“I don’t know—but if there’s even the slimmest chance they learn you and Dash are fucking, it might not go over well for either of you.”
Emerson cocked his head to the side, trying to mask his shock. Had Dash told him what they’d spent the night doing? “I think you’ve got the wrong idea.”
“I know what happened.”
“I seriously doubt that,” Emerson said.
“He didn’t have to tell me. I could see it on his happy fucking face this morning,” Davis said.
Emerson fought a smile, wrestling it from his lips before Davis saw.
“Then he made one little slip, and it was clear he’d fucked the one man he shouldn’t have.” Davis’s frown grew. “You’re a mistake he’s going to end up regretting.”
All the fight fled from Emerson’s body. He took a step back as if wounded, struggling to breathe in. “I don’t want to be that for him. I want…” He shoved a hand through his hair. None of this was Davis’s business. He didn’t know what the guy really knew or if he was simply on a fishing expedition. “I’m not supposed to…” Emerson froze before he said too much, the emotions running through him too overpowering for logic to win. “Never mind. I never should’ve come here.”
The anger in Davis’s face softened a bit.
“I have no intention of hurting Dash.” Emerson took a shaky breath. “Can you just tell him I stopped by? I was going to offer a ride to his car if he hadn’t gone to get it yet.”
“I’ll make sure he gets it. Don’t worry,” Davis said.
Emerson nodded. “Good.Great.”He took a steadying breath before he spun and headed for the front steps. “See ya around.”
He’d barely reached the door before Davis said, “It’s not easy on him, either, you know?”
Emerson turned to face Davis.
“After he asked you to leave his office, he struggled.Hard.He doesn’t talk about it, but he’s not been the same since he met you,” Davis said.
“You’re not making it any easier,” Emerson said.
“I came off harsh, but it’s because I care about him. I sense you do, too.”
Emerson dragged his gaze away, silent.
“If you do, you need toprotect him.Even if that means you stay away from him.”
Emerson lifted his gaze to Davis. The man sauntered closer and lowered his voice. “In a perfect world, the two of you could be together—but this world is far from perfect. The consequences of what you two do will destroy you both and ripple through a lot of lives. Youneedto stay away from him. After what I saw this morning, I don’t think he’s going to be strong enough to make that happen himself.”
Emerson closed his eyes for a couple of seconds. “I tried to stay away. For months. It drove me insane, but I kept my distance because heaskedme to go.”
Davis’s expression softened.
“Then fate put him back in my path again last night—and I couldn’t fight it any longer. Neither could he.”
“You were a good boy and left him alone.” Davis sighed, shaking his head. “Until you didn’t. You need to be stronger than that.”
Emerson glared at Davis. “I didn’t seek him out, nor him me. It justhappened.”
“Youdorealize what happens if you two are caught, right?”
Emerson clenched his jaw. “You know I do.”
“Yet you came here anyway, exposing both of you to more danger. What did you hope would happen if Dash was here?”
Emerson eyed Davis. “I don’t know.”
“Youdoknow,” Davis said, lowering his voice to an angry whisper. “You wanted in his bed again.”
