Ride the Lightning - Aimee Nicole Walker Page 0,44
He practically devoured the entire thing in four bites and immediately regretted his life choices. The only thing making Jonah feel queasier than consuming fast food was the idea of calling Avery. What would they talk about? Would it be awkward after everything that happened? Would sexual tension render him stupid? Probably.
After ten minutes of freaking out, he picked up his phone to call Avery, but his tormentor beat him to the punch.
Jonah’s heartbeat accelerated as he accepted the call. “Hello.”
“I could hear you freaking out clear on the other side of town,” Avery told him. “I thought I’d put you out of your misery and call you instead.”
“I wasn’t freaking out. I had just picked up my phone to call you.”
Avery snorted. “Uh-huh.”
“Fine. Don’t believe me,” Jonah said casually. “How was your day?”
“Oh, the usual. Copied some files, met a cute pup, and kissed a guy.”
Jonah’s laughter rumbled deep and low. “All in a day’s work, huh?”
“Something like that, although, I think my afternoon would’ve turned out better if I’d listened to my gut.”
Alarm rippled through Jonah. “Why? Did Trexler do something to you when you returned after lunch?”
“Oh, I wasn’t referring to the job,” Avery said. “I meant the instincts that urged me to drag you into your house so I could live out every dirty thought I’ve had about you over the past eight months. No one would’ve noticed I was missing.”
Jonah’s breath snagged in his throat. “Avery,” he whispered, sounding both turned on and shocked.
“Don’t bother clutching your pearls, Jonah. I felt how your body reacted to our kiss. So, how about a nooner tomorrow?”
“Avery,” Jonah repeated, but this time his voice was raspier and full of need.
“This better not be the part where you start expressing regrets,” Avery said.
Jonah chuckled. “Regret is the last thing on my mind right now.”
“Were you going to lecture me about how it’s inappropriate for you to get involved with your intern?” Avery asked, pushing on. “I’ll quit tomorrow if that’s what it takes.”
“No,” Jonah said firmly. One day Avery would leave. It was inevitable. When he did, Avery would cast Jonah back into the depths of gloom where sunlight and heat couldn’t reach him. Not yet. Please, not yet. “It is inappropriate, but I don’t care.”
“Senators, judges, and presidents do it all the time,” Avery argued. Like that was a ringing endorsement. Then he quieted when Jonah’s words finally sank in. “Oh.”
“Avery, will you go out on a date with me?”
Crickets. Jonah pulled his phone away from his ear and looked to make sure he hadn’t accidentally disconnected the call. He hadn’t, so Jonah pressed the phone to his ear again. ‘Um, hello?”
“I’m here,” Avery said breathlessly. “Did you just ask me to go out on a date?”
“I did,” Jonah confirmed. As exciting as a nooner sounded, hookups and meaningless sex were all Jonah had known for years. Avery made him want things he’d stopped believing in.
Maybe love wasn’t just for other people.
“I thought I was going to have to battle much harder,” Avery replied. “I was prepared to fight dirty too.”
Jonah chuckled. “I have no doubt. What do you say?”
“Hell, yes. When?”
The case would monopolize most of his time over the next few days. He wanted to spend time with Avery outside the office and to share more kisses, but he had to put Marla’s needs first. “Friday night. You can pick where we eat and the movie we see.”
“So, you want me to put in all the effort,” Avery said. “Just like I carry your ass at work.”
Jonah snorted. “Dream on.”
“Friday feels like a million miles away.”
“Will it help if we have nightly chats like this one?” Jonah asked.
Avery hummed. “Will they involve dirty talk and heavy breathing?”
“Maybe,” Jonah teased.
They talked for a few hours, discussing anything and everything. He learned Avery passionately hated olives and pickles but willingly devoured avocados, even though he was allergic to them. Jonah confessed how much he hated avocados, and Avery promised not to hold it against him. He told Avery his secret obsession with manga and anime, and Avery got Jonah to admit how much he loved Yuri On Ice.
“Your secret is safe with me,” Avery said around a yawn.
Jonah chuckled. “We should probably hang up so you can get some sleep.”
“You have a big day tomorrow too,” Avery countered. “I’m jealous you get to investigate a crime while I dodge Trexler.”
“Just keep running those trial tests. Be good to Stella for me.”