Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
[HARLEM]
Flopping into his bed, Harlem let out a squeal.
Ronan had walked him all the way to his apartment door and given Harlem his number, telling him to call the next time he had classes so Ronan could escort him there safely.
Normally, Harlem wasn’t into the protective macho types, but Ronan was…
different. He didn’t make Harlem feel weak or pathetic for being smaller and needing protection.
He made him feel cherished, which was both strange since they didn’t know each other and kind of exciting.
He had to resist the urge to call the werewolf just to talk to him some more.
Who would’ve thought an attempted mugging would lead to him being rescued by such a handsome werewolf?
For a little while, he just basked in the fluttery feelings that had popped up when Ronan had carefully tended to his injuries or when he’d put himself between Harlem and the busy road protectively.
It wasn’t until his stomach started to growl that he forced himself out of bed, bringing his phone with him and pathetically hoping Ronan would text him first. Would it be wrong to make up needing an escort just to see him sooner?
The quiet of his apartment always made Harlem uncomfortable, so he turned on the radio next to the stove, picking something upbeat to dance to while he cooked himself some supper.
It helped a little, but sitting down at his small table alone made his heart ache and he reached for his phone automatically to call Dorian.
He should’ve been done with work by now.
At least if he was focused on scolding his friend, he wouldn’t be so focused on how lonely he was.
Dorian didn’t answer, which was both frustrating and unsurprising, but a text message alert went off just as Harlem set the phone aside and grabbed the remote in hopes of cutting the quiet with a little trashy tv instead.
He set the remote back down with a frown, wondering if perhaps Dorian had finally gotten back to him with some sort of apology or excuse, but it wasn’t Dorian who’d sent the message. It was Ronan.
A giddy smile spread across his face as he read the message a few times.
Ronan: It was nice meeting you today. Would it be too forward of me to ask you to join me for a meal sometime?
Biting his lip to quiet another delighted squeal, Harlem typed back a rapid reply.
Harlem: Not too forward. I’d love that.
Pulling his legs up, he moved his bowl closer so he could take bites while giving his full attention to his phone.
He didn’t want to come off as too eager, but he didn’t want Ronan to think he wasn’t interested either.
To land a gorgeous man like that, he had to act right and think through each interaction properly.
Maybe, if he was careful, he’d end up with a boyfriend to spend time with instead of being home alone all the time. A kitsune could hope anyway.
“It’s my turn to pay,” Harlem insisted, snatching the bill holder away before Ronan could take it. He didn’t want Ronan to think he expected him to pay or anything. He might’ve been spoiled in the past, but he didn’t want to come off that way to someone like Ronan.
Ronan didn’t argue with him, an indulgent smile on his face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to assume.”
Harlem waved that away, handing the server his black card and the check back to him.
This was their third date and Harlem had been on his best behavior since the first one when Ronan had brought him flowers and complimented his outfit without prompt.
The werewolf was practically perfect and Harlem was determined to not scare him away.
After the server left, Harlem twisted in his seat, putting his elbows on the table and propping his chin up as he batted his eyelashes at Ronan. “Want to come to my place for a nightcap?”
The wicked grin that flashed across Ronan’s face made Harlem’s heart skip and his cock harden in his slacks, but Ronan’s head shake made him wilt just as quickly.
“You’ve got school in the morning,” Ronan reminded him, then grimaced. “Sorry, that sounded– I shouldn’t have made that choice for you.”
Harlem bit his lip to hide his snicker. Ronan’s one flaw, if it could even be counted as a flaw, was that he couldn’t seem to turn the alpha instincts off.
He gave orders so regularly that he sometimes forgot to give Harlem a choice first. He always corrected himself and apologized, but it was funny just how often he got bossy before realizing his mistake.
“My classes don’t start until the afternoon. I scheduled it that way because I like to sleep in–” He cut himself off, realizing belatedly how bad that made him sound. “I mean, I can get up early. I’m not lazy or anything, I just thought it’d be easier–”
Ronan’s big hand engulfed his, squeezing gently. “No one said you were lazy. There’s nothing wrong with liking to sleep in. I’ll admit, it’s been a while since I was able to do that, but that’s a byproduct of my position, not because I see it as better.”
Nibbling on his lip, Harlem tried to think of what he could say to put him in a better light. “I, um… I got used to staying up later and sleeping in after becoming a feeder. Dorian has a bad habit of working late and comes over to feed in the evenings so it was easier for me to just stay up later.”
