by Lynn Hagen
Then again, he hadn’t spoken up when they’d moved out. He should’ve told them to help until he found a smaller place, but Stanton was never one to rock the boat.
Stanton’s frustration mounted as his doorbell rang. He honestly expected to find Nomad on the other side of the door, and he could really use the guy’s company right now.
It wasn’t Nomad.
Mr. Copley, his landlord, frowned at Stanton when he swung the door open.
Fuuuck! The lease clearly stated that they weren’t allowed to have pets. Stanton prayed like he never prayed before that Buttercup didn’t come running to investigate who had rang the doorbell. He was surprised the dog wasn’t already at his side yapping his head off.
“Hi, Mr. Copley. How can I help you?” Stanton’s heart raced like crazy. He’d never been fond of the landlord in the first place. Mr. Copley had always given off a creepy vibe, like he wouldn’t mind getting paid with sexual favors instead of cash.
“I got a letter from the water company.”
That was another reason he didn’t like the guy. Mr. Copley had insisted he be put on the utilities accounts so he would know if the bills were being paid. Stanton understood that the guy was just trying to ensure his property was being taken care of, trying to protect his investment, but he could’ve just called instead of showing up.
“I intend to take care of that as soon as possible.” Stanton refused to invite the guy inside. He didn’t want to be alone with the creep.
“Your lease clearly states that you and your roommates must keep your utilities current.”
Mr. Copley didn’t know that the others had moved out, which meant full responsibility had fallen on Stanton’s shoulders.
“I expect the water to be paid in full and back on in the next few days.” Mr. Copley peered past Stanton’s shoulder. “Are your roommates home?”
“No.” Stanton hated admitting he was by himself, but he had to in case the landlord asked to speak to Layne, Horace, or Stevie.
A deviant look flashed in Mr. Copley’s brown eyes. He was shorter than Stanton and carried a bit of weight on him. He wasn’t good-looking or even halfway cute. He had unruly brown hair that looked dry and frizzy, and he had the biggest lips Stanton had ever seen.
He also had the fluffiest mustache, too. It looked like a dead ferret was resting on his upper lip.
“You know,” Mr. Copley said as he licked his large lips, his attention flashing back to Stanton, “you and I can work out some kind of deal to get your water back on.”
Stanton was seconds away from throwing up in his mouth. His stomach pitched as bile rose to the back of his throat. He’d rather be homeless than let this pervert touch him.
“I’ll get the water back on, but thanks for the offer to help.” Stanton felt sick just saying those words, but he wanted the guy to think he’d misunderstood him. Stanton also needed to get the door closed before Buttercup made an appearance.
He tried to close the door, but Mr. Copley stuck his foot out, preventing it from closing. “Don’t be in such a rush to dismiss my offer. I could make it worth your while.”
Stanton wanted to break the guy’s foot, and his nose for being such a seedy guy. “I have to go. I’m running late for work.”
Buttercup started barking and ran to the door. Stanton wanted to have a heart attack. Just when he was about to get rid of Mr. Copley, the dumb dog had to make himself known.
“You’re not allowed to have a pet!” Mr. Copley turned a dark shade of red.
Stanton had to think quickly. “I’m pet sitting. It’s just until tomorrow. My aunt had an out-of-town emergency, and she didn’t have anyone to watch him.”
He didn’t have an aunt that lived close by, but Mr. Copley didn’t know that.
“He better be gone by tomorrow, and he also better not destroy anything in the house. I’m giving you a twenty-four-hour verbal notification of inspection.”
Stanton’s heart sank as he watched Mr. Copley storm off. He was going to have to return Buttercup to Horace. He was also going to have to figure out how to turn his water back on. Stanton could spend his entire paycheck to do that, but he was already dangerously low on groceries, and his electric was due soon.
“I wish you would’ve bitten him,” he said to the dog as he closed the door. No sooner had Stanton walked away than the bell rang again. He started not to answer it. Stanton didn’t want to deal with any more of Mr. Copley’s bullshit.
