Being(s) In Love 03 - A Beginner’s Guide to Wooing Your Mate by R. Cooper Page A

already. Anyway, it’s a small town. How much work could there be?”
    “Oh.” Theo tucked his hair over his ear and risked a look up. “In a big city you’d get more work, I guess.”
    Zeki’s attention was on Theo’s ear, and the strands of hair that immediately fell forward again. “I’m good, but I’d be one of many in a big city. I had offers, but being some corporation’s private witch seemed like a waste. Those guys don’t need my help.”
    “Maybe they’d need you in Carson?” The suggestion was on the edge of pathetic. Theo raised his head and stared at the poster for the Spring Thaw up by the register. Wolf’s Paw was getting bigger and busier with all the tourism, but it still wasn’t the size of Carson. Carson had the multiplex and the community college Theo had briefly attended and a mall.
    He glanced over and caught Zeki staring at the side of his face. Zeki gave a start and then pushed the cup forward, only to take it back. “Sorry. Did you want it in a glass? I thought, dressed like that, you’d be on your way to the firehouse.” For a moment his gaze lingered on the foil-covered tray Theo couldn’t seem to let go of.
    “I was on my way here,” Theo murmured with complete honesty, and then had a few moments to contemplate Zeki’s startled expression and slow-building smile. The air was thick with buzzing feelings, the light scents of pleasure and wonder. Zeki seemed happy, and Theo drank that in, though he didn’t understand what he’d done to put that look on his face.
    “For coffee?” Zeki’s eyelashes brushed his cheeks when he lowered his eyes, and when he brought them back up, it took Theo a while to recognize the expression in them. People had looked at him with desire before; Theo wasn’t blind, despite what Violet thought. But desire alone hadn’t been what Theo yearned for, and Theo had been able to ignore it. This was want . It trailed through the space between them too, leaving him unable to think.
    “I didn’t bring any money.” He could have said something else, something better, but the honest admission brought a sound out of Zeki. A shocked sound, followed by a stare so heated Theo flushed to his toes. He panicked and looked away, but it didn’t matter. Zeki had that stillness about him again, as if Theo had his complete attention.
    How had he ever wanted that? He had trouble breathing with that focus turned on him. It made him jittery and warm and shivery, things no story about mates ever mentioned. There had been no pamphlets on how terrifying it would feel to recognize how deeply your mate could know you.
    “I’m sure you’re good for it. And if not, I know where you live.” Zeki’s teasing tone on top of everything else had Theo floundering for something to say. He thought Zeki knew that somehow, despite being human. Zeki seemed to know things about him already. The knowledge wasn’t fair when Theo knew next to nothing about him and had hungered to for years.
    Zeki nodded toward the firehouse. Theo glanced at it automatically. “I… that’s not where I live all the time. I have a house too.” The statement felt too loud, like a boast. Theo wasn’t trying to impress his mate by showing off his house. He wasn’t going to be creepy. He merely wanted Zeki to know he hadn’t pined on a firehouse cot for five years. “It’s not a big house.”
    Zeki nodded. “Is that where you bake?”
    Theo couldn’t imagine why he was interested but liked how Zeki could look him right in the eye without effort now. He liked the pleasant coffeehouse smells already attached to him too. Zeki smelled like a dessert but not like sugar, and he seemed genuinely eager to know where Theo baked. He must have really loved the cookies.
    “How do you afford that?” The question was too personal and borderline rude, and yet Theo didn’t mind because Zeki pulled away, embarrassed, then ducked his head in apology and continued. “I meant that everyone says you donate a lot