“You literally ordered me to sleep in this bed with you. Don’t complain about the consequences.”
He had a point. I settled more comfortably against him, letting my eyes drift closed. My body felt pleasantly worn out, satisfied in a way I hadn’t experienced in a long time. Maybe ever.
“James?” Kent’s voice was quiet, almost hesitant.
“Hmm?”
“Thank you. For not letting me push you away.”
I laced my fingers through his where they rested on my stomach. “Always.”
His breathing evened out within minutes, and I wasn’t far behind. Whatever tomorrow brought—whether it was disaster or salvation, we’d face it together. That I was sure of.
Chapter 20
Kent
All morning I’d been doing everything I could to be busy. It wasn’t often that I was actually at the office for the construction company. Usually I was out at jobs, supervising on site and making sure everything ran smoothly. But today Derek had asked me directly to come in for the day. I wanted to convince myself it was just for paperwork that I’d fallen behind on. But I knew the truth. Derek wanted to talk about my outburst last night at the bar.
That coupled with the fact that I’d fucked my stepbrother for the first time last night, had me on edge in a way that I didn’t know was possible. I hadn’t been able to eat all morning, and the thought of coffee made my stomach turn. My hands were already shaking, and I doubted the caffeine would make that any better anyway.
I’d busied myself with organizing supply invoices, checking time sheets, and responding to emails that didn’t really need immediate responses. Anything to avoid thinking about the inevitable conversation with Derek.
Around ten-thirty, his office door opened and he stuck his head out, scanning the room until his eyes landed on me.
“Kent. Got a minute?”
My stomach dropped. “Yeah, sure.”
I stood up, my legs feeling unsteady as I crossed the open office space. A few of the other guys glanced up from their desks, and I wondered if they’d already heard about last night. If Tyler had been running his mouth all morning.
Derek’s office was small but organized, with blueprints tacked to one wall and a massive desk covered in project folders. He gestured to the chair across from him as he settled into his own seat.
“Close the door, would you?”
Fuck. That wasn’t a good sign.
I did as he asked and sat down, trying to appear calm even though my heart was hammering against my ribs. Derek leaned back in his chair, studying me with an expression I couldn’t quite read.
“So,” he started, folding his hands on the desk. “Want to tell me what happened last night?”
I’d rehearsed this conversation a dozen times in my head during the sleepless hour before dawn, but now that I was actually sitting here, all my carefully planned explanations evaporated.
“I overreacted,” I said finally. “Tyler was making some jokes that rubbed me the wrong way, and I should’ve just let it go.”
“Jokes about your stepbrother being gay.”
“Yeah.”
Derek nodded slowly. “From where I was sitting, it looked like a lot more than an overreaction,” he added carefully. “You were legitimately upset, which is fine. Tyler’s jokes can go a little far sometimes. But if last night had been a month or two ago, you would’ve been making those jokes right along with him.”
I swallowed hard, knowing he was right. A few weeks ago, I would’ve been the first one to crack a joke about James bringinghome some guy from a bar or making comments about him checking me out. The realization made shame curl hot in my gut.
“People change,” I said, my voice coming out more sheepish than I intended.
“They do,” Derek agreed. “But not usually overnight. So, I’m going to ask you something, and I need you to be honest with me. Not as your boss, but as someone who considers you a friend.”
My pulse kicked up another notch. “Okay.”
