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“Maybe you’ll want to eat later,” Wilder said. “The car’s already outside. Let me help you out.”
A firm hand gently wrapped around his upper arm and led him toward the door. Without that gentle navigation, he wasn’t sure he’d have been able to manage it. Shame filled him, his face burning. He stared down at his feet, ready for a hole to open up under him and swallow him whole.
Who knew what Wilder assumed had happened in that bathroom? Just imagining it caused him to grow sicker. Once outside, he could breathe a little easier. He was ensconced in the backseat of the same car he’d spied Wilder getting out of at work. Sliding over, he waited for Wilder to get in.
Instead, Wilder placed a to-go box beside him.
Avery stared at it for a second, realizing the empty promise it represented. He wanted to surrender… to give in to his alpha, yet how could he? There was no way out but through.
Wilder crouched so Avery would see him. “I’ll see you at work tomorrow. Come on up to the top floor first thing—as long as you’re well, of course. If you’re not, call in to your supervisorandcall Rohan. He can let us know.”
Avery lifted his gaze.“Thank you.”
An expression of worry on Wilder’s face made his chest hurt. There was no annoyance. No hidden humor. Just unadulterated concern.
“Of course. I can’t have my new star employee under the weather.”
Avery smiled haphazardly.
“If anything I said… upset you…?” Wilder looked down at his hands before lifting his gaze again. “I know what happened between us was impetuous… and maybe you have regrets now. I just want you to realize that your position at J&A isn’t tied to us continuing that relationship. If you’d rather there be distance… I can put distance between us.”
I want nothing of the sort!“That’s not it. Not at all.” Avery took a deep breath, not in any state of mind to reassure his alpha that the issues were all his own. He closed his mouth, his mind finally catching up and telling him to stay quiet.
A hint of a smile tugged at Wilder’s lips. “Okay then. Let’s get you home. Feel better,Abraham.”
Wilder rose and closed the door. After a tap on the roof, the limo pulled out into city traffic.
He’d known Wilder was his alpha for nearly four years… ever since he came face to face with the guy at Jamie’s funeral. In that moment, he’d hated the idea of Wilder. A chemical reaction drawing him closer to a big, dumb alpha. When they’d been forced into the same space during family functions, Avery had done his best to steer clear of Wilder. Yet, like a moth to the flame, Wilder lured him ever closer.
In all that time, he’d never been alone with Wilder… except at his graduation party and that day. He was seeing another side of the man. More than he’d expected.
Wilder was kind. Considerate. Yet he’d known all those things from the way the alpha treated others. He was lucky.
Avery stared at the box of food, angry at himself and his body’s stupid reactions—and how they’d ruined a chance to get to know more. Once again, his body’s hormones were getting in the damned way.
* * *
At his deska little while later, Wilder took another bite of his lunch while breezing through a couple of emails. His mind wouldn’t venture far from thoughts of Abraham. After another half hour of inattention, he called his assistant.
“Send Abraham Norcross a get-well basket. Maybe some soup. Crackers. Whatever you send someone who’s ill.”
“Yes, sir.”
“My driver took him home. He can deliver the basket. I assume he has the address.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And balloons. Or flowers. Maybe both. He said his stomach was upset, so maybe something for that.”
“On it, sir. Anything else?”
Yeah, give me the rest of the day off to go check on him.“No… that’s it.”
He lowered the phone back into the cradle and sighed before getting back to work.Hopefully, he wasn’t lying about me upsetting him.
Hopefully, he returns to work tomorrow.
That idea gave him pause. What if Abraham didn’t come back?
