Page 17 of At His Wife's Behest

“Take it however you want.” Connor eyed his luggage. “You have a swimsuit in there?”

“No. I checked the weather and didn’t anticipate swimming.”

“The pool is heated,” Connor said, waggling his eyebrows. “Why don’t you strip down to your skivvies and come swim with me?”

Kellan hesitated. Sure, he ran a few times a week, but his body wasn’t in perfect shape—not like Connor’s. He’d expectedmuscles, but not a perfectly sculpted physique. Connor would put the statues in Italy to shame.

“It felt great after that long flight. Your body will love it.”

Kellan hesitated.

“Unwind a little. Relax.”

“Yeah, sure,” Kellan replied, unable to say no with the anticipation he witnessed on Connor’s face. “I’ll… I’ll meet you down there.”

“Don’t dawdle.” Connor grinned before walking toward the door. He paused in the threshold, turning toward Kellan. “And thank you.”

“For?”

“Trusting me enough to tell me your truth. And for letting me be there for you.” He smiled. “That was a brave thing to do.”

“It didn’t feel very brave.”

“It was.” Connor offered a gentle smile before closing the door behind him.

Kellan collapsed on the bed, exhausted. Between the long flight, the surprise of an unexpected guest, and then losing his cool, he was ready for bed. He reached for his phone and dialed Emma again. It went through on the second attempt.

“Hey, babe! Did you arrive safely?” she asked.

“I did.” He kicked off his shoes. “I wish you’d warned me about my guest instead of surprising me.”

“As if you’d have gone.” Silence hung on the other end for a few heartbeats. “Is he cute?”

Kellan sighed, undoing his button-down. “Why, Emma? Why did you do this?”

“I didn’t want you there all by yourself.”

“I’m a big boy. I can handle being alone.”

“You shouldn’thaveto be alone,” Emma shot back. “Just for your knowledge, he’s been vetted and has signed an NDA. You’re far from home and free to be you, for once.”

His father’s reach was wide. He wasn’t so sure he was all that free.

“He’s not an escort, by the way, so he’s not paid to have sex with you.”

“I’m aware.” He peeled off his pants and laid them over the bed.

“I asked the caretaker to ensure there was a box of condoms and a bottle of lube in the main bedroom nightstands, just in case somethingdidhappen.”

Heat burned his face.“You did not.”

“I did. Safe sex, Kel. It’s important.”

He dragged the drawer open and found two boxes of condoms and a large tube of lube. “Aren’t the caretakers ancient?”

“They were young once. I’m sure they’ve used them before.”

“Oh, dear god,” Kellan said. “I’m not going to survive this trip.”

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