Chapter 15 #5
“Well, she’s a parolee. Just outta jail. Doesn’t want to get the cops involved because then it’s back to jail for her.” Nate grinned. “But we don’t know what she went to prison for. My bet? Killing a guy. That’s how it always goes in these books.”
Hard not to smile when Nate’s excitement was so infectious.
“I wouldn’t have expected this from you, being such a big reader,” Connor said, before realizing how it might sound, adding, “A lot of us just stop having time to read for pleasure.”
But Nate didn’t seem offended.
“I think the time comes and goes, right? I read so much as a kid, kinda stopped for a bit in college, but I always come back to it.”
Connor thought about his own bookshelf in the other room, the bottom shelf filled with titles he’d once loved, titles that had meant enough to him that he threw them in a box in the back of Dawson’s jeep when they left Ohio, but hadn’t been touched in years.
He’d hoped to come back to reading for a while. It had never happened.
He liked that Nate hadn’t given that up.
For a moment, they were both silent, both focused on what they’d brought to bed.
But even as Connor worked–Based on these projections, the YOY ROI would result in a difference four times greater than the initial dedicated assets–he kept catching little glimpses of Nate here and there from the corner of his eye.
Nate had this expression when he read, one side of his mouth curled up, eyes wide as he took in page after page.
Connor tore his gaze away, typing out another paragraph rather than continue to stare at the man sharing his bed. But he could have stared all night.
Nate was the one who nudged him next, jerking his chin towards the laptop screen, where Connor had been working on a projection for expanding Simmons’ department as an addendum to his proposal.
“That’s really coming along great,” Nate said. “When are you planning on showing it off?”
Connor hummed, drumming his fingers against his laptop.
“I think I’ll show it to Simmons in two weeks, since he’s out at the end of the quarter. If he likes it, then I’ll take it with me to the Board and put in a formal application.”
He scrolled to the top of the document, biting the inside of his cheek. It was good–well, it was okay. It was far from Connor’s best work, but he had time to get the details right. At least he had this proposal formatted the way he liked it–that always ended up being the most tedious part.
“You’ll have his recommendation, and mine, too. That should mean something.”
“I hope so,” Connor frowned at his screen.
“I’m gonna hate to lose you,” Nate said, seeming to shake his head. “But you deserve his job. And when the Board sees this, you’re gonna knock ‘em dead with this.”
Connor felt his lip curl.
“Even your dad?” He asked, aiming for teasing. But he didn’t miss the way Nate’s expression seemed to strain.
“I dunno. He’s–” Nate cut himself off, setting his e-reader down on his lap. “Hard to please, I guess.”
Normally, Connor was fine to not push when it came to Berkshire, but Nate’s expression had him pausing.
“What?” Connor frowned. “He’s not giving you more crap about your suits, is he?”
Nate shook his head.
“No, it’s not that. It’s more–the more time I spend with him, the more I’m learning he gets these ideas about people and… and there's no changing it.”
Realization felt like acid in Connor’s stomach.
“What, like about me?” He found himself asking.
Nate let out a little breath.
“It’s not about you, it’s… it’s the last guy. You know, Devore.”
Connor didn’t respond to that past a non-committal “Hm.”
“I think they’re worried there’s going to be some kind of lawsuit from him. Wrongful termination, that kind of thing. My dad, he’s concerned about documentation.”
“Documentation.”
“Yeah. Like, transfers. Bank notes. I guess they’re worried that kind of dirty laundry is going to start popping up.”
It wouldn’t, but Connor couldn't tell Nate that that was because he was the only person who ever had access to the receipts and evidence of Devore’s misdoings in Alarie. But that knowledge did nothing to settle the growing anxiety creeping in his chest.
He felt Nate’s hand on his knee, the blankets between them, but it was enough to pull Connor from his train of thought.
“I’m positive it’s not going to be a problem for you.
You’ve got all your experience, you’ve got this kickass proposal, and you’ve got me telling everyone how great you are–if they don’t already know.
” He's looking so intently at Connor that it’s hard to doubt a word he said.
“I’m serious, Simmons’ office is basically yours. ”
And while it would have been easy for Connor to brush Nate’s words off as just this man, his man, being nothing more than overly generous with his compliments, he decided to believe him.
He decided to throw everything he knew to the wind and believe Nate when everything told him he shouldn’t, because how could he not? How could he not when Nate’s hand was warm on his knee, his body warm beside Connor in his bed?
So he closed his laptop and he caught Nate’s hand and he kissed him until they both saw stars.