Eight

T here were two dozen things Nova should've been doing and staring at a blank email wasn't one of them. Technically, only the body of the email was empty. Nova had filled in the recipient's address after finding it on the newspaper's website. He could've asked his mother for a way to contact Jimmy, but she would have put him through an hour-long inquisition first. She'd been more than a little disappointed when her plan had backfired but trying to convince his mother of her own culpability would've been an exercise in futility.

No, it was much simpler to access the staff page on the Savannah Morning News site. But it hadn't been quicker because he'd ended up reading every article Jimmy had written. His contributions were charming, warm, and witty. Was he surprised? Not really. Nova had witnessed firsthand how Jimmy literally threw himself into his work. The man had followed him out into the ocean in a nearly pitch-black condition because Nova had said it was the perfect way to understand his passion.

Nova had been unable to stop thinking about every minute of their time under the stars. The wonder and joy that had washed over Jimmy's features as he'd experienced each new sensation. When Nova closed his eyes at night, Jimmy was right there waiting. And he would wrap his arms and legs around Nova out of want, not fear. Each dawn, he woke with a hard-on and the knowledge he would've kissed Jimmy senseless that night if his mother hadn't intervened.

An internal war raged inside Nova as he stared at the subject line that read Sorry for being an ass . It accurately depicted his abysmal behavior. He'd unintentionally taken out his frustration on Jimmy, a callous step the man hadn't deserved. The younger man hadn't contrived the setup; his mother had. Jimmy hadn't planted the seaweed in the ocean as an excuse to use Nova as a life raft. The adorable redhead couldn't help it that Nova was becoming obsessed with seeing Jimmy experience new things and had secretly started checking off all the boxes on Jimmy's list as well as adding a few more.

Nova groaned as he deleted the subject line and retyped Interview follow-up . Jimmy had said he'd email the questions to Nova, but a day had passed, then another, without contact. Two days of trying to figure out how to apologize, of missing the wonder and joy Jimmy brought to everyone in his orbit and wondering why the journalist had his email, but Nova couldn't say the same. The last one was his mother's fault, but he couldn't figure out why she wanted to make things more difficult for Nova. If he asked, she would go into great detail about a Capricorn's traits and needs. With Millie gone and the planetarium press event looming, Nova was contending with more than enough stress. The last thing he needed was to juggle these complicated feelings and his mother's meddling.

So then apologize and move on . It would then be up to Jimmy to accept his apology and decide if he still wanted to pursue the article his mother had pitched. Nova looked at the subject line again and decided it was too cold and informal. He'd decided to lighten it up a bit, stick with the zodiac theme his mother loved so much, and typed, Goats can be assholes .

Yeah, that was a better icebreaker. Nova imagined Jimmy reading the subject line and laughing. Then what? Did Nova really want to encourage this arrangement? Maybe it was for the best if Jimmy thought he was a jerk and didn't want anything to do with him. Nova would eventually stop remembering how Jimmy's lithe body had felt wrapped around his. It had been a few years since Nova had gotten naked with anyone, but he still recognized a hard-on when it was pressed against his abdomen. Maybe Jimmy was an adrenaline junkie who got off on fear. Or perhaps he'd been just as turned on as Nova. It wasn't wise to linger on either reason, but the latter one was the most dangerous.

Just type the damn email, Nova .

He blew out a breath and began writing his apology to Jimmy.

Care to join me for another midnight swim? Nova typed. Christ. He hit the backspace to erase the flirty remark and decided to strike a more professional tone, even if it did sound cold. Nova's fingers hovered over the keyboard as words failed him. He closed his eyes again, conjuring up the peace and serenity he'd felt while gazing up at the stars with Jimmy. He could write an apology that was both friendly and professional without being flirty. Nova never wrestled with the words to say to his assistant or the university president. Then again, he wasn't attracted to them, and they hadn't become the object of his deepest fantasies. Nova hadn't wanted to strip them bare and—

An abrupt rap on his office door jarred Nova from his daydream. He couldn't afford to get a boner at work. "Come in," he called out.

