Page 28 of The Beautiful Mess

Keegan settled his hand on Kerry’s chest. “This isn’t Nate’s fault. He met Danny the same night I did. He isn’t responsible for a friend of a friend’s behavior.”

“Danny has potential predator written all over him.”

Keegan shuddered to think what might’ve happened. He’d planned to kick Danny in the balls and use the skills Owen had taught him to defend himself, but what if Danny had been armed with a date rape drug? He could’ve had a weapon on him that Keegan hadn’t known about. The encounter could’ve gone a dozen different ways, and he was so grateful for the outcome.

“Thank you for following me.” Keegan rubbed his hand over Kerry’s dress shirt. “How did you end up in the position to rescue me? You and Sven talked over one another back at the bar, and I only picked up bits and pieces. I’m dying to know the full story.” There was no doubt he’d get the most accurate version from Kerry, though he had every intention of getting Sven’s side for pure entertainment value once he could look back on the night without cringing.

“Let me feed you first, then I’ll tell you everything you want to know,” Kerry said.

“Tell mewhileyou feed me so we don’t get distracted by other things.”

Kerry arched a brow. “Other things?”

“The real things we’re both hungry for. The kissing and touching.” Keegan had thought he was ready for more, but a single date with Danny had him questioning so much. Not his sexuality, at least. He was primed and ready to embrace that, so why had he frozen up when Danny dialed up the heat on his flirtations? He’d been charmed by him when all they’d done was talk or text, but that had all changed the moment Danny laid a hand on him. And that was before Danny became aggressive. What had gone wrong?

Kerry groaned and tugged Keegan through the open floor plan to the kitchen at the back of the house. “I’m trying to be good.”

And Keegan had his answer. The in-person date forced him to acknowledge that Danny wasn’t the man he wanted. Flirting was one thing, but he hadn’t wanted anything deeper with the guy, not even a kiss. It was Kerry or bust for him, which meant Keegan had a big decision to make. He could tiptoe around and hope things worked out, or he could fight for what he wanted. Surviving versus thriving. Yeah, there was no real choice to make. “Who the hell asked you to do that?” Keegan teased.

“I demand it of myself.” Kerry stopped next to the kitchen island and turned to face him. “This is too important for me to fuck up.”

Keegan threatened to melt right there. “Will you tell me one thing right now?”

“Anything.”

“Back in the bathroom, I said that you must think I’m desperate and dumb. You replied that you didn’t think either of those things, but Sven barged into the room before you could say what you think of me. That exchange felt like it was gearing up to be the most honest conversation we’d ever had, and we didn’t get to finish it.”

Kerry slid his arms around Keegan’s waist and tugged him into his powerful embrace. “I was going to say I think you’re beautiful and perfect and so fucking brave. Sometimes I think you’re too good for this twisted world. That I could cause you a moment of hurt fucking kills me, Kee. You make me want…things. Things I never considered for myself. You terrify me.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you.” Kerry lowered his head and nuzzled his nose at Keegan’s temple. “Losing my sister to a murderer and my father to grief didn’t kill me. It set me back a lot, but I built a fortress around my heart and moved forward as best I could. And then you came along and…”

Keegan tilted his head back and stared into those dark, bottomless eyes. “Fed snacks to your dragon and sneaked past your defenses.” He cocked his head to the side and considered. “I at least crossed the crocodile-infested moat, but I don’t think I’ve cleared the drawbridge.”

Kerry chuckled. “You’ve battered my portcullis until it’s a misshapen hunk of metal.”

“How?” The mere idea was laughable.

“By breathing.”

Keegan snorted. “If it were that easy, some young buck would’ve come along and stolen your heart a long time ago.”

“It took the right guy,” Kerry said.

“Feels like we’re venturing way off topic,” Keegan teased.

“Or maybe hearing that I think you’re extremely rare and precious makes you uncomfortable.”

“A diamond of the first water?” Keegan asked, though he didn’t know where he’d heard that reference. The ranch was on aBridgertonand Regency-era kick, so that was probably his source of reference.

Kerry placed his hand under Keegan’s chin and notched it higher so they were staring into one another’s eyes again. The intensity in Kerry’s expression made Keegan’s pulse leap. Damn, this guy really knew how to wreak havoc on his nervous system. “We’re really running the gamut of historical references.”

“And getting further off topic.” Keegan slid a hand up Kerry’s neck and curled a silky lock of hair around his finger. “Let’s agree about a few things to make both our lives easier.”

“Okay. You go first.”

“We’re intensely attracted to one another,” Keegan said.

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