“You’re very diligent.Diligent people often do more than they must.”
“It’s work experience, okay?And it’ll be just a few hours.”
Peter sighed.“I suppose spending a few nights a week out of the house would be—”
“You can’t come.”
Peter’s near-white brows rose.“Excuse me?”
“You’ll distract the clients being all handsome and aloof.Plus, you’ll distract Celeste.”
“Theodore—”
“You can pick me up.Or Carl can drive me home.”
“Who’s Carl?”
“He works security at the Boudoir.You’ve met.Look, I’m doing this.”Theo stood.“I’ll just go grab a pen to annotate this sexy dragon book.”He waved the paperback.
Peter wasn’t easy to walk away from though.He matched Theo’s steps, putting an arm around him.His touch was gentle and light.“If this is what you want, it’s how it will be.I’ll make your chocolate, and then I’ll amend our contract.”
Theo flushed.“So you don’t mind?Being exclusive.You’re okay with that?At least for now?I know things can change over time and—”
“They won’t change.I want no one but you.I never wanted anything else.”
“Oh.”
They were almost back in the kitchen when Peter said, “Of course, there are other people working at the firm.Objectively good-looking ones, even.Theodore, if you are set on getting work experience, perhaps you’d consider something at my office?You could keep an eye on me that way.”
Once again, it sounded so reasonable.And it made sense in Theo’s head.A part of himwantedto say yes, wanted to sit in some fancy office chair outside some even fancier office where he could spy on Peter and keep track of who was talking to him, smiling at him, but that was ridiculous.Theo could ask for exclusivity, but he had no right to demand it permanently.Relationships changed, and theirs was only a contractual one to begin with.Even if he really liked Peter very much.
“I’ll be fine at the Boudoir.Just get the contract amended.I trust you.”
And he did.Theo couldn’t quite imagine Peter treating anyone else like he treated him, taking anyone else down to the basement and watching an old movie with them.
Peter was perfectly still for a moment before he said, “Theodore, may I hold you?”
“If it means I finally get my hot chocolate, sure.”
Peter huffed.“Just for a second, precious one.I’ve missed holding you all day.You have no idea just how much.”
When Peter’s arms closed around Theo, he felt perfectly safe all of a sudden, and some tension he’d not realized had settled in the muscles of his back bled out of him.A feeling came with being held that Theo had no name for.He pushed it out of his mind and tried focusing and looking forward to the hot chocolate instead.
Chapter 6
Peterbreathedinthescent of Theo’s hair, pressing him as close as was reasonable.Though I want to hold him closer, so close we become one.He felt mildly guilty for thinking that, seeing as how he very much enjoyed Theodore being himself, but there was a certain relief in this simple physical contact that made him long for more of it.
The day had been confusing, with Theodore, Corvin, the pup, and potentially Carl eating lunch together, then going to a bookstore as if it were the most normal thing.Peter was still not sure what all of that had been about, and he wasn’t sure whom he could reach out to in order to get this mystery solved.
Thus, he allowed the hug to go on until Theo began shifting.Peter released him, marveled at this man who was so unique, so unlike anything Peter might’ve dreamed of wanting in another being.
And yet, here we are.
“You like the dark chocolate with shavings of the white, yes?”
Theodore licked his generous lips.“Yeah.It’s really weird that the only human thing you can make is really good hot chocolate, you know?”
Peter pulled out Theo’s chair for him to sit before taking off his suit jacket, draping it over the back of his own chair, and making his way to the stove.
