Chapter Two
When the sun disappeared, Fabrice made his way outside with his dinner.
The food had been served. The kitchen staff could handle the rest. This was his favorite time of night.
He could eat his dinner in peace with a little candle and wine.
Fabrice might not have a man, but he could still give himself the best date nights ever.
He could spoil himself. Fabrice was his own sugar daddy.
He smiled at the thought and cut into his food.
Kirkland appeared, carrying a plate and wine glass. A wine bottle was between his arm and torso. Fabrice wondered if he planned to eat in his room alone. The question got its answer immediately. Kirkland headed his way.
“May I join you?”
He couldn’t have shocked Fabrice more if he had slapped him. “Oui. Please.” Fabrice popped to his feet and pulled the chair out for Kirkland. “Have a seat.”
A small smile played on Kirkland’s lips as he sat. “Thank you. Are you sure I’m not interrupting your peace? I know your job is loud.”
Fabrice loved that Kirkland worried about Fabrice’s downtime. “It’s fine. I happen to find your company very peaceful.” Fabrice circled the table and poured Kirkland some wine from his open bottle before reclaiming his seat.
“You lecture me on working when I’m not an employee. I don’t expect you to serve me.”
His reaction to such a simple act baffled Fabrice. “Being a gentleman isn’t work for me. This is me just being myself.”
“Oh.” He shook his head as if Fabrice confused him as much as he confused Fabrice. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. How are you this evening?”
“Sore.” Kirkland let out a low laugh that made Fabrice’s skin tighten with longing. “I joined Atticus today in the gym. He doesn’t have a trainer here yet. He’s stuck relying on this old man.”
“You’re not old.” The response was automatic. “It’ll be very difficult to hire a trainer here. Beau hand-selects everyone who comes into this house. However, there’s a day guard that used to be a boxer. Atticus should speak with him.”
“I’ll let him know.”
Fabrice nodded. “If he’s interested, I’ll make sure Atticus gets his information.”
“That’s very kind of you.”
It wasn’t. He was just doing what friends did for one another. Fabrice chose to change the subject. “What drew you outside tonight?”
Kirkland’s eyes never left Fabrice. “You.”
His mouth went dry. Fabrice’s heart sped. He saw his first glimmer of hope. “I’m honored.”
With a slight shake of his head, Kirkland turned his attention to eating.
Each time Kirkland’s glass got low, Fabrice topped him off.
Their food had long since been consumed, and neither of them budged.
They were halfway through the bottle Kirkland had brought with him before Kirkland finally loosened up.
“You’ve heard my story. Tell me yours. I know your parents passed, and you went to live with your uncle. That’s it.”
Fabrice thought about the question for a moment, trying to decide where to start. He finally just dove in. “I was raised with and given the same education as Beau’s sons. Clay and I are fairly close in age, so I had a best friend the moment I came here.”
Kirkland interrupted him. “Clay has been here since he was that young, as well. How did he end up here?”
Fabrice lifted his hand and dropped it again, showing there wasn’t much to tell. “That’s not my story to tell, but basically, Beau adopted him.”
Kirkland looked thoughtful. “I never would’ve pegged Beau as that big of a family man.”
Fabrice jumped to Beau’s defense. “This entire household came from Beau’s mercy. He’s made a million mistakes, but he deeply loves his children. That includes Clay. I’ll admit he’s not one to show his feelings.”
“Except when it comes to Kylo.”
“Except when it comes to his husband,” Fabrice agreed.
“This place does seem to be filled with misfits. I assumed that was due to working for a crime lord.”
A smile exploded across Fabrice’s face. “You’re not far from the truth. Beau is a collector of lost souls. You can’t buy loyalty like that.”
Kirkland nodded. “That’s very true. Besides loving Atticus and fearing for his safety, the only thing that kept me in that nightmare household was due to having nowhere else to go. It wasn’t until Atticus took me when he left that I breathed free air again.”
Fabrice was invested. “Do you not have parents who would’ve helped?”
“No.” Kirkland visibly swallowed. “I ran away at fifteen. Thankfully, my best friend at the time had amazing parents. They allowed me to stay. But I worked my fingers to the bone, hoping to find a way to eventually live on my own. Unfortunately, I didn’t play things smart.
I had a checking account. One my dad helped me open. He drained it.”
Fabrice was mortified. “Mon Dieu. You’re joking. He stole from his child?”
One corner of Kirkland’s mouth lifted in a sardonic smile. “I ran away and didn’t go back for a reason.”
Fabrice hadn’t failed to notice Kirkland hadn’t given that reason. “Do you feel comfortable confiding why you ran?” Fabrice immediately regretted the question when the spell between them broke.
Kirkland sat back in his chair, making Fabrice realize how close they were leaning toward each other.
He glanced around. “I hadn’t noticed how late it’s become.
This was nice. I hope we can do this again, but these tired bones need sleep.
” He moved as if to stand. Fabrice jumped up so quickly that the motion disrupted the table.
He raced to pull out Kirkland’s chair and help him to his feet.
Even though Kirkland accepted his gesture, he chuckled. “I know I joke about being old a lot, but I’m not exactly feeble.”
They locked eyes. Heat built inside Fabrice. He made sure Kirkland saw his desire. “Oh, I know you’re not feeble. You’re worthy of being treated well, and I like to please.”
“Holy shit.” Kirkland whispered the words under his breath as if they were involuntary. Unfortunately, he straightened his shoulders and didn’t give in to temptation. “I’ll help you take these dishes back to the kitchen before I head to my room.”
