Page 47 of Something Unprofessional

Ev blinked at them. No. That couldn’t be right. He did some mental math. The first time they’d fucked—well, fucked again—was about a week after they got back. Ev was sure he’dslept at home at least once or twice that week. Though mostly, he’d run home before work to shower and change. It couldn’t have been two weeks since they’d started fucking again, could it?

“Just tell me when I need to start looking for a new roommate,” Owen said, his tone amused. “I’ll be pissed at you if you ghost me.”

Ev shook his head, the knot in his stomach tightening. “I’m not going to move out. I swear. It’s just kink. And it’s new, so I guess I got a little carried away. I’ll come home tonight. I promise.”

Owen laughed at him. The brat. “No, you won’t. It’s your birthday, and you’re going home with your Daddy. But it would be nice if you came to visit at some point this week.”

“Sure. Yeah.” Ev nodded. “Tomorrow is Saturday. I’ll be there. If you’re right, I need to do laundry anyway.”

“See?” Owen said to Finn.

Finny, the traitor, nodded. “I have to agree with Owen.”

“What are we talking about?” Micah asked as he walked up and draped an arm around Finn’s shoulders. Archer was right behind him with another rubber duckie drink that he handed off to Owen.

“From Gabe,” he said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder at Ev’s Daddy, who had settled on one of the sofas and was talking to Xavier, Ryan, and Nick.

Owen’s mouth made a little “o,” a hint of his own little slipping through, but then his eyes got glassy. Crap. Ev really hated Owen’s ex.

“Ev says he and Gabe aren’t dating, even though Ev has been sleeping over for almost a month,” Finn told Micah.

Micah’s eyes lit with interest. “Oh really? So you finally came clean about the New Year’s hookup.”

“New Year’s hookup?” Owen parroted, blinking back his emotions.

Dammit. He never had gotten around to telling Owen what had actually happened with Gabe, had he? “We didn’t recognize each other with the masks,” Ev admitted.

Owen stared at him in surprise. “Gabe was who you were with that night? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Ev cringed. “You had your own shit to deal with. I didn’t want to pile mine on.”

Owen just shook his head, a hint of wry amusement curling his lips. “Honestly, it would have been a good distraction.”

Ev clinked their duckie drinks together. “I promise to dump all my shit on you from now on.”

Owen laughed. Finally. “Gross. Please don’t.”

“Back to the subject,” Micah interjected. “What’s going on with you two if you aren’t dating? ’Cause all of this—” he waved his hand at the igloo “—feels like relationship goals, to be honest.”

Ev glanced across to where Gabe was sitting with the older half of the group and was startled when Daddy was alreadylooking at him. Ev looked away, his cheeks heating for some stupid reason. “It’s just a kink thing,” he insisted again. “We have an arrangement, and we both know what it is and what it isn’t.” He swallowed the discomfort that came with that statement along with a big gulp of his drink. It wasn’t a lie. Just because he found himself wanting to spend more and more time with Daddy, to wake up in his arms and cuddle on the sofa and kiss him goodnight, didn’t mean Ev was interested in changing their deal. He wasn’t dating his boss, dammit!

“I think we need shots,” Archer announced suddenly. “And dancing.”

Thank fuck for Archer. ’Cause Ev was done with this interrogation. He downed the last of his drink and set his duckie on top of his coat so he didn’t forget it later. Finn was the only one who looked hesitant, so Ev grabbed his hand on one side and Owen’s on the other and started pulling them to the door of the igloo. Micah stopped to snag Nick, and Xavier stood to make sure Finn was okay going without him.

Ev gave him an eye roll. “I think we can manage without Daddies for a few songs.” He turned his head so he wouldn’t be tempted to look at Gabe. “We’re big boys.”

Finn smiled at Xavier. “It’s okay. We’ll be right downstairs, and we’ll come back when we’re done.”

“See?” Ev said, pulling on Finn’s arm.

Xavier gave an amused shake of his head, kissed Finn on the temple, and let him go.

“Don’t worry,” Archer said. “I’ll babysit.”

Ev turned his glare on the other man, but Archer just laughed, put a hand between Ev’s shoulder blades, and pushed him toward the door. “Don’t argue,” he said in Ev’s ear. “They’re the type to worry themselves to death if someone isn’t going to be the responsible one.”

Ev gave in. As they stepped out into the frigid air, he glanced over his shoulder and caught Gabe watching him again. Dammit. He turned away. This wasn’t a scene. He didn’t need Daddy’s approval. It was his birthday, he was single, and he could do what he wanted.

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