Chapter 33
The moment the words had left Graham’s mouth, he already found himself regretting them. Explain what you’re doing here? Who did he think he was, the town’s unelected ward boss?
For a guy who works in PR, he chastised himself, you sure do forget to think before you speak.
Panicking, he entered damage control mode. He needed an explanation for his outburst—and he needed it stat. What beef could he possibly have with his mother and Brent making small talk together on a pleasant winter’s day such as this?
Assuming, of course, that Graham and Brent were indeed just the platonic acquaintances he’d made them out to be and assuming, of course, that nothing resembling funny business had passed between the two of them at any given point.
Because, of course, Graham was dating Coco.
Because, of course, he was a red-blooded heterosexual.
Because, of course.
God, he could just about feel his promotion back in LA melting away.
He cleared his throat audibly, preparing a song and dance that he prayed to Her Holiness Mariah Carey his mother would buy.
But before he could speak, it was Brent who broke the silence. “Actually, I was here looking for you.”
Graham did a sudden double take. Him? What could Brent have wanted with him? Especially after the way he’d virtually kicked Graham out of his apartment last night.
He swallowed down his fear. On the plus side, he’d just been spared from concocting a fib not even Pinocchio would have tried to pass off, but somehow, Graham couldn’t shake the feeling this meant something even worse ahead.
“Would you mind giving us a moment?”
Brent was addressing Coco and Carol, Graham realized. He felt his palms start to sweat. Whatever this was about, it could not have been good.
The knowing glance that passed between the two women then didn’t help matters, either.
“Of course, dear.” Carol patted Brent fondly on the shoulder, then turned to face Coco. “Let’s take a lap, sugar, shall we?” Before departing, though, she paused to address Brent, businesslike. “See you at my Christmas Eve party tonight, yes?”
Graham felt his stomach do a somersault. Say what? “Mom, I’m sure Brent has better things to do with his evening than waste it at your cheesy get-together.”
She fixed her son with a frown. “First of all, ouch.” She turned her attention to Brent. “And second, I won’t take no for an answer.” She poked him in the chest with surprising force. “Understood?”
Brent cracked a smile as he rubbed the spot gingerly. “Affirmative.”
A satisfied nod followed from Carol as she took Coco’s arm to skate off. “And don’t forget to wear your new sweater!”
The reminder of the matching holiday pullovers that he and Brent had accidentally selected at the thrift store dropped a lead balloon inside Graham’s gut.
He’d worry about that later, though. For now, he had more urgent matters to stress over. Namely, what in the name of Kris Kringle did Brent want with him?
* * *
Anxious, Graham darted his gaze about their surroundings—the townspeople skating blissfully over the rink, the children sledding playfully across the park, the cardinal chirping happily from the greenery up above—anything to distract himself from Brent standing two feet before him.
Finally, he heaved a disgruntled sigh. It didn’t take the Three Wise Men to figure out what Brent wanted to discuss.
Clearly, he was still upset about last night.
And now, just in case Graham didn’t already feel bad enough about the ordeal, Brent wanted to further hand him his ass. This time in public, no less.
Steeling himself, Graham directed his gaze head-on at Brent. Now was no time to turn chicken. If Brent thought he was going to belittle Graham more than he already had, then that Swiss Miss wannabe had another thing coming.
“Look,” Graham spewed, “I get that you’re upset.
I am, too. But don’t get mad at me because you broke the rules.
We agreed to a casual, no-strings fling for the holidays.
No feelings, no commitments, and most important of all, no romance.
And I know I let my tongue slip first, but what I said wasn’t real, Brent.
I let the heat of the moment get to me. But you know what I did then?
I owned it. You, though—you doubled down.
I think I’m falling for you? Geez, Brent, have you lost your mind?
You and I are not meant to be. I don’t care if we both survived high school together in this tiny, little backwater.
Today is what matters. And today, we live two completely different lives, Brent, in two completely different worlds.
It doesn’t matter how we feel, because it simply wouldn’t work out. And just for the record—”
“You’re right.”
At this, Graham’s jaw practically fell to the ice. “Pardon?”
Brent shook his head, amused. “I said, you’re right.”
A look of utter bewilderment blanketed Graham’s face. “I am?”
Heaving a sigh, Brent appeared to contemplate his words. “You and I, we had an agreement. Just a simple, physical connection for the holidays. Nothing more. But then I decided to change the terms of that agreement, because that was what I wanted, even if it didn’t suit you. That was selfish of me.”
Graham felt his heart give a faint squeeze then. “Well, I don’t think it was all your—”
“I’m trying to apologize, Graham,” Brent cut off. “Let me?”
A thick silence wrapped around them as Graham lost himself helplessly in Brent’s eyes.
Brent’s dark, dreamy, chestnut-colored eyes.
He smiled inwardly as he felt his defenses lowering. Sure, things had gotten carried away, and sure, they could not make that mistake again. But it wasn’t as if Brent had acted alone. It did, after all, take two to tango.
“All right,” Graham conceded. He extended his hand for a shake. “Truce?”
Brent took Graham’s hand with a smile. “Truce.”
With that, the two men shook on it.
Another silence passed as each sought to determine the protocol from here.
“So, what now?” Graham asked.
Brent stroked his chin as if struck by an idea. “We could always try giving another go at keeping things casual.” He wriggled his brows, playful.
The sight unleashed a horde of butterflies inside Graham’s chest. “I don’t know, Brent. That doesn’t sound like such a good—”
“Do you mean to say you didn’t have a good time?”
The butterflies inside Graham flapped even harder as Brent closed the distance between them.
“No, it’s definitely not that.” He felt his pulse tick up.
“Then what’s the problem?”
Graham detected a growing hardness below his belt as Brent’s musk enveloped him from just inches away. “You know what the problem is, Brent.”
Respectful, Brent took a step back. “I promise, Graham, I’ve learned my lesson.
” He signed a cross over his chest to confirm his sincerity.
“No emotions, no attachments. You have my word.” He leaned back in and continued in a whisper, “Just two men, horny as hell for each other, fucking each other’s brains out like a couple of goddamn animals. ”
At this, the firmness in Graham’s pants turned immediately rock solid.
Did this feel like a bad idea? Perhaps. After all, they had just cleared the air between them. Jumping right back into bed did not exactly seem particularly well-advised.
He stole a furtive glance at Brent’s perfect, razor-sharp jawline. Was he really going to turn down an opportunity for another roll in the hay with this dreamboat?
Not a chance. Perhaps good ol’ Mother Mary had wasted the Christmas season virgin-ing around, but not him.
“What exactly did you have in mind?”
Brent’s response made Graham’s heart skip a beat.
“How about I show you?”