“If it’s him, attack.” Stanton opened the door again. This time it was Nomad. He had paper bags with handles dangling from his hands. Stanton stepped aside and let the guy in.
“What do you have?”
“Dinner and a few other things.” Nomad went straight to the kitchen as if he lived there. Stanton wasn’t going to argue. The least he could do was have one last decent meal in this house before he got an eviction notice. Besides, having Nomad around made Stanton feel better.
And horny. So damn horny.
Buttercup trotted along, as if happy to see the guy. Stanton felt like trotting, too.
“You brought me dinner?” Stanton was still confused as to why Nomad kept coming around. Not that he minded. Nomad’s presence made Stanton feel less lonely, and fuck, he was nice eye candy, too.
“The house is in chaos.” Nomad set the bags on the kitchen table. “Stevie’s in labor, and I needed to get out of there.”
That reminded Stanton that he hadn’t been invited over for the birth. In truth, that stung, a lot.
Nomad went to the sink and twisted the knob back and forth. “Is something wrong with your sink?”
Drat. Stanton had completely forgotten about that, even though he’d just been talking to his landlord about it. He decided not to lie. “I couldn’t pay the water bill.”
Nomad frowned as he looked over his shoulder at Stanton. “No one is helping you with your bills?”
“It’s not their responsibility anymore.” Though the help was desperately needed.
Nomad just grunted as he unloaded the bags and put some things in the fridge. “We need to head back to the grocery store for a few gallons of water.”
“Why are you helping me?” Stanton was tired of the games. He wanted to know why Nomad was there, being all friendly and helping out. True, Stanton needed the groceries, but he wanted answers, too.
Nomad headed for the kitchen exit. Stanton jumped in front of him to stop the guy from walking out. His heart hammered at the dark look Nomad gave him, but Stanton stood his ground. “Answer me…please.”
Nomad tilted his head to the side. “First you tell me what bills are behind.”
“Why?”
The guy grunted. It seemed he wasn’t going to give Stanton any reason for his help until he got what he wanted. Stanton had a feeling Nomad would hold out, too. The guy looked like he could become mute, and had proven it time and again with his silent ways.
“Fine.” Stanton crossed his arms. “The water is off, clearly. The electric bill is due soon, and I have to take Buttercup back to Horace because my landlord saw him and we’re not supposed to have pets.”
He wasn’t sure why he kept saying “we” when it was just him living there.
Nomad nodded, as if satisfied. “Do you have online accounts?”
“Yes, why?”
“When we get back, you’ll give me access to them.” Nomad walked around Stanton and headed for the front door. “And I’m helping you because it’s the right thing to do.”
Stanton wanted to argue, to say he didn’t need any help from a somewhat stranger, but that would be a bald-faced lie. He’d argued his independence with his parents, but his ship was sinking, and Stanton didn’t want to drown.
“I’ll find a way to pay you back.” Stanton followed Nomad outside, but the guy didn’t respond. They drove to the grocery store, and Nomad bought every single gallon of water the store had. They loaded them up in the back of his Jeep, and they drove back to Stanton’s.
Nomad carried
at least half a dozen containers into the bathroom for flushing the toilet and washing up. Stanton carried a few into the kitchen. The damn things were heavy when you tried to carry more than one. He didn’t know how Nomad had carried six.
As Nomad prepared dinner, Stanton got on his laptop and signed into his utility accounts. “All right. There you go.”
Nomad took a moment from his cooking to sit down and type away. The guy hadn’t even looked at a credit card number from his wallet, as if he knew them by heart.
“Your gas and sewer bill, too.”
Stanton sweated like crazy as he reached over Nomad to type in his user name and password. Being this close had his dick rock solid. He hoped Nomad didn’t notice, but damn if Stanton didn’t want him to take care of the problem.
Nomad starting typing again as Stanton leaned back, giving the guy some space.