Nova's assistant, Brett, opened the door and stepped into his office. "There's a slight problem with the theater's sound system, and the techs want to talk to whoever is in charge."

"That would be me." Nova took a deep breath and clicked the mouse to minimize the email, then nearly choked on his indrawn breath when he realized he'd sent it to Jimmy instead. "No. Oh no." He kept clicking on his mouse as if it would miraculously get his email back.

"Dr. Skye?" Brett said. "Is there something I can help you with while you talk to the technicians?"

"No, but thank you," Nova replied. He didn't want Brett to see the email, even though it wasn't incriminating. He accessed his sent messages and groaned when he realized he'd only deleted a section of the email and not all of it. His dumb ass had left the "Care to" part in the body. Fuck . Fuck . Fuck . It looked like he was inviting Jimmy to fill in the damn blanks. "Brett, are you sure you can't assist them?" Nova needed to send another email to Jimmy before he could read the first one.

"Me?" Brett asked. "I don't know anything about hooking up electronics and sound systems."

"And I do? What exactly did they say is wrong?"

"Um, something about wrong wires or switches, but they have a workaround for tonight so it won't interrupt the presentation."

Crap. It was definitely something Nova had to address since he would be at the helm during the press event. "Will you tell the technician I'll be right there? I have to address this email, but it won't take long."

"Sure, Dr. Skye," Brett said.

Nova glanced up when the man didn't back out of the room. "Something wrong?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing? You look tense, and your fingers are twitching." Brett was familiar with his tics and knew what they represented.

Nova balled his hands into fists and willed himself to calm down. "I'm fine. Thanks for asking," he said in a softer tone. His assistant nodded and ducked back out of the room.

Nova immediately began typing a new message, but Jimmy had responded to his first email before he could finish. He was almost afraid to find out what the man had written. He tucked email number two in his drafts and opened Jimmy's reply.

Yes , he'd written. How could one little word wreak so much havoc?

Instead of following Brett to the theater, Nova stared at the response. Just what the hell was Jimmy agreeing to? Nova's fingers flew over the keys. You don't even know what I was going to ask , he wrote.

Jimmy's response was immediate. I can't wait to find out. Care to enlighten me now, or do you want my brain to continue to complete your sentences for you?

Oh God. That was the last thing Nova wanted. His phone rang just as he started typing his reply. Kai's name appeared on the screen, so he accepted the call.

"Hey, Kai," he said, "is everything okay?"

"It's me, Daddy!"

Her little voice was the sunshine he needed to chase away the gathering storm clouds. "How's my June Bug?"

She launched into an in-depth recounting of her dreams followed by her morning activities. Nova checked the time and realized she'd only been awake for an hour or two unless she still was operating on East Coast time. "What are you doing today?" she asked him.

"I have my big press event tonight to unveil the plans for upgrading the planetarium. In fact, I need to meet with some technicians in a minute. I'm so glad you called this morning. I miss you, Millie June."

"Miss you too, Daddy."

They chatted for a few more minutes, then Nova bolted from his office to meet with the technicians. The workaround sounded simple, but he took notes just in case. Public speaking had never been his favorite thing, but it was a necessary evil in his profession. Nova was stopped several more times and asked to put out a few fires before he was able to return to his office. Luckily, the issues were minor and nothing that would delay their event, but they kept him away from his desk for an hour. He had five emails from Jimmy, each sounding a little more frantic than the one before.

Maybe we should have this chat on a more private channel. Here's my phone number. Call or text me whenever.

A few minutes later, Jimmy followed it with, Oh man. That looks like I'm flirting with you. I'm not.

Jimmy had waited fifteen minutes before sending another message. I didn't mean to make you feel like you're not the kind of guy a man wants to flirt with. You are absolutely flirt-worthy. It just wasn't my intention at this time.

