He reached it at the same time he saw Carson walking toward him. If he hadn’t been pushing the door open, he would’ve turned around and avoided the confrontation. Instead, he held his chin up and walked outside.
“Mornin’, Slade.”
Slade didn’t respond, choosing to assess the man instead. He looked happy. Exactly like a man who’d spent the night with Atticus should look.
“Don’t be jealous, Slade. It’s not a good look for you.”
“Fuck you,” he muttered, opting to walk away.
Before he could pass, Carson grabbed his arm and stopped him.
“You’re still welcome in my bed anytime.”
Slade glanced down at Carson’s hand on his arm, then up to his face and frowned. “Would be kinda crowded, don’t you think?”
Carson’s eyes heated. “I’m not so sure. I brought you up last night. Atticus seemed quite thrilled by the topic.”
Slade did his best not to react. The thought of them talking about him while they were… He shrugged off the erotic images that formed.
Carson’s voice lowered. “His cock was extremely thrilled.”
“He’s a good kid,” Slade hissed. “Don’t fuck with him.”
“That wasn’t a kid in my bed last night,” Carson stated firmly, his eyes hard. “He’s a grown man.”
Yeah, Slade knew that. Calling him one was a habit he couldn’t break. Or perhaps it was merely his way of attempting to keep his distance.
“Enjoy it while you can, Carson,” Slade seethed. “Once he realizes you wanna set him up so you can watch, he’ll be on his way.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure. I think Atticus is kinkier than you know.”
With a wink, Carson walked inside the bakery, leaving Slade to stare after him.
His thoughts drifted to the night Carson had convinced Slade to pick up another guy at a bar. The night had ended with Slade fucking someone else while Carson watched from the shadows. He’d known then that he wasn’t capable of being with a man like Carson. He wasn’t the sort who enjoyed hooking up with some random stranger. And since Carson had an extreme voyeur fetish, there was no way they could’ve worked.
Taking a deep breath, he turned and walked away, refusing to consider how that night would’ve been if it had been Atticus he’d fucked while Carson watched.
“Hey, you!”
Slade’s head snapped up, and he shoved all those inappropriate thoughts aside as JJ came strolling toward him.
“You’re out and about awfully early,” he said in greeting.
“I know. I couldn’t help it. I’m a sucker for cronuts. Maybe you could talk her into makin’ ’em every day. That way, me and the peanut can get our fill.”
“Don’t think I haven’t tried.” He held up his bag to show her he had the same addiction.
“Tell me she’s got more.” There was a sincere hint of panic in JJ’s tone.
“She’s got plenty,” he assured her with a laugh.
“Oh, thank God. It’s weird. Once I get my mind set on somethin’, I have to have it. If I don’t, I obsess about it until I do. I don’t get this whole pregnancy cravin’ thing.”
Slade laughed.
JJ rubbed her belly. “I won’t keep you.”
“Enjoy.”
