Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Kai lifted the hand from Dev’s back and brushed some of the hair from Dev’s forehead in a gentle caress. Just his touch helped to ease the panic that was rising in his chest. “Do you feel that Adam would be upset that you’ve learned the things that I like? Do you think he’d be upset that we’ve become intimate?”
Dev dragged in a deep breath and released it quickly, his shoulders slumping. “No. Adam…Adam was a ‘seize the moment’ kind of guy. He believed in grabbing happiness wherever you could because life is short. I think he would have liked you. He definitely would have told me to chase after you and have fun.”
“I don’t understand, then.”
“I guess I’m mad at myself. Why can I remember these things with you? Why couldn’t I do it with him? Does it mean that I didn’t love him enough? Would he think I didn’t love him when—” Dev suddenly broke off. It was very much sounding like he was going to admit to loving Kai. And it was waaaaaaay too fucking early for that.
“You loved Adam,” Kai said firmly. He placed his hand under Dev’s chin and forced him to lift his head to meet his eyes. “You are not allowed to doubt that. I hear that love even now when you talk about him and tell me stories. I see it in the home that you built with him. And I’ve heard it in my short talks with Jake when he has told me about you and Adam. You are a good, caring, honest man. There is no way Adam didn’t know he was so thoroughly loved by you.”
Dev squeezed his eyes shut, not caring that a tear slipped free. A shuddering breath rattled up his throat and he swallowed hard against more tears that wanted to break free. “Thank you. I needed to hear that.”
“Anytime.” Kai cleared his throat and when he continued, his voice was little more than a hoarse whisper. “I know what has happened between us has been fast. And I know Adam will always have a claim on your heart. If I can stake but a small claim on your heart as well, I will be a happy man.”
A bubble of laughter left him, and Dev opened his eyes to look up at Kai. “I think you’ve established a very large claim on my heart.”
The worry evaporated from Kai’s face, and he grinned at him. The hand under Dev’s chin lifted to caress his cheek, wiping away the stray tear. “I promise to always try to take good care of your heart.”
The metallic rattle of a cart and a screaming child shattered their romantic moment, and Dev could only laugh. He’d completely forgotten that they were standing in the middle of the produce section of the grocery store. Not an ideal location for such heartfelt sharing.
“We need to get this shopping going. I feel the need to get you back in my house so we can more appropriately cuddle.”
Kai made a face. “I think I need more than cuddling right now, but I agree. The faster that we get this done, the faster we can get to cuddling.”
Dev cackled as he grabbed a small bag of apples and dropped them into the cart. He’d never met a man who could make cuddling sound absolutely filthy, and he very much couldn’t wait to see exactly what Kai had in mind.
“Do not get too many perishable items. We may need to quickly leave Washington.”
Dev threw Kai a look over his shoulder as he pushed the cart through the produce aisle. “You still think we’ll have to leave.”
Kai didn’t meet his gaze, but he didn’t have to. The assassin had been sticking close to him even in the house. He was the one doing all the driving now. He was constantly looking over his shoulder and always on the move. It was as if he were anticipating the world cracking down the center and tearing them apart at any second. Dev had tried asking why he seemed edgier now than he had been, but Kai refused to say.
“Jake would probably enjoy it. You could make it into a vacation for the both of you together.”
It was on the tip of Dev’s tongue to ask where Kai would be while he and Jake were enjoying this “vacation,” but he already knew the answer to that question. Kai would be hunting this lunatic alone. No, that was a bad idea. It didn’t matter to Dev if Kai had years of experience or if this was what the man was good at. He didn’t want to think of Kai out there alone, searching for this man. He’d already seen three corpses this guy had left behind. Dev refused to allow Kai to become a fourth.