Page 48 of Blades and Bone

“I never found the words to tell him. I ended it two years ago. You?”

“A string of brief relationships, mostly less than a year, sometimes only a few months. I was concentrating on finishing my degree, getting a job, and moving out of home. I wanted my own space. My own life.” He stopped before he said anything that might drop him in more shit.

“Hard to have your own life when family comes first.”

Hamish studied the pavers and the line of ants making their way toward the crumbs beneath the tables. “It was the right thing to do.”

His words were hollow even to his own ears. He really needed to try harder to make the most of being blooded. He healed faster than a human, was stronger and could manipulate their minds…and he could be undone by too many kiwifruit.

“Mmm. I wasn’t asking about right or wrong. We both know those waters are murky even on the nicest day.”

“What do you want me to say? That sometimes I regret it?”

“If that’s the truth, yes.”

“It is. No one else seems to have those doubts, and it doesn’t matter anyway because it can’t be undone. I thought I was doing okay until Albany.” He’d had no choice but to take leave and head south to help sort out the mess. Instead, he’d made a bigger one that had landed him on the other side of the country with the wrong ink on his hand. He gave the blue dagger a rub with his thumb. “Maybe I’m the mess that needs cleaning.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Take your clothes off.” Brodie didn’t look at Hamish as he closed his office door.

“Again? Is this another fetish of yours?”

Brodie smiled and flicked open his laptop. “I like seeing you naked.”

“It’s your office.”

“And? It’s Sunday, and I have no meetings booked. My PA isn’t even here.”

Hamish undid a couple of buttons. “You didn’t lock the door. Anyone could walk in.”

“That’s what makes it fun.” He logged in and pulled up the website of his favorite online store. If he paid for courier service, whatever was ordered would arrive tomorrow, or the day after at the latest. He did appreciate efficiency.

“And where am I supposed to sit my bare ass down? Do you want butt hole on your office furniture?” Hamish pulled the borrowed shirt off and draped it over the chair.

Brodie walked over to the sideboard and set the laptop down. At one end was a glass decanter of liquor, and at the other were some files. On the wall above was an aerial photo of the resort taken by a drone from just off the coast. He opened the cupboard and pulled out a napkin and placed it on the sideboard. “For your ass since you are so concerned. You can fold your clothes and place them on my desk.”

Hamish considered him for several seconds before picking up his shirt and folding it neatly, and placing it on the desk where indicated. “This all feels like you’ve done it before.”

“Not this exactly, but the game is the same. It changes for each person.” He patted the napkin. “Come on before I have to log back into my laptop again.”

“And if you do, does that get added to my list of sins?”

“I’ve told you what to do, and I have now told you to speed it up. What do you think?” He put an edge in his voice. “While I enjoy your resistance, I am going to advise you to pick your battles.”

“And I could just apologize, and that would be it?”

“Yes, that’s how it works.”

Hamish nodded. “And you won’t also hand me over to your sister for tying up my guard?”

“No, it is my responsibility to look after you. So unless I fail or I ask for help, she will not interfere. And at the moment, I see no reason to ask for help.” It would have to be a severe breach for him to turn to Vivian to discipline his husband. However, there was no reason not to involve her as an onlooker, as she would want to make sure that he had Hamish in hand following this morning’s display of disobedience.

Hamish toed off his runners and nudged them to the side with his foot, and then took off his jeans, folding them neatly before removing his socks and finally his underwear—which he sandwiched beneath his jeans and shirt.

It was always interesting to watch the way someone undressed and how they stacked their clothes. Some worked from their shoes and socks upwards, keeping their shirt and briefs on for as long as possible, and stacked everything accordingly.

Some didn’t know how to fold anything neatly or didn’t care because they wanted to get to the naked part.