Page 26 of Starved Until Sunset

John’s only response was a deep, dismissive grunt before turning away.

Feeling the need to try and get an inroad with their boss, Demetrius asked the first thing that came to mind. “How’s your wife doing?”

John stopped dead in his tracks. Demetrius’s heart pounded, and he had the sudden urge to pee as he watched John slowly turn his head to look at him over his shoulder. His eyes were flat and cold, his expression very still.

“She’s fine.” He turned away and climbed the metal stairs to his office where he flicked on the light and closed the door.

So much for trying to make inroads with their boss.

“Good try,” Cody said quietly as he came up beside Demetrius. “But risky. You know she’s in the hospital?”

“I know that. It’s why I asked about her.”

“I see. So asking about his wife sick with cancer was your attempt at…?”

Demetrius gave him a cool look. “I was trying to make some kind of connection.”

“By asking about his hospitalized wife?”

“You know what? Never mind. Let’s get out of here.”

Cody grinned. “Probably a good idea.”

The sun was just above the tree line by the time they left the garage and climbed into Cody’s truck. He pulled out of the lot, and Demetrius could practically feel the words building inside of him, so he wasn’t surprised when Cody spoke.

“It was a good try, you know. Just kind of awkward to witness.” He glanced over. “Painfully so.”

“All right, I get it.” Demetrius waved a hand. “Let’s forget it happened.”

A little more silence. “I hope John can forget you asked it.”

“Oh, my God. I was trying to show that I cared about what was going on in his personal life, okay?”

“By asking him about something personal he hasn’t told us about himself?”

“Ugh.” Demetrius put his head back and covered his face with his hands. “I made it worse, didn’t I?”

“Maybe not. Maybe just more awkward for you for the rest of our time there.”

Demetrius glared. “You’re not helping.”

Cody tried to look innocent. “I’m not?” He drove a little farther in silence, then said, “Margie’s?”

“You read my mind.”

“Care to give mine a try?”

Demetrius tapped his finger on his chin. “I’m going to venture something sexual.”

“Why does no one ever guess that I’m debating whether our lives are governed by fate or free will?”

“Is that what you were thinking?”

“No.” Cody pouted, and, dammit, looked completely adorable doing it. “But some days it would be nice for someone to guess that.”

“I love you,” Demetrius said.

Cody gave him a surprised half-smile. “Yeah? I love you, too.”