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On the other hand, there were things I’d kept from him over the past week. Things I hadn’t mentioned during any of our text messages and phone calls between New York and Australia.
It wasn’t because I’d done anything wrong either, although sometimes it felt that way. This just wasn’t something you brought up over the phone. It required facing the person. Telling them how it was. Trying to make them understand that, well, sometimes when you were on the other side of the world from each other… stuff just happened.
I knocked softly, and Adrian let me in. He greeted me in the doorway with the hottest open-mouthed kiss that left zero doubt as to his intentions. It was the kind of kiss you gave your lover after not having seen them for a week. I kissed him back with just as much heat and passion, dropping the Fischer Price Xylophone I’d brought for Brayden to the floor with a cacophony of semi-musical noise.
This was going to be hard. Or easy. Or weird. Or—
“Wine?”
I shook my head, and looked around. I was babysitting tonight.
“Where’s my little guy?”
Brayden, I realized, was nowhere to be found. My disappointment was quickly mounting.
“He’ll be here in an hour or so,” Adrian assured me. “Come. Sit down and relax.”
I was relieved, and in more ways than one. I’d dreaded having to have this talk with Adrian in front of the baby. Even though the little boy probably wouldn’t understand a word of it, it just didn’t seem right.
“You look wound up,” Adrian smiled. “You okay?”
The apartment smelled delicious again, but in a different way. Whatever Adrian was cooking this time around had my mouth literally watering.
“I’m fine. I’ve just been working a lot.”
Damn, he looked good. I’d forgotten it was summer down in Australia, so of course he came back with a beautiful all-over tan. It contrasted nicely with his pristine white T-shirt. A pair of tight blue jeans hugged his perfect ass, as he led me into the kitchen. I couldn’t pry my eyes from it.
I noticed eventually that Adrian had already set the table. Steam rose slowly from a pot simmering on the stove. A juicy-looking steak sat resting on his butcher block, all seared and herb-crusted and smelling absolutely delicious.
“Soo… what’s been going on in the world of Harper Hayes?”
He poked the steak to check for doneness. When he popped his finger into his mouth, I just about lost it.
“I… I have to tell you something.”
I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I wanted to keep looking at him but I felt too guilty. I wanted to kiss him some more, but I knew I couldn’t until—
“So what do you have to tell m—”
“I was with Jax,” I blurted quickly.
I dropped the words like a bomb, waiting for it to explode. But Adrian’s expression never changed. His face registered no response as he turned sideways, and began stirring what looked like mashed potatoes.
“And Preston,” I added.
Still no response. Except that he turned the heat down on the stove top.
“At the same time,” I finally sighed.
The series of admissions made me feel like I’d been exorcised of a giant demon. I sank dizzily into the nearest kitchen chair, my shoulders slumped.
“I know,” Adrian said simply.
My head stopped spinning instantly. I nearly bit my tongue.
“You... you know?” I asked, utterly astonished.
Adrian added a dash of salt to the potatoes. “Uh huh.”
