Jace’s gaze swung to Nolan’s. Could the guy actually be envious of Jace? What the fuck?
When he paused to think about it, he nodded. “Laurel’s been my partner in life, there’s no doubt about that. I would never have made it without her. And that’s why I’d never risk ruining our friendship with sex. I don’t even know if she’d be into it. With me or anyone else.”
Jace was sure that aside from a few times it had been fuck or starve after they’d first escaped, she hadn’t slept with anyone. She’d told him so enough times for him to be sure she wasn’t shitting him. Laurel didn’t do casual. And that was fine with him.
“Only one way to find out, really.” Nolan shrugged one lightly glistening shoulder.
“Are you saying you want to try?” Jace’s hackles rose, but it wasn’t fair to go junkyard dog when he wasn’t planning on making a move, was it? Just because he wished things were different, didn’t mean he had the right to keep Laurel from finding happiness or pleasure with someone else—maybe Nolan—if that’s what she wanted.
“Chill out, Jace.” Nolan winced. “Grip that thing any harder and you’re going to snap its neck.”
Jace instantly relaxed his fingers, silently apologizing to his guitar.
“I wasn’t trying to creep in on your territory. Just saying, after spending so much time with you two, it’s impossible not to notice…” Nolan started doing crunches again, as if he needed to blow off some kind of energy too. “Never mind. None of my business.”
Damn straight it wasn’t. And that might have been the end of their discussion if Jace’s brand new Shields-provided phone—one Jordan had insisted they each carry for safety reasons that neither of them could argue with—hadn’t chosen that exact moment to go traitor. The hookup app he’d downloaded out of desperation and curiosity the night before, before taking things into his own hands in the shower, bleeped in a very distinct notification.
The expression that spread slowly over Nolan’s face was half-smirk and half-grin. “Discovered the joys of modern technology, have you? Hate to be a cock-blocker, but there’s no way in hell I’m letting you out of my sight long enough to screw a stranger.”
He shrugged. “Watch if you want. Beats hanging out in the alley behind bars or the bathroom of a club waiting for a random quickie. I mean, at least I assume it would.”
Nolan didn’t avert his gaze before Jace registered the flare of his pupils. His bodyguard didn’t hate that idea. If that’s what it took to get off, maybe he’d have to corrupt their goody-two shoes vigilante into escorting him somewhere discreet soon. Hell, maybe Nolan could use a BJ too. What guy couldn’t? Jace wouldn’t mind sharing a willing hottie with the dude.
Thank god for his guitar. One of the dainty throw pillows wouldn’t have hidden the full blown bulge in his sweats.
Nolan grunted. “It’s been a long couple of weeks cooped up here, huh?”
“You could say that.” They only had one bathroom between the three of them, and sharing a room with Laurel…well, that always riled him up. With Nolan stretched out on the other side of the wall, and only quick jerkoff sessions to relieve the unrelenting pressure, well, it was probably lucky Jace hadn’t put someone’s eye out by now.
“Come on, let’s see who matched with you. Maybe she’s hot.” Nolan snagged the phone from the coffee table before Jace could react, then swiped it open.
“Hey, how’d you know my passcode?” Jace growled. And, uh, she? Uh oh. Maybe he’d been reading the situation wrong all along.
“I fucking do this for a living. Covert operative, remember? I see you enter it a hundred times a day.” Nolan grinned and Jace found it hard to be irritated with him. The guy could be an asshole, sure. But he was fun to be around. As much as Jace wanted to hate Nolan every time Laurel let her guard down a little more around him, he really couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Jace had been in the midst of horrible human beings before, enough to know that Nolan wasn’t one of them. He was a decent guy, even if he had dumbass moments. Like this one.
“Oh. Shit, sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” Nolan popped to his feet. He actually seemed off balance for the first time since Jace had known him.
Jace eyed the phone screen plastered with abs nearly as fine as Nolan’s as the guy passed it back to him and evaded Jace’s penetrating stare. Enough already. Jace snipped. “What the fuck? You weren’t one bit ruffled when we tied you up and took you hostage, but you can’t handle seeing a smoking hot dude on my phone? I like men. I fuck them, too. Is that a problem?”
Jace stood up and came nearly face-to-face with Nolan. He was tall as fuck. Jace couldn’t say why he was antagonizing him, maybe because he was pissed that he was attracted to Nolan and had thought, just maybe, it wasn’t a one-sided admiration. He was damn tired of lusting after people he couldn’t have and who didn’t want him back.
“Calm down, Jace. I’m not a bigot.” Nolan groaned. “I just thought… Because of the way you look at Laurel…”
“Yeah, so?” He didn’t have to explain himself to anyone, never mind this person who was being paid to stay with them. Jace better not forget it was Nolan’s job to hang, not his pleasure. But somehow, he wished he could. He liked Nolan. Having a guy friend was a first, and a perk he’d sort of hoped didn’t have to end after this assignment.
But maybe he’d had it all wrong.
“I’m confused and don’t want to make assumptions since I’m clearly doing a bad job of it.” Nolan held out his hands. “Sorry.”
“I’m bisexual,” Jace said simply.
At least Nolan didn’t leave Jace’s declaration hanging awkwardly between them. He rushed to say, “Me too.”
“Seriously?” Jace’s jaw was the one hanging open then. “’Cause I’ve seen the way you look at Laurel and I assumed…”
Nolan took a step back, out of Jace’s reach, then admitted, “Do you blame me? She’s stunning. And so full of strength and kindness despite everything that’s happened to her it turns me on…I can’t explain it. From the first second, outside of Heels, it was like I felt her there before I saw her. I know it’s rude, but I can’t help staring at her. Uh…but unless you’re blind, you’d know that I’m an equal opportunity ogler.”
Jace’s gaze flew to Nolan’s. “Me? You’ve been watching me?”
“How could you not know?” Nolan stared at the ceiling. “I mean, I’m good. Used to being covert. Hiding my reactions. But damn, you’re oblivious sometimes.”
“Maybe I was too busy being jealous.” Jace couldn’t help one corner of his mouth from tipping up. “And it’s not like I have a whole lot of experience with normal relationships. Usually—”
He raised his phone gesturing at the hookup offer accompanied by a glorious dick pic.
“Is Laurel okay with that?” Nolan wondered, though he looked like he’d like to suck the question back in as soon as he’d blurted it out.
“We don’t exactly discuss it.” Jace shrugged, though he felt like shit every time he gave in and came inside someone else. “Maybe she doesn’t know.”