Page 216

“Probably not,” Christian said with a laugh.

David eyed his glass. “More wine?”

Christian eyed his already empty glass and gave it some thought. “I don’t know if I should, or I’ll have to be wheeled out of here.”

“Goes right to your head, eh?”

“Something like that.”

“A good thing I have guest rooms then.”

Christian hesitated. “Are you inviting me to stay the night?”

David cocked his head slowly. “I’m saying you are welcome to.”

Was that the same as being invited, or just a simple courtesy? Christian knew which one he wanted it to be, and he knew damn well he did want more wine. The two of them were finally getting to where they didn’t have to skip and swerve around every conversation, feeling as if they had to keep it going in one specific direction. Maybe it was the wine, but if that were the case, Christian would happily accept more.

“Pretty sure we polished off the bottle already,” Christian pointed out.

“And I’m sure I have a few more bottles like it. I rarely dive into my wine supply. Having good company over to indulge sounds like a wonderful excuse,” he said.

Christian watched General Winter for a moment, who was quickly becoming David in his mind. The older man was watching him in return, a wary hope in his eyes as the alcohol worked to bring down the layer of emotional barriers he kept up through his everyday life. David had undone the top button of his shirt, and Christian could see the sparse hair he knew peppered his chest. It reminded him of what he’d accidentally seen in that video, and he felt his gut tighten.

There was no way to be sure, but Christian knew accepting the general’s offer was to accept another invitation. The one they’d been working their way up to for who knew how long, and Christian wasn’t even sure he could trace how long, even if he tried. They had both been playing with fire from the moment they agreed to be alone in a casual environment, with no chance of anyone coming across them. Now was the moment where Christian had to choose, just as David did by offering, if he would stay or go.

Christian smiled. “No need to let a good opportunity pass, right?”

DAVID

The second bottle had been a good choice, in his opinion. Much like second bottles went, it tasted so much better than the first. If the eager way Christian was drinking was any indication, David wasn’t the only one enjoying himself. He’d never realized how much he would enjoy the sight of Christian sitting on his patio, legs resting on the table, bare feet sticking up in the air as they talked. The man looked completely at home, and David hoped they could do this more often.

Even better, they’d positioned their chairs together, facing the sea. As they talked, Christian’s arms and hands grew more animated as they emptied more glasses of wine. He’d pulled his shirt sleeves up, exposing the light blond hair on his toned arms. It meant that whenever Christian gestured wildly, his arms bumped against David, momentarily passing their warmth to him as Christian talked.

Christian hummed as he thought. “Did your dad get to see you become a general?”

David nodded. “I was a general for a few years before he passed. Told me that seeing his son do better than he did was something every father wanted. One of the only times I ever saw him with tears in his eyes.”

“Aw, that’s sweet.”

David shrugged. “I suppose that’s one way of putting it. I honestly just stood there in complete shock when it happened. I barely managed to return the salute he gave me and almost broke into tears myself when I finally did.”

It felt strange talking about his parents when Christian’s only measure of family was the two sisters he’d met in foster care. If it bothered Christian, it didn’t show. On the contrary, David couldn’t help but notice happiness on his handsome face. There was a wide, warm smile as he shared in David’s story. David wanted to blame the alcohol for the urge to cross the distance between them and kiss the man stupid, but he knew the drinks were only making what he’d wanted in the first place even stronger.

“My parents were good people, and they loved me a lot. They had been trying for years, but two years before they had me, my mom was told she was never going to have kids. Then boom, a year and a half later, I came along. I guess I was spoiled, being a bit of a miracle child and all,” Christian said with a light laugh.

“I think most people would be a little indulgent.”

“Probably, maybe, I don’t know. But I wasn’t spoiled rotten; I was taught to say please and thank you, learned my manners, and did not act like a total brat. My mom was into reading and always tried to get me to read books. She started by reading to me when I went to bed. I think she wanted me to want to read them myself eventually, but I just loved the way she read. She always did these little voices, and sometimes brought my dad in to act stuff out. I think she was an actress in another life or something. But hey, why would I want to read them myself when my mom was better at it than I would ever be?”

David watched a wistfulness pass over Christian’s face as he talked about his parents. His tone had a definite note of sadness, but his eyes glimmered with remembered happiness. David’sparents had lived full lives, and as far as he knew, neither of them had gone with regrets. If anything, they had looked upon their lives, happy they had succeeded and were loving and loved in return.

David smiled. “I’m sure they’d be proud as hell to see what sort of person you’ve become.”

Christian looked at him, eyes watery. “You think? I wonder sometimes.”

“Why?”

“Truth be told, I’m not even sure I’m doing something I want. It’s not that I don’t enjoy working for you because I’ve grown to love it. But to continue serving in the military, should I renew my contract next year? I’m not so sure.”