Bas swallowed. “So that’s it? There’s no way to stop him from doing this again? No way to punishhim?”
Drew smiled. “Oh, no. I told you earlier. I want to make this guy’s life a living hell. I have his Facebook profile, I know where he works. Hell, I know his stupid dog’s name.And…”
“And?”
“And, I happen to know a guy who will hack every electronic device Mark owns, starting with his phone.” Drew brought his other hand up and touched Sebastian’s waist. Even through his sweater, the touch burned. “Pretty sure he won’t even be able to win a round of Dragon Puzzler by the time you’re through withhim.”
Bas laughed and shook his head. “You know I will.” He lifted an unsteady hand and ran it over Drew’s head, loving the way Drew’s breath caught, like he was every bit as shaken by the touch as Sebastian was. “But how can you be so calm? God, baby! Weren’t you scared?” He stared into Drew’s eyes. “I can’t stand the idea of you beinghurt.”
“I didn’t have time to be scared then.” He stepped closer, until only centimeters then millimeters separated them. “You were there saving me before I even know anything waswrong.”
“And now?” Bas demanded, fingers tangling in Drew’s damp hair while his other hand tentatively reached out to touch the smooth skin of Drew’sflank.
Drew laughed. “Sebastian, how could I have the mental space to think about being scared when you just called mebaby?”
Bas grinned. “DidI?”
“You did,” Drew confirmed. “But I won’t hold you to it. You can take it back if you need to. Think it over. Take things as slow as you want, okay? This…us…whatever happens will be at yourpace.”
“I don’t want to take it back,” Bas breathed. “And I sure as hell don’t need to think things over. I’m not scared of thisanymore.”
Drew slid his arms around Bas’s back, locking their torsos together and smiled gently. “Then how come you’reshaking?”
“Because…” Bas swallowed, and he was shocked - fuckingshockedto find himself on the verge of tears.So ridiculous.He hadn’t cried since shortly after his parents had died, for God’s sake. “I wasn’t sure I would be able to convinceyou. I was worried I’d fucked things up betweenus.”
“You haven’t.” Drew shook his head. “I promise you haven’t, Bas. I don’t think you ever really could.” Drew lifted a hand to Sebastian’s jaw, traced the curve of Bas’s lips with his thumb. “I was thinking about youearlier.”
“While you were on yourdate?”
“Yes, yes, while I was on my godforsaken date with the self-absorbedcriminal.” Drew rolled his eyes and wrapped both arms around Bas’s waist again, shaking him slightly. “But can we agree that we never,neverneed to bring this up in conversationagain?”
“What?”
“Do not act innocent with me, Sebastian Seaver. I know very well the next time I beat your ass at FIFA, you’re going to bring this up and say at leastyounever dated MarkCharbonnier.”
Bas considered this, a tricky proposition given the fact that all the blood in his body was rushing below his waist thanks to Drew’s proximity and the heat rising off all that hot, damp skin. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” he croaked. “This isn’t funny, and it never will be.” He tugged Drew’s hair. “But feel free to tell me more about how you were thinking ofme.”
“Well, I was thinking about what you said earlier. About how the right path isn’t always obvious, so you need to find your own right way of doingthings.”
“I saidthat?”
“Mmmhmm.”
“Huh. I’m pretty damnsmart.”
“Occasionally,” Drew agreed. “And I couldn’t help thinking I was letting my fear prevent me from finding that right way. Because the truth is…” He took a deep breath and the look in his brown eyes was one that Bas hoped to see every day for the rest of his life. “The truth is that I don’t think wecanbe fucked up, Sebastian. Not as long as we stick together, not as long as we’re fighting for each other and putting each otherfirst.”
Bas sucked in a deep breath. He wasnotgoing to cry, goddamn it. Not when he was about to get everything he’d never imagined having. “That, right there, is proof that we are perfect for each other,” he told Drew. “Because you’re pretty damn smart,too.”
Drew laughed, leaning forward to rest his forehead on Sebastian’s chin. His warm breath tickled Bas’sjaw.
“Clearly notthatsmart, though,” Bas mused, and when Drew pulled back to spear him with a narrow-eyed glare, Bas cupped Drew’s jaw in one hand and whispered, “A truly smart man would have kissed me bynow.”
Drew’s eyes widened. “You… you’resure.”
“I’msure.”
“Definitelysure?”