Another ten minutes passed before, Sweet Jesus. Now you're probably wondering when I plan to flirt. "At this time" indicated flirting might commence at any time. If I tell you I never intended to flirt, you might question your worthiness. Wow, arrogant much? And it might also be a lie.

Then finally, Well, I need to change my name and disappear now. It was nice knowing you.

Nova's body shook with laughter by the time he reached the end. He managed to program Jimmy's number into his cell phone and tap out a message despite his trembling fingers.

Jimmy, or whatever you want to be called now , Nova wrote. I really hope you don't disappear. Sorry about my abbreviated message. I meant to type: Care to join me this evening for the planetarium press event? I know it's short notice, but we're unveiling the plans for our joint project with NASA. I thought you might like another demonstration. Nova sent the message before he could talk himself out of it.

He stared at his phone until the three tiny dots popped up, indicating Jimmy was responding. The bubbles disappeared and reappeared several times before his reply came through. It would seem Nova wasn't the only nervous one.

I'd love to , Jimmy wrote. What's the dress code? Business casual? Formal? Or do you conduct all your demonstrations in your underwear?

Nova threw his head back and practically howled with laughter. In fact, he was so loud that Brett poked his head into his office without knocking. "I'm fine," Nova told his assistant. "I'm laughing at a text I received from a friend. I swear I'm not cracking up." Brett held up his thumb, then disappeared.

Business casual is fine , Nova replied.

Bummer , Jimmy wrote. Time and address?

Nova sent him a link to the press event, then added, Come an hour early. I'll give you a private tour before everyone else arrives.

Are you sure? Jimmy replied. I don't want to be in your way.

I'm positive , Nova wrote, adding, I want to… He paused while he searched for the right words. Nova didn't want to lead the guy on, but the truth was, Nova really wanted to see him. He added, apologize for being an ass the other night , then sent the text.

Jimmy's response was immediate. You weren't an ass. There's no need to apologize.

Nova decided to go with the truth. Later, he could sort out why it was so important for Jimmy to attend. I want to see you , he typed.

There was a long pause before Jimmy's reply came through. I'll be there.

Nova spent the next few hours working his nerves into a tangled knot. No matter the lens he viewed their exchange through, he couldn't escape the feeling that he and Jimmy had been flirting—with each other and potential disaster. Nova stopped pacing the length of his office to glance at his watch. Jimmy was due to arrive any minute, so he tried to pull himself together so he wouldn't scare the man off when Nova greeted him.

He exited his office and headed toward the guest entrance in the front of the building where Jimmy was supposed to meet him. Too many emotions were swirling around inside him, pressing down until Nova found it hard to breathe. His current dilemma was figuring out which was the more significant source of his guilt—knowing about Jimmy's secret plans or not telling him he knew? It was definitely the latter. He didn't regret finding the list, but he should've informed Jimmy right away. Nova hadn't intentionally exploited his wish to swim in the ocean the other night, but would Jimmy believe that?

Nova had planned to come clean right away, but Jimmy's dazzling smile mesmerized him. "Hi," was the only thing he could manage when Jimmy stopped in front of him.

"Hi."

"I hope you didn't have any trouble during your drive." Nova fought off the urge to wince at his lame comment. Christ, he was bad at peopling. What was next? Remarking on the weather?

"Nope," Jimmy said. "Traffic was light."

"I need to—" Nova began at the same time Jimmy said, "I'm so excited—"

"You first," they said together before giving in to nervous laughter.

Fuck. Nova knew he should tell Jimmy the truth right there, but he would turn around and walk back to his ancient car and never speak to him again. Interacting with Jimmy was the only thing that had brought him a modicum of peace and joy. Was it selfish of Nova to want to hang on to the ray of sunshine a little longer? Yes, but he was going to do it anyway.

"I want to apologize again for my surly attitude the other night. My frustrations weren't aimed at you, and they weren't even directed at my mother's good intentions. I'm sorry if I made you feel like your company was lacking in any way."