“You’re now current with all your bills. Call the water company and set up a date and time for them to turn your service back on.”
Stanton didn’t know what to say. No one had done anything this spectacular for him before. Not out of the goodness of their heart. Stanton’s parents had given him an allowance since he’d left home, but they’d done it to make sure he didn’t move back in. They enjoyed their lifestyle too much to be hindered by their own child.
He recalled one time when his mother had told him that he’d been a beautiful mistake. She’d been talking about a surprise pregnancy, but Stanton truly believed his mom and dad had never planned on having children.
He’d been a mistake all right.
“I…um…thank you.” Stanton sat in the vacated seat. Nomad was already back at the stove, flipping the chicken in the pan. The aroma of his cooking had Stanton’s stomach grumbling and his mouth watering.
He’d been intimidated by Nomad ever since meeting the guy, but he was also a godsend that Stanton had desperately needed.
Chapter Three
When Nomad suggested that he stay the night, Stanton told the guy to take any room he wanted. Layne, Stevie, and Horace had moved out, taking their belongings with them. The only thing left in the bedrooms was furniture and bedding.
Stanton washed up at the bathroom sink, thankful for Nomad’s earlier help. He would still need to find another job, but at least for now, he didn’t have to worry about his utilities.
He still couldn’t believe Nomad had paid them all, in full. It had been months since they’d been a zero, and it felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
Stanton had been playing a juggling act every time he’d gotten his paycheck, paying just enough on each bill to stop them from getting shut off. But after a while, that hadn’t been enough. The bills had kept growing, but his paycheck hadn’t.
After tossing on a fresh pair of underwear and a T-shirt, Stanton left the bathroom. The house was deathly silent. Not even Buttercup was around causing trouble.
The dog being quiet was never a good thing. That meant he was into something. Stanton went on the hunt for him and found Buttercup on the couch, curled up on Nomad’s lap. The two looked cozy together as Nomad watched something on the television, the volume so low that no sound could be heard.
Stanton started to creep out of the room, but one look from Nomad’s intense blue eyes froze him to the spot. “I’m heading to bed,” Stanton said. “Good night.”
“You could watch some TV with us.” Nomad patted the spot next to him. Okay, so Stanton had fallen in the bathroom and knocked himself out cold. That could be the only reason this scenario was happening. Of course Nomad was still dressed, minus his boots. If this were a dream brought on by a concussion, then Nomad would’ve been naked.
“I’d rather not.” Stanton gave a pretend stretch and yawn. “I have to go job hunting tomorrow.”
Nomad furrowed his brows. “What happened to your job?”
“Cutbacks.” Why lie? It was nothing to be ashamed of. That kind of crap happened all the time. It hadn’t been Stanton’s fault.
“I got a proposition for you.” Nomad sat up, and Buttercup opened his eyes, appearing aggravated that he’d been disturbed.
Stanton’s imagination went straight to the gutter at Nomad’s words. He might be horny, but if Nomad offered sex in exchange for his help, Stanton was going to blow a gasket. He was desperate, but Stanton did have standards, and no one, absolutely no one—even someone as gorgeous as Nomad—would make him compromise them.
He crossed his arms. “I’m listening.”
Nomad set Buttercup aside and stood. The dog circled around a few times then curled up on a throw pillow.
“I need someplace to get away from it all, and you clearly need a roommate,” Nomad said.
As angry as Stanton would’ve been if Nomad had propositioned him, this wasn’t where he thought the conversation was going. “Go on.”
“I stay here and pay the bills until you get back on your feet. It’s a win-win for both of us.”
And one hell of a temptation. Nomad stood there giving Stanton a business deal that any sane, broke man would jump at, and all he could think about were hot, sweaty nights in each other’s arms.
But Nomad’s deal would ease Stanton’s burdens. He wouldn’t have to beg his parents or friends for money, which was a huge plus. Even so…
“It seems I’m getting all the perks,” Stanton said. “Besides a quiet getaway, what’s in it for you?”