Ronan’s brow creased with a frown. “Is he keeping you up late? Just because you’re a feeder doesn’t mean your schedule shouldn’t be respected. I can talk to him if you need–”
Laughing, Harlem shook his head. “It’s fine, I promise.
We’ve been working together for years now and I’m used to it.
He’s always apologetic if he’s too late and–” He stopped himself before he could mention the lavish dinners or gifts Dorian would show up with if he felt like he was being an inconvenience to Harlem.
That wouldn’t put him in a good light at all.
“Dorian is my friend. He’s never unkind, just addicted to his work.
I don’t mind it.” In an attempt to soothe the disgruntled alpha, Harlem petted the soft black fur on his arm, smiling at him coyly.
“So, now you know staying up late isn’t a problem for me. Want to come over?”
That wicked grin came back and neither of them noticed when the server slid the bill holder back on the table with the receipt. “I find I have a really hard time saying no to you. Yes, I’d like to come over, if you’re comfortable with that.”
Comfortable? Harlem was downright giddy at the prospect. It’d been a while since he was last in a relationship and the last guy wasn’t nearly as attentive and sweet as Ronan was. Harlem wanted to drag the gorgeous wolf into his bed, stat.
He nearly forgot that it was his card in the bill holder.
Ronan had to rescue it and encourage him to sign the receipt since Harlem’s one thought was to get out of there and back to his place.
He scribbled his signature and a nice tip for the server, then stuffed the card and receipt into his bag without putting it away properly.
Ronan’s deep chuckle made his heart race and he practically melted when Ronan’s fingers tangled with his as he led the way outside.
He froze and skittered backward when they stepped outside and he realized it was pouring. He hated the rain. Being cold and shivery wouldn’t put him in the right mood for where he’d hoped tonight would go.
“Here.”
Harlem hadn’t noticed Ronan shrugging out of his jacket until he put it over Harlem’s head to protect him. He looked at the material, then back at Ronan with a frown.
“But you’ll get soaked.”
“I’ll be fine,” Ronan countered, scooping Harlem off his feet and tucking as much of him under the jacket as possible.
Once he was certain that Harlem was covered properly, he left the restaurant at a jog toward Harlem’s apartment.
Harlem couldn’t decide if it was lucky that they were close to home or unlucky because if they’d driven, maybe they would’ve been spared more of the rain.
He felt bad that Ronan was getting soaked, so he wriggled in his arms until he was plastered against him, the jacket over both their heads so Ronan could get a reprieve from the freezing rain.
Ronan gave him a soft smile, nuzzling him in a way that made getting cold and wet totally worth it for Harlem.
He couldn’t complain about spending the rest of the jog to his apartment pressed up against all those sexy muscles either.
When Ronan set him on his feet so he could unlock the door to the building, he was careful to keep his big body over Harlem’s to protect him from the rain.
Harlem couldn’t stop smiling, feeling Ronan pressed against his back, and when they stepped inside, he had to seriously fight the urge to pout when Ronan stepped away from him.
When they entered Harlem’s apartment, Ronan pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before asking, “Can I use your bathroom?”
“It’s right through there.” Harlem pointed to the door right next to the entrance, head cocked curiously. Didn’t he just use the restroom before they left?
To his surprise, Ronan left the door open when he disappeared into Harlem’s bathroom. Harlem found himself watching wide eyed as Ronan pulled his shirt over his head and stepped into Harlem’s shower. He tiptoed closer, wondering if maybe it was an invitation to join him, but then why would he–
A startled laugh escaped him as Ronan shook out his fur, sending water everywhere in the enclosed space of the glass shower. Of all the things he could come up with, he hadn’t expected that.
Ronan shot him a smirk over his shoulder. “It was either this or soak any surface within a ten foot radius. I’ll clean it up, I promise.”
Shaking his head, Harlem giggled, “It’s fine, I promise. I have a cleaning service that comes in a few times a week.”
He regretted the words the minute they came out of his mouth. He sounded spoiled and he didn’t want Ronan to think he couldn’t pick up after himself. He considered cancelling his cleaning service, but… he really hated cleaning.
“That sounds nice,” Ronan said, giving himself another firm shake before stepping out of the shower.
Harlem grabbed a towel out of the linen closet, moving in closer to help Ronan dry off the rest of the way.
“My pack sees my house as the gathering place so it's rarely clean like I’d like it to be.”
He said it with a chagrined smile, but Harlem would take a messy house if it meant he didn’t have to come home to painful silence. He’d heard the kind of connection werewolf packs had to their families. To him, it sounded like a dream come true.