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“Yeah.” I glanced up at a streetlight. “I should be heading home.”

“Oh. Let me drop off my books at the hotel, and then I’ll walk you to your car.”

“I’m okay to get there on my own.” We were a block away from The Grand. Only five away from Stavros’s.

“Still, I want to. I need a bit more exercise before bed.”

“You shouldn’t be winding down?” I never exercised this close to bedtime.

“A lovely stroll is hardly hardcore cardio.” He winked. “Just give me one second.”

“Sure.”

We entered the lobby.

“Why don’t you come up? You won’t be able to see Baker, but you can see the beautifully renovated rooms.”

I considered for a long time.You should see the rooms. In case you need to recommend a reasonably priced hotel to one of the parents in the future.

Sure. And for no other reason.

And yet I found myself smiling and saying, “Sure. Why not?”

Chapter Fourteen

Demetrius

The room, which had felt spacious when I was alone, now seemed positively claustrophobic.

Still, as Jai moved to the window and pulled back the curtain, I couldn’t help but admire him. His lithe body, his strong back, and his beautiful ass.

Over the years, when I thought about him, I’d remember two things—his puppy joy and his beautiful butt.

And now I knew why he’d disappeared. That made me so damn sad. And wanting to kill Gary the Gnat. What a monumental asshole.

I wasn’t clear whether Gary had simply outed Jai or if he’d said something about the puppy persona. Either way, the guy was a class A fuckwit douchebag whose ass I would totally kick if we ever met. I wasn’t a violent man, but every once in a while, I met someone who deserved a kick.

You would never.

Yeah…but I really want to.

“So you can see Baker from here?” Jai pointed in the direction of the volcano.

“Yeah. You kind of have to angle yourself because there’s stuff between here and there…but yeah, you can see it. Just…stunning.”

“My parents don’t have a view. Just a ritzy house in an expensive part of town. Meant to show our family’s wealth. I much preferred Arnav’s home. So much happiness and laughter. Not austere. Not severe. Meant to show graciousness—not avarice.”

I winced. “That wasn’t any way to grow up.”

“I certainly would never want that. For any child, let alone my own. I mean, I’m never going to have kids—”

“Why do you say that?” The question kind of burst out from my chest.

He closed the drapes, then turned back to me. “As you pointed out—I don’t even have a home of my own. And although my salary is very generous, and I’m allowed to take on extra work during my off time, homes are still expensive. I’ve been working at camps—not exactly lucrative.”

“Not like what you were doing before Gary the Gnat.”

He blinked. “Who?”