Fabrice dipped his chin. He would accept the extra minute of Kirkland’s time before going to his empty bed. He wouldn’t be completely alone, though. Kirkland had given him renewed hope and a new fantasy to take with him.
With their dishes put away, there was no more delaying the inevitable.
The time had come for them to part ways.
Their dinner together had gone much better than he could have imagined.
He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.
He had to admit Fabrice seemed a lot more serious than Kirkland had believed.
Kirkland wouldn’t call the night a date, but their time together had felt a hell of a lot like one.
Fabrice walked Kirkland to his room. The silence between them felt every bit as nice as their conversation had been. Fabrice was just a calming spirit. Kirkland couldn’t get past how gentlemanly Fabrice had been all night. He had never been treated that way.
At Fabrice’s door, they hesitated, as if equally not wanting to say goodbye. Kirkland shifted from foot to foot. No words would come to him to extend their conversation. He had to throw in the towel.
“Thank you for sitting with me.”
Fabrice’s smile screamed he would do bad things. “I’d love to do it again.”
Kirkland knew he had to say something before he lost his chance and courage. “How about tomorrow night, same time?”
The smile Fabrice wore got bigger. “That sounds great.”
With nothing left to do, Kirkland gave him a little bow. “Good night.”
Before he could get away, Fabrice leaned in and swiped a quick kiss across Kirkland’s lips. “Good night.”
Kirkland still stood in shock as Fabrice disappeared inside his room.
In a haze, he walked away. Then his feet froze to the floor before he made it five steps.
His body screamed for Kirkland to go back.
He forced his feet forward and all the way to his room.
Kirkland had tomorrow night. Who knew what might happen then?
Did he want anything to happen? It wasn’t as if he had to marry Fabrice.
They lived under the same roof, though. That was a big issue that couldn’t be ignored.
If one night together ended up with them no longer speaking, life would be uncomfortable.
Well, even more uncomfortable than living in a place he didn’t run was.
He was used to being in charge. The way Fabrice had pulled out his chair for him floated through his mind.
Damn. A gentleman. He wouldn’t expect that from anyone, much less from someone as young as Fabrice.
It seemed as if his assumptions didn’t match reality. He really screwed with Kirkland’s head.
Back at his bedroom, Kirkland tried to keep his mind blank as he readied for bed.
He continued to keep his brain in lockdown mode as he got the shower going.
When he took off his shirt, Kirkland paused to look at himself.
He tried to see what Fabrice saw but couldn’t.
Kirkland couldn’t wrap his brain around someone like Fabrice wasting his time with Kirkland.
He wasn’t an insecure person. Fabrice was just that damn beautiful.
Kirkland stepped beneath the deluge of water and cleaned his body as he pictured Fabrice.
His light green eyes and supple lips. Those lips were meant for kissing.
Kirkland still couldn’t believe that mouth had touched his, even if it was only for the briefest of moments.
When Kirkland palmed his erection, he had to admit to himself that this was the only reason he took a shower.
He had just taken one after his workout.
But he had wine in his blood and Fabrice stuck inside his head. The guy was one hell of a fantasy.
Kirkland closed his eyes and pictured Fabrice touching him.
Would he be soft or rough? What acts would he be willing to perform?
Kirkland stroked faster when his dick ended up in Fabrice’s hand, in his head.
He swore he could see the flush rising on Fabrice’s cheeks as if he truly stood there.
He couldn’t stop the growing pressure. Nor did he want to do so.
He wanted to be released from this fantasy that drove him insane all hours of the day.
Once he came, Kirkland would realize that his obsession was built on only lust. Kirkland moaned as he pumped faster.
When he blew, it was on Fabrice’s sexy face.
As the rush fell away and Kirkland’s breathing slowed, a horrible realization overcame him.
This crazed need to see Fabrice wasn’t only lust. He wanted all of Fabrice.
What in the hell was he supposed to do now?
Kirkland stumbled from the shower, barely drying his skin before getting into bed in a haze.
At the last second, he remembered his phone.
Kirkland popped right back up and retrieved it from his pants.
As he plugged it in to charge, he noticed a missed message.
He got back beneath the covers before opening anything.
The only one who ever texted was Atticus.
He didn’t want to lie about being in bed if Atticus needed anything.
Kirkland couldn’t face anything else tonight.
To his surprise, it was an unknown number.
Unknown: This is Fabrice. Save my number.
He didn’t hesitate to do exactly that before sending a response.
Kirkland: Done. How did you get my number?
Fabrice: HA! I’ll never reveal my secrets.
Kirkland: Ah, Atticus.
Fabrice: I’m not at liberty to say. However, I have you now. If you want to escape me, you’ll have to get new digits.
Kirkland: I mean, I could just block you.
Fabrice: Dang. You’ve got me there.
Kirkland bit his bottom lip, trying to squelch his idiotic smile. He was captivated.
Kirkland: Yeah, I have you.
Fabrice: Wait.
He watched the three dots dance as Fabrice typed. Kirkland fought the urge to cover his eyes. Why had he said that?
Fabrice: Were you actually flirting with me right then? I hate being unable to measure inflection via text. If that was innuendo, I’m totally in. If not, I’ll lie to myself anyhow. That’s how determined I am. So… were you?
Kirkland: Good night, Fabrice.
Now he was just toying with Fabrice and getting more addicted by the second.
Fabrice: *huffy sniff* Fine. I’ll just have to stalk you until you cry for mercy. Bonne nuit, my elegant beauty.
Goddamn. Kirkland was a goner. He had already lost this game.