Page 12 of Devil's Kiss

“You just sounded impressed by him. That’s all.”

“Well, he’s a good student. Very bright.”

“Very easy on the eyes too,” Jordan teased. It worked, too, because Brantley almost choked on his coffee.

“I hadn’t noticed.”

Jordan placed a hand on Brantley’s arm, schooling his features to those of someone deeply concerned, and asked, “Why? Are you losing your eyesight? You’re notthatold.”

“No, smartass. But I’m his professor.”

“Which means…what? That you’re dead? Or worse”—Jordan lowered his voice to a whisper—“impotent? Because they’re the only two reasons you wouldn’t notice that Daniel Finley is sun-kissed andgorgeous. Not to mention he lights up any room he walks into.”

“Oh my God. Stop talking. I need to get to class.”

“Mhmm, so do I. First class has a certain Daniel?—”

“I’m leaving now,” Brantley told him as he started walking away.

“Hey? Thanks for telling me about Derek. I’ll keep an eye on him.”Like I really need an excuse.

“No problem. I figured you’d want to know.”

“Yeah, I appreciate it. Oh, by the way. You interested in hitting a club this weekend?” He’d asked Brantley a couple of times now, and each time he’d been turned down. The man was sexy and single, but from what Jordan could tell he was also a little more reserved than he was when it came to what he did in his free time.

“I think I’ll pass for now.”

“Okay. But one day before we’re old and gray…?”

“Yes, okay, one day soon.”

Jordan saluted him with his coffee cup and then jogged the rest of the way up the path and stairs to the door of his building. He pulled it open and stepped inside where he was blasted by the cool air offering some relief. Tugging at the collar of his shirt, he tried to extricate the material from his torso the best he could as he walked farther down the hall.

As he got closer to his classroom, he spotted Derek with his back up against the wall, with none other than Daniel resting against it with one shoulder angled toward his friend.

Jordan kept an eye on the two of them as he moved closer. Brantley’s words ran around in his head as he observed Derek while remaining unnoticed. Ever since that first day, Jordan had made it a point to keep his distance from Derek. He’d known something was off after their original run-in, and having it confirmed merely made him more curious about the student he’d found difficult to push aside.

He would be the first to admit that these two intrigued him more than they should, and he wasn’t quite sure why. There was something about them. Something that was niggling in the back of his mind, and as he stood there observing them, Jordan watched Daniel place his hand on Derek’s bicep before smoothing it down his arm to squeeze his fingers.

That was when he got it. When the missing piece of the puzzle finally fell into place. These two were extremely comfortable with touching one another. The same way he was with his friend—and yeah, okay, on-again-off-again fuck buddy—August.

It wasn’t in a friendly clap on the back,hey, man, it’s coolkind of way. More like anI’m here for you and always will beway. They shared an intimate connection. It was obvious if you took a second to really watch them, and this little glimpse at a private moment made it abundantly clear.

A couple, maybe? Hmm, they might be,but Jordan would almost place bets they were just friends.Friends with benefits, then?he mused, and wasn’t quite sure why he cared. But he did.

He hadn’t pegged Derek as gay. Daniel either, for that matter, and he was generally very astute when it came to men of the same feathers who liked to flock together. But then he remembered Derek’s departing comment from day one as it came slamming back into his brain.

“I just want you to know, I respect who you are, very much.”

And shit.Maybe he wasn’t too far off track in thinking Derek batted for the same team he did. And wasn’t that a shocker?

Taking in their close stance a final time, Jordan couldn’t help but note that Derek had turned his hand over and was gently squeezing Daniel’s fingers in return as he aimed a hell of a disarming smile at the laid-back surfer.

Well, slap my ass and call me Sally.It was a rare day whenhisactions weren’t the most shocking to take place.

He was about to announce himself, but before he could, Derek’s blue eyes drifted past his buddy’s shoulder and connected with his own.

Oh shit. Busted.