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He shook his head, pausing on his way to pick up another stack of glasses. “Sorry—not trying to put the moves on you, I swear. Just don’t think you should sell yourself short like that.”
Adrian took his sweet time responding, studying Eric with a clear, bright gaze. When he smiled, it was slow and private. “Well, if you ever do want to put the moves on me, let me know.”
Was that… Had Adrian just…? He had. Hehad.
Eric waited for his heart to slide from his throat back down into his chest, where it belonged. “I’m, um. Not very good with that. Usually, I kind of wait for someone else to make a pass.”
“Why am I not surprised?” The corners of Adrian’s lips twitched upwards. “But as your boss, it would be inappropriate for me to make the first move.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t mind. At all.” Had Eric just encouraged Adrian to make a pass at him? Predictably, frustratingly, he felt himself flushing.
“Nah, this one’s on you.” With a cheerful grin, Adrian shoved his hands into his pockets. “Knowing how to ask for what you want is an important life skill, isn’t it?”
“Are you trying to teach me a lesson?”
“Could be.” Adrian tilted his head, still grinning. Fuck, he was pretty. And a little infuriating, frankly.
“Well,” Eric said. “Then maybe I don’t want it that much.”
“You mean you don’t wantmethat much?” And there he was—Kevin Pine in all his cocky glory, playfully confident stance and a coy look from underneath long lashes, coupled with a smile that promised … things.
Eric cleared his throat. “Not funny.”
Dropping the seductive act, Adrian held his thumb and forefinger apart by a small margin. “A little bit funny.”
Fine, maybe it was—just the tiniest hint. Eric bit down on a smile, averting his eyes. “Okay, yeah. Maybe.”
For a moment, they were both quiet. Eric could tell that Adrian was studying him, amusement lingering in the curve of Adrian’s mouth, but Eric didn’t quite manage to meet his eyes.
“All right,” Adrian said then. “Let’s finish setting the tables, shall we?”
Eric nodded and told himself he wasn’t disappointed. After all, Adrian hadn’t beenserious.
Right?
Eric loweredhis toothbrush and turned to slowly, pointedly stare at Kojo. “You’re visiting Kat. Who works in Interlaken.”
“That’s what I just said.” Affecting nonchalance, Kojo leaned forward to inspect his teeth in the mirror above the double sink. Oh, Eric was onto him.
“Right. So Kat justhappensto work an hour from where you decided to relocate to. Dragging me along, no less.”
“Because it’s such a hardship for you.” Kojo snorted. “Then again, I guess it is hard, huh? What with that game of romantic chicken you and Adrian are playing, because no one wants to swerve first.”
He wasn’t wrong. Ever since that conversation they’d had over a week ago, Adrian seemed determined to tempt Eric into action. His private smiles and comments toed the line yet never quite crossed into flirting territory, his featherlight touches gone before they fully registered. It left Eric wanting more than just Adrian’s hand skimming down Eric’s arm, more than the quick brush of their fingers as Adrian passed something over.Grasping hands like fleeting thoughts.
A couple of days ago, Adrian had already occupied the hotel’s small basement gym when Eric had walked in. The loose, sleeveless top and shorts had been a marked contrast to what Adrian usually wore around the hotel, be it knitted jumpers during the day or a button-up shirt during dinner service. Somehow, Eric had found hisattention skittering to Adrian’s arms and collarbones again and again, even as he tried to focus on his own workout.
Itwashard, okay? Pun intended.
“Don’t change the topic,” he told Kojo.
Wide, innocent eyes met his own. “What topic?”
“The topic of how you lied to me.”
“I didn’t lie,” Kojo stated with utmost confidence.
“You were evasive about your motivation for coming here. It’s a lie by omission.” Eric leaned his hip against the sink and sighed. “Seriously, mate—making up with the ex? You could have told me.”
