Page 92 of Finley

“He ismorethan worth it.”

She nodded and squeezed his arm. “Then what are you waiting for?”

“Leighton’s gonna be pissed,” he warned.

“So?” she said. “What else is new?”

Leaning down, he kissed her on the cheek and whispered, “Thank you. I’ll be back for my things…eventually.” Then he went to his office, grabbed his briefcase, and headed for the elevator.

This is madness,he thought as he got on and took it down to the parking garage. But during the entire descent, he couldn’t get the ridiculous smile off his face. It might be crazy, but fuck, nothing had ever felt as right.

Getting in his car, he thought about everything he needed to do once he got back to the apartment. Pack, book a flight, hire a car…and, no doubt, call his mother.

It was just turning ten when he returned to his condo. If he were lucky, he could get packed, head over to the airport, and be back in Florida no later than this evening.

He pulled his keys from his pants pocket as the elevator doors opened, and when he stepped out into the hall, he came to an abrupt halt. Because there, standing by his door, was?—

“Brantley?”

CERTIFIABLE.I’M ONE hundred percent certifiable,Brantley thought for the millionth time since he’d boarded his flight to Chicago and then caught a taxi to the address Camille had given him.

What in the world had made him think he could just hop on a plane and track Daniel down? He hadn’t invited him. Hadn’t even told him he wanted to see him again. But…he’d left that note behind, and if there were even the slightest chance hewouldsee him, then?—

“Brantley?”

When he looked up and saw Daniel standing in front of him, immaculate as ever in a black suit, a blue tie, and a crisp white shirt, the first thing that came to mind was,This man is everything I want.

The elevator doors slid shut behind him, and Brantley’s eyes shifted to the briefcase by Daniel’s side. He looked every inch the lawyer Brantley had imagined he would become, and he was finding it difficult not to go to him.

Daniel twirled his keys around his finger as he walked closer, and when Brantley remained silent, unable to think of a single thing to say, a crooked smile tugged at the corner of Daniel’s mouth.

“Well… This is a surprise, professor.”

“A good one, I hope.” Brantley remained frozen in place.

Daniel leaned past him to slide the key into the lock and shove the door open. Holding it propped there with his foot, he gestured for Brantley to come in with a tilt of his head.

“Averygood one. I won’t even ask how you found me,” Daniel said.

Deciding not to let that linger, Brantley walked forward. “Nothing would’ve stopped me from tracking you down personally this time, Finn. Not one fucking thing.”

Daniel’s eyes smoldered a fiery gold that was so hot that Brantley was surprised he didn’t melt into the floor. The air around them was humming with tension, and Brantley was close to shaking from his need to touch him.

“Well, then,” Daniel said in a voice so low that Brantley was glad he was close enough to read his lips. “After you.”

Turning away before he did something rash—like attack Daniel where he stood— Brantley made himself walk into his living room. A large television was mounted on the wall across from two plush couches, and a lounger was parked at the end of one. He’d always loved those for reading, and could picture curling up there on a cold night.

He was about to go farther inside and take a look at the place when a hand took his and he was spun back around to face the man who owned it.

When he saw the fierce desire etched into the planes of Daniel’s face, he opened his mouth to speak, but Daniel raised a hand to stop him.

“Shh,” Daniel said as he touched trembling fingers to Brantley’s mouth. When Daniel dragged them down, parting his lips, Brantley sighed and reached up to clasp the material of his suit jacket.

“God…you have no idea how good it is to see you,” Daniel whispered, walking him backward. Backward until—thump—his back was up against the wall. Daniel moved in so close that he was fully aligned with Brantley from head to toe, and the look on his face was so potent that Brantley’s balls tightened.

Daniel was in his element there. His home, his world, his…everything. And standing there dressed in shorts and a casual T-shirt, Brantley was very muchoutof his.

With no more than a smile and a crook of his finger, Daniel would be able to have him do whatever he pleased, and while that realization was scary, it was also exhilarating as hell to surrender to. He was his, and Brantley had never been more certain of that than when Daniel spoke again.