“And I love you.” André held out his free hand, and when Chess took it, André pressed his lips to each finger. No matter how many times it happened, those sweet romantic moments were always heart-stopping. “Sometimes…”
At André’s pause, Chess’s heart raced. “What?”
André’s tender gaze searched his face. “Sometimes I think you’re holding back from me. You know you can tell me anything. I love you. Nothing can change that. Ever. Nothing and no one.”
But Chess had once believed parents were supposed to love you forever. Instead, his father had denied him and left, and his mother had fallen into the blackness of addiction.
“I’m not. There’s nothing that interesting about me. I’m just a plain, boring professor.” He grinned. “And I love you too. More than anything.”
They finished their champagne, and Chess wandered to the wall of windows. “The ocean is so beautiful, so free and natural. And this place is gorgeous. Maybe…maybe we could have the wedding here?”
“Whatever you’d like.”
That less-than-enthusiastic response wasn’t what he’d hoped for, but when André smiled, Chess dismissed his misgivings as nitpicking.
They gathered up the remains of their picnic, and then André locked up and they followed the path to the main residence.
“We’re here,” André called out. Neither Dottie nor Freddie was in the kitchen, though the air was fragrant with the smell of baking bread, and Chess could detect a hint of chocolate. “Huh. That’s odd. Maybe they’re in the front of the house.” They set the fruit and cheese on the table and walked through the large kitchen to the hallway.
As they turned the corner, Chess asked, “How many rooms are there again? Maybe you should give me a map of this place.”
“I think twenty altogether? Ten bedrooms…I don’t remember.” André peered into the library as they passed by, and then into the recreation room with the pool table, full bar, and eighty-inch television. “Where the heck are they?”
They stopped outside a music room with a grand piano and a huge portrait of André’s mother over the fireplace. “Are you sure we’re still in New York?” he joked. “I’m totally lost.”
“Don’t worry, love. I’ll always find you.” Playful like Chess hadn’t seen him in too long, André pinched his ass and pushed him up against the wall. “How about we look for them later? I want to make love to my fiancé.”
“Mmm. I like the sound of that word.Fiancé.” At the first touch of André’s lips to his, Chess sighed with pleasure and wrapped his arms around his neck. “Who were we looking for again?”
André chuckled as they continued kissing. A late afternoon spent lounging in bed sounded like a dream.
“André, my love. I’m here.”
Both he and André jumped at the voice and sprang apart, high color reddening André’s cheeks. He turned pale immediately as he faced the man who stood watching them with a grin on his face.
“Kyle? What the fuck are you doing here?”
Chapter Eight
His lips still throbbed from kissing Chess, but all thoughts of sex fled from André’s mind at the sight of Kyle standing there with his trademark smirk. Not a gleaming blond hair was out of place, and dressed in a polo and jeans, he might’ve been a friend come to spend the afternoon.
If André was in the habit of being friends with snakes, that was. Or cheating exes from more than twenty years ago. Eyes narrowed, he left Chess’s side and strode over to Kyle.
“I asked you what you’re doing here.”
“Sweetheart, you might’ve run away to play house with the boyfriend, but there’s a business to take care of, and technically, you’re still in charge.” Kyle reached out as if to touch him, but André slapped his hand away. “You can’t disappear on the company.”
“I’m not playing house. I’m entitled to my life. Chess and I came here to get away for a while and be by ourselves. You should’ve spoken with my mother. She would’ve told you to leave us alone. It was her idea for us to come to the Hamptons.”
“Yes. I know.” Kyle’s searching gaze set André on high alert.
“Your trip was for nothing. Go home to Paris, or wherever you’re laying your head these days.” He held out a hand to Chess, who ignored him and remained silent, watching their back-and-forth like a ping-pong match. “Let’s go.”
“You used to like it when I lay next to you.”
The words hit him like a sharp blade against his skin, and he watched Chess pale, then draw his shoulders up, his gray eyes growing dark and stormy. “Who the hell is this, and what’s going on?” he gritted out, voice snapping like a whip across André’s cold-as-ice skin.
“Kyle Lewis is my mother’s legal counsel.”
