“Did you name him yet?”
“No. I can’t decide.”
“I still like Ninja.” He watched her closely, almost smiling. “That was a pretty impressive stealth attack.”
Haley blushed a little, easily remembering what they’d been doing when the cat attacked Damon. “I could call him Defender of She Who Gives Fish.”
“A bit long.”
“It is.” She nodded. “Ninja, then.” She already knew she’d think of Damon every time she saw that cat, so why not? “He’s always stalking something, sometimes even me.”
Damon did smile then. “That’s an easy impulse to understand.”
Haley dared to step closer again. “Don’t get all complimentary on me now,” she said, sounding as gruff as he usually did.
“I should ask you to stop messing with my expectations.”
“You don’t like it?”
“I would have said no, but you’re changing my mind.” Damon grinned briefly and Haley felt like the sun had come out.
Even when the smile faded, she wasn’t sure what to think of that confession, never mind the appreciative glint in his eyes.
His eyes seeming particularly dark. “Thank you for acting like a friend, Haley, even when I don’t. I’ve got some things to learn from you.”
She had a huge lump in her throat. “You’re welcome.”
“So,” he said, eying his keys in the lock. “Seeing as we’re friends and all, did you want to come in for a coffee?”
“Coffee?”
“My way of saying thanks. Or, given the time, dinner.”
He looked so hopeful that Haley took a chance. “That’s not your usual offer.”
“No.” His eyes brightened.
“I’d rather have sex than coffee,” she said and felt audacious.
Damon chuckled. “Yeah, so would I. I was working up to asking you.”
Haley strolled back toward him, smiling a little more with every step. “What a nefarious plan. Get me into your house, then lull me into complacency with coffee or food...”
“When exactly is it that you’re complacent?”
“Round about the same time you are.” She stopped right in front of him and he raised one hand to touch her cheek. Their gazes locked and held. Suddenly there wasn’t enough air in Queens to fill Haley’s lungs.
“Thanks,” Damon murmured, his voice husky.
Haley leaned her cheek against his hand. “You’re welcome, but don’t forget the other way you say thanks.”
“Dinner first?”
“Deal.”
“Then you can tell me about Garrett.”
“Not a chance.”
Damon smiled, but didn’t look daunted. Haley wondered why, then he bent and brushed his lips across hers, driving coherent thought from her mind with one fleeting touch. He was tentative, as if he thought she might rebuff him. But Haley wound her arms around his neck and stretched to her toes, kissing him back with enthusiasm.
Nine
Damon was awed by Haley. She would have been awesome to have on any team, because she just didn’t quit. She certainly didn’t get discouraged and there was something about her cheerful persistence that eliminated Damon’s resistance.
When he was with her, he could forget about the nightmares and the effects of his experience. He could forget his sense that he’d failed in the past and could just focus on success in the future. He could believe in conquering it all, maybe even having a normal life again. He felt hope when he was with Haley. He feared, deep in his heart, that it wasn’t possible for him to ever be normal again, but when he was with Haley, he wanted it to be.
And that was potent.
He wondered if the people who believed in mermaids were the only ones to find them. He wondered who would convince Haley to believe in them, and wondered if he might be able to do it. The more he was with her, the more he wanted to be with her.
The more he began to hope that there could be more to this than just sex.
They were in the kitchen, considering the contents of the fridge and making a plan for dinner, when his phone rang.
It was Ty.
Time to face the music.
“My partner,” Damon admitted. “I’ve got to take this, since I walked out of the weekly meeting.”
“You didn’t.” Haley looked surprised.
“I did.”
“You must have had a good reason.” Her confidence in him was unswerving and Damon knew he could get addicted to that.
“I didn’t. That’s why I have to take this call and apologize.”
Haley smiled at him, the sight making his heart skip. “And you think I don’t see your moral compass.” She shook her head, teasing him gently, and he wished he could evade Ty’s call and kiss her instead.
Damon answered the call, stepping into the living room to do so. He could hear Haley putting vegetables on the counter, continuing with their ‘big salad’ plan.
“Hey, I’m sorry about leaving the meeting,” he said as a greeting.
“Not a problem,” Ty said, as calm as ever. “I wish you’d told us sooner about your mom.”
“I probably should have.”
“I’m sorry about your mom.”
“Thanks.”
“And I’m sorry I leaned on you last week,” Ty replied. “I couldn’t understand why you weren’t stepping up to help Cassie more. I should have known you’d have a good reason.”
“Well, I should have told you. I didn’t mean to be secretive.” Private, maybe, but not secretive.
“I’m thinking you’ve had a lot on your plate. Of course, your first concern would be your mom, not us,” Ty acknowledged. “Is there anything we can do to help out?”
Damon nodded even though Ty couldn’t see him, knowing that Haley was the reason why he had an answer. “I’m going to organize a celebration of life.” It felt good just to say it out loud. “It would be great if someone from the team could come.”
“We’ll all be there,” Ty said, his tone warming. “Let us know the date and I’ll be sure Kyle and Theo know.”
“They can’t fly back from the coast just for that...”
“Yes, they can.” Ty interrupted him firmly. “We pull together, Damon. Some of us are closer than others, but I wish you’d believed you could talk to us about your mom. We haven’t been supportive of you in recent months and we’re going to make it up to you now.”
“You talked about it after I left,” Damon guessed.
“Of course, we did. It’s a team problem and the sooner it’s addressed, the better. What else can we do? Do you want to take some time off?”
“No. I need the routine of coming in.” Damon decided to make a joke to lighten the mood. “And if I miss my workouts, I’ll get fat.”
Ty scoffed. “I don’t think that’s going to happen very quickly.”
Damon frowned. “Actually, I might need some time. There’s a therapist in Boston I’d like to talk to again.”
“In Boston?” Ty echoed. “Sure. Let us know when you need the time.”