“Do you have a condom?” the younger man asked.
“Yes. Plenty of them,” Slade told him. “And this doesn’t happen without one.”
“Good.” Another smile.
“I’m gonna grab somethin’ to drink,” Carson said. “Why don’t you two get comfortable in the bedroom?”
Slade had expected at least a little hesitancy on Phillip’s part, but there wasn’t any. He looked to Slade for direction, then let him steer him down the hall to the guest room.
Once in the room, Slade flipped the wall switch, which turned on the lamps on the nightstands. It was a bit off-putting since it felt like it was designed for seduction. Had Carson used this room for this before?
Phillip turned toward him. “Can I touch you now?”
God, the guy was eager.
“Yeah,” Slade told him. “Why the hell not?”
Another pleased grin was plastered on Phillip’s face as he closed the gap between them. Without hesitation, Phillip slid his palms over Slade’s chest, bunching the cotton of his T-shirt.
“So many muscles.”
“Take off my shirt,” Slade instructed.
Phillip sighed, then slowly removed Slade’s T-shirt, touching as much of him as he could when he did.
“Oh, my.” Phillip licked his lips. “I want to lick you.”
Great.
“Not yet.”
A horn honked, pulling Slade out of the memory. He kept walking, scoping his surroundings. He had no business reflecting on that memory. It had been the first of many times he took a stranger to Carson’s house, fucking him in Carson’s guest room while Carson watched.
Slade would be lying if he said he hadn’t enjoyed himself in the moment. It was after that the regret would hit him, and he would be left feeling dirty and depraved. Whenever he tried to talk to Carson about it, the man would get defensive, laying the blame firmly at Slade’s feet. Even when he hadn’t been accusing him, Carson would always point the finger at him.
That wasn’t what he was looking for. Even if the idea of being with Atticus and Carson fired the blood in his veins, Slade didn’t want to go back there. He didn’t want to experience that shame again. And he damn sure didn’t want Atticus to experience it. One night might be fun, yeah. But if that was all it was going to be, Slade wasn’t interested.
And he intended to tell Carson that the next time he saw him.
Which was not going to be tonight. He wasn’t having dinner with him. Not now. Maybe not ever.
***
JJ came awake slowly when she heardmovement beside the bed. She opened her eyes to see a young woman wearing scrubs standing next to her, writing something on her chart.
Her chart.
Crap. She was still in the hospital.
With a sigh, she shifted in the bed, attempting to take some of the pressure off her bladder. When she turned, she saw Baz sitting in the recliner near the window. Yeah, he was sitting, but he wasn’t relaxed. His elbows were resting on his knees, and his back was hunched.
He smiled softly. “Hey.”
JJ wiped her eyes, convinced she was dreaming. “Are you really here?”
Baz’s smile intensified, lighting up JJ’s entire world. “I’m here.”
She reached for his hand.
