“Fantastic.” Nate slammed his fork down into a part of the meat and picked up his knife, slicing it with more force than necessary. “You are an overgrown child, though, you do realize, right? Who steals someone’s clothes?”
“I like it better when you’re naked anyway.”
“You were throwing a tantrum. Why?”
“I don’t like the sound of that, Narek.”
“I’m not going to understand what I did to upset you unless you spell it out for me,Ambrose.”
“That is a sound argument.” He smirked. “You aren’t allowed to disappear in the morning.”
“I’m not going to ask permission to leave my own house,” Nate countered.
“Did I say I wanted you to do that?”
Nate frowned. “Then…what do you want?”
“At least wake me up and tell me goodbye. It sucks being left behind with no warning.”
For a moment, the pretty racer merely stared at him, and just as it was starting to become uncomfortable, he broke the silence. “Okay. I can do that. Sorry.”
“Good. I’ll do the same.” Not that Nate had asked that of him.
“Is it abandonment issues?”
“Wow, really going straight for the jugular.” Kaz would have been impressed if he hadn’t been the target.
“Just trying to get to know my boyfriend better,” he shrugged.
“For the record, it’s not fear of abandonment per se,” he found himself confessing, not even sure why he was bothering to explain himself. This was a subject he never spoke of, let alone shared, and yet Kaz wanted to tell Nate. Wanted him to understand. “My mom left and my dad never listens to me. I like closure, so to speak. Knowing when you’re coming and going? Knowing that you’re taking the time to inform me and—”
“Let you know I’ll be coming back?” Nate hummed. “I’ll trade you. No more sex out in the open. Private places are all right, but nowhere we can be walked in on or photographed. You do that, and I’ll do my best to listen. I won’t make you wake up alone in the morning with no goodbye.”
This must be that compromise Zane had mentioned. Kazimir had been against it before, but hearing Nate’s proposal now made sense. He tugged out his notebook and made a note to himself. “All right, Pretty Boy.”
In less than ten minutes, he’d somehow managed to get Kaz to agree to his terms not once, but twice.
Impressive was an understatement.
“What is that?” Nate pointed to the notebook.
“I like to jot random shit down,” Kaz said. He moved the small book close enough and flipped through the pages so Nate could see. “It’s just a hobby.”
“You journal?” He seemed surprised. “Why is it written in red?”
“It’s blood. I use a fountain pen.”
Nate laughed. “Very funny.”
“I’m serious.” Why would he joke about something like that?
The pretty racer blinked at him.
“Berga saves me some whenever he—” Kaz stopped when Nate held up his hand, looking a little paler than usual.
“Nope. You can spare me the gritty details, thanks.”
“Sure. Subject change. What is this?” He held up one of the paper coasters that were piled neatly in the center of the table.
