Page 45 of Needing Your Love
I shook myself off the depressing train of my brain and tried for a smile. Definitely failed. “Yeah—sure,” I lied, swallowing hard.
“So—are you going to stay?” Jamie pushed.
“There’s nothing for me back in Boston, but it depends.”
“On?” That one-worded question definitely held some suspicion, but with my current mind frame, I probably read too much into every tiny inflection and twitch of his eyelid.
I shrugged again, my feet itchy to get me the hell out of there. “Waiting to see how the winds of change blow.”
He studied me like his dad often did, searching for something I would never allow him to see. A calculated glint filled his navy-blue eyes.
“My dad is having a cookout on Sunday afternoon—the last of the season before it gets too cold,” Jamie said. “You ought to come.”
I stared at him. No fuckingwaywould he invite me if he was aware of the work I’d done while in Boston.
“I…wouldn’t want to impose.” My words were hesitant as fuck as I glanced between the two men.
Chaz smiled at Jamie like the younger Forrester hung the moon in the night sky. I could understand the sentiment.
While I hated letting anyone past my walls protecting me from criticism or judgment, this unspoken shit between us needed to be aired out or I would fret and worry myself to a stomach ulcer.
“Do you, um…you were in Boston for a few years.” I made the statement while rubbing my palms over my jeans.
“Yeah,” Jamie said.
“You, um…ever heard of EEMM?”
Chaz chuckled as Jamie’s face flamed.
I blew out a heavy exhale. “Guess that answers my question.”
Jamie rubbed a hand over his face while checking out the floor. “Yeah, I’m well aware of what EEMM stands for.”
“You can tell Zack my fiancé says hi,” Chaz said with a satisfied chuckle.
Good to know there was no jealousy, but Jamie’s obvious unease hardened my stomach and caused me to stiffen in the chair.
“There’s nothing wrong with sex work,” I said, my tone low and somewhat haggard.
Jamie’s head jerked up, his eyes wide. “No—I’m not judging you.” He grimaced. “Fuck—I’m not ashamed about what I did. What you do—did. Whatever. Doesn’t matter to me.”
“Then why get all uncomfortable when I brought up Elite?”
Chaz chuckled again. “Because I love to give him shit about being so damned desperate for me he was a cam boy in order to afford your friend.”
Relief caused me to finally relax a little.
“Asshole,” Jamie hissed, crossing his arms, making the muscles of his arms bulge in his uniform as his fiancé barked a laugh.
“You love me.” Chaz tossed a dirty rag at him, which Jamie batted away.
“Fucking right, I do,” Jamie grumbled, but he couldn’t hide his smile.
They shared a heated stare, the air in the office zapping with sexual energy enough that my own dick twitched even though giddiness over the entire exchange had allowed my guts to settle.
I glanced between the two men, jealous of their connection and ability to find joy in each other’s pasts that weren’t exactly…savory. An ache spread over my chest, and I rubbed at it.
“About that invite.” I spoke quietly, not wanting to interrupt their hot moment but desperation for a chance to be in Sutton’s space spurred me on, and their non-judgment offered me a little hope the chief might be of the same mind as they were.
