Page 119 of The Long Game

Alexei went to the door Grady had assumed went to a guest bath or the basement stairs and opened it. “The primary bedroom is here.”

Grady felt drawn to the warm light spilling down a short hallway and through the door. He knew from the outside of the house there was a space he’d assumed was a three-season porch or sunroom this way. In the hallway, he passed an open door to the right, where the bedroom’s en suite bathroom was tucked behind the kitchen. It was little more than subflooring and plumbing, currently, but a huge, sleek white tub sat next to what would become a large walk-in shower with, based on the boxes tucked in one corner, a glass wall and door.

He wanted to see Jack in that tub, up to his nipples in bubbles and smiling at him.

The bedroom was large, with windows on three sides and a gas fireplace in one corner. Mike picked up the remote and, with a click, set it to blazing.

“We’ve insulated this room as best we can, but with the windows and this being Canada, we decided the fireplace was a nice way to make sure it can be extra toasty if wanted.”

Jack stood in the middle of the room and spun in a slow circle. “This is awesome.” He looked at Grady. “You might want to invest in light-blocking shades, but otherwise it’s perfect.”

You’re perfect, Grady thought, distracted by the way Jack glowed in the early evening light. He could imagine Jack spread out on their king bed, his blue ink in contrast to the warm oranges of the sunset coming through the windows.

Before he could say something embarrassing, Colton and Sam ran into the room. “The other bedrooms are awesome! Andthere’s a bathroom, too, so we don’t have to walk through your sex den to shower.”

Sam clapped a hand over his face.

Mike blinked.

Alexei arched an eyebrow.

Jack sighed. “Really, Colton?”

“What? You know it’s true,” Colton said, shameless. “Thank god it’s summer and you’ve been able to open the windows.” When Jack and Grady exchanged an alarmed look, Colton harumphed. “Yeah, you thought you were being so stealth, but Sam and I aren’t fools.”

“I thought it was perfectly innocent,” Sam said to no one in particular.

Alexei and Mike watched them like a manic match at Wimbledon, bemused smiles on their faces even as they edged out the door to give them some privacy. Grady wanted to apologize for their insane behavior, but it would have been a lie. Colton’s spirit and Sam’s dry humor did more to convince Grady they’d be all right in the long run than anything else could.

Though he did wish Colton wasn’t quite so astute. Or so free with his observations, for fuck’s sake.

Grady worried Jack would be mortified, but his smirk just saidwhoops.

Grady pretended a great interest in the fireplace and tried to hold in his laughter.

“Don’t think I can’t see your shoulders shaking, Grady Samuel McDonnough!” Colton cried. “And you can stop snorting, Jackson Frederick Chevalier.”

Jack’s snickers abruptly cut off. “Who?”

Colton shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t know your middle name and after busting out Grady’s full name, I felt like you needed one.”

“And you came up withFrederick?”

“What’s wrong with Frederick? It’s a perfectly respectable name. And it works with Jackson. Or Jack Frederick sounds good, too.”

“Too bad Jackson isn’t my first name, either. You’re oh-for-two. You’re going to have to practice your French if you’re going to scold me properly.”

“I have every confidence your mother would be happy to help me with this,” Colton announced with a sniff.

Jack cracked up, because Colton was absolutely correct. “She’d love nothing more.”

Grady wrapped an arm around Jack’s waist. “So, it seems I don’t know your real name.”

Jack sighed. “Jacques, of course. My parents were nothing if not predictable.”

“And the middle name?” Sam asked, curious.

“Laurent. I’m Jacques Laurent Chevalier.”

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