“Are we talking about a nap? Or a nap-nap?” He winked, and André chuckled as they rinsed off the suds.
“A real nap, love. I have a feeling I’ll need my strength for tonight.”
The shower finished, they dried off and slid under the covers again.
“Considering that Elliot, Win, and possibly Wolf are coming, you are correct.”
“I saw Wolf this morning. I didn’t have time to say before I attacked you.”
Chess snuggled next to him. “You don’t hear me complaining. How did that happen?”
“I was eating breakfast at our property on Las Olas, and he was sitting at a table on the patio, so of course I invited him to sit with me. He was there for depositions. It was nice to see him and get a chance to chat a little, one on one.”
“That’s unusual.” Chess’s brows drew together. “Was he talkative or merely listening?”
“I wouldn’t say he was talkative.” The damp strands of Chess’s hair slipped through his fingers as he idly played with them. The time was ripe for him to ask Chess, but the aftermath of sex, coupled with lack of sleep from the previous evening and the rush to and from Florida, were catching up with him. Better to wait until later when they’d had a whole evening behind them. “But we did have a chance to talk a little. I asked him why he chose criminal law and received one of his usual non-answers.”
Chess shook with laughter. “Now that sounds more like it.”
“He didn’t want to get into anything personal, of course. But there was something else.” He stopped petting Chess’s hair. “I didn’t know you’d told them about the pictures and me kissing another man.”
Chess stilled, then rolled away and faced him, looking abashed. “I’m sorry. I was upset and needed advice. And…uh, at lunch before, Kyle was sniping and insinuating things about the two of you, and I might’ve gone off on him a little. Spencer asked me why I was so upset. You know he’s not a simple party boy, and he’s pretty intuitive. When he asked me, I didn’t know what else to do but tell him an abbreviated version of the story.”
“Which was what?” Much as he loved the guys and enjoyed the close friendship they shared—so much so that he considered the three other men his friends separate and apart from his love for Chess—André wasn’t certain he wanted them to know about his personal pain.
“That Dawson came to you drunk and upset that his girlfriend had broken up with him, and you told him to sleep it off and he didn’t.”
Those words still brought a stab to his heart, and likely always would. “Thank you. I didn’t think you’d reveal what happened with Kyle. I hope you know if you ever told me anything as personal, I would do the same.”
Chess’s eyes widened, and he paled under his tan. “Wh-what do you mean?”
“If there was something in your past you never told me, you know I’d listen and never pass judgment. I want you to trust me, like I trust you.”
Chess blinked. “I do. I trust you with my life.”
Disappointed, André bit his lip. “So there’s nothing?”
His words hung between them, not as a challenge, but almost a plea. More than anything, André didn’t want to force Chess to unburden himself.
“No—yes. There is something, but it can wait.”
“No, tell me.” He propped himself up with the pillows.
“Last night I met someone I used to know.”
“Last night? Where were you?”
“Spencer took me to the event he’d originally come out here for, and then we went to a club in East Hampton. We met Henry and Bianca there, as a matter of fact. But I ran into this guy Oliver whom I knew when I was a teenager, and he’s had a rough time of it. Been in jail for a minor drug offense, but he’s trying to get his life together.”
Despite his desire to get Chess to open up about himself, André couldn’t help but love that Chess was so giving and always wanted to help.
“And? Where is this leading? Was he an old boyfriend?”
Startled eyes met his, and Chess’s face washed red before turning pale. “Boyfriend? No, not at all. We knew each other. I felt bad that he’s struggling because people don’t want to hire someone with a record.”
“And you were wondering if I could find a place for him at Webster Properties.”
Relief brightened Chess’s face. “Yes. I mean I know he’d have to interview, and I’m not really sure what his skills are or anything…”
