“What? At twenty-seven, I’m not old enough to want to buy my own house or find the guy I want to spend the rest of my life with?”
Jared hadn’t thought about any of those things, but then he was five years younger, and he was in the process of discovering who he was after losing himself completely.
“But you said the other day that you don’t really want to be an accountant,” he pointed out.
Kyrone shrugged. “I want to be able to give my man a good life. Maybe adopt kids one day and givethema good life. Is that wrong?”
“Of course not. But can’t you do all thatandhave a job you actually love?”
“Dad wanted me to be an accountant.”
Jared was feeling beyond frustrated. “But is it whatyouwant? Is livinghisdream going to makeyouhappy?”
They stared at each other for what felt like far too long. Jared braced himself to get thrown out, which would have been awkward, as his clothes were spinning around in the washing machine, sopping wet.
“I hope so,” Kyrone said quietly. “Because the last promise I made to him was that I’d become what he wanted me to be.”
Jared grimaced. “He’s gone,” he whispered. “Don’t you think he’d rather you were happy than keeping a promise that’s going to make you miserable?”
“You didn’t know my dad, Jared.”
Jared dipped his chin to his chest. “No… But I am starting to get to know you. I don’t want to see you unhappy. You haven’t talked about your degree or your career aspirations much, but every time you have, there’s been sadness in your eyes. It’s obvious it’s not what you really want.”
Kyrone ran his hands from Jared’s hips to his knees. “Why is this bothering you so much?”
Jared looked up sharply. “I told you.”
Kyrone pressed a finger to Jared’s lips. “I heard what you said, but this whole concept of living your own life, not the one your parents want for you is something that’s really important to you, isn’t it?”
Jared sighed. “My parents had my whole life planned out for me, but it’s not whatIwanted.” Maybe it had been what he’d wanted before his accident, but he had no way of knowing. “I left home to get away from their demands that I follow their dream for me.”
“And ended up in Leeds?” Kyrone asked.
“Yes.”
“From law to tattoo artist.”
“It’s about as dramatic a jump as going from the Navy to doing an economics degree.”
“While being a pole dancer and stripper on the side. Don’t forget that.”
Jared chuckled. “How could I?” He shifted position so he could lie against Kyrone’s chest, avoiding his tattoo, with his head resting in the crook of his neck. “The tattoo artist part just sort of happened.”
“How?”
“Faye saw me drawing in a coffee shop. She was impressed, we started talking, and she offered me an apprenticeship.”
Kyrone whistled. “Your artwork must be pretty impressive. Would you show me some soon?”
Jared nodded. “I’d like that.”
“You’re not doing a very good job,” Kyrone chastised.
Jared frowned. “Of what?”
“Persuading me to take my clothes off.”
Jared laughed. “I’d forgotten about that.”