Jimmy searched his expression for so long that Nova wondered what he was thinking. "Your apology isn't necessary," he finally said, "but I accept it. I'm really excited for my sneak peek at tonight's unveiling."

"Let's get started, then," Nova said, opening the door and gesturing for Jimmy to enter first.

"It feels so cool in here," Jimmy said as Nova led them toward the back of the building where the theater, observatory, and his office were located.

"Sometimes it's too cool," Nova replied. "I keep a few jackets in my office, so let me know if you need one. I thought we'd start with the theater upgrades." Nova told him about the issue the technician had uncovered that morning. "I can do a dry run to make sure I don't make a fool of myself later."

"Wow," Jimmy said when they walked inside the theater. He tipped his head back and looked at the domed ceiling. "I was expecting something more along the lines of a movie theater with a big screen front and center."

"The ceiling is the screen," Nova said, then gestured to a white projector in the middle of the room. "For optimal viewing, we went with a round theater, placed the projector in the middle, and then installed the seats to form a circle around it."

"Show me," Jimmy said as he dropped into a chair.

Nova retrieved the programmed tablet and sat beside him. "Okay. How does a trip through the Milky Way sound?"

"Like we need seat belts."

Chuckling, Nova pulled up the operating app to dim the lights, turn on the projector, and begin the audio.

"Welcome to the planetarium at Georgia Southern University," the recorded voice said as the school's logo appeared on the domed ceiling.

Jimmy gasped and placed his hand over Nova's arm. "That's your voice."

Nova laughed. "I am the planetarium director." Then he shrugged. "And no one else would accept my bribe to record it for me."

"You have a wonderful voice," Jimmy said, settling deeper into his chair as he looked up at the ceiling. The projection changed from the logo to show a brilliant night sky. "Wow."

Nova felt like they were back to floating on the waves again, except this time he didn't have an armful of Jimmy. He tuned out the recording and watched the play of light and awe on Jimmy's upturned face. When Nova had been a teenager, he'd seen the straight kids making out with their girlfriends or boyfriends in the movie theater. Gay kids in the South wouldn't dare pull a stunt like that, and it had always felt like something he'd missed out on.

A smile spread across Jimmy's face as he turned to look at Nova. His eyes widened, proving he'd been so caught up in the wonder above that he hadn't felt Nova staring at him.

"Did I say something stupid?" Jimmy asked.

Nova shook his head. "You didn't say anything."

Jimmy worried his bottom lip between his teeth for a second. "Are you sure? You're looking at me like I did something wrong."

Was he? God, Nova was rustier at socializing than he realized. Or maybe he was just terrible at flirting. The urge to reach for Jimmy, to pull him closer and press their lips together was too strong. Nova leaned in. Jimmy's lips parted on a sweet sigh, and he shifted toward Nova too. Kissing Jimmy would be wrong, but Nova couldn't think about anything else. Just before their mouths touched, loud music piped through the sound system, jarring the two men apart.

Nova leaped to his feet and looked around the theater in astonishment while Jimmy danced in his chair. Was this some kind of glitch? A practical joke?

"‘Levitating' by Dua Lipa," Jimmy shouted over the music. "I love this song. The lyrics are perfect for a presentation on the Milky Way."

"This isn't part of the program," Nova said as he stared down at the tablet. He tapped on the audio screen and saw the words BrettBoi Bluetooth where the title for the Milky Way recording should've been. "What the—"

The theater doors burst open, and BrettBoi himself rushed in. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Skye," he shouted, fumbling with his phone.

"Just turn it off." Though the song was catchy and Jimmy's reaction to it was adorable, the sheer loudness jolted Nova's nervous system. It probably would've been less painful if he'd shoved a fork in an electrical outlet.

Brett killed the music, plunging the theater into blessed silence. His assistant panted as he tried to catch his breath, then appeared instantly revived when he saw Jimmy. The adorable guy still snapped his fingers and continued to dance in his chair, even though the music had ended. Jimmy stopped swaying the moment he realized Nova was looking at him. He stood up too fast and nearly crashed into Nova's chest.

