“Made content. Fucked strangers.”
“Together?”
Evan presses his lips together and nods.
“He hurt you.”
“He did.”
“That’s not what this is,” I tell him.
“It feels a little like it.”
“Come here.” I pat the cushion beside me.
He walks over and sits next to me. His familiar scent is an assault on my senses. All of them. I can taste him, feel him, hear the sounds…I want to fuckingconsumehim.
“I know you don’t want to hurt me. I believe you when you say that. But with all this new information, the main reason I came tonight is to figure out if I can still work for you, and I won’t let you guilt me into it.”
“Whatwillconvince you, then?” I ask because there are depressingly few items left in my arsenal. About all I have left is money.
Deacon arrives on the balcony and hands me my phone before taking a seat on the opposite couch, across the fire pit from me and Evan. Evan gives him a wide-eyed glance. An awkward moment threatens, but Deacon says, “I ordered abunch of Italian food. Should be here in forty-five minutes. And I opened a bottle of red.”
“Thank you,” I tell him even as my stomach firmly objects to every word.
“What are you guys talking about?” Deacon asks.
I answer. “We were discussing what it would take to get Evan to stay at Polytech.”
Evan shakes his head. To me he says, “That’s between us.” Addressing Deaconandme, he continues, “What I need from you guys is to pick a lane. Once you figure out your business, I’ll figure out where to take mine.”
Deacon makes a face at him. He doesn’t look pleased. “It’s hard for me to understand how you can have sex with the same person for months and not be interested in them for any other reason.”
Evan looks called out. “I never said I wasn’t interested.”
“He definitely likesyou,” Deacon says.
“I didn’t know that until Monday.”
“And if you had?”
I watch this exchange like a tennis match.
Evan drops the ball. He’s speechless a long moment before he says quietly, “I don’t know.”
I look at Evan. “Are you willing to entertain the possibility of having a real relationship with me?”
“You’re myboss,Isaac.”
“I can’t recall a single time that ever stopped you.”
“From fucking you? It’s not like you were pushing me away.”
“Well, no because when I do, you pitch a fit and start pouting. Showing up in slutty pants.”
Deacon chuckles. Evan glares at him. “What?”
“You’re kind of cute,” he says. “The two of you.”
