“Not really. I hate these things.”
That was a surprise. Sam figured Zach would be used to these events and receiving the accolades from his peers. “Why?”
Zach shrugged but didn’t answer.
Deciding it was time to change the subject, Sam steered the conversation to something more pleasant—the after the ceremony activity.
“So do they have you tied up after the dinner or are you free?”
They’d reached the part of the boardwalk where their hotel was located, but as neither of them made any effort to go indoors, Sam motioned to one of the empty benches. “Want to sit for a while?”
Zach chose the closest bench and sat without answering, placing the bag with the fudge next to him. Sam sat beside him and stretched his legs.
“I was thinking maybe we could get together afterward.” When Zach failed to acknowledge him, Sam’s grin faded. “Unless you already have plans.”
“No. I have no plans. But don’t you?” Zach watched the Frisbee players on the beach. “You came with a friend; don’t you want to spend time with him?”
Not if Sam had Zach waiting for him and they could end up like they did last night. The thought of being inside Zach again sent the blood straight to his dick. “Henry has work to do, and he’s married. He’s not into the party scene.”
“And you are?”
Not wanting to seem too old, Sam gave a self-conscious laugh. “Isn’t everyone you meet these days?”
A surprisingly thoughtful look crossed Zach’s face. “I wonder if that’s true, or it’s because people are so lonely these days they pretend. We have everything at our fingertips; our phones and computers have made it possible for us to isolate ourselves, or only show people what we want.”
This was a pretty heavy conversation, one Sam hadn’t anticipated, but Zach was right. “And sometimes you can live with a person, see them everyday, and not really know who they are; you don’t have to hide behind a screen. You think you know them, but they never were the person they claimed to be.”Shit. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
The searching look Zach gave him didn’t encourage Sam to open up any further. This was not the way he anticipated spending his day; he was here to have fun and let loose.
“How about we make plans for after the dinner? We can meet and have drinks, maybe go to the casino.” He nudged Zach’s shoulder. “And whatever else we can think of.”
When Zach didn’t answer right away Sam grew a bit nervous, thinking he came on too strong, or maybe Zach wasn’t interested anymore.
“Hey, it’s all right. I understand you not wanting to tie yourself down for the evening.”
“No, not at all. I’d love to get together.” Zach stared out at the ocean, which was calm now. The gray-blue surface shimmered in the afternoon sunlight, and far out in the distance, Sam watched the sailboats gliding on the sparkling water. Maybe he’d get a house and a boat.
“You know what I’d really love to do?”
Hopefully what Zach was about to suggest involved a bed and getting naked and sweaty. “No, but go ahead and tell me.”
“I’d like to come back to the beach and walk along the water. Like we did last night.” That endearing blush crept up Zach’s neck again. “It’s one of the things I’ve always wanted to do, and since I’m leaving tomorrow, I want to do it again.” He hesitated. “With you. Is that okay?”
Emotions long held at bay rushed up to choke Sam, thwarting his ability to speak for a moment. So much conflict ran through him; from the start he’d intended to keep things light and easy between him and Zach. After all, this was a convention, and people got together without any expectation of forming an attachment. No strings. The two of them had nothing in common and would never have to see each other once the weekend was over.
But there was something so vulnerable about Zach, something Sam couldn’t put his finger on yet that drew him closer instead of pushing him away. What if there was something more, something that ran between them, burning brighter than mere mutual sexual attraction? Was Sam ready to take a chance and explore it? Was Zach? Underneath Zach’s youthful appearance and big blue eyes was a man who, Sam sensed, had climbed over roadblocks in life and suffered from them.
Somehow Zach had insinuated himself under Sam’s skin to the point where Sam thought about him in a different setting than the glitz and flash of the casino. Who was the real Zach Cohen? Was he a computer wonk, endlessly spouting details about apps and development software and stuff that made Sam’s head spin? Or was he a player, one of those whiz kids Sam would see on the news, who’d gotten too much, too soon, and used his money and fame to get what he wanted. Was it all an act to get Sam into bed?
Sam hated doubting himself; he’d always been so strong in his beliefs about life. But being cheated on, losing the job he loved, and having to start over at thirty-nine had left him wobbly and uncertain. As a cop, he’d prided himself on his instincts both in figuring out who committed a crime and the motives behind the person’s behavior. Too bad he’d paid more attention to his job than he did his own crumbling personal life, so now he floundered, suspicious, and second-guessing everyone he met.
Feeling more like a kid than a grown-ass man, Sam slipped his arm around Zach’s shoulders. “I’d like that too.”
Chapter Seven
“Andthewinner of the Next Big App award is Paul Smith, for his innovative design of It’s My Party, an app that allows people to collect data from multiple party-planning sources along with calendars, event planning websites, and everything anyone would need to make their special occasion run seamlessly.”
Applause rang out through the crowded ballroom, and after Zach handed the plaque to the nervous young man, he casually scanned the tables, trying to find Sam. He found him, along with his friend, at a table in the back. All the tables in the front and center were purchased by the big-name software developers and the other major sponsors of the event, so Zach wasn’t surprised to find the little guys conscripted to the tables with poorer visibility.
