Chapter Nine
Drew ignoredthe phone chiming on the counter and instead concentrated on measuring coffee into the coffee maker -one, two, three. It was surprisinglydifficult.
Or maybe notsurprising.
He hadn’t been able to focus on one damn thing all day yesterday either, fucking up practically every piece of paperwork he’d touched until Peter had - politely and respectfully, of course - told him not to send another email or sign a single document until after the holiday weekend, when he’d hopefully be “betterrested.”
He didn’t have the heart to tell Peter that all the sleep in the world wasn’t going to solve Drew’s problem, not when his brain kept replaying Thursday night’s frantic make-out session on a constant loop until he could practically feel the weight of Bas’s lips on his, the slide of Bas’s fingers on hisskin.
And now he’d fucking lost count of the coffeeagain.
“Fuck!” He slapped the countertop hard enough to make his hand sting, then dumped the filter out and startedover.
Bas would arrive any minute now and Drew was dreading it. Yesterday it had beenDrewlocking himself in his office and actively avoiding any possibility of confrontation, like the world’s biggest hypocrite. He was annoyed withhimself.
It wasn’t like him to be a coward, but honest to God, the things Bas had said the other night were things Drew had only ever dreamed of hearing him say. It was all too good to be true, and he couldn’t help worrying about when it would all go bad. Past experience had shown himthat.
Drew didn’t believe for a second that Bas had any idea what he really wanted in this situation. And after they’d kissed more, after they’d slept together, or dated for a week or two, andthenbroke up? They’d never be friends again. The dead radio silence of the past month had been painful, but it would benothingcompared to the nuclear-winter-agony of losing Bas forgood.
Getting involved with Bas romantically wasbeyondrisky. And anyone who knew Drew could say with confidence that he was risk-averse.
His damn phone chimed on the counter, and Bas dusted his hands on his jeans before grabbing it, hoping and fearing that it was something from Sebastian… butno.
Mark. Again. Texting about their datetonight.
Hey, you! You didn’t reply earlier. Excited forlater?
Drew sighed and rolled his eyes. Excited in a dreading sort of way,maybe.
He felt slightly guilty for feeling that way, but he’d already figured out yesterday, after a bunch of back-and-forth texts, that he and Mark were not going to work out. They shared a bunch of interests, sure, but the guy’s endless compliments were borderline-creepy, and his neediness would drive Drew crazy in aheartbeat.
“You didn’t reply earlier?” the man had said? Seriously? It had been twenty minutes for God’s sake, and Drew had a life of his own and a crisis to focuson.
But, it was too late to cancel without being insanely rude. And maybe, just maybe, it was a step he needed to take if he wanted to get the distance and perspective he needed to figure out what to do withBas.
Busy morning. Yes, looking forward to tonight. 6:30 at WestKitchen.
It was perfect timing, since it meant their meeting today couldn’t go too late, and he would have the perfect excuse not to chat with Sebastianafterward.
Oh, thehypocrisy.
He tossed his phone down on the counter and opened a glass-fronted cabinet to take down a set of red ceramicmugs.
Mark texted again a second later. Annoying, since Drew had pretty much finished with thisconversation.
I can’t wait. I think I’m going to wear green, in case you wanted to coordinate. What are you doing this afternoon? There’s a seminar on Biodiversity in Fruit Trees at the Museum of Natural History that I’m thinking of attending if you’reinterested.
Drew rubbed away the beginning of an ache in the center of his forehead. Jesus. Bas made fun of his old-man radio stations, but this was a whole other level. He tried to keep the snark out of his text as he replied,That sounds very educational. Sorry to miss it, but I’m afraid I have plans.Enjoy!
A second later, Mark’s answer came with a picture of his dog attached.I’ll take notes and share them with you later! Felix sayshi!
Felix looked like he was asleep on a white carpet in a pool of winter sunshine and could give a shit about what Mark or his texts. Drew felt like he and Felix might be kindred spirits inthis.
The second batchof chocolate-chocolate chip muffins was cooling on the counter a little while later when the doorbell rang, and he opened his front door expecting Cam, Cort, Damon, or Cain - someone whodidn’thave a key to hishouse.
Instead Sebastian stood on the front stoop, looking hot as hell in worn jeans and a thick knit sweater, a white paper bag dangling from his wrist and a polite, distant smile on hisface.
“Hey,” Drew said, his throat suddenly dry for a lot of reasons. “Forgot yourkey?”
