“Thank you, Sir.”
“This’ll be fine.”
When he finally meets my gaze, he looks…grief-stricken. “What did I just do?” he whispers.
I pull him in for a hug. “Remember, you can always drop out later, if you have to. We’ll cite your health, or your parents, or something. Anything.”
That he lets me hold him like this, in the vehicle, shows me how truly torn apart he is inside. “What if he walks away from me and orders you to go with him?”
He doesn’t need to clarify who he means. “He can’t, because I won’t leave you.” I clamp his face in my hands and make him look at me. “You’re stuck with me, boy. Get that through your handsome head.”
* * * *
It’s six o’clock by the time we return to the residence. Elliot is totally fried, and while his staff wanted him to stay later and eat dinner with them, I played bad cop and said he had phone calls to deal with and got us out of there.
Technically, not a lie, because I’m sure there will be a chat with Leo tonight.
Upstairs, I strip Elliot and we take a soak in the tub.
“Have you turned your cell back on?” he asks.
We’re sitting with my arm draped around his shoulders and he’s practically wrapped around me. I nuzzle the top of his head. “Not yet.”
I haven’t even checked my personal e-mail. I’ve been a little damned busy, you know.
“You realize he’s probably worried about you.”
“Not my concern right now.”
Maybe that’s a little vindictive of me.
Maybe.
Maybe?
All right,fuck. Iknowthat’s vindictive of me.
Ask me if I give a shit.
I mean, Itotallydo, but it’s all I can think to do in this moment.
The worst thing is, I’m pissed more at myself than I am at Leo.
I mean, okay, I’m pissed at Leo for not coming after me, for letting contact lapse, and, yes, I’m really pissed off at him for letting Elliot get as bad as he did.
Honestly?
I don’t know how to face Leo yet.
I’m not ready for that. Let me deal with one massive upheaval in my life at a time, all right? I was just starting to find my footing back in Tallahassee when…
Sigh.
No, I wasn’t. Why should I lie to myself? I was stuck and miserable and nothing was getting better.
Not until Elliot showed up.
That means I’m not letting him go.
