Page 58 of Noble Charms

Morgan smiled at her and said, “We see eye-to-eye, you and I.”

Romy's smile went a little soft on the edges, and Aria watched as she gestured with her own magic, demonstrating her abilities to protect.

Aria sighed, and Noble's hand stroked his skin in comfort. Noble leaned in to whisper, “Morgan's simply a competitive sort. Would have been near-impossible to get him to cave, I fear.”

Aria relaxed against Noble's side and mumbled back, “No wonder you two argue as often as you do. You're both stubborn as mules.”

Noble's laugh rumbled through Aria, and he had to admit, even though he lost, Noble's support made it hurt slightly less. Noble said, “I'll trust you to protect me in the future. I’ve never known anyone who could do all that you do.”

Aria patted Noble's hand on his arm and said, “From here on out, I'll stop any knives that come your way.”

NOBLE

Noble and Aria stood side-by-side on the sidewalk outside the house, watching Romy and Morgan depart down the block, and around the corner. Noble caught, as they moved out of sight, as Morgan reached for her hand.

He sighed as the strained, tangled knot inside his chest grew ever-tighter. “I suppose that wasn't what either of us hoped for.”

Aria shivered as he said, “I'm terribly sorry, Noble.”

“You're sorry? For what?”

“I hoped Romy would be a match.” He looked towards the sky, the smooth line of his cheekbone and jaw revealing none of his inner thoughts. “That would have been nice. Then I'd have an excuse to see you both whenever I liked once I’m out of your home.”

Noble understood the sentiment too well. “Yeah. At least they seem to have enjoyed one another.”

Aria shivered again, more pronounced this time, and said, “Elysium above. It's gotten even colder.”

Noble took a step towards his stoop. “Let's get back inside, into the warmth.”

Aria gasped. “Noble. Look. Snow!” Noble tilted his head to look where Aria did, into the sky, and the makings of small flakes drifted upon a breeze. “The first of the season.”

Noble watched the childlike wonder dawn like a rising sun upon Aria's face. Aria continued to shake—he wore only a shirt, and not a jacket to dinner—but he remained in place, hand outstretched to catch a flake.

And when one landed upon his palm, the clouds above seemed to break—suddenly, fat, fluffy flurries filled the air around them, glittering and white. Aria laughed and said, face turned to the sky again, “I love snow.” Flakes caught upon his long lashes and his pointed nose, and he sighed in bliss—a relaxed sound Noble did not often get to hear.

He shed his dark blue wool jacket and draped it around Aria, to stave off the chill. “You'll get sick in the cold like this.”

Aria held the lapel of the coat against himself and said, “Ah. Thank you—wow.” His eyes closed in apparent bliss. “It's warm.”

Noble placed a hand around Aria—to share his warmth. That was all. His arms moved without his permission until Noble had hugged Aria from behind. Quietly, above his scalp, Noble said, “Sun God things.”

Aria rested his head against Noble's shoulder, settling in comfortably into the jacket. It was thigh-length on Noble, which meant it hit Aria's knee, draping over him in an obvious display of their different heights. Noble could tuck Aria entirely against himself, and he did, and together, they silently watched the snow fall.

Noble still had not solved his problem. Aria was a problem. Holding him like this, warm in body but also in his heart, was a problem.

Aria looked up at him with his starlit blue gaze. Noble could smell the red wine that had stained his pink lips, a now-familiar shade of red. Why couldn't he stop staring at Aria's mouth? He already knew how he'd taste. Like the wine. Like the baguette they shared with their meal. Like the buzzing sensation of magic, because he was magic. He was as powerful as he was beautiful. The tangled problem grew all the more pressing. Feelings that Noble couldn't deny leaked within his chest, polluting his heart.

His heartbeat whispered, it’s him, it’s him, it’s him.

Aria turned within Noble's arms and placed a small, pale hand upon his chest. “Thank you for the jacket.”

Noble was just drunk enough to give in to his first instinct—to place his hand atop Aria's, and lace their fingers together. He squeezed.

“Noble?” He and Aria both turned to the source of the new, unexpected voice, standing near his stoop. Virginia held her coat tightly closed with leather gloves, plaid scarf tucked tightly around her neck, wool hat dotted with snow. Standing in her shadow, Noble met eyes with the squirrelly little man she'd left him for. Kip. When Noble didn't reply, Virginia said, “I thought that was you standing in the middle of the street. What are you doing out here at midnight? In the snow?” She added, voice gone sharp, “With, I presume, your adame?”

8

AN UNWANTED REUNION