“Careful,” Maurice said, brushing a curl off Finn’s forehead. “This bed is already trying to seduce me. Don’t make it jealous.”
Finn grinned up at him, eyes bright. “Pretty sure I’m winning.”
Maurice didn’t argue. He just looked at him, really looked, letting the quiet stretch. The sunlight from the window hit Finn’s cheek, softening everything, and Maurice felt that familiar tug in his chest, the one he never bothered hiding anymore.
Finn’s smile faded into something gentler. He lifted a hand, resting it lightly against Maurice’s jaw. “Hey,” he whispered.
Maurice leaned in before he could overthink it. Their lips met, unhurried at first, with warmth. Finn shifted closer, fingers curling into Maurice’s shirt, and Maurice kissed him again, deeper this time, the kind of kiss that made the rest of the world feel like background noise. Except the world apparently didn’t appreciate being ignored. Maurice’s phone buzzed loudly on the nightstand.
They both froze.
Finn pulled back an inch, forehead still touching Maurice’s. “Seriously?”
Maurice groaned. “If that’s a telemarketer, I’m throwing my phone out the window.”
Finn laughed against his mouth, the sound soft and breathy. “You should probably check it.”
“I absolutely should not,” Maurice said, tightening his arm around him.
But the phone buzzed again—insistent, obnoxious, impossible to ignore.
Maurice sighed dramatically. “Fine. But I want it on record that this is ruining my very romantic moment.”
Finn nudged him with a smile. “We’ll get it back.”
Maurice believed him.
Maurice’s phone buzzed again, rattling on the nightstand like it had a personal vendetta. He groaned, rolled halfway off the bed, and grabbed it without looking at the screen. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
Maurice expected David. Or maybe the hotel confirming something. He
Maurice’s chest tightened. He hated he was about to ruin the moment—even a little.
He stepped into the bathroom, shut the door, and answered. “Hey, sorry to bother you, but I need you to take over my case in July.” Lawrence said immediately, no greeting, no hesitation.
“Is something going on?”
“I need the time off for surgery. I need the month.”
“Sorry to hear that. Of course, I can take the case.”
“Thanks.” Lawrence ended the call but that was how he was. Abrupt and to the point.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Maurice
He slipped his phoneinto his pocket, rolled his shoulders back, and walked out of the bathroom.
Finn was back to unpacking again, hair mussed, eyes soft with concern. “Everything okay?”
Maurice smiled. “Yeah. Just work.”
Finn found a pair of jeans and a T-shirt withI love Bostonon it. He unzipped his slacks and pulled them down with hisred underwear. He removed his top and stood there completely naked.
“Are you putting on a strip show for me?” Maurice asked.
