Page 67 of Puzzle for Two

“Other than wear a gun, I’m not sure I ever saw him act like a bodyguard.”

Flint grimaced. “Like you, he probably got the job based on his looks.”

Blunt but likely accurate. Zach was quiet.

Neither of them said anything for a minute or two. Mr. B. who had skedaddled under the chair when Flint first appeared, cautiously poked his head out, considered Flint, and leaped lightly onto the back of the sofa.

The cat meowed loudly at Flint.

Flint nodded politely. “Cat.”

Zach said, “He’s not pedigreed. I actually did find him going through garbage cans in a back alley. He was six weeks old.”

“Of course you did.”

Flint sounded resigned, and yet it kind of felt like a compliment.

Zach sighed, let his head fall against the back of the sofa. “It’s weird. Even though it wasn’t me on that video, I still feel…”

“You still feel?”

“Violated.”

“Yeah. Of course.”

“You were right. I shouldn’t have taken Alton’s case. I knew it was too good to be true. I had a bad feeling from the start. But I let myself be convinced by all that money.”

Flint didn’t say anything.

Zach lifted his head, said, “Thanks for not saying I told you so.”

Flint shrugged. “You were in a tough spot. And you didn’t have the advantage of knowing what a creep Alton was. I can’t say for sure I wouldn’t have made the same decision in your position.”

Zach smiled. Flint smiled. And somehow—Zach was not exactly sure how—they leaned toward each other, leaned closer, and…kissed. It happened so naturally, so easily that Zach was conscious of Flint’s warm mouth on his before he realized he’d leaned in for Flint’s kiss. Like it was normal. Like it was something they did all the time.

Itfeltnormal, startlingly normal, that was the thing. Flint’s lips pressing against his own, the bump of Flint’s nose…Zach’s glasses were slipping sideways before he fully registered they were kissing.

And it was over just as fast.

Disappointingly fast.

“Whoops.” Flint drew back.

“Whoops?”Zach hastily straightened his glasses.

“Well, I mean…”

Zach tilted his head in inquiry.

Flint’s eyes widened. His mouth parted. “Do you—? Are you saying that was okay?”

Okay? In Zach’s opinion, it had been a lot better thanokay.

He asked uncertainly, “Wasn’tit?”

“Well, yeah. It was with me.” Flint reached forward and, astonishingly, slipped Zach’s glasses from his nose. He dipped his head—Zach had a blurry view of Flint’s smile coming at him—and then they did it again. They kissed.

Flint’s smile landed softly, persuasively on Zach’s mouth, and Zach opened to what felt like unexpected tenderness. There was no demand, no insistence. Just a warm pressure that felt almost cherishing—certainly, one of the nicest kisses Zach had ever had. Flint made a smiley sound and reluctantly raised his head.

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