly windswept, and his eyes were bright from laughter and beer and whatever this thing growing between us had become. He looked adorable.

Before I could think better of it, I leaned down and kissed him. His surprised laugh brushed against my mouth as I pulled back.

"What was that for?" Nico asked.

I shrugged. Did I really have to explain? “You looked cute."

"That's your reason?"