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Nick scrunched up his face and looked like he might gag on the bread for a second. He inhaled deeply through his nose, resumed chewing, and swallowed. He chased it with a long drink of milk that left the cutest mustache over his lip. “Dick.”
Cash smirked as he handed Nick a paper towel. “About that deal…” he said. “I’ll give you a proper response to your accusation that I spoiled you for other men, though single-handedly is a stretch since both my hands got in on that action.” Nick’s eyes glistened with mirth, making it nearly impossible to resist teasing him more. But Cash wasn’t the only one with some explaining to do. “You need to tell me about your injury first. You said you’d tell me what happened once I fed you. I made good on my end of the bargain.”
Nick’s shoulders rose and fell on a deep sigh, then he grimaced. “Let’s eat the bread, then move someplace more comfortable for the rest of this discussion.”
Cash recognized a delay tactic when confronted with one, but what could he do? Besides, he really wanted to eat the banana bread when it was still warm with the chocolate-hazelnut spread melting into the top, so he lifted his slice and took a bite. His moans were every bit as slutty as Nick’s. Cash was grateful there was no one there to witness their shame except Patsy, and she wouldn’t tell. The black-and-white dog lay down on the floor and covered her eyes dramatically with her paws. Though it seemed she would judge them harshly.
It didn’t take them long to devour the bread and down the milk. Cash offered to share another piece, but Nick refused. He’d looked a little livelier once he ate, but that initial exhaustion was returning. Cash was sure the muscle relaxers would only exacerbate the fatigue. He decided to get Nick settled before his legs turned into limp noodles. Cleanup could wait until Nick was asleep.
Cash rounded the island and looped an arm around Nick’s waist to assist him off the stool. See? Not dropping to my knees and blowing him. Not even letting my mind go—
Nick nuzzled his nose into Cash’s neck and inhaled deeply. “Fuck, you smell good, Saint. Like wood, smoke, booze, and sex. Campfire sex. You ever had that?”
“Is that muscle relaxer kicking in already?” Cash asked instead of answering. No, he’d never had campfire sex. But holy hell, he was thinking about how much he’d love to see Nick stretched out naked with the great outdoors as a backdrop. Cash could kiss wherever the flickering firelight cast dancing shadows on Nick’s tan skin. There probably wouldn’t be much sleeping under the stars, but it would be a night they’d never forget.
Nick let out a laugh that sounded suspiciously like a giggle. “Maybe they are. Doesn’t mean I missed what you did there.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Cash tried.
“Bet you’re thinking about campfire sex. You just don’t want me to know. Who was he?”
“I’ve never had campfire sex. Are you happy now?”
“Not really,” Nick said heavily. “I’m sad that you haven’t experienced it.”
Cash nearly pulled up short, but sudden moves probably weren’t the best thing for Nick just then. “Have you?”
“No.” He sounded so forlorn that Cash couldn’t help but smile.
When they reached the great room at the back of the house, Cash turned right toward the expansive suite Harry used to occupy. It would be the perfect space for visiting family members. They’d have their own little area on the opposite side of the home from Cash, giving everyone a private space.
“Don’t want to go right,” Nick said. He stopped without warning and hissed at the discomfort, proving Cash’s earlier assessment had been right. No sudden movements. “I don’t want to go right. I want—I need—to be near you.”
As in Cash’s room? There were no guest rooms on his side of the house, which had been a deliberate move on his part. Sleeping near Cash meant in his bed. “Nicky…”
“Please.” Nick nuzzled against his neck. “I took a redeye flight, hoping to get back to Denver this morning. I wanted to nap, swap out G-Man clothes for free man clothes, and drive to see you.”
“Things didn’t go according to plan?”
“Nope. Weather delays, a car accident, and a ridiculously long time at the ER made me more desperate to see you,” Nick said. Cash’s heart froze at hearing about the accident but melted when Nick said he needed him. “Please don’t push me away or put up a wall between us like you sometimes do.”
God, had he been so obvious? The pushing and wall building stemmed from the moments when wanting Nick was too much for Cash to bear. His wants and needs didn’t matter just then, only Nick’s. So they turned left. The only noises came from the suitcase’s rolling wheels and Patsy’s clicking toenails on the hardwood floor.
Cash knew his house was large, but the hallway leading to his quarters seemed to stretch on forever. He felt like they were in the home stretch once they reached his office, but Nick let out a weary sigh in front of the library next to it that made Cash pull up short. “Need to rest?”
Nick turned his head and looked into the library. “I want to lie on that velvety-looking sofa. Is that the same one you had in your penthouse in Denver? Lost track of how many times one of us got bent over that thing.”
“Same sofa,” Cash admitted. Only a fool or a glutton for punishment would keep those kinds of reminders around to torture himself. Maybe he was both. “Don’t worry. I’ve had it professionally cleaned since then.”
Nick’s snort turned into a belch. Cash had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. God, he would be so embarrassed if he recalled parts of their conversation.
Cash steered Nick toward the sofa, intending to settle him there before taking a nearby club chair. He’d be down for the count soon, and Cash could retreat to his room for a bit to process everything that had happened and plan for things yet to transpire. Yeah, he had every intention of having a wall in place by the time Nick crawled into his bed. Cash eased him onto the middle sofa cushion, but Nick snagged his wrist before he could step back.
“Don’t leave me,” Nick said. He possessed an eerie ability to read Cash’s mind.
“I was just going to sit over there,” Cash replied, pointing to a chair.
“Too far,” Nick told him. “I hurt, and you can fix me.”
