Page 40 of Finley

“You would be right. And it’s been a few years.”

“Years?”

“Yes. Years,” he said. “I’ve been on track for a…promotion, you could say. And the only way I was going to get it was to put in more time and more effort than anyone else. You should understand that kind of commitment. It was your final altruistic act that taughtmeto have such dedication.”

A frown marred Brantley’s forehead, and Daniel immediately wanted to take his words back.Fuck.

“I assume there’s more to that comment than the vague compliment it’s neatly wrapped up in.”

Daniel brought his glass back to his lips and shut his mouth, choosing to follow the age-old advice:If you don’t have anything nice to say…

“Finn?”

“Hmm?”

“I’m sorry.”

As the two words he’d waited so long to hear floated between them, he wasn’t sure what to say.

There they were. So simple. Yet so damn complicated that he had absolutely nothing to say in response.

He put his empty glass on the table and got to his feet. Brantley remained seated but was looking up at him, and as the two of them stared at one another, all the time and all the distance between them melted away. It was as if Daniel were his younger self standing in front of the man who’d stolen his heart, and he could feel himself falling all over again.

Stepping between Brantley’s legs, he placed his hands on the arms of his chair and brought his face in close to the one that had haunted his every fucking hour. “I know you are,” he whispered. “I just wish it were that easy.”

Brantley closed his eyes, and Daniel marveled at his thick lashes.

“I’m going to go and take a shower and lie down for an hour or so, if that’s okay. I’m beat.”

When Brantley’s eyes opened, he nodded. “Of course. You know where everything is. Maybe tomorrow we can just relax, let everything settle a bit. I have some exams to grade…”

Daniel stood to his full height and said, “Want me to help? I’m sure I remember your strict guidelines.”

“You should, Mr. TA. You graded them for two years.”

“Well, it’s been a while. But if I’m not up to your high standards, maybe you could reeducate me. Or I’d be more than happy to watchyougrade them.”

Brantley settled back into his chair and crossed his ankles. “That sounds doable.”

As Daniel walked by him toward the open doorway, he called over his shoulder, “Who knows? Maybe I’ll just lie out and work on my full-body tan.”

Brantley sat up and spun around in his chair at that, and Daniel made sure to catch his eye and wink.

“I’ll be out soon. Don’t miss me too much,” he said as he disappeared inside.

WHEN DANIEL WASout of sight, Brantley stood and kicked his flip-flops off. He needed to get away from the man who’d just vanished inside his house. He needed a few minutes to analyze what he wanted to come from all of this, because as far as he could tell, if he wanted Daniel for more than a two-week fling, he was going to have to work some kind of magic to get through the walls that man had around his heart.

Making his way down the stairs to the beach, he unbuttoned his shirt.God, he’d really screwed things up for them, hadn’t he? And hewassorry. More sorry than ever that the actions he’d taken in the hopes of helping the young man he’d loved had actually seemed to destroy a part of him.

Stopping on the sandy shore, he shrugged out of the shirt and tossed it at his feet. Then he unfastened his shorts. He often came down for an afternoon swim to clear his head, and the ocean was calling to him now.

After checking that no one was around, he dropped his shorts onto his shirt and then stepped into the water in his boxers. As the cool water lapped at his ankles, he dug his toes into the wet sand and closed his eyes, tipping his face up to take in the salty air.

What am I going to do now?he thought as he walked deeper into the water. As it swirled around his calves and then splashed against his knees, he thought about Daniel up in his shower.And what ishethinking?

There was a time when he’d known with one look what was on Daniel’s mind. But not now. The guarded man who went from hot to cold in the blink of an eye had him tripping all over himself. And he hated that.

When he was waist-deep, the ocean pulled him forward as it drew back toward the sea. He took a deep breath, dove under, and let the cool water wash over him as the wave crashed down on his feet.