I understand why he was so quickto react when that guy came at us. He wasn’t kidding when he said that shitabout having a gun pointed at him. And he knows more than any of us what it’slike when it goes off.
I step onto the roof, where Ifollowed him after our impromptu meeting came to an end.
He stands beside the ledge,glancing out at the illuminated buildings across New England.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seensomeone lost in thought like this. Usually, if people aren’t busy, they’re ontheir phone. Not just staring off.
As I near, he turns sharply. LikeI’ve surprised him.
“Sorry,” I say.
“You fucking pissed at me, too?”
“No. I’m sorry we jumped all overyou like that. It was a very…overwhelming incident. And you’re right about whatyou said.”
He appears shocked by myadmission.
“Did you think I was incapable ofsaying I was wrong about something?”
“Pretty much,” he says with asmirk.
“Whatever, you ass. I’m sorry if Icame across as a little pushy about…you know…”
“Now I’m starting to getsuspicious. You planning on killing me or something?”
“I just sympathize with you beingin a pretty tricky situation yourself. And I’m sorry that I’ve been a bit of anasshole since you got here.”
“I’m gonna have to get a foodtaster, aren’t I?”
“I was bothered about you beinghere, but I think today I saw that you aren’t all that different from me. Justtrying to do your job…and this isn’t an easy environment to do it in. With allthese rules. All these different players who are screaming at you to tell youwhat you should and shouldn’t be doing.”
“This job isn’t supposed to beeasy.”
“I guess not.”
We gaze into each other’s eyes,both of us seeming to wonder if we’re going to erase the memory of the othernight, when the passion was so hot, so intense, so frenzied. I don’t want toforget it, though. I hope he doesn’t want to either.
Now that I know about his past, Ijust want to blow him or let him inside me to help set him at ease. Give himsome relief from his painful memories.
“You know we can’t ever doanything like we did the other night, right?” he says.
I smile wryly. “Figured as much.You know, I was just messing around with you anyway. I mean, it was hot andall, but I don’t want you to feel weird if you’re going to be doing this job.”
I respect him, and I know thatdespite these cravings that he’s left me with, I would hate myself if we fuckedand he ended up resenting me for what we did.
Eleven
Bryce
“So you get it cut pretty short on the sides,” Darren says.“What is that? A number two?”
“One and a half.”
We sit in the hotel bar. Tadplayed a good game today, and he went right to bed when we got back, but Darrenand I weren’t tired, so after I changed into more casual clothes, we decided tohave a nightcap. Despite some playful flirtation on both our parts, nothing’scome of it. Too busy, and I’ve been on edge since my name started appearingonline as Tad’s asshole bodyguard who flipped the fuck out at a game.
As Debra mentioned, the threathasn’t been made public, so no one understands just how important his securityis.
“I like the way it’s longer ontop,” Darren says. “A very masculine look.”