Nomad was a few inches taller than Stanton, which was nice since Stanton was six feet one and he had to look down at a lot of guys. That had put a damper on his love life since shorter men weren’t Stanton’s cup of tea, and why did he keep having those thoughts around Nomad?
They weren’t going to date or have sex. That had been a house rule, and one that Stanton liked. No sex among roommates. Although that hadn’t been a problem. One, Stanton had known Layne, Stevie, and Horace too long and they were like brothers to him. Two, the rule took pressure off of everyone and allowed them to relax in their own home.
It also made things zero complicated.
“I already told you what I wanted,” Nomad said. “Just a place to chill.”
Stanton was looking a gift horse in the mouth, and he wasn’t going to pass that up. He needed all the help he could get. He wasn’t sure how long this arrangement would last, but it would give him an opportunity to find a job, and maybe even a less expensive place to live.
He stuck his hand out. “Deal.”
When Nomad curled his hand around Stanton’s, Jesus on a cracker, every nerve ending in Stanton’s body lit up like a match igniting a fire.
Stanton snatched his hand away as his heart thumped like crazy. He wasn’t sure if he’d made a huge mistake. He was ridiculously attracted to Nomad, and living with the guy just might prove tortuous.
“There’re house rules that can’t be broken,” Stanton said, forcing his gaze not to wander over Nomad’s body. “No sexual relationships while being roommates. We usually split the chores, but since you’re paying all the bills, I’ll do them. We also split the cooking, but just so you know, I’m a lousy cook.”
“Seems fair enough.” Nomad gave a short nod. “I can do all the cooking. I don’t mind.”
Stanton was glad because Nomad’s culinary skills were amazing. He would probably gain a few extra pounds eating the guy’s meals.
Stanton felt himself blush. “Also, if you don’t mind, we desperately need food.”
A smile curved the side of Nomad’s mouth and left Stanton panting. “Don’t mind at all. We can take care of that first thing tomorrow. Right after you make that call to get the water back on.”
Stanton finally took a breath he’d been holding since being left in this bind. He never believed in miracles before, but one had just presented itself, and Stanton was latching on with both hands.
* * * *
Nomad was up the next morning, bright and early, trying his best to cook while using water from a gallon instead of the sink. He’d toughed it out before, but he�
�d thought those days were behind him.
He still couldn’t understand why he’d offer to stay here. He was playing with fire when it came to Stanton. The human would go into heat in the next few days, and Nomad didn’t need to be around the temptation.
What he needed to concentrate on was The Company. He was relieved no one else had been captured since he’d escaped, but it was only a matter of time before the scientists and doctors had more shifters to torture.
Nomad needed to scout Kendall to see if anyone suspicious was lurking about. He had to know if he was followed. If he had been, he had to take out whoever it was before he or she reported back to their boss.
It was also about time he shut that place down. But Nomad couldn’t do it alone. What he needed was his old recon team, but Nomad hadn’t a clue where they were. It had been six years since he’d last had contact with them.
After he’d been snatched, held captive for five years, Nomad had stayed hidden for an entire year, trying to keep off the radar after his escape.
But his aunt’s funeral had brought him back home. He rubbed his chest at the thought of Beatrice. She’d been a kind and loving woman, sacrificing a lot to raise her four nephews. Nomad would always be indebted to her, the lessons she’d taught them, the love she’d showered them with.
He pulled himself from those thoughts. It wouldn’t do him any good to dwell on them. The past was the past, and he needed to stay in the present.
Nomad turned the burner off when the doorbell rang. Buttercup got up and trotted alongside him as he went to answer the door. Nomad wasn’t sure what Stanton was doing, but since he now lived here, he didn’t think the human would be upset about him answering the door.
When he swung it open, a seedy-looking guy stood on the other side. He had the biggest lips Nomad had ever seen. He also had crafty brown eyes that said he was never up to any good.