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Saturday. Task Force Headquarters,
Samuel stared at the shadowy form of Jessica’s body still swathed in the thick, plush comforter. She’d barely stirred when he’d gotten out of bed. He still didn’t know if leaving her to rest was the best idea.
What if she woke up and panicked because she was alone?
He wasn’t sure this was the right thing to do, but he couldn’t bring himself to wake her. He stepped out into the hall and shut the door as quietly as possible.
“Sneaking around, bro?” a deep voice asked.
Samuel jumped and spun, scowling at the too familiar face of the man leaning against the wall.
Baruti Wimbush grinned back at him with a smile that belonged on a magazine. He was a big guy who would look right at place on any NFL team, and yet he was one of the gentlest people Samuel had ever met.
Baruti’s gaze traveled the length of Samuel’s body then back up. “Look at you.”
He resisted rolling his eyes, only because it would encourage Baruti. “Shut it. Did you bring my clothes?”
He fell into step with Samuel as they began to walk toward the locker rooms. “I did. I did. Left it in our office. You and Jessica, huh?”
What could he say to that?
Samuel hadn’t wanted to put more on his plate yesterday. His priority had to be their safety, so he’d pushed the complicated relationship with Jessica to the side. She hadn’t tried to discuss the issue either, and while he didn’t know what exactly they were to each other, he knew that so long as they were both breathing they could figure it out later.
He’d just made the mistake of thinking he would have time to process and plan without outside input.
Baruti shoved his hands in his pockets and kept pace with Samuel. “She’s a mighty fine woman.”
“I’m not talking about Jess.”
“Oh, it’s Jess now, is it?”
Fucking hell.
Samuel schooled his face into a mask.
“Don’t do that.” Baruti jabbed his elbow into Samuel’s ribs. “I don’t even remember your last girlfriend and quite honestly I’m tired of telling all our friends you aren’t gay and I won’t set them up with you.”
He aimed a flat stare at Baruti.
That wasn’t a joke. His words were very real.
Baruti and his husband had created their own little cluster of community in New York. It was why he continued to commute every few days to see his children. Samuel lived with them for a time and had spent a number of holidays with them when they were still based out of Manhattan and considered them family.
“Would you not?” Samuel finally asked as they stepped into the office they shared.
Baruti closed the door behind them and gestured to the suit hanging on the hook. “What? She’s a pretty lady.”
Samuel blew out a breath. “Because other things are more important right now.”
“The heart is always important, my friend.”
The only person he could talk to about this was Baruti. “There isn’t anything to tell you. Yet.”
Baruti just grinned in response.
Samuel pulled his hoodie over his head then tossed it on his desk chair. It would feel good to wear a suit again. More like himself.
“The face you’re making? It says there is something to talk about,” Baruti said in a sing-song voice.