Chapter Five
Quince did not want to leave Jathan’s bed, but he—stupidly—forgot to plan the day’s work around him not being there. That didn’t mean he couldn’t be late.
He kissed Jathan’s nape. As much as he hated to wake him, Quince hated not to say goodbye even more. “I’m sorry. You can go right back to sleep, but I have to get back to the ranch. I need to ensure everyone showed up today.”
Jathan reached over his head and cupped the back of Quince’s head, as if savoring the way Quince’s mouth felt on his skin. He groaned. “Nooo.”
Quince smiled against his neck. “Believe me, I wish I could stay.” He swiped his hand over Jathan’s bare hip. “I hate leaving.” An idea struck. “Why don’t you come with me? You can see Artem and I’ll put you on a horse.”
“Wakey, wakey. Eggs and bakey! We’re going to breakfast.” The light flared to life in the room. “Oh.”
Jathan groaned.
Quince blinked at the sight of the woman in the doorway. She was likely six feet tall and skinny as hell.
“Mom. We’ve talked about this.” Jathan sat up. The blankets slid down his sexy bare torso and pooled in his lap. “One of these days, you’ll see something you really don’t want to see.”
She didn’t look the least bit concerned. “Sorry, baby. In my defense, there’s never anyone here.”
Despite the situation, Quince smiled. As sad as it was, he loved knowing Jathan didn’t have a different man here every night.
“Thanks for that.” Jathan sounded a bit disgruntled, but he motioned Quince’s way. “This is Quince. Quince, my mom.”
“Jan,” she added with a bright smile. “I’m heartened to hear he knows your name.”
Quince chuckled as he stood and crossed the room to shake her hand. He was glad as hell he had waited to wake Jathan until after he dressed. “He’d better. It’s nice to meet you.”
A line appeared between her amber eyes. “Why do you look familiar to me?”
He shifted from foot to foot. “I don’t know.” Quince very much feared he actually did know, but that life needed to stay in the past.
She made a dismissive motion. “Anyhow, we’re going to breakfast. So everyone get your shit together. I’m starving after days of being unable to eat.”
“I was just headed to work.”
“Oh. What do you do?”
Jathan looked like her. He had her blond hair and very similar facial features. “I’m foreman out at Tip Ramos’ ranch. A ton of my workers have been out with the flu. I need to make sure everyone is covered for the day and pick up the slack where they can’t.”
Her smile grew. She looked like a nice person. “Oh. Artem’s husband. Yeah. We’ve met. You’re right. The flu has been fucking awful. I was about ready to beg for death.”
“I’m glad to see you’re feeling better.”
“Personally, I’m glad everyone is having a nice conversation while I’m trapped here in the nude.”
Jan waved her hand. “Please. I made that body, but I’ll wait in the kitchen. Hurry. Momma's hungry.” She focused on Quince for a second. “It really was nice meeting you.”
“You too.”
The moment she was out of sight, Jathan climbed from the bed while Quince enjoyed the show. He held up one finger. “Wait just one minute and I’ll walk you out.”
He wouldn’t turn down that offer. “You got it.” Quince's gaze followed Jathan to the bathroom. When he disappeared inside, he released the breath he hadn’t realized he held. It was like Jathan wiped his entire brain. He couldn’t even function normally.
Jathan reappeared after a minute, wearing a tank top and workout shorts. “Okay. I’m ready.”
Quince held out his hand and smiled like an idiot all the way down the hall after Jathan accepted it. He felt ridiculously proud to be with him. In the garage, Jathan walked with him nearly all the way to his truck before he froze, pulling Quince to a stop. Quince turned.
Jathan’s gaze was locked on something across the room. He dipped his chin. “Please tell me you did that?”
Quince turned his head and his blood froze. Red roses and a card rested against the windshield of his Hummer. “No. Maybe your mom.” It was hopeful thinking on his part.
Jathan shook his head. The way his gaze stayed locked on the items made everything worse. It was as if he was almost scared. “You just met her. Does she strike you as the type to leave a gift on my car? She more of the burst in with balloons type.”
Fuck. “Would you like me to check it out first?”
