Page 64 of Finley

“And?” she demanded in a high-pitched whisper.

“And…you better get ready for that nice corner office in there.”

She squealed so loudly that he had to pull the phone away from his ear.

“Oh my gosh! Congratulations!” she said as he tried to wrap his mind around what he’d just read.

“Thank you,” he managed.

“Wow… That’s amazing. I’m so happy for you.”

“Thank you,” he repeated, not really able to believe that this was happening.

“Well, I’d love to chat more, but I have to go. I have plenty of work my slave-driver boss left me. I’m sorry, that one of thepartnersleft for me.”

He laughed, enjoying the sound of that, and then said his goodbyes. As he lowered the phone from his ear, he tapped it against his leg and couldn’t help the ridiculous smile from stretching across his face.

He’d done it. He’d motherfucking done it.

Tossing the phone on the couch, he made his way down the hall to the bathroom. Brantley was stepping out of the shower stall, and Daniel shook his head.

“What?” Brantley asked, smiling at the stupid grin Daniel was still sporting.

“I’m just happy, and I wantyouto get back in that shower with me.”

One of Brantley’s eyebrows rose. “Oh?”

Daniel stripped out of his shirt and his shorts. Then he stepped forward, urging Brantley back into the stall, and nodded. “Yes,oh. I want to shower with you,” he said, and then planted a kiss on Brantley’s wet lips. “Then I think you should call up Jordan and I’ll call up Derek. You said we need to get out of the house and…what was it? See other people? So let’s see them. I feel like going dancing. And I feel like doing it with you.”

Brantley placed a hand on his chest and scrunched his face up. “I don’t know, Finn…”

“I do,” Daniel said as he turned the water on and kissed him again. “You, me, music, and dancing. It’ll be just like old times.”

As the water fell down over them, Brantley craned his head to the side and sighed. “Well, how can I resist that?”

“You can’t,” Daniel said, trailing his lips up along his neck.

“What’s gotten into you?” Brantley asked as he pulled back a little.

Daniel smiled and wanted to tell him, but something at the last second held him back. He wasn’t sure how Brantley would react to his news. Would he be happy for him or upset? He wasn’t sure, and he was annoyed at himself for even worrying about what Brantley would think.

They weren’t a couple. He was only supposed to be there for two weeks, and there he was, worried about Brantley’s opinion. Hell, if anything, he should be thrilled. Brantley, after all, had been one of the major influences in getting him to where he was. In the end, though, Daniel decided to wait and tell him at a different time, when it had been confirmed over the phone with Todd and had all settled in a little more. Whenhewasn’t still reeling over the information himself.

“Nothing. I just think it would be fun.”

“I don’t know… Jordan might not be comfortable clubbing with two of his ex-students.”

“Really? I thought you said that didn’t bother him.”

“Because you knowProfessorDevaney. Let’s just sayJordanis an animal of different spots.”

“Huh. Well, what if we don’t tell him? You invite Jordan to meet up with you and I’ll invite Derek.”

“That willnotend pretty.”

Daniel captured Brantley’s lips again and sipped the water that had gathered there. “I don’t care if it’s pretty. As long as the night ends with me back here in your house, preferably inside you, it can be as messy as you like.”

Brantley wound his arms around Daniel’s neck and nodded. “Okay. I can get on board with that way of thinking, Mr. Finley.”