With Spencer securely tucked to his side, he walked him out of the elevator, unlocked the door to his apartment and half led, half dragged Spencer to the sofa. He plopped him down and gazed at his sprawled-out friend. Normally, Spencer was impeccably dressed, with his mane of hair carefully styled, but drunk Spencer’s T-shirt was wrinkled and untucked from his skinny jeans, and his hair was a shaggy mess of waves.
What had happened to him? Aside from being totally smashed, Spencer seemed okay. But Wolf knew the ugliness a well-put-together outside could hide.
“I feel like you’re staring at me, but I can’t open my eyes.” Spencer tipped over to lie stretched out.
“I’ll make you some coffee. And get you aspirin and water.”
“You’re so good to me. I wish you liked me. I wish…” He hiccupped and groaned.
Startled by Spencer’s words, Wolf stared at him for a moment, then reached out to brush the hair from his face.
“Don’t worry,” Spencer whispered. “I won’t tell and ruin your rep.”
Wolf bit back a smile. “Stay put.” He left Spencer and went into the kitchen, where he brewed a cup of strong black coffee, shook out two extra-strength aspirin, and poured a glass of water. Hands full, he returned to the living room to find Spencer fast asleep, cheek pressed to the pillow he’d been clutching, looking like an angel.
Angel face, devil mind.
Knowing the extent of Spencer’s drunken state, it would be impossible to wake him. Wolf set the aspirin and glass of water on the table next to him, took the coffee to the kitchen, and poured it into the sink.
Then he undressed, methodical as always, and abandoned the idea of a steam shower and Scotch. All he wanted was his bed. As he slid under the covers, he allowed himself a forbidden thought:What if Spencer joined me?
He glanced at his pristine bed, set his alarm for five a.m., and closed his eyes.
***
The beeping woke him, and Wolf dragged his tired eyelids open. He turned off the noise, and with a grunt and yawn, sat up and rubbed his face. The gym bag in the corner mocked him, and he grimaced but left the warm comfort of his bed to head to the shower. No doubt Spencer would still be asleep.
He showered, put on shorts and a T-shirt, and went to the living room to replace the warm water in the glass with fresh. He stopped short at the sight of the empty couch. The aspirin was gone, and the glass half-empty. He hurried to the bathroom, then did a quick run-through of the apartment.
No Spencer.
“Little shit. He’s getting me back for four years ago.” Wolf paced the floor. “No big deal. Just surprised he was able to wake up so early.” With his head cleared, Wolf returned to the bedroom, picked up his gym bag, and left the apartment.
On his way past the front desk, he stopped to talk to the concierge.
“Morning, Wilson. Did you see a blond man leave earlier? Probably a little disheveled-looking?” He tried to be kind.
“Yes, sir, Mr. Wolf.” Wilson had only started working there a month ago and hadn’t yet embraced the familiarity between the owners and the building staff. “He came by around four.”
“Huh. Okay, thanks.”
“Goin’ to work out?”
“Yes. I always need a good run and lift in the morning.”
“You’re really dedicated to do it so early. I’d rather sleep in. Enjoy.”
Wolf smiled, crossed the lobby, and was out the door. The gym was close by, and in less than ten minutes he was pounding on the treadmill, burning all the excess energy running through him. He should call to make sure Spencer got home okay. No doubt Spencer would make more of that than he should, but it was common courtesy.
He finished his run, then pushed himself through a punishing weight routine.
Once in the locker room, he decided a text would be safer and typed out:Just making sure you’re alive.
He saw the text was read immediately, but when a minute or two passed with no answer, he breathed a sigh of relief and shoved the phone into his gym bag. He’d done everything a responsible person could do. He had a difficult enough day ahead of him, and the last thing he needed was to have Spencer on his mind.
Any more than he normally had for the past four years.
Chapter Three
