Page 29 of Lorcan
“You look comfortable. This space…” He gazed around. “It suits you.”
“You think so?”
“Yeah, I really do. I’d like to think my place isn’t a reflection of me. But it kind of is. Down on my luck, sort of living just above a dumpster. And I’m not saying that so you feel sorry for me. I just want to make certain we’re on the same page.”
I cocked my head. “Which page?”
“That you’re way out of my league.”
Damn it.“I don’t see things that way. Not at all. I’m just a guy.”
“With a PhD and doctor before your name. I barely finished high school.”
I shook my head. “You ran a successful and prosperous business for more than twenty years. Whatever your ex did, he can’t wipe away that success. And sure, right now, you’re a little down on your luck. I see that changing. You’ve started a new job with great people.”
He smiled a little. “Yeah. Riley’s amazing and her crew—” He swallowed. “They’re good people, you know. Hardworking. No drama. Queer-friendly. That all means something to me.”
“Right.” I smiled encouragingly. “And you’re seeing a counselor next week. Remind me to give you the papers—I brought them up from my SUV when we came back here.”
“Yeah. I saw you put them on the counter. I won’t forget. This is—” He scratched his chin again. “—important to me. So I can show you that I’m trying.”
“Lorcan, you don’t have to show me anything. I hope you’re not doing this because you believe I want you to do it.”Have I said something to make him think that?I wracked my brain, but couldn’t come up with anything concrete I might’ve said tomake it appear any relationship with me was contingent on him getting help. He had to do this for himself—otherwise, it would never work.
He shook his head. “I didn’t mean it like that. Just that…” He gazed down at his jeans and picked at them.
I didn’t see any lint, but I understood about giving him time to collect his thoughts.
He met my gaze. “I want to get out of this downward spiral. I’ve been holding on by my fingernails for two years. That jury gave me freedom—but even that came with strings. I’m in bankruptcy. I have nothing to my name. Like I said, we’re polar opposites.”
Slowly, I nodded. “Well, there’s very little in this condo that I own outright. The credit union and I are acquainted on intimate terms. I know I’m one catastrophe from everything going to shit. Most people are. I’m lucky in that I have various kinds of insurance—but I still can’t predict what bad things might happen in the future. I just put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward. Momentum helps with that.” I inched closer to him. “Maybe you just need a push.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Are you offering? Because I’ve never been into spanking, but with you…” His gaze held heat.
Instead of laughing, which was my first instinct, I inched even closer. “I didn’t say what else I thought was really brave.”
After a moment, he nodded. “Going to Kink. Wearing the yellow bracelet.”
“Yep. That took guts.”
“Because guys like me aren’t usually the puppies.”
My mind flashed to Foster. “I have a friend I would love for you to meet. But it might be problematic.”
He frowned.
Man, why did his lawyer have to be Arnav? I’m grateful the brilliant attorney was there. Because otherwise Lorcan mightnot have gotten free. But if I introduce him to Arnav and Foster, that’ll be all kinds of awkward.Hell, it might even cause a conflict of interest. Except if I didn’t speak to the guys, and they wound up at pup night with Lorcan attending, that might be even worse.
To my surprise, he reached out and pressed his thumb to the furrow between my eyebrows. “You’re thinking so hard, I can see the gears grinding.”
“Oh.” I had no response to that.
“Not in a bad way.” He offered a smile. “Just that whatever you’re thinking…I can handle it. I know I’ve shown you my soft underbelly today—which I sort of regret—but I can take just about anything you might dish out.”
And you might flip over and show me your hard shell. Or you might retreat and I’ll lose whatever ground we’ve made up today.“It’s nothing bad, I assure you. I would love to introduce you to Jai and Demetrius—the two men you saw me with. I might as well tell you that Jai’s my boss at Pride Camp.”
A laugh burst forth from him. “Okay, that must be all kinds of awkward.”
“You’d think.” On impulse, I pulled his hand between mine. “That first night? I nearly walked back out the door. Especially when it became clear everyone thought I was a pup.”
