“Of course he’s hot,” Atticus said.“Although I’m not sure he wants to be my partner.”
“Why the fuck wouldn’t he?”Slade snapped, his tone irrationally defensive.“He’d be fuckin’ lucky to be your partner.”
Wait.What?
Feeling as though he was missing something, Atticus asked, “Who’re we talkin’ about again?”
“Archer.”
Atticus snorted a laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“I thought we were talkin’ about you.”
“I’m not your partner.”
“On this case you are,” Atticus corrected.Which was why he’d thought it was witty banter they were engaging in.Otherwise, he wouldn’t have said anything about anyone being hot.
Slade’s eyes narrowed.“So you don’t think he’s hot?”
“Who?”
“Archer,” Slade bit out.
“Jesus Christ.Why the fuck would I think he’s hot?”
“Because he’s hot.”
Atticus couldn’t help it; he laughed.Partly at the absurdity of this conversation.And partly because Slade just admitted to finding Archer Halligan hot.
“Well, it’s good to know where you stand on the matter.”
“I don’t mean it like that,” Slade said.
No, he probably didn’t.However, the topic of this conversation explained why Slade’s good mood had disappeared.Although Atticus wondered how it was possible, the man was nothing if not insecure.So, yeah, the presence of a new guy who happened to swing the same way they did would undoubtedly send him into a tizzy.
“Perhaps we could talk about somethin’ else,” Atticus suggested.
“Or maybe we shouldn’t talk at all,” Slade grumbled.
“Fuck.”Atticus was ready to pull his hair out.Slade’s mood swings were powerful enough to take out a town, and Atticus always seemed to be on the receiving end.
Slade shook his head, his fingers tightly wrapped around the steering wheel.“I’m sorry.”
Atticus didn’t respond.He wasn’t sure what to say.He wanted to tell Slade he had nothing to be insecure about, but he’d tried that, and it didn’t stick.It would.One day.He hoped.Maybe after he’d had time to prove to Slade that he was the man he wanted.
Well, himandCarson.
Okay, so maybe Atticus understood part of why Slade was insecure.The three of them were caught in this vicious cycle of want and need, and no one seemed to know how to get what they wanted without pissing someone else off.
To be honest, Atticus was ready to give up wanting anything for himself.He’d gladly resign himself to watching Slade and Carson together becauseholy fuck.He’d seen the chemistry between those two men firsthand the night Carson came over and apologized to Slade.Yeah, maybe he’d come over because Atticus set it up, but still.They’d worked it out.Naked.And Atticus had watched.He wasn’t insecure about it.
And he knew Carson liked watching him with Slade.The man was a self-proclaimed voyeur.
Despite what Slade might say, Atticus knew Slade enjoyed watching, too.There hadn’t been too much of that happening, but the one time it had, he’d seen the gleam in Slade’s eyes.
So maybe he needed to push for more of that.Odd man out watching for a little while.Perhaps then Slade would see that they wanted him as much as they wanted each other.
