Page 74 of Sapphire Spring

“How did everything go?” Connor asked.

“With what?”

“Your sister’s event, silly.”

“Oh, it was fine. Everything’s fine. She’s fine. We’refine.”

Connor frowned. “That can’t be true. You and Pari are neverfine.”

“She violated her contract a little, but I let Jonas takethe lead on it.”

“That’s probably for the best. He hasn’t said anything tome, so I’m sure it’s no big deal. You want to have lunch later?”

Naser tried to swallow and failed. “I have plans, actually,”he managed.

“Oh, with who? Jonas? Oh, please say it’s with Jonas.”Connor dropped his voice to a whisper. “It would be so cute if you guys hookedup.”

Naser gently shut the door behind Connor. “Um, first of all,Jonas and I can have lunch together without hooking up, and second of all, itwouldn’t be cute at all if we did because we work across the hall from each otherand we’re both wound like tops.”

“Well, not those kinds of tops. In your case, anyway.”

“Is this an appropriate workplace conversation?” Nasersnapped.

Connor took a step back, one blond eyebrow raised. “Well!Someone is very much an employee today and not a best friend.”

He felt terrible. Connor was right. They chatted about boystuff all the time at work, just not in mixed company. But Naser needed anotherday or two to figure out a way to tell Connor he’d hooked up with one of hisold bullies from high school. Right now, he was too busy sleeping with his oldbully from high school.Sowhat he needed was out ofthis conversation and quick.

“Look, I just…we have some catching up to do, but I’ve got alot on my mind right now. I’m helping my sister with some things, and my momtoo. That’s who I’m having lunch with. My mom.”

“Your mom’s a workaholic who hasn’t left the hospital forlunch in twenty years.”

“Well, that should tell you how bad it is.”

“Okay, give her my love and tell her I hope it works out,and maybe work in the fact that I didn’t convert you to homosexuality when wewere in college.”

“She only said that once, and she’d had wine.”

Connor nodded. “Uh huh. Enjoy your lunch,Nas.”

Naser checked the time on his phone.

He wasn’t having lunch with his mother. He was having lunchwith Mason, and he was supposed to meet him in twenty minutes.

22

There was something both exhilaratingand terrifying about being in his father’s presence so soon after waking up inNaser’s arms. Like it was the ultimate act of defiance. As if, even thoughseveral hours and a long, hot shower separated Mason from the moment he’dshared a goodbye kiss with the man who’d made it hard to get out of bed thatmorning, PeteWorthermight detect the scent ofanother man on Mason’s body.

Save for the hour and a half on Sunday when Mason hadstepped out to attend his AA meeting, he and Naser hadn’t spent any time apartsince Saturday. Now the work week had begun. Their departures that morning asthey’d headed off to their respective jobs had felt absurdly dramatic, likethey were each leaving to start new semesters at different colleges, eventhough the plan was for Naser to return to Mason’s house that evening after hefetched some more things from his condo. After they had lunch together thatafternoon.

They’d yet to do the deed. The full mile. The thing he’ddreamed about doing to Naser for years. The thought filled him with deliciousanticipation. But given their history, simply spending time in each other’scompany—affectionate, unhurried time—carried its own sustaining, erotic charge.He’d kissed plenty of men, but he’d never made out with one for hours. Longsymphonies with crescendos and decrescendos, and snippets of giggly chatterthrown in.

Suddenly the design team members were rising from around themahogany conference table and Mason was sitting up straighter, nodding andpretending he’d been impressed by their presentation of the first landscapingdesigns for Vistana’s community pool. The meeting was ending the way so many atWortherProperties did, with employees scurrying fromthe room, grateful not to have incurred PeteWorther’swrath over some small infraction.

“You drunk?” Pete took a sip of the coffee his assistant hadbrought him before the meeting started. His salt and pepper hair glistened withproduct, his side part 1950s straight.

“No.”

“Hung over?”

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