Page 103 of The Long Game

They were both going to need it.

20

Grady had to work early on Friday, but that meant he’d be done at two. They’d talked about taking the boys to the shore or on a drive out into the countryside, but after the day before, Jack didn’t think anyone was up for that kind of adventure.

Jack still had serious concerns about how his presence might impact Colton’s custody proceedings, but he’d committed to staying, to making it work—at least until they ran out of options. Until that time, he was going to take a page from Grady’s book and have a little faith that it would all turn out okay.

While Grady was at the station, Jack opted to work from the apartment. He was perfectly happy at the kitchen island with his laptop and could duck into the bedroom when he needed to make a phone call so as not to disturb the boys.

When he came back into the living room after one such interruption, he saw the boys had paused their movie. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Colton scoffed. “Believe me, we’re more than aware of how thin the walls are in this place.”

Sam thumped Colton on the chest and hissed at him to shut up. Jack determined he’d rather poke himself in the eye than ask what they might have overheard.

He wanted it all with Grady, but he wasn’t going to get it in this apartment, just a few feet from two young men they didn’t want to scar for life.

With that in mind, Jack wrapped up his work and took the boys along with him grocery shopping—an experience he would file under “live and learn”—fed them lunch, and led a walking tour around town to help them get to know it better. He didn’t feel a whiff of guilt when he left them to their own devices at one thirty.

He texted Grady.

Jack: I have a surprise for you.

Grady: Oh yeah?

Jack: Come to my place after work. I have something I want to show you.

Jack chuckled to himself while the three dots appeared and disappeared off and on for a good five minutes before Grady finally replied.

Grady: I’ll be right there.

While he waited, Jack used the time to search for a new apartment for Grady. He hated the idea of moving away from Travis and Barnaby, but if the first-floor apartment didn’t pan out, Grady would still need to move out of Cockblock Central.

Jack jumped to his feet at the knock on the door. He threw it open and grinned at Grady.

Grady smiled back, clearly curious. “Everything okay, Jack?”

“Yes. Good.Great.” Jack towed Grady up the last step into the apartment and into a kiss. How could he not be great? He had this gorgeous boyfriend, an empty apartment, and a few hours until anyone was expecting either of them to turn up anywhere.

“This is a nice surprise,” Grady murmured against Jack’s lips.

“We needed alone time,” he explained, paying more attention to the kiss than the conversation.

Grady’s hand flirted with the hem of Jack’s t-shirt and Jack shuddered at the barest brush of fingers against his bare skin. “And what are we going to do with it?”

He knew Grady wanted to hear the words—and that if Jack could bring himself to say it, it would turn Grady on. “Well,” he said, walking backward toward his bedroom. “I thought we’d start with some kissing…” he explained, running his hand down Grady’s chest. “And then, if you wanted, we could get naked and—”

Grady captured Jack’s mouth, his tongue licking over Jack’s lips and inside. Jack opened to him, sucking on Grady’s tongue.

Fuck, he wanted this man beyond reason. But he had aplan, damn it, and he was going to stick to it if it killed him.

He ended the kiss with a gasp. “I meant what I said. I have something to show you.” He stepped back and led Grady down the hall. “It’s…I don’t know, maybe it’s not a big deal.”

Grady smirked. “It felt big to me.”

Jack smacked Grady in the chest. “Shut up. That’s not what I mean. Though, to be honest…” Jack bit his lip. “You’ll see a lot of that, too.”

Grady arched an eyebrow. “I’m intrigued.”

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