Page 11 of Priest (Confessions 3)

“Remember, it’s all about time and trust, princesse. Take what you need. We aren’t going anywhere.”

Julien got in the SUV and headed out, leaving Robbie to climb into the passenger seat of Priest’s Aston Martin.

Once his seatbelt was buckled, Robbie glanced at Priest and blurted out, “I hate this.”

Priest looked at him, and Robbie fidgeted with the hem of his sweater. Something he hadn’t done in a long while under that piercing grey gaze.

“You hate what?”

“Not talking to you. Feeling tense around you again. I hate it.”

“If it helps, I hate it too,” Priest said, and then started the car.

As he drove it out of the garage, Robbie chewed on his lip and studied Priest’s solemn expression. His lips were drawn tight, his hands were white-knuckling the wheel, and he’d put on a pair of Aviators to block out the sun’s glare—and likely me.

If Robbie hadn’t been feeling so tightly strung, he might’ve taken the moment to appreciate just how attractive Priest was then, because there was no denying it—he was ruggedly handsome. In fact, the whole stoic suit deal he had going on made Priest even more appealing than normal, which was the last thing Robbie needed to be thinking about. So he quietly and methodically directed Priest on where to turn to get to his nonna’s, and when they came to a stop at a red light, Priest said, “If there’s anything you need today, you call, okay? No matter what time it is, I don’t care. And if you can’t get me, you call Julien.”

He was so earnest that Robbie automatically nodded.

“Good. Also, I’d prefer you to be picked up by Elliot when you’re done here. Just until I—”

“Know more?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” As the light switched to green and they headed off again, Robbie heard himself say, “I just… I just need a moment to myself so I can try and understand what I’m feeling, you know?”

Robbie counted the silent seconds that passed after that with each beat of his heart. Thump, thump, thump.

“I understand,” Priest said. “You have every right to feel the way you do.”

Robbie looked down at his hands. “I wish I didn’t.”

As Priest pulled up to the curb of the retirement community, he said, “So do I. But that’s on me. Not you.”

Robbie swallowed and reached for the door handle. As he pushed it down and was about to shove it open, he stopped at the last second and leaned across the car to press a fierce kiss to Priest’s lips.

When Robbie pulled back, Priest touched his mouth where their lips had just met, and Robbie’s heart ached at the move. “I’ll see you and Julien later tonight.”

Priest inclined his head, and though he looked like he wanted to say more, he didn’t, as Robbie climbed out and headed into his nonna’s place, positive that the next few hours would feel more like a thousand, since it already felt like an eternity since he’d left Priest’s side.

Chapter Five

CONFESSION

The most effective way to capture my attention

is to walk away from me.

AS ROBBIE WALKED away, Priest knew he had to let him go, even though he wanted to call out for him to come back. He had no one to blame for the distance he’d put between them but himself, and even though he knew that, it was still a hard pill to swallow.

In the past, the two of them had had their fair share of arguments and disagreements, but nothing like this. This one held all the more weight because it had the potential to tear the three of them apart.

Priest ran a hand through his hair, gripping it at the roots as though that bite of pain would somehow ease his frustration. But all he could think about was how in the world his and Julien’s life would ever go back to normal if Robbie walked away from them for good.

He was trying not to focus on that very real possibility, but it wasn’t that much of a stretch that their carefree boyfriend would think this all too much and decide not to tie his life to theirs after all.

Priest shut his eyes and took in a breath, and as he did, he thought back to a time when he’d watched Julien walk away because of something he’d done—or, as was the case with Robbie, something he hadn’t done. He remembered feeling the exact same determination he did right now. That he would do anything he had to, to have that man in his life…

PRIEST SAT IN the valet line that had been created outside the set of the hottest reality restaurant show, and watched the A-list guests arrive for a night of culinary excellence.

Tonight, Graham Boyd—world-renowned chef and restaurateur—had invited a select group of guests to the wrap party of his latest project, Chef Master.

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