“You bet it can.”
Nox stuffed the bag behind his seat. At least tying it up made the stench of the other person Luca had been with tolerable.
Nox started the van.
Luca rolled down the window. More of Luca’s smell was sucked out by a breeze. And Nox wanted every breath he inhaled saturated with it.
“What?” Luca furrowed his brow.
“Nothing.”
“It’s something. You were looking at me like I kicked your puppy.”
Nox pulled out onto the gravel road. “You probably shouldn’t keep that down; you’ll take a cold.”
“If I don’t roll it down, I’ll die of body odor poisoning.” Luca tilted his head out the window. “You should probably roll yours down too.”
“I’m fine.”
“Nox, it smells like… I don’t even know, but it reeks.”
“It smells like you.”
Luca scrunched up his face. “Gee, thanks.”
“I’m not saying it in a bad way.”
Luca narrowed his eyes.
“I like the smell.” There, Nox said it.
Luca’s expression didn’t change. “No one can like the way it smells in here.”
“You only smell a fraction of it.”
“Thank god, I’d puke.”
“It doesn’t stink. I promise. It’s actually pleasant.” Nox tried not to inhale too deep.
“Then why did you stuff my dirty jeans in the garbage?”
“They weren’t the ones you had on.”
“They were still my jeans.”
Nox tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “Because those stink.”
“And the van doesn’t?”
“Those jeans smell like him.” Why the fuck did he have to sound so territorial?
“Him?” Luca’s confused expression morphed into wide eyes. “Oh. You mean….” He tucked his hands in his lap. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
The gravel road emptied onto two lanes of country highway. “You have nothing to be sorry about. You’re entitled to be with anyone you want to be with.” No matter how much it killed Nox.
He reminded himself of the promise he had Luca make. This was not love, and if Luca had the chance to have the real thing, to take it.
Now the thought of that happening threatened to kill something inside Nox.