Page 50 of Just a Bit Guarded

“Does it matter?” Scott said with a shrug.

But Will was frowning. “Of course it does. If this location is compromised, we’ll have to move.”

“Oh come on!” Gadiel said. “I like it here!”

Scott looked skeptically around the small, shabby living room. Gadiel liked it here?

“Mitch told me where to find you,” Scott said.

Some of the tension eased from Will’s face. He sat down in the armchair and accepted a beer from Gadiel with a murmur of thanks.

Gadiel perched himself on the arm of Will’s chair and looked at Scott curiously. Fuck, he was ridiculously gorgeous even in that ratty shirt, his stunning blue eyes and pretty lips drawing Scott’s gaze.

Will cleared his throat. “Well, you found me.” His voice was very dry. “How are your parents?”

Scott answered absently, before asking the questions he really wanted to ask. “Why is Gadiel here? Why are you still his bodyguard? You were supposed to quit by now.”

Gadiel visibly tensed up.

“It’s complicated,” Will said.

“Well, uncomplicate it for me. I’ve got time.”

Will didn’t look particularly eager, but after a moment, he started talking.

Scott listened to him with growing amazement. His amazement had little to do with what Will was saying. It was the fact that over the course of Will’s explanation, Gadiel kept squirming closer to Will until he was half in hislapinstead of being perched on the armrest.And Will didn’t even blink, his arm absently wrapping around Gadiel to steady him.

Scott could only stare at them. In all the years of knowing Will, he couldn’t remember ever seeing his cousin this at ease with someone all over his personal space.He was usually much more guarded than that. Correction: Will still seemed moderately guarded as he talked to Scott, but it was as though...as though Gadiel wasinsidethe impenetrable shield Will surrounded himself with.

Despite being engaged in a conversation with Scott, Will seemed to react to every minuscule movement Gadiel made, glancing at him every few seconds despite Gadiel not really contributing to the conversation besides a hum or two. As for Gadiel, in spite of his awkward perch half on Will’s lap, half on the armrest, he looked very comfortable and relaxed.

It was fucking bizarre. If Scott didn’t know better, he’d think...

But no. Will was straight. Thisdidn’t mean anything. Will had been pretty protective of Gadielback in Dubai too; it was natural that they’d only grown closer after living in such close quarters for weeks.

“Hey, can I talk to you alone?” Scott said, unable to quash his curiosity. “No offense, Gadiel. It’s a—family thing. Private.”

Gadiel looked less than thrilled about getting off Will’s lap but, nodding, got to his feet. “I’ll go to the store,” he told Will. “We’re out of groceries.”

Will frowned. “It’s not safe.”

Rolling his eyes, Gadiel laughed. “Don’t be silly, it’s just around the corner. I’ll be back in ten minutes. No one will give me a second look.”

It didn’t seem as though Will agreed, but he didn’t object when Gadiel walked over to Will’s jacket thrown over the couch, retrieved his wallet, and headed to the door.

“Put on a jacket, it’s pretty cold outside,” Will said.

“All right, dad,” Gadiel said with an eye-roll, slipping on Will’s jacket.

“Ten minutes, Gadiel.”

Gadiel blew him a kiss and left. He didn’t even glance at Scott.

As the door closed after him, Scott said, “What the fuck, man?”

Will dragged his gaze away from the door and looked at him. “What?” he said, sounding distracted.

“He was sitting in your lap!” Scott said.

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