"Please forgive me, Dr. Skye," Brett said as he removed the tablet from Nova's hands. "The technicians had wanted to make sure the Bluetooth option was working before they left for the day. I must've forgotten to disconnect my phone from the system. I realized my mistake as soon as I turned on my playlist to power through some last-minute tasks for tonight's event. The song showed it was playing on my phone, but no music was coming through my headphones."

Recovering quickly, Nova cleared his throat and said, "It was a mistake that could've happened to any of us. It was better to discover it now when I was giving an exclusive tour to Mr. Alsop from Savannah Morning News than later when everyone was here." Nova wasn't about to admit how close he'd come to kissing his guest.

Jimmy frowned at Nova's formality before introducing himself to Brett. Nova watched as the two men shook hands and grinned at one another.

"What do you think about our theater?" Brett asked Jimmy.

"It's magical," he replied, sounding a little breathless. "And you have exemplary taste in music."

Nova's assistant straightened his shoulders and practically beamed with happiness. The two men were about the same age, had similar music tastes, and both loved the upgraded planetarium theater. Love matches were probably made over fewer commonalities. Brett was a great guy, and Jimmy deserved to fall for someone like him. Why, then, did the thought rub Nova like a T-shirt tag?

Jimmy turned to face him, and Nova could physically see his shields going up. He bent down and picked up his messenger bag off the floor. "I should probably get going. It sounds like you still have a lot to do before your press event."

"But I wasn't done giving you a tour," Nova said, sounding like Millie when she didn't want to go to bed.

"Oh," Jimmy said, looking uncertain. "Maybe another time when you don't have so much going on."

"I can finish giving him the tour, Dr. Skye," Brett offered.

"No," Nova replied. He must've sounded too abrupt because both of the younger men seemed surprised. "Jimmy is my special guest, and I'd like to show him the model for the new observatory."

Special guest? Nova could see the confusion over Jimmy's exact status mirrored in Jimmy's and Brett's expressions. Both were trying to figure out what the hell was going on. That made three of them. Brett's eyes widened, and Nova could read his thoughts as if they were typed out across his forehead. His assistant had assigned a more personal connection to the scene he'd interrupted, and Nova was surprisingly happy to let him think it. When Brett looked at Jimmy again, his expression was more friendly than flirty, making Nova feel both foolish and pleased at the same time.

"It was nice meeting you, Jimmy," Brett said, then looked at Nova. He took a few steps backward, nodded his chin toward Jimmy, and gave Nova two thumbs up. Oh hell. First his mother, now Brett. "Sorry again, Dr. Skye, for ruining your special tour. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help you."

"Will do." When they were alone again, Nova turned his full attention to Jimmy, who was looking at his feet. Nova could tell by his slumped shoulders that Jimmy was feeling insecure. "Hey," he said, wanting to reach for him but knowing he shouldn't. To Nova's surprise, Jimmy's body started to shake. "Oh God. Please don't cry. I didn't mean to sound like such a dick again." Jimmy's body quaked harder as he worked himself into silent, body-wracking sobs. "Jimmy," Nova said gently. He tucked his finger under Jimmy's chin and lifted his face. The imp had tears streaming down his face all right, but they weren't from sorrow. "You little shit," Nova stammered. "You've been laughing at me this whole time while I've been kicking myself in the ass."

"I…I d-didn't mean t-to," Jimmy stammered between guffaws. He wiped the tears from his face, then said, "Eager Beaver Brett thinks we're about to get naked in your office."

Nova's lips quivered but not because he was in the danger zone of an impending episode. "And you find the idea of getting naked with me funny?" he asked, trying to sound annoyed.

Jimmy's eyes widened, and he gasped in shock. "Oh my God, no. It's funny Brett would think someone like you would be interested in someone like me."

