Dark Child (Wild Men 5)

Self-consciously I smooth my hair in the full-length mirror beside the elevator before climbing inside and riding up to the fifth floor.

I’m rattled enough that when I ring the bell twice, and nobody answers, I start to doubt that I’m at the right apartment. I heard the bell ring inside, so it’s not broken.

Frowning, I pull out my phone to call Merc.

The door unlocks and swings open—only the guy at the opening… isn’t Merc. I’m pretty sure about that. For one, this guy’s hair is dark, and he’s taller and bulkier than my boy.

My boy…

The thought, and the wave of affection it carries, catches me by surprise, so it takes me a longer moment than it should to realize the unknown man is still waiting for something.

For me to say what I want, probably.

“Hi, I’m Cosima.” I offer a quick smile. “I’m looking for Merc. Mercury Watson?”

“Right.” He nods, steps back. “Come on in. He was late back from work.”

Relieved, I follow him inside. “You must be his roommate, JC. He mentioned you last time.”

“That’s me.” He closes the door and runs a hand through his thick hair.

The mysterious JC.

Merc only said the guy’s rich, quiet and closed off. He didn’t mention that JC is hot.

Dressed in dark designer jeans and a black tank top that shows off his muscular chest and arms, with those blue eyes and square jaw, JC looks like he just stepped off the pages of a Men’s Fashion magazine.

Doesn’t hold a candle to Merc, though.

Nobody I’ve ever met can.

I’m still turning this new realization over in my mind—is he the hottest man I’ve ever been with, or is it that smile of his, that honesty of his gaze that makes him seem so?—as JC leads me past the living room—dark leather couches, low dark tables, a huge TV and PlayStation—and knocks on the bathroom door.

“Merc! Dude, your girl’s here.”

Your girl.

My boy.

Nonono, stop it, Cos. Words aren’t facts, they aren’t real. They’re just words, breaths of air, pretty shapes and sounds. Don’t put any stock in them.

Don’t confuse this with what you’d like it to be.

My head hurts. My heart feels bruised. I feel too much for this guy already, I shouldn’t risk it, I can’t—

The bathroom door opens and my thoughts still.

Merc—a half-naked, dripping Merc with a towel wrapped around his hips—appears, and shoots me one of those devastating, sexy smiles. His broad chest ripples with muscles, small brown nipples taut, golden skin gleaming, his blond hair dark with water.

Not fair that the sight of that smile, of that body should hit me like a sledgehammer. After all, it’s not the first time I’ve seen them, had them under my lips, my fingertips.

I wonder if that will ever change, the impact of his presence, if a day will come when I won’t feel like the air is gone from the room when he’s around.

It’s never been this way before.

“You came.” He comes forward, takes my hand. “Cos.”

As if I could keep away. All the doubts in the world couldn’t keep me away. I tried, I tried to be rational, to be careful.