CHAPTER 13
Owen
Easy,” I said as I guided Liam to the bed. Even after cleaning him up and getting him comfortably dressed, he was still unsteady. Maybe he was genuinely that satisfied, or perhaps he was that exhausted. Either way, a content little sigh escaped him the moment his head hit the pillow.
He curled around the extra pillow, hugging it to his chest, while I pulled the blanket up over his shoulders. I sat on the edge of the bed and just watched him for a moment—really studied him.
“Are you good?” I asked, keeping my voice quiet so as not to disturb his calm state.
“Mhmm,” he hummed, and I smiled. There was something endearing and almost adorable about the way he made himself so readily at home among the blankets. There wasn’t a second thought or worry about doing so in a place that wasn’t his.
I stayed in my spot for longer than necessary just to watch him sleep. He looked peaceful in a way that felt strangely intimate to witness. Every wall he’d spent the evening trying to maintain had slipped away, and witnessing it happen had done something dangerous to me.
Satisfaction should have been enough—it was supposed to be enough. Professional pride was supposed to be enough. And yet… this felt different. Some part of me actually cared how he felt. Truly and deeply cared, and not in the professional sense. Not in the professional sense at all.
I left the room and hopefully left that little piece of myself behind. The last thing I needed was the complications of feelings and concerns involving Liam.
While I had pulled on my lounge pants, Ares was already dressed in jeans and an orange pullover sweatshirt. The rustic color complemented his tanned skin wonderfully and made his eyes stand out.
“You like him,” Ares said the moment he saw me. It wasn’t a question. It was a blanket statement, but one I intended to address. As I opened my mouth to deny it, he continued, “Don’t bullshit me, old man. You forget how well I know you.”
“It’s neither here nor there,” I commented vaguely. I kept busy by carefully packing up the food left on the kitchen island.
“You,” he began as he joined me at the counter, leaning against it casually. I pretended not to notice how his gaze tracked my movements. The man was far too observant for his own good—and mine. “You never get invested.”
“I’m not invested.”
“You called him baby.”
“You called him pretty boy.”
”You never use pet names,” Ares countered once more. His voice dropped an octave to mock me as he added, “It’s an important rule: no pet names. Pet names encourage familiarity, and familiarity breeds attachment.”
I scowled. I had, indeed, said that years ago to him. Ares used pet names to break down walls, but I found them a dangerous involvement. I’d seen it happen too many times.
“There is no attachment to be concerned about,” I said. Even I wasn’t convinced of my own words. I had crossed lines—my own lines—with Liam. It was no surprise that Ares had picked up on that. “My position at the Society isn’t compromised.”
“I know, but retirement would look good on you,” he replied.
The Society had very strict rules about its employees’ dating, especially Architects.
It was something we all knew before ever signing our contracts.
Only low-level employees—the ones who danced and hosted non-sexual entertainment—were allowed to date.
Considering the nature of our work, dating would always be tricky.
Jealousy and disgruntled partners were something Vincent wanted to protect us all from.
The last thing he wanted was someone disrupting what he’d worked so hard to build and putting the lives of his employees and clients at risk.
I wasn’t disillusioned. I knew that everyone dated secretly here and there. Human connection was vital to survival, but no one dated seriously. It wasn’t uncommon for people to quit for a while, date, and then come back when their relationship ended. Vincent welcomed them back without hesitation.
But Liam… dating Liam wouldn’t be a temporary thing. I could feel that fact very deeply in my bones. Dating him would mean retirement.
And I wasn’t sure I wanted to retire. It wasn’t something I’d ever entertained.
And I wasn’t sure I should be considering it now.
Yes, I was obsessed with Liam in a way I’d never experienced in my life, but did that equate to more?
Or was I just warping emotion with some convoluted fantasy my mind was trying to create?
“Just think about it,” Ares said, pulling me out of my head. His hand landed on my shoulder, and he gave me a slight squeeze. “I won’t say anything to Vincent in my after report.”
“I appreciate it,” I replied softly. Even saying that felt like I was admitting it. “Good night, Ares.”
“Night, old man,” he called over his shoulder as he left. I listened for the quiet whoosh of the elevator to know I was truly alone, as if that was somehow better. It wasn’t. All it did was leave me alone with my thoughts about the man soundly sleeping in the next room.
Instead of focusing on it, I forced all my attention on cleaning up the condo. While an official clean-up crew would come in once Liam was gone, I wanted to make sure it was presentable for when he woke up.