If he kept telling himself that, maybe Monty would believe it. Except last night felt like a giant leap forward, only for Rue to take more steps back by leaving the way he did.Without talking.
He couldn’t deny it, this was Monty’s issue. He planned to talk about it tonight during the call with Kendrick, who he was clearly a conduit to openness. But something was amissat work with the urgent meeting Rue messaged about. As the PAs weren’t invited, it came with a feeling it wasn’t good news. Monty could try to guess but the list could be endless, so why bother?
He checked the time before plating the leftover chicken parmigiana and placing it in the oven to warm. He’d washed up, had a shower, tidied the living room, changed the bedroom sheets, and now was at a loose end.
Chimes coming from the living room got him eagerly rushing to answer the iPad call. The thrumming of excitement increased as he pressed the green button to accept the call and Kendrick’s grinning face filled the screen.
“Hey honey, don’t you look sexy.”
Monty gave a twirl in his new black lounge pants. They fit perfectly, to show off his backside to its full potential. Monty was well aware of how much both men loved his ass. He’d paired the pants with a dark gray, loose-fit T-shirt with a wide neck that slipped off one shoulder. He felt it added a sexiness to the casual wear, and by Kendrick’s comment he’d say he was right on the money. Now he hoped Rue thought the same, and it encouraged him to stay again.
“Why, thank you.” He fluttered his eyelashes as he sat cross-legged on the couch in front of the iPad.
“Where’s Rue?”
“Running late. Silas called an urgent meeting,” Monty explained.
Kendrick had pulled quite a few double shifts with Trey needing time to organise house renovations on the place he’d bought for him and Cassidy. Monty could see Kendrick’s exhaustion despite only seeing him on the small screen.
“Bugger. I hope it ain’t anything serious.”
“Me too.” Monty perched his elbows on his knees and rested his chin on his fists. “Are you gonna get some time off afterall these extra shifts you’re putting in? You look tired.” Monty didn’t have the same worries about talking freely with Kendrick as Rue did.
“I’ve interviewed several guys this afternoon. A couple looks like they may be a good fit. They’re coming in to do a couple of shifts, and if they pan out, then I can take a few days off.” He sat forward, holding Monty’s gaze. “Maybe take a flight up to Hazardville? You up for a visitor and putting me up at your place for a few days?”
Monty wiggled his butt and giggled outrageously loud at the excitement bubbling inside him. He didn’t care if he was being very obvious. “Yes. Yes. One hundred percent yes.”
Kendrick’s laughter came through the speaker, filling the room. “So that’s a yes then?”
“Silly,” Monty snickered.
A message popped up on the screen. He caught the “I’m on my way,” before it disappeared, and the wiggles were back.
“Rue’s on his way, should be about ten minutes.”
“We can hope he’s as happy as you.” Kendrick didn’t sound as confident, despite the jokey tone.
Then Monty recalled the disappearing act this morning, and his bubble burst. “He stayed last night.”
Kendrick’s only reaction was a brow arch. “You sound conflicted.”
The man was good at picking up on things Rue tended to miss. “Not about him staying, more the fact he did a cut and run while I was in the shower. Weirdest thing. It was all chill, heck, he laughed at something I said, then he was hightailing out the door shouting goodbye without the decency of saying it to my face.” He hated how it came out as a whine, but there it was.
“He’s still adjusting, honey. Rue’s a man who sees things in black and white. He has his reasons for this, I’m sure. We just need to be patient with him. He’s worth it, isn’t he?”
“You both are,” Monty confessed, releasing a shuddering breath. Two weeks in and he was making room in his life and heart for Kendrick, the same as he’d done for Rue, whether or not the other man got that.
“Honey, I wish I could kiss you right now.” The need shone out at Monty and brought with it a splash of cold-water reality. Making room wasn’t going to be enough with the distance between them. A holiday wouldn’t always be enough when Monty wanted… more.
Stop being greedy.
It’s not greedy to want more.His animal was adamant about that, making Monty struggle to contain a discontented sigh.
The sound of an engine idling got Monty shifting to get up. “I think Rue’s here!” He went to the window and saw Rue parking in the empty space in front of his apartment block. His pulse gave a mighty leap as he considered how Rue would react to the news of Kendrick coming for a visit. “It’s him,” he said aloud, andplease let him be happy,though he kept that part inside his head.
Monty buzzed Rue in and was at the door of his apartment when he crested the top step. “Come on, Kendrick’s waiting for you.”
Something about the wariness in his expression set Monty’s nerves aflutter. Shit.
