Page 11 of Fire
“Fortunately?” I ask, more for a distraction from the lust that still has a tight grip on my brain and balls.
“Oh, very,” Dream answers while unpacking cartons of the delicious-smelling food. “After both families threw a gigantic-sized hissy fit, I snuck the bride and groom out so they could sit down to talk.
“Did they make up?” Evan asks, carefully avoiding looking in my general direction even though I’m standing close to Dream.
“Better,” Dream answers with a huge grin. “She confessed that she’s loved her best friend since they were in high school. And instead of being angry, the groom admits he’s relieved because he’s been secretly in love with his best man and is finally free to confess it to him.”
He twirls around and does a little dance. “Isn’t it just wonderful? It’s like Romeo and Juliet but without all the poison and tragedy bullshit.”
Grave watches Dream dance with an adoring smile, but then he turns his attention toward Evan and me, and his eyes narrow, noting the heavy tension in the room, Evan’s flushed face, and my still-heavy breathing. “Did we interrupt something?”
Dream immediately catches on to his boyfriend’s meaning and makes his own study of the two of us, but thankfully decides to give us a break.
“Shhh, Jack,” he whispers, not very quietly, then rushes toward Evan and holds out his hand. “Evan, I’ve heard all about you. I’m Dream.”
Evan looks at Dream's outstretched hand and takes a deep breath. “Nice to meet you,” he says shyly.
Dream flashes a reassuring smile at Evan. “Again, sorry we barged in and interrupted, but I suddenly had the night off and all this extra food. Jack told me about you, and I hoped I might get the chance to make a new friend.”
The look of vulnerable longing that crosses Evan’s face at Dream’s words floors me. Where is the temper tantrum-throwing journalist I’ve lived with for the last week?
“I—I’d like that,” Evan says.
Dream flashes him a hundred-watt smile. “Okay then, bestie, you should know, thanks to Jack’s mom converting me, I’m a born-again hugger, and so if that’s not your thing, tell me now, or you're about to get a lot of friendly PDA coming your way.”
I’m so busy watching the interaction between Dream and Evan that I miss Grave trying to get my attention.
“Luca,” Grave says, snapping his fingers in front of me. “I’d like to see the new security measures you installed.” I swat his hand away, but his take-no-shit expression lets me know this is a demand, not a request.
As much as I don’t want to have this come-to-Jesus conversation with Grave, I’m looking forward to some time away from the apartment. I need to clear my head, and that’s impossible to do with Evan so close. I keep flashing back to how close I came to crossing the line with Evan and how a big part of me doesn’t regret it.
I’m not sure if I want to thank Grave for interrupting us or punch him.
“You two go ahead.” Dream reaches out to Evan and pats him on his clenched fist. “While you’re gone, Evan and I will share all our secrets.”
After checking and double-checking that Evan and Dream will follow security protocol, I show Grave the modifications to Evan’s building.
Grave nods and barely looks at the new system I installed. Just like I thought, this little field trip has nothing to do with Grave wanting to check out the new tech.
He turns to me. “Are you two fucking?”
“No,” I say, taking out the cigarette and lighter in my pocket. I look at them for a long, torturous minute, then throw them both in the trashcan.Fuck em. A cigarette isn’t what I’m really craving right now anyway; it’s Evan Kelly. “You knocked on the door before it went too far.”
“Look.” Grave crosses his arms over his chest and stares me down. “I’m the last man to lecture you on forming a personal relationship with someone you’re trying to protect. I’m just telling you to be careful and make sure it doesn’t lead to a distraction that gets one or both of you killed.”
“It's not like what you had with Dream.” I run my hand through my hair. “Hell, Evan fucking hates me.”
“And what about you?” Grave demands. “Is it hate for Evan that’s got you so hot and bothered?”
“Yeah, I want him, but it’s just physical.” I look at Grave, who’s listening closely, and realize it's been a long time since I had a person I could talk to who knows and understands my past and still accepts me.
“I don’t hate him, but I can’t say I like him much either. As far as Evan goes, I’m pretty sure what almost happened between us is only because he’s cooped up and horny, and I’m the only cock around.”
“I call bullshit.” Grave arches his eyebrow. “Usually, when attraction burns that hot, hidden feelings are what’s fueling it.”
I laugh.
Grave grimaces. “What?”
