Lust was a powerful emotion too, after all, one he had plenty of for Sami.Confusing that with the other L-word would be embarrassing.
“Oh.It’s hard to describe.It’s just this feeling of peace, I’d say?And safety.I mean, Joel is the one I want to talk to about everything.I know he’ll listen and comfort me, and I can count on him to have my best interest at heart.”
Wearing a dreamy expression, she turned toward the kitchen, no doubt watching her Prince Charming in his element through the round window.“He’s always been my anchor.Makes me feel like I can handle anything.Oh, and he makes me laugh, even on the worst of days.Always has.”
He makes me laugh.Baz had heard those words before.He hadusedthem before.
Sami had made him laugh so many times when humor was the furthest thing from his mind.Hell, Baz had cried in that man’s arms and somehow came out the other side better!If that wasn’t the definition of feeling safe…
But an emotionally charged weekend hardly compared to what Eevee and Joel had gone through.There was no intentionality, Sami had just happened to be around.After Baz called him.But not because he was in love with the guy!He just wanted to be around him because laughing with him, holding him, hearing the ramblings of his beautiful mind made him feel better—
All right, he had heard it that time.Could it be?
Love.He mentally tried the label on for size.
Love.Sami.
The words came together easily.Nothing in him rebelled against them.On the contrary, he felt as though the sun smiled down on the inner garden Sami had planted—how the hell had Baz been so oblivious?
“It’s hard to put into words,” Eevee said.
“I think I get it.”In fact, he felt it, more than he had ever felt anything.
Love.
How incredible.
Baz huffed a breathless smile, absentmindedly ran his hand over Lucipurr’s silky fur, only realizing it when she purred like a Porsche.
“Yeah, you do,” Eevee beamed, bouncing in her seat as she clapped.“Come on, spill!How did you meet him?”
God, Sami waltzing into his office after a sleepless night to taunt him felt like a lifetime ago.
“Remember the really annoying oppositional legal team on my class action I vented about weeks ago?He’s part of that.The guy who spilled coffee on me.”
“Oh, yeah?How does that work?”
“What do you mean?He’s the associate of the partner who runs the case.”
Eevee’s head jerked back, frowning.“Wait, don’t you have to be a licensed attorney for that?”
“Yes?”Obviously.She knew that, so why would she—
“But Sami never finished law school.”
Chapter twenty-three
Baz’sheartcrashedtothe floor.He shuffled to the edge of the bench.With an appalled hiss, Lucipurr jumped off him.“What do youmeanhe didn’t finish school?Of course he did!He had to.”
Eevee’s shoulders drew up as she tucked her elbows into her sides.
“Eh.I handled some of the paperwork on his case.He was kicked out for selling performance enhancing drugs, I wanna say, two, three years ago?It was a huge deal at the time.Didn’t you know that?”
“That’s for how long he has worked for Ian.But…” That couldn’t be.Ian might not be above committing a felony, but Sami was too smart to be a fraud.
But then why had Ian presented Sami like he was a lawyer on the case?Why had Sami followed Ian around like only an associate would?
…If not to come after Baz.Baz’s stomach tightened at the realization.
