Page 32 of Beautiful Trauma
“Sure, man,” Drake said casually. “See you Wednesday.” He handed my book over and stepped around me to leave the room.
“See you,” I called after him. Feeling Ezra’s eyes on me, I risked looking in his direction. While his facial expression gave nothing away, the rigid tension in his body spoke loud and clear. He was annoyed. How could Ezra think for a second I’d choose Drake over him?
I turned and left the room and headed straight for my car. I turned on my phone when I got behind the wheel and saw I had a text from a number I didn’t recognize.
Dinner is arriving at 10:15. You won’t want to be late.
I didn’t need Ezra to sign his texts because his haughtiness came through loud and clear. I hit the icon to save the number as a contact in my phone and giggled when I entered E. Higgins to identify Ezra. My laughter died when I saw I only had forty-five minutes to shower, pack my bag, and get to Ezra’s house. My phone buzzed with another incoming text.
Don’t shower either. I want to smell myself on your skin.
I couldn’t form thoughts, let alone type them out, so I sent Ezra a thumbs-up. Then I drove across town to my apartment with shaking legs and a racing heart. Was I making a huge mistake? Hadn’t I finally accepted the thing I wanted with Ezra would never happen?No, a voice whispered inside my head. It was right. Deep inside, a tiny part of me had always known we weren’t through. I remembered what Ezra had said to me about playing with fire. Allowing myself to get closer to him might singe me, but it was a risk I was willing to take. Some scars were worth the battle.
With that conviction pushing aside my fear, I quickly packed and headed to Ezra’s fancy apartment with its dedicated parking garage only for residents and their guests. A vacant guard shack and a set of gates just inside the parking garage blocked unwanted visitors from entering. I fished out the parking pass Ezra gave me and held it in front of the scanner like the instructions said. The light switched from red to green, and the gates lifted to grant me access. I followed the signs for the designated parking numbers and pulled into the spot beside Ezra’s car.
Is this for real? Am I really doing this?Hell yes, I am.
I set the parking pass on the dashboard like Ezra had instructed, and got out of the car with my overnight bag. I had homework I needed to do, but it could wait until my lunch break the next day. The ride up to Ezra’s floor wasn’t nearly as thrilling the second time since he wasn’t there backing me into the corner, kissing my neck, and whispering about all the filthy things he wanted to do to me. Anticipation climbed higher and higher with every floor the elevator passed until I was breathless when it came to a soft stop. The quiet whoosh of the opening doors sounded really loud in my ears.
Any lingering doubt disappeared when I stepped off the elevator and found Ezra leaning casually against the wall outside his apartment door. He’d changed into a pair of silky-looking black sleep pants and a black tank top. Ezra Meyer was the sexiest man I’d ever met, and he wantedme. Why? I didn’t know, but I was done questioning it.
Ezra straightened to his full height when I approached. In a dark and delicious voice, he said, “Hello, Henry.”
I’D WATCHED ASHENRY STEPPEDoff the elevator, and while I wouldn’t say he looked doubtful, he at least looked cautious. Then his eyes met mine, and he must’ve seen what he needed because he stood taller as he approached me, eyes raking over my body. Henry’s mouth parted, and a soft sigh slipped out when I greeted him, making me want to sink my teeth into his full bottom lip.
“Hello, Ezra,” he said breathlessly when he reached me.
My apartment door and privacy were only a foot away, but I couldn’t stop myself from reaching for Henry and pulling him into my arms. “I bet the elevator ride up this time wasn’t as exciting.”
“I was just thinking the same thing.” The easy smile Henry gifted me with was beautiful, and I couldn’t resist tasting it. Cupping his neck, I sipped and teased his lips until they parted for me. I didn’t give a damn about where we were or who might see us; I only cared about having more of Henry. I deepened the kiss until he melted against me. A ping rang in the hallway, followed by the soft swoosh of the elevator doors opening. I didn’t jerk away from the kiss; I ended it slowly with tiny kisses that expressed how much I wanted him with me. Supplicating, stained-glass eyes peered at me through half-closed lids, and I found it nearly impossible to tear my attention away from Henry to greet the delivery man lingering a few feet down the hallway.
