Page 54 of Flawsome Explorations

I hesitated before I forced myself to reply. “Um, I read Felix’s book on the flight. It was so good, I forgot I was on a plane which was a first.”

Felix turned to glance at me over his seat. “Really? That’s awesome! What did you think of it? Honest answers only, please.”

“It was my first romance novel of any kind, so I have nothing else to judge it against. Because of that, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but Prince Leander and Cyrus had one of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever enjoyed. It was an enlightening experience.”

His grin turned wicked. “Translation: you picked up some sexy tips to try out later on Armand?” He laughed when I flushed scarlet. “If you want some great ideas, read Finch Northish’s books next. I’m gay, and I still learned some fun stuff from him.”

Arsène reached over and caressed Felix’s hair. “The two of you combining forces will be quite the formidable duo.”

“We’re going to tryreallyhard not to make it nonstop sex.”

“Ah, sohard,” Armand moaned, making my blush deepen as Felix cracked up. His comments about Arsène’s boyfriend not having a filter made more sense. “I can only imagine what your brainstorming sessions are like.”

Felix moved to rest his head on Arsène’s shoulder with a nuzzle. “Thankfully, I have the best research assistant in the world to help me. Joking aside, North and I are still kicking around basic plot ideas at this point. I’m too focused on finishingThe Duke and His Valetand getting started onThe Viscount and His Violinist.”

“I am sure you both will come up with a spectacular story,” Arsène said. His lack of contractions caught my attention.

Armand’s grin turned ornery. “I’m also certain that the sex will be quite the spectacle.”

“Yeah, if we do it right.” Felix sat back up with a snicker. “If nothing else, it’ll keep me entertained while Arsène is working on catching up with his European clients this summer.”

Arsène surprised me by shifting the conversation to me. “Speaking of which, I was wondering if I could ask you something, Zio?”

“Of course!”

“Armand told me about your studies. Yourkintsugicaptivated my imagination. It inspired me to consider doing a photo shoot through a wounded warriors foundation, where I would use gold paint to highlight and honor the story of their survival. Then, I would donate all the proceeds to their charity. What do you think?”

My jaw dropped from the overload of information to process all at once. I hadn’t expected Armand to share my research with anyone, let alone someone as famous as Arsène to take it seriously. It took me several tries before I could find my voice to say, “That sounds incredible!Wow. I never would have thought to usekintsugiin such a way, but that’s an amazing concept.”

“Honoring the scars of the past by making them beautiful through art as a testament to enduring hardships would be my pleasure. If you are open to it, I would like to talk to you about it in more depth later.”

It was difficult to speak through the lump in my throat. “Yeah, I’m happy to chat about it anytime.”

“Merci beaucoup.”

Armand brought my hand up to his lips to press a kiss to it. “See? It’s not just me who finds it fascinating.”

“I don’t know shit about ceramics, and I thought it was cool as hell.” Felix turned to look back at me again. “You’re coming to Sunday dinner this week, right? West and Linda are going to lose their minds when they hear about it. I’ll bet five bucks that West comes up with a corset line based onkintsugiafter you tell her about it.”

I had spent most of my life having people not care about the things I liked. It was overwhelming that Armand’s friends had embraced me and my interests with sincerity. Other than Rigby and Jude, I had never had anyone do that before.

“I’d love to bring you to Sunday dinner to introduce you to Linda and West if you’re comfortable with it,” Armand added. “Felix is right. They’ll both be eager to talk to you at great length about your studies.”

“It’ll also give you the opportunity to meet the rest of the group, since I think pretty much everyone is going this week,” Felix said. “Everyone is dying to find out who captured Armand’s heart.”

Normally, being thrown into a massive gathering was hell on my nerves. But after receiving such a warm welcome, it gave me the confidence to agree. “I’d like that, thank you.”

* * *

Once Arsèneand Felix dropped us off, I got my first look at Armand’s apartment. The furnishings were elegant, sophisticated, and looked like they cost a fortune. At the same time, everything seemed comfortable and unpretentious.

Armand pulled me into his embrace. “Do you want to eat now, or would you prefer to take a shower?”

I perked up at the latter option. “Showering is always the first thing I do when I come home because I don’t feel clean until I wash off all the travel germs.”

He placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. “Alone, or would you enjoy some company?”

Offering me privacy instead of assuming I’d want company made me want him to join me even more. “As long as I can wash first, I’d appreciate it if you joined me.”

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