Page 48

He didn’t like his odds on either count and groaned in distress.

Would it be rude to ask for the pizza to go and head back to the hotel and try to intercept Wilder before they left? Explain he had nothing to worry about.

“Is everything alright?” Jupiter asked, sliding back into his seat, offering that high wattage smile.

“No, it’s not,” an angry man declared, getting Lennon’s head spinning to look behind him. They were sitting at the back of the restaurant, tucked in the corner. “What are you playing at, Jupiter?”

Jupiter slid back out of his seat and gave Lennon a sly wink Kodi likely missed when he turned his attention to Lennon. “You’ve made your point, and I’m sorry, okay?”

The biting anger didn’t make him sound sorry. Lennon understood the apology, just not the part about making a point. Did Kodi believe he was flirting with Jupiter to get back at him?

It was lost on him that Kodi had found them. That didn’t cross his mind as he got a sinking feeling that Kodi was indeed thinking Lennon would act in such a way.

Jupiter slapped Kodi on the shoulder. “I ordered your favorite and put my card down for payment. Now, use the time to talk. You can thank me later.” Another slap to Kodi’s shoulder got him blinking like he was waking up.

There was another of those winks at Lennon who looked between the two men, a wrinkle appearing at the bridge of his nose, working to fathom what on earth was happening.

“Lennon, it was a pleasure, but alas my brother has set his sights on you.” He picked up Lennon’s hand and kissed his knuckles, looking him directly in the eye. Lennon watched the humor disappear and be replaced by a seriousness he seldom associated with Jupiter. “His heart is fragile, don’t hurt him. I really wouldn’t want to have to dislike you on principle.”

His hand was placed carefully on the table, then he watched Jupiter retreat out of the restaurant. “What is going on?”

“That was Jup’s not so subtle way of getting us both to a neutral place to talk,” Kodi supplied, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “The fucker played me!”

Lennon bristled visibly, reaching to push the chair back from the table. “You don’t have to stay.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Kodi said in a rush, forcing the words to sound garbled to Lennon. “Listen, I’m sorry. I’ve upset you.”

He took the chair Jupiter vacated and reached across the table to take hold of Lennon’s hand, which still rested on the red and white chequered cloth. His thumb stroked over the knuckles Jupiter had kissed. Lennon had felt nothing at Jupiter’s touch, but Kodi’s sent a bolt of electricity through his arm. “Please stay.”

“Why? Isn’t this too much like a date?” Lennon didn’t like the petty tone and shook his head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound petty.”

“You’re right, I didn’t want to be a cliché and fall for my PA.” A deep blush made his skin glow in the flickering candlelight. “Except I am a cliché and I have fallen for you. And it’s turning me into a fool,” he confessed.

Lennon’s heart was too big for his chest with how it expanded on the surge of emotions. He gulped in a breath and licked his dry lips, feeling the flutter of his pulse as if the wings of a bird flapped at the base of his throat. “And how did it turn you into a fool?”

He gave Lennon a sheepish grin, a flame flickering in the gleam of his eyes. “I asked Jupiter for help.”

Lennon snorted out a laugh that the noise in the restaurant covered, everything falling into place. “This was Jupiter’s idea of helping?” He stifled a laugh at Kodi’s sneering scowl.

“Yep, only he didn’t tell me how he was going to help, the fucker. I was ready to knock his head off his shoulders for daring to take you out on the date I wanted.”

Lennon scratched at his jaw, uncertain how to respond to the genuine distress Kodi wasn’t hiding at the thought of him going on a date with someone else.

“I wasn’t on a date. It was work we were talking about. I would never do that to you.” Honesty was always the best policy, so he continued. “I don’t want to hide that I have feelings for you, Kodi.” He squeezed Kodi’s hand to stop him from interrupting when his lips parted to speak. “I get that right now you aren’t ready to tell people. My question is this. Will you ever be ready? I don’t think I can be in a relationship where I have to hide forever. I deserve more than that. So do you.”

“Buonasera, ho la pizza mediterranea, e la margherita,” the server announced, smiling brightly at them.

Lennon indicated his was the plain pizza and in a flourish the guy laid the large pizzas down and was gone after telling them to enjoy. By the scent coming up off the plate in front of him, Lennon didn’t think he’d have any problems with that now he had his appetite back.

“You are right, we both deserve more.” He wore a sheepish look. “Can we see how this goes, try dating… then telling people?”

“Yes,” Lennon got a fluttering under his chestbone at the look of relief Kodi never hid.

“So as this is a date,” Kodi picked up a slice of pizza, “tell me about your family. Jonny is the only brother, right?”

Lennon couldn’t wait to taste, so followed Kodi’s lead and lifted a slice. He bit into the hot, gooey mozzarella and a burst of fresh basil and tomato made him groan, despite the cheese burning the roof of his mouth. It was so worth it.

“This is delicious,” he said around the hot food.