Geir put the truck in park and just watched the show. Declan was altogether entrancing. He’d “dressed up” to come into town, with vivid blue eyeshadow, kissably pink lips, and his hair teased into cute, little spikes. His t-shirt today had a picture of a unicorn leaping over a rainbow, and it showed his adorably soft belly every time he raised his arms.
He seemed to find a lot of reasons to raise his arms, especially when Geir was looking at him.
Geir sat in the cab and indulgently let the engine idle until the song was over. “Can I turn it off now?”
“Yep. You better before the next one starts, and I never want to leave. I suppose I have to get out if I want my books back, right?”
Geir nodded as he killed the engine. He should have unloaded the books before the car was towed, but at least he could fix it now.
Declan hopped down from the truck and Geir followed close behind him. He didn’t like the way that Tom had looked at Declan last time.
“Hello?” Declan called as they reached the small office. “Anybody here?”
“Just a minute!” a voice called from the garage.
Declan took advantage of the wait to look around. Geir just watched Declan.
“Ooh! Look! They have a purple phone charger.” He picked up shimmery coiled wire from the bin on the counter. “Too bad I don’t need a new one. Especially since my phone doesn’t even have a signal at your house.” He dropped it back in the bin.
Then he went to inspect the tires. There was a display in the corner, a sort of triangle formation that was probably bolted to the floor. He stepped on the lowest one experimentally, then held on to the top while he bounced.
Geir thought he should tell him to stop, but all he could see was a perky ass in temptingly tiny shorts, gorgeous long legs, and happiness.
Someone cleared his throat behind him and Geir spun around. A young man stood behind the counter. He wasn’t Tom, but he gave Declan the same sneer.
Geir made his stance firm, chest out, ready to fight with Declan safely behind him.
“Oh, hi!” Declan swooped around him and bounced up to the counter. “I’m here to pick up my car? Tom said it should be ready today.”
The man put on a professional face, accepting Declan’s driver’s license and typing something into the computer. But Geir had already seen it, even if Declan hadn’t.
Geir stepped right up behind Declan, wrapping his arms around him tightly. The base of his spine tingled. Declan was his.
Declan tilted his head back and whispered “thanks” against Geir’s neck. So maybe Declan had seen it. Declan probably got that sort of animosity and disgust all the time. Geir was in awe of him all over again for not caving into it. For being so beautiful and strong at the same time.
The mechanic printed out an invoice and Geir plucked it from his hand. He didn’t need to see it and neither did Declan. He pulled the credit card from his pocket and handed it to the mechanic.
“I can pay you back,” Declan told him, looking worried.
Geir just grunted. It wasn’t up for discussion. Vigdis said that it had all the money he needed in it, so there was no reason for Declan to even worry about paying.
Declan was apparently able to interpret that grunt, because he planted a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Daddy,” he whispered.
Geir was starting to consider the appeal of this Daddy thing. If this was what made Declan happy, he could definitely get used to it. That little whisper made his whole chest feel warm.
The moment was ruined, though, when the mechanic spit loudly on the floor.
He wanted to reach over the counter and shake the man until he apologized, but Declan was still nestled in his arms.
Instead, he fished around in the bin, pulled out the shiny purple phone cord, and slammed it on the counter. “We’ll take that, too.”
The man said nothing as he processed Geir’s card and handed it back. Geir was never coming here again.
Declan picked up the phone charger, looking proud and pleased. Geir wanted to put that look on his face all the time.
The mechanic ripped a set of keys off a board. It had at least five keychains attached, including a string of rainbow beads, a silver spaceship, and some sort of pink, fuzzy animal. Well, at least Geir didn’t have to worry about whose car the asshole was getting when he stalked into the garage.
They turned together to leave just as a young woman walked in, digging through her purse. “Hello!” Declan greeted her cheerfully.
How could he be so calm right now? Geir was still seething.
She looked up, saw him, and gave him a perfunctory nod.
“I love your necklace,” Declan added. “Did someone make that for you?”
“Actually, I’m a jewelry designer. I mean, in my spare time. It’s a hobby.”
“If your art’s important to you, it’s real. No matter how much or little time you spend on it. You don’t have to justify it.”
The woman nodded, thoughtfully. “Are you an artist?”
“Yep. I’ve done gallery shows in New York, but I’m still an artist when I’m teaching art classes to kids or sketching at home.”
Geir hadn’t known that. Why hadn’t Declan told him before? It just increased his worries from before that he didn’t have enough to offer.
“I like that attitude.” The woman smiled at Declan. He always had everyone under his spell.
“Yeah,” Declan agreed. “It’s all about the attitude. And speaking of attitude, you might want to avoid the homophobic assholes running this shop in the future.”
The woman wrinkled her nose. “I’m so sorry. Did they say something nasty to you?”
“O.M.G. The guy actually spit on the floor. I can’t imagine they think any better of women.”
“I won’t be back here, then,” the woman agreed, “and I’ll tell my friends. How are you holding up?”
“Oh, just fine, now. Between you and my man here,” he patted Geir’s chest, making him feel surprisingly proud, “I think it all turned out pretty well. If you tell enough people, maybe they’ll lose half their business. How’s your day been?”
Geir stood in the doorway while the two of them chattered. It was apparent for the first time to Geir how much Declan needed people in his life. Not just an old, boring kraken. He needed strangers. Friends. Life. Energy.
No wonder he’d talked so much about going into the city or spending more time with the People. The thought of it made Geir want to hold Declan tight and drag him back into his cave. But that wouldn’t give his hummingbird what he needed.
“Oh, and we’re right next to the lake, right down the highway about thirty miles,” Declan explained to the woman in response to some question Geir had missed. “Or maybe it’s a bay? I think it’s a bay and we just call it the lake. But it’s lovely for swimming. I swim every day.”
Why was Declan telling her all of this? Geir had spent most of his life hiding his location. For centuries, he had been plagued by Hunters. Now it was scientists who wanted to take shifters apart and see how they worked.
Ro’s warnings suddenly felt much more immediate. Could whoever left the wolfsbane be a danger to Declan?
Declan was entirely too trusting.
Geir heard a car idling outside and practically pulled Declan out the door with a mumbled, “let’s go.”