Page 73 of Finley

“No.”

“Are you ashamed of it?”

“No. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“Would you let me think for a minute?” he snapped.

One of Daniel’s eyebrows rose.

“Sorry.”

“Oh, don’t be. You’re seriously hot when you’re freaking out.”

“I’m not freaking out.”

Daniel grabbed his arm and tumbled him to his back. “Yes, you are.”

Brantley rolled his eyes. “Okay. Fine. I am. But can you blame me? I’ve been walking around town thinking no one knew, and the one person whodidwas your mother. Your. Mother. The lady I’ve had discussions with regarding her son’s and daughter’s educational future. The same woman who would bump into me at the grocery store and tell me all about her son’s amazing…”

Daniel’s grin widened to a full-blown smile. “See. She wastellingyou all of this when she knew. She doesn’t hate you, Brantley. She doesn’t even think badly of you. In fact, she tried to convince me?—”

When Daniel stopped talking, Brantley waited, suspecting there was more to come.

“She tried to convince me that you probably thought you were doing the right thing by sending me away.”

He winced at that and stroked his fingers through Daniel’s hair. “Tried?”

“Well, that was when I first got here. I was pretty angry.”

“Hmm… And now?”

Daniel rested his forearms by his head on the towel. “Now, I’m right back where I was before I left.”

“And where’s that?”

“Tangled up in you,” he whispered against Brantley’s ear. “It’s always been you.”

And Brantley knew right then there wasn’t a damn thing he wouldn’t do for Daniel if he asked, including have dinner at his mother’s.

DANIEL TRIED NOTto overanalyze his feelings as he stood out on the balcony, waiting for Brantley to finish getting ready.

He knew that Brantley was seeing this as the teacher who took advantage of his student. But the two of them—and, more than likely, my mother—knew he wasn’t the kind of man who would’ve taken advantage of anyone.

Brantley Hayes was the most caring, genuine, and intelligent person Daniel had ever met, and the thought of him being ashamed of himself or any part of what they’d shared had Daniel frowning.

He’d changed into some khaki-colored slacks and a white polo shirt, and the strap of leather that was a permanent fixture about his wrist called to him as he stared down at it. He stroked his fingers over the wide band on top and shut his eyes.

Fuck,he’d really gone and complicated his damn life. Then again, had he expected anything else when it came to Brantley? If he were being honest with himself, and he figured it was time to be, then he’d known from the second he’d opened that envelope that if he got on a plane and went back home, he would be at risk of losing his heart to this man all over again. And it was happening—he knew it. Knew the signs as clear as a flashing neon light blazing at him.

“Finn?”

He turned as Brantley walked toward him in a pair of shorts and a green shirt. He was wearing sandals and holding two bottles of wine, and the grimace pulling his lips tight had Daniel making his way over to him.

“Does your mom prefer red or white?”

“Just the fact that it’s not in a box is a huge step up. She’ll love whichever one you’ve picked.”