Nova found himself feeling insulted for real this time, but on Jimmy's behalf. "I think I would be the lucky one in that arrangement."

A soft sigh puffed between luscious lips. It was apparent Nova's declaration had caught Jimmy by surprise. Equally obvious was the doubt darkening his beautiful amber eyes. He could take a few paths: come clean about everything or keep pretending thoughts of the man didn't consume him. One road could lead to an epic adventure of discovery for both of them and the other to a summer of solitude. Nova knew there was no need to analyze his paths and weigh his options. There was only one acceptable choice for him. "I think we should finish this conversation in my office." He hardly recognized the husky timbre in his voice.

Jimmy swallowed hard, then nodded. They didn't speak at all as they traversed the labyrinth of hallways until they reached the privacy of Nova's office. His instinct was to push Jimmy up against the door and show him how he felt, but he couldn't. Not under these circumstances. Nova had to confess everything so Jimmy could make an informed decision.

Dropping his bag by the door, the beguiling man headed straight for the observatory's enormous replica sitting on a rolling table in the corner of Nova's office. The architect had delivered it just days before, and Nova couldn't be more excited about showing it off at the press event.

"This is beautiful," Jimmy said. He lifted his hand like he wanted to touch the structure but jerked it back as if he changed his mind. Like a proverbial moth, Nova was drawn to Jimmy. He stepped up behind the shorter man and peered at the display over his shoulder.

"You can touch it." Nova nearly groaned when his words conjured up an entirely different scenario—one that included Jimmy wanting to fondle his erect penis instead of a model scale of the telescope.

Jimmy trembled, and his voice was a little breathy when he spoke again. "Are you sure? I'm a little clumsy."

Everything about Jimmy was endearing to Nova—his honesty, his innocence, and his vulnerability, but mostly his bravery. "It won't break."

Jimmy released a shaky breath, then slowly lifted his hand to trace his finger over the observatory's round roof. Nova felt a phantom caress in his groin and should've stepped back to put distance between them instead of encouraging Jimmy even more.

"See the black button on the bottom of the display?" Nova asked.

"Yes," Jimmy whispered as he took a step back, nearly pressing his back to Nova's front.

"Push it," Nova whispered.

Jimmy lowered his hand and hovered his finger over the button, hesitating. Nova stepped forward, placing his right hand on Jimmy's hip. Then he reached out with his left to circle Jimmy's wrist. The reporter rested his head on Nova's shoulder, tilting his head slightly to expose his neck.

"We'll do it together," Nova said huskily, running his nose along the column of Jimmy's pale flesh.

"Um, are we still talking about pushing the button?"

Chuckling, Nova said, "Yes." He silently added for now . "Ready?"

"Oh yeah. Are you going to do a countdown like a shuttle launch?"

Nova's shuttle was already at a five and wouldn't require much more stimulation to reach full power. "Maybe count down from three."

Jimmy did the honors, and with Nova's hand still wrapped around his wrist, he lowered his hand and pressed the button. The domed roof of the miniature observatory retracted, and a black telescope rose out of the opening. If that wasn't symbolic as hell for the action going on in Nova's briefs, he didn't know what was.

"That's so cool," Jimmy said in awe. "Are you going to reveal the model to the press tonight?"

"Yes," Nova replied, "but probably not as intimately as I'm doing with you now."

Jimmy chuckled and turned to face him. "I'm not sure every journalist would be as appreciative of your method as I am. I'm sure you'd get some glowing write-ups, though."

"I want to kiss you more than anything right now," Nova confessed.

Jimmy's mouth parted on a soft gasp. "Why don't you?"

Nova briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. There was no way in hell his conscience would allow him to kiss Jimmy without confessing first. Jimmy placed his hands on Nova's chest and stared up at him. He'd heard someone described as starry-eyed before, but it took on a completely different meaning with Jimmy. And he knew his next words would shatter it.

"I found your list," Nova said before he could talk himself out of it.