Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Damn, this place was something else.
Dawes looked around, shaking his head. They were in this pretty courtyard in this restaurant in Santa Fe.
There was art everywhere, candles, fairy lights.
It was intimate—about half a dozen tables, maybe a couple more.
White tablecloths. But they weren’t the only ones in here.
The place was filled, and there was a soft buzz of conversation. Everything was nice.
What Dawson liked best was that he didn’t feel out of place in his jeans and his good dove gray button-down, his hat, his Sunday boots. He felt as if he fit in here. Hell, he looked like he fit with Seamus.
Seamus was wearing jeans and a crisp white button-down open at the throat. There was a single heavy gold link chain resting on the tanned skin, and it was remarkably hot. Just this little bit of bling and it made his mouth dry.
They sat in an alcove. He could see Christopher and Nick at the next table over, far enough away that they had their privacy, but close enough that he knew for a fact nothing was going to happen without Christopher’s eyes on them.
Christopher had spoken to him earlier, had explained that while Santa Fe was very safe for celebrities—no paparazzi, a few groups of fans here and there—they were still on their guard. They still watched.
“So, what are you going to have?” Dawes asked. The menu didn’t even have prices on it. That was wild.
Seamus grinned at him. “I’m gonna get the lamb, no question. I’ve been craving it. I eat a lot of it back home, and it sounds really good. I’ve heard some great things about the beef, though, and I have tried the mushroom polenta and it is exceptional.”
“Yeah, the tenderloin looks really good. Are you gonna have an appetizer?” He didn’t know exactly what he should order; some of this stuff was a little out of his comfort zone.
“I was hoping I could talk you into sharing the lobster and scallops and the Brussels sprout salad. We could just nibble on each other’s plates. They both sound so good, that we can just…” Seamus shrugged. “You know. Share.”
“Hell, yes. Whatever you want.” He wasn’t sure what squid ink brioche was, but he was gonna try it.
“Cool. We’ll just let the sommelier pick the wine for us then.
It’ll just be easier, and since neither one of us is driving, we can indulge.
” Seamus put his elbows on the table, offered him a smile as he propped his chin on his thumbs.
“Thanks for coming out with me. I love this place. The art is just stunning, and it’s nice enough to be out here even. Not too hot, not cold, just perfect.”
He heard what Seamus was saying about the art; it was amazing.
There were these stunning statues everywhere—Southwestern imagery in all of them, but all different.
Some were rounded with smooth lines, and they felt soothing, while some had harder lines, sharper angles, and those had a power to them.
Listen to him, thinking about art.
He blamed Seamus.
His lover had taken him up Canyon Road today and walked him through dozens of galleries. It was fascinating to be able to just wander and talk with someone who really knew about art, and he had a real idea of what he liked and wasn’t extravagant about it.
Now Seamus had spent more than Dawes could even fathom on a single piece of art, but he’d spent the day trying to figure out what it was he wanted, planning where it would go, and then he went and spent the money.
Dawson could respect that.
“So you’ve been here before?”
“Yeah, I have been. I have to admit, I like it a lot. I met the chef at a charity event, and he and I got along like a house afire. The food is solid, and while it’s fine dining, it doesn’t feel fancy.
It feels rustic and good. I like the atmosphere.
There are times when a guy wants a dive bar, there’s a time that I just want a burger, and then there’s sometimes when I want to be able to have a long, relaxing supper with somebody I care about. This is my place for that.”
God, Dawes wanted to ask who he’d brought here before. He didn’t. He didn’t want to know. He was curious as fuck.
Although, he had to admit, Dawson liked the sound of that. That Seamus cared about him. At least he hoped Seamus was talking about him and not about Nick and Topher, who were going to have a nice meal too, even if they were kind of on duty.
He wondered if Nick would let Topher indulge in whatever he wanted. That was the idea of something like this, right? Going out to a fancy place you could eat and not have to worry about being on the diet for a day.
“So if you have lamb and a seafood appetizer and all that good stuff, I know it’s low-carb, but isn’t it going to make you work out like a dog tomorrow at the hotel?”
“Oh, probably.” Seamus shrugged with one shoulder. “That’s okay. They’ve got a cardio gym and a lifting studio. And then there’s a soaking pool and a steam room. I can be tenderized.”
“Shit, that sounds fancy as hell. I’ll be right there with you working out.
I love me a steam room and a soaking pool.
Get out of that kind of thing, and you’re a limp noodle.
” Dawes pondered that for a second and then added, “Not that I want to be a limp noodle around you, but I figure we can work out, do our thing, take a nap, and then not be limp.”
Seamus hooted—the sound drawing a few glances from fellow diners. “I like the sound of that. Heck, we can practice that tonight after we get done having dinner. I mean, maybe we’ll walk around a little bit before that because I’m about to eat some food.”
Dawes nodded, his cheeks heating a little bit because this was awful public for him to be talking about that kind of thing.
But when in Rome, right?
Seamus didn’t seem to have any problem with it, and nobody was really paying attention to them unless they got a loud with their flap doodle. So, he figured he’d go with it.
“You okay? I didn’t upset you, did I?” Seamus could read him like a damn book, and he had to admit that was a touch disconcerting because usually he had a pretty good poker face.
“I’m fine. You didn’t upset me at all. In fact, it’s flattering that you think I’m all that and a bag of chips.”
