Page 25 of Embracing James

“Peachy.” He didn’t want to hear this.

“No, you don’t understand. Please listen to me.” Paul let go, but didn’t step back. “I must’ve sent him the message that saidI want to fuck you until we both can’t walk.”

“So he’ll be on his way over.” He held tight to the leash. “Should we just go?”

“No. I want you to stay. Put your car in the garage and stick around. I don’t want to be with him. Don’t want to taste his kiss, don’t want to feel him beside me or have him in my bed. I want all those things with you.” Paul held out his hand. “Please stay?”

Part of James didn’t want to. He wanted to be angry and hurt over getting the wrong text. The rest of him couldn’t be mad. He’d accidentally sent texts to the wrong people and embarrassed himself a couple of times doing it. This was just an accident.

“Will you stick around? Doob and I are having a good time vegging out and I’d rather it be the three of us,” Paul said. “It won’t be the same without you.”

“I know.” He bowed his head. “It just…I got so angry and confused. Here we were texting hot stuff, then you sent that and it was like my world collapsed.”

“I understand. I’d have been hurt if I’d been in your shoes. I’m embarrassed I didn’t pay attention to who got what message.” Paul nodded to the door. “Pull your car in, then it’ll be safe overnight and we can enjoy ourselves.”

He handed over the leash, then pulled his keys from his pocket. “Okay.”

“Thank you.” Paul curled his fingers under James’ chin. “I won’t let you down again.”

“I know you won’t.” He left the living room in favor of his car and pulled into the garage. As the big door shut, a set of headlights sent white light under the door. He hustled into the condo. “Is that…?”

Paul nodded. “Henri. I really fucked up.” He strode to the front door. “I’m sorry, babe.”

Babe?He liked being called that. “Don’t worry about me. Just get rid of him.”

“You have no idea how much I want to.” Paul opened the front door, but kept the screen door shut.

Doob left the couch and the hairs on his back stood on end. James loved Doob’s innate meter for the decency of people. If Doob didn’t like them, then James didn’t want to know them. He knelt with the dog and petted at the back of his head to reassure him.

“My love. I knew you’d want me again.” Henri yanked on the door handle. “You wanted me here to make love. Why aren’t you letting me in?”

“I sent you the wrong text,” Paul said. “It was a mistake.”

“A mistake?” Henri snorted. “You said you wanted to fuck me.” He crinkled his nose. “Who is that? And what do you have on your face? What are you doing to yourself?”

What a nice guy.Then again, James had come charging into the condo with an attitude, so he wasn’t much better. Still, he hadn’t thought he was that bad.

“To answer your questions, that would be my boyfriend,” James said. “I haven’t done anything to my face that wasn’t already there. This is who I am. If you can’t accept that—which it doesn’t sound like you can—then fine. I’ve moved on and I don’t need you.”

James petted Doob and kept his mouth shut. This guy was so pushy. Mean, too. He didn’t know how Paul stood up to him, but then again, James considered himself too meek for his own good.

“You should at least invite me in for drinks,” Henri said. “For my trouble.”

“I didn’t get anything for drinks.” Paul shrugged. “I sent the wrong text to you and I don’t have the fancy stuff. Sorry.”

“You always have the fancy stuff.” Henri cocked his brow. “Is that why he’s with you? Because he’s here for your money? He spent it all, which is why you don’t have any?”

Christ.What a gem. James knew plenty of guys who dated other men for money, but he wasn’t one of them. There had to be a spark.

“Well?” Henri snorted. “I thought so. What’s he doing? Paying your rent? For your new apartment? Maybe for your car? He’ll dump you and want the cash value before he goes. Just mark my word.”

Paul exhaled and rested his hands on his hips. “Are you done?”

Henri could leave at any time. That’d make James happy. James stood and took his place beside Paul.

“Oh…so you picked a younger model,” Henri said. “Are you lying to him about your age? He’s forty-five.”

James wasn’t sure when Henri spoke to Paul and when he spoke to him, but he wasn’t about to talk back. He shouldn’t have to listen to this, but he also didn’t want to give Henri the satisfaction of an answer.

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