Behind Luc, the doorbell rang. “What the?” He frowned and made his way across the room. Who the hell... He peeked through the security window and his breath wrenched from his body. He glanced at the bathroom again. Brennan, wide smile on his lips and a sparkle in his green eyes, strolled into the living room.

Well, fuck. “Just a moment.” Luc turned back to the door and twisted the knob. Instead of giving Taygan a chance to talk, Luc stepped out onto the porch. “You’re here? Why are you here?”

Not displaying his usual bravado, Taygan picked at his jacket zipper. “Luc, I need to talk to you.”

“I’ve got company.”

“Who?” Tay’s blue-eyed gaze snapped to Luc’s. Tay’s cheeks weren’t as full and his skin not so bright, like he hadn’t slept in...years. He seemed thinner, sadder.

“Who I am dating isn’t your business,” Luc snapped. He had to stay firm with Taygan, but something about the man called something deep down in his soul.

“But you’re not supposed to be dating anyone. You’re supposed to...” Tay shut his mouth. “Never mind.”  He put both hands in the air and shook his head. “This isn’t how things are supposed to be.”

“Supposed to be what? Me sitting on my ass waiting for you? Still? I’m sorry.  Christmas was everything I wanted but you burned me and the bridge. My heart’s not strong enough to put up with you. I said it before and I’ll say it again, goodbye, Taygan.”

“Luc. Wait.” The sound was little more than a whisper crossed with a cry. “Does he love you?”

Luc whipped around and folded his hands behind his head. The urge to slap some sense into Tay crossed Luc’s mind. “What part didn’t you get? I’m not a yo-yo. And no, I have no idea if he loves me.” I don’t want him to love me.

Taygan hung his head and sat down hard on the step. “Then hear me out. I won’t walk away even though I want to. I’ll stand here, on your porch until you give me a moment. I can’t go even if I wanted to.”

Luc snorted and dropped his hands. “You’re certifiable.”

“You don’t get it. “ Taygan looked up at Luc over his shoulder. “I can’t walk away this time.”

Can’t? What the hell? As much as Taygan drove Luc to the brink, a tiny part of his heart always belonged to the breezy air elemental. Come to think of it, he hadn’t felt the slightest bit of Tay’s air swirling around him. Luc sat down next to Tay and bumped his shoulder. “Why?”