Releasing Henry, I kissed his forehead then guided him to my apartment. I didn’t want any man to see the arousal in his eyes, even if the guy was only dropping off food and leaving. After opening the door, I ushered Henry through it. “I’ll only be a minute. Make yourself comfortable.” I turned and greeted the delivery man with a polite nod.
Once he stepped closer, I could see the guy was actually an overgrown kid. “Here’s your order, Dr. Meyer. Dad said to tell you he added a new dessert he’d like you to test out for him. On the house, of course.”
“Phillipe is your father?” I asked, accepting the large, canvas carryout tote from him. I’d already paid for my food online and added a generous tip, so there wasn’t anything for me to sign.
“Yeah, he was surprised to discover he was a father too,” the young man said with a laugh. “I am a product of his fake-it-until-you-make-it phase. He faked being straight, but he never quite made it. In the process, he made me, but my mom didn’t tell him because they’d already agreed to get a divorce and Dad had accepted an apprenticeship in Paris.” If I hadn’t known Phillipe so well, I would’ve found the conversation awkward.
As intriguing as the discovery was, Henry was waiting for me, and the clock was ticking on our time together. Still, being a rude asshole just to satisfy my dick wasn’t cool. “It must have come as a great shock to both of you,” I said politely. “I’m glad you found one another.”
“It did, but I’m glad we found each other too.” The young man glanced toward my door. “Have a good night.”
“You also,” I said, hoping my smile was warm. The kid was excited about meeting his dad, and now I could only think about how I was almost old enough to be Henry’s father. It didn’t curtail my plans to do very naughty things to Henry once we cleared up a few things. I waited for guilt or self-disgust to kick in, but neither was forthcoming. “Take care,” I added before opening my door.
My home was quiet when I entered, and I saw no sign of Henry in the open living room, kitchen, or dining room. I didn’t see his shadow amid those on the balcony overlooking the river either. He couldn’t have left since there was only one exit, which meant he was either in my home office or my master suite. I was nearly certain Henry wasn’t rummaging around in my desk, which meant he was in my bedroom. I wanted to look for him but decided to give him however much time and space he needed to come to terms with what was going to happen between us. I carried our dinner to the smaller, intimate table off the kitchen with the fantastic river view. He wasn’t here for a quick fuck, which I’d made apparent when I told him to pack a bag. Maybe he was battling a case of sudden nerves. If he didn’t return by the time I unpacked the carryout tote, I—My thought died when I heard the sound of bare feet approaching me. I turned to face him and nearly swallowed my tongue. How the hell did he manage to throw me off guard every single time?
“Is this okay?” he asked, holding his hands up and spinning slowly. “I felt overdressed, and I got in too big of a hurry at my apartment and forgot to pack pajamas.” Henry wore my navy silk sleep pants and navy tank top. He must’ve remembered where I kept my pajamas from his last visit because he’d borrowed a pair then too. He’d sat in my kitchen looking rumpled and smelling like sex while wearing my clothes. It had kept me aroused the entire time I made breakfast. I liked seeing my things on him. I liked it even more when I got to remove them from his body then mark him with my scent. Henry brought out my baser instincts and needs—a primal urge to mate and mark.
“It’s perfect,” I said, noting my voice sounded raspy with desire. There were things we needed to discuss before I could allow myself to touch Henry intimately again. I might’ve lost control in my office, but I couldn’t let it happen again, and I also couldn’t let Henry go. “Are you hungry?”
“For you.” The bold words matched the expression in Henry’s eyes. He was so different from the man I met nearly seven months ago who could barely make eye contact with me.
“And you shall have me, but we need to eat and talk first.” I gestured for him to take a seat.
Henry sat down and looked up at me with a sly grin. “Is this where we lay down the rules of when we can be together?”
Unable to resist, I dropped a kiss on his upturned forehead. “This is whereIlay down the rules sinceI’mthe only one with something to lose here.” I opened the container of savory pork tenderloin and forked a generous amount on Henry’s plate then reached for the new potatoes. Noticing his stiffness, I returned my gaze to his.