Jathan’s gaze slid his way. “Would you? I know how I sound right now, but I’m also super freaked out. This has happened to me a few times in public, but this is different. There’s no way into this garage without the proper signal from my phone or cars.”
Yeah. Fuck this. This was unfortunately familiar territory for him. He wouldn’t let this happen twice. No one scared Jathan. Quince stormed across the garage and grabbed the flowers and card. The card wasn’t in an envelope. Quince flipped it open and read it aloud.
“You looked beautiful last night on that court. Why hasn’t your mom been with you? There’s no signature of any kind. Do you want to see if you recognize the handwriting?”
“No.” Jathan looked pale. “Can you just take them with you, please?”
His reaction had Quince more than a little concerned. “Do you have any idea who these are from?”
Jathan shook his head. He looked truly shaken. Of course, as he had said, no one should be able to get into this garage.
That thought led to another. He set the flowers on the hood of the truck. “Go back into the house, baby.” His eyes scanned the hundreds of places a person could hide. He didn’t mean to scare Jathan, but it was best to be careful.
His words had the opposite effect. Jathan seemed to snap out of it. “I’m not leaving you out here unprotected.”
Quince pulled open the driver’s side door of his truck and grabbed the gun he kept in a hidden compartment under his seat. “I’m good, but I’d feel a lot better with you in the house.”
Jathan gave him a jerky nod. “Okay.” He headed inside, leaving Quince behind.
Quince automatically fell into his old self. That training fit like a second skin. He took his time and searched each vehicle and every corner. Quince didn’t relax until he was positive Jathan was safe.
Jan poked her head out the door. “Are you still alive out here? Jathan won’t let me call the police.”
Quince’s shoulders relaxed. “Yeah. Everything seems secure. As much as I hate to delay your breakfast, I think you should make a report. A paper trail matters.”
Jan leaned against the doorframe and eyed him. “I remember now. You’re that bodyguard. Jayda’s bodyguard.”
Quince moved to his truck and put his gun back in its holster.
He couldn’t and wouldn’t talk about this.
“Tell me what you want, and I’ll grab you breakfast before I head to work.
” He didn’t look her way as he moved the flowers and card to a nearby work table.
“He asked me to take these with me, but the police will want to look for fingerprints or whatever.”
“I know you’re not leaving without saying goodbye.”
Despite everything, Quince smiled at Jathan’s sudden appearance. The guy just made his life better. “Of course not. I’m going to grab you two breakfast before I head out, so you can eat while you wait for the police.” He held Jathan’s stare, silently daring him to argue.
“Stay. We’ll order food.”
Quince didn’t look to see if Jan was still there. He snagged Jathan’s hips and hauled him in so he could kiss him. He fought a wave of disappointment as he pulled away. “As much as I hate it, I really have to get to work.”
Jathan nodded. He looked incredibly sexy—like always—but there was also something else about him today. Damn. Quince didn’t want to leave, but he couldn’t stay. “Be careful driving home.”
“I will.” Quince stole another quick kiss before forcing himself to climb into his truck. He didn’t look Jathan’s way again. Quince was too weak. If he looked, he would stay.
For the entire morning, Jathan felt sick to his stomach.
The thought that someone had magically been inside his garage was driving him insane.
After filing a police report, it had been too late for breakfast, so he had taken his mom to lunch.
The meal had been… eye opening. She had gone into talking about Quince’s past—like Jathan already knew everything about the man he was sleeping with.
Which, fair. Jathan had just rolled with it, told his mom Quince never talked about it, and then sat back to hear all the tea.
Her story explained Quince’s hermit-like lifestyle.
Not that Jathan had ever questioned that.
He had just assumed Quince was too busy to leave the ranch often.
Back home, he had practically run through the house, gathering things and peeking around every corner.
He couldn’t even bring himself to drive the Hummer.
Jathan chose a car he rarely drove—his Lamborghini Huracan.
For some reason, his stupid garage door didn’t want to open, slowing him down.
Once he got past that hurdle, he drove straight to Quince.
Truthfully, that was his intention, but he also figured he could claim to be there for Artem, if necessary.
No doubt Quince had already told him what had happened.