Promises: The Next Generation (Bounty Hunters 5)

Ty slid his hand into Kell’s and began moving them down the street, “Exactly. So you’ll teach me.”

Ty

They sat in a curved booth in the back of IHOP. Again, sitting close enough to have a private conversation. It was quiet on a Monday and he was glad for it. Kell appeared relaxed with his hood off and his thick, caramel-blond hair layering around his face while he flipped through the menu. They were out of the cover of the night inside the brightly lit restaurant and Ty was able to watch him openly. Kell’s jaw was firm but looked soft to the touch. He didn’t have facial hair, not even stubble. He’d touched other parts of Kell, his hand, his neck, but not his face. He wouldn’t be so bold. His nose had a slight bump along the bridge, and a few nicks and scrapes along his brow and beneath his lip, evidence of his life as a fighter. His face was not flawless, instead he was absolutely, imperfectly beautiful. Ty had never encountered a more spectacular specimen. He’d never thought this about a female. Or anyone. He’d always been searching for that one… the one who made his heart race and his mind turn to mush.

“You’re staring again.”

He wasn’t trying to be subtle. He liked it when Kell teased him. Liked him on the offense instead of defense. He smiled more when he wasn’t being so cautious. It had only been a few days ago he’d said he wasn’t ready to let Kell into his head, but he was already there and Ty needed to figure out how? Eager to ask his questions he signaled the waiter.

“You decide what you want?” he asked Kell.

“Yes.” Kell took his hand and brushed a wave of hair behind his ear, giving Ty’s greedy eyes access to the entire right side of his face.

He’d ordered the grilled tilapia while Kell had the chicken Florentine crepes. The waitress placed two glasses of water on the table and told them their orders would be out soon.

Now they had nothing but time. Kell turned to look at him, his hair flipping behind his shoulder without effort. It was modelesque and most likely the opposite of what Kell was going for.

“I like your hair too, ya’know.” Kell’s eyes went to the top of his head.

He ran his hand over the deep waves in his low fade. He kept his hair about an inch short, and even closer at the temples. He used coconut oil conditioner to keep his waves soft and healthy. Kell stared as if he wanted to smooth his hand over his head like Ty had done, but instead he tucked it under the table.

“Thank you.” Ty didn’t mean to preen but Kell was gazing at him again with those magnetic eyes, in that sensual way… that way that made Ty feel like…

… made him feel like a king.

Ty almost choked on the realization. He covered up his half cough by taking a long drink of his water. My goodness.

He was silent again before Kell asked, “What did Dana say to you in the parking lot after lunch? At one point he looked in my direction when he spoke; then you had an unreadable expression on your face.”

The ninja in Kell didn’t miss anything. His cover had been low on his forehead but he’d been watching them the entire time. Ty secretly liked that. He felt a pleasant stirring below his waist at the thought of Kell watching him beneath hooded eyes. Mmmm.

Ty ignored his flesh and answered Kell’s question. “He said we need to keep anything personal out of the place of business.”

“Do you think they’ll have a problem with this?” Kell gestured between the two of them.

“The way him and Ford were wrapped around each other earlier, I don’t believe so.” Ty reached for Kell’s hand under the table and pulled it into his lap. He absently fingered the sheathed knives under his cuff, remembering the way Kell nailed a target with two of them in pitch darkness. His cool blood warmed, “And what exactly is ‘this’ between us Kellam?”

“You like everything spelled out don’t you.” Kell’s face flushed light pink again.

“Yes. I like things to be crystal clear,” Ty confirmed.

“Good. Me too. Are you gay? Because I am,” Kell blurted out.

“What I am is feeling the hell ’outta you. If that makes me gay, then sure,” Ty didn’t miss a beat.

Was Kell expecting him to flip out and haul ass at the mention of a sexual preference? Ty squeezed Kell’s hand a little tighter. “And what I’m feeling didn’t only stem from your biology, shorty. I dig your mind, your spirit. More than I’ve ever dug anyone. The moment I saw you step into Duke’s office, loaded down with wood in each arm, fully covered in black garments, as if seeing your beauty was something a man had to earn. My interest was piqued, my imagination soared… and my body lit on fire. I wanted to see you immediately, already knowing that you were not a female underneath that hood.”