“I really do.” Seamus focused on him, those eyes arrowing in, and it was the most incredible sensation to have this man’s total attention. “So, tell me about your place in Colorado.”
“Oh, like I said, it’s just a little bit of a place.
It’s about seventy acres up by Woody Creek, not far from Aspen and Snowmass.
It’s got a little house on it. It’s been there for a hundred years, maybe, and not a McMansion like so many of the places up there have now.
A couple barns. I got me a guy who lives on the ranch in the old bunkhouse who takes care of everything while I’m gone.
He’s getting on up there though, so I might have to hire me somebody else soon. ”
Seamus’s eyes went wide. “I’ve looked at properties up there. That had to have cost you a pretty penny.”
Dawson chuckled. “Well, see, this is where I admit to being a nepo baby a little bit. My aunt and uncle owned it, and when my uncle passed away, my aunt moved over toward Delta to live with her sister and left me the ranch free and clear. So, I didn’t have to pay for it.
All I have to do is pay the property taxes and upkeep. ”
Not that he couldn’t have afforded to buy the ranch when he did come into it, because property values hadn’t gone up quite as much as they were now a decade ago. But he hadn’t had to buy it, and that was the best thing ever.
“So that’s where you live when you’re not down here?”
They were learning all sorts of shit about each other, and he decided to open up.
“I live mostly on the road. That’s why it’s not weird for me to be here at the school a lot of the time.
But I do see me slowing down over the next decade or so.
I’m not getting any younger, and this is not an old man’s game.
I reckon the ranch will be a great place to have to go to, you know? ”
“Yeah, I get that.”
The server came and Seamus ordered for both of them, getting him the tenderloin, ordering their appetizers, and telling the kid to let the sommelier match wines to their food.
He had to admit, that was a little strange, but it felt good to sit back and let Seamus drive and watch the man in his element. If they were at the Cattleman’s down in Fort Worth, he’d bet he would be the one ordering.
When the wine came, Seamus did that thing where he swirled it around in the glass, peered at it, sniffed it, tasted it, and then nodded at the person who brought it, who was not their waiter.
And that was that.
Which was kind of weird.
If he ordered alcohol with a meal, it was usually beer. But he was willing to try. He knew he liked dry wine, and that was what they had gotten, apparently.
Seamus chuckled at him. “You’re looking at me like I’ve grown two heads.”
“At the risk of being ironic, this sort of seems like something out of a movie, honey. I’m just not used to this at all, but it’s good.” He needed Seamus to know he wasn’t unhappy. He was kind of fascinated.
“Yeah? You’re sure? It’s a good thing?”
“I promise if something makes me uncomfortable, or wigged-out, I will tell you.”
“Fair enough.” Seamus clinked their glasses together and they both took a sip of the wine.
It drew all the moisture from his tongue and made his eyes sting a little bit, but that was perfect.
It was incredibly dry and he liked it that way.
The flavor was deep oaky, fruity, with a hint of a smoky taste. He liked it.
They worked their way through scallops and lobster, which he had to admit amazed him how fresh they were, considering they were in a landlocked state.
Then the steak came and there were O’Brien potatoes on the plate.
He thought he might die and go to heaven for those.
There were crispy Brussels sprouts, too.
He couldn’t remember ever having a beef tenderloin that melted like that on his tongue.
Dawson was incredibly happy.
“How’s your lamb?” he asked.
“Like heaven.” Seamus beamed at him. “This is amazing. And every time I glance over at Christopher and Nick, they’re eating. So, Nick can’t even bitch at me.”
“Yeah, I’ve been trying not to stare, but it looks like Nick had some kind of pasta for his appetizer. I mean, he’s being virtuous and having fish for his dinner, but…” Dawson winked. “And I bet Christopher gets dessert.”
“He does have a sweet tooth, doesn’t he? Bet you he gets the opera cake.” Seamus paused giving him another one of those laser stares. “Thank you for this by the way.”
Dawson paused with a fork full of potatoes halfway through his mouth. “For what? You’re buying me dinner.”
“For understanding that Christopher and Nick had to come, for not freaking out about having an entourage or security or whatever. For being good with it, it means a lot.”
“Honey, I’m not one to judge. And it’s not weird to me.
Christopher and Nick are good guys, and they’re doing their best to just be alert but not interfere.
I mean, it’s not like they’re going to be going back to our room with us tonight.
” What he wasn’t going to say was that being with Seamus was worth any kind of weirdness that might be going on.
They were really developing an understanding, the two of them.
They were in it, maybe not for the long haul, but sure enough to win it.
“One way or the other, I just want you to know how much I appreciate it.” Seamus reached out to touch the back of his hand where it lay on the table, the one not with the fork full of potatoes in it. “I’m really into you, Dawson, so it makes a big difference.”
His whole body heated up at that statement, and he nodded. “Well, I’m pretty damn into you too, Seamus. So, I’m down for it.”
“I like that,” Seamus said. “Sometimes it’s easier just not to even start because it’s over before it really begins, but with you, I want to figure out where this is going.”
Yeah, he was gonna combust in a minute. “Me too, honey. Me too. I want to explore this whole thing with you.”
“You’re not just here for the tenderloin?”
“It is pretty spectacular. Maybe I am just here for that. And these freaking potatoes, they are the bomb.” He could tease because they were holding hands and grinning at each other. Then he decided to go ahead and eat that forkful of potatoes.
It’d be a shame if it fell on the table and got wasted. No man wanted that.