Page 41 of At His Wife's Behest

Kellan nodded.

“Hon, be careful. He was there for a reason.” The impliedpaycheckhung in the air.

“I knew him,” Kellan said. “Before. It’s not about the money.”I hope.

Emma’s eyes widened. “Who was it?”

“I can’t say.”

She gasped again. “I know him, don’t I?”

“No.”

Emma laughed. “As I said, you’re a terrible liar.Tellme.”

“I don’t want to out him. That’s not fair.”

Emma sighed. “Fine.”

“My point is…” he said. “He asked me to see him again, and I… I wanted it. I wanted it so bad that it tore me apart to walk away.” He coughed, clearing the emotion away from his throat. “But I heard my father’s voice in my head, and I chickened out. I told him we couldn’t when it was all I wanted.” He scoffed. “I implied I was just a job and he’d move on. I hurt his feelings.”

“We’ll find you someone to exorcise your demons and then you can make it up to him… if that’s what you want to do.”

He smiled. “Yeah.”

Emma pressed a kiss to his cheek. “If you enjoyed Mr. Italy’s company and he yours… don’t let him slip away.” She caressed his cheek. “You can find a way if this is what you want.”

Abigail burst into the room. “You’re taking too long, Daddy!”

He spun and forced a smile on his face. “I am?”

“Yeah,” she said. “I need my present.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Kellan said, digging through his luggage. He drew out the small, boxed presents and handed them over.

“Oooh,” Emma said, dropping to sit on his bed. She squealed when she saw the necklace. “It’s just like that one I got on our last trip!”

“The one that you loved and lost,” Kellan mentioned. He’d been so excited to find one just like it.

“Yes!” She bounded from the bed and hugged him. “You’re the best, Kel.”

Abigail lifted her wrist, showing off her new bracelet that was similar in style to the necklace. “I can wear it to school tomorrow and show everyone.”

The mention of school had Kellan’s mind spinning. In the morning, he’d come face-to-face with Connor again. What in the hell did he say?

Connor entered his apartment, his cat meowing loudly at his absence. Checking Felix’s food bowl, he found it empty. “Did Charlie feed you at all this week?” He moved down the hall andlifted a hand to knock when he heard a loud moan coming from behind his roommate’s bedroom door. Connor glanced at Felix. “We’ll have to ask later.”

The screaming in the bedroom grew louder. Connor shook his head, wondering if he shouldn’t check to make sure Charlie wasn’t killing the guy. After feeding Felix and dragging his luggage to his bedroom, he crashed across the surface of the bed, thoughts of Kellan on his mind. In the morning, he’d come face to face with the man. Did they pretend nothing had happened between them? Connor couldn’t cut his feelings off like a switch. He wasn’t built that way, not when the other person meant something to him.

What is it he means to me?

Connor wasn’t sure he could answer that. All he could say was he already missed Kellan’s presence.

You were a paid companion. What did you really expect once you returned? He’s way out of your league in more ways than one.

His cat pawed at the bedroom door, but he was too exhausted to get up. Connor heard Charlie’s bedroom door swing open, the murmur of voices traveling toward the front door before another click sounded.

“What the fuck are you doing, Felix?” Charlie called. He pressed Connor’s door open and startled. “Oh, hey—I didn’t hear you come home.”

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