Page 91 of The Locker Room

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Player of the NCAA tournament. “You"re here, it"ll be home. That"s all I

want.”

Chris smiled that shy smile again, and Xander thought it would be

a good time to do an over-the-back hug and ear nuzzle, because he knew

Chris liked it when he got all “Cave Man” on his massively bulked-out

body, when Leo spoke up.

“Okay, guys. I"m gonna draw up some privacy agreements so we

can start hiring staff, okay? You"ll have to take a look at them, Chris,

and let me know if you approve.”

“Why me?” Chris asked, at the same time Xander said, “Privacy

agreements?”

“You"ve got the business degree, genius. I"m gonna be running a

lot of shit by you. I could barely get Xander to focus through his

78

Amy Lane

franchise contract; you think I"m going to let him okay anything

important?”

“There were a lot of flashbulbs,” Xander mumbled, because there

were.

“And he"s not—” Chris started hotly, but Leo had anticipated the

argument.

“Stupid. I know he"s not, Christian.” Leo had gotten into the habit

of addressing the two of them like—in Chris"s words—a beloved older

uncle. Xander had replied that he"d never had an uncle, and he wasn"t

sure about the beloved part, either, but the fact could not be denied that

Leo chose to handle the two of them in a particularly familial way.

Times like now, that could be reassuring. “He"s not stupid, but he

doesn"t think like that. Xander doesn"t see the small shit and you do, and

I"m going to need your help with that, okay?”

“Why do we need staff?” Xander asked, still back at that. “I

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