Jardin's Gamble (Haven, Texas 9)

“Not always. And fuck, if we ever did add a third, she’d need to be a sub because I’m not bottoming for anyone else. But, yeah, I could do it. For you.”

Arousal flooded Jardin but he never wanted Carrick to feel pressured. “I would never expect you to—”

“I know.”

“Does this mean we’re giving this a try? Us?”

* * *

The hope in Jardin’s voice floored him. It showed him how much he wanted this.

Could he do it?

It’s everything he’d ever dreamed of. And the truth was, holding onto the anger took too much out of him. It was making him bitter, and he didn’t want that. In the end, he knew he’d regret it if he walked away and his life was already filled with too many regrets.

“We’re doing this.”

“Fuck. Thank God.” Jardin’s gaze ate him up. From the inside out. They just stared at each other for a long moment before Jardin pulled him in for another kiss.

Christ. He was going to self-combust soon.

“What now?” Carrick asked as Jardin drew back.

“Well, maybe we could have lunch before I have to get back to the office. Shit. Thea!” He pulled out his phone. “Stein said she made it safely back.”

“Thank God. I owe her an apology. Wait, the office? How do you know her?”

“She’s my personal assistant.”

Okay, that surprised him. “Your personal assistant? That wasn’t what I expected you to say.”

The way he’d looked at her . . . it was likely similar to the way Carrick looked at her. Like she was sunshine while he lived in perpetual darkness.

His heart feeling lighter, he stood and moved toward Jardin, shocked when the other man entwined his fingers with his, slipping his phone away. “You know what? I’m not real sure I want to go back to work.”

Carrick gave him a shocked look. “You? Not want to work?”

Jardin shook his head. “I think I’ve earned some time off. Wanna play hooky with me?”

Carrick just smiled. “Fuck, yes.”

13

Jardin looked completely out of place in his house with his designer suit.

“So, this is your place? I like it.”

He couldn’t stop the snort from escaping.

Jardin turned to give him a look. “What does that mean?”

“You don’t like it.”

“I just said I did.” There was a note to the other man’s voice that should have warned him to tread carefully. But he didn’t heed it.

“You can’t possibly like it. My whole house would probably fit into the master suite at your place.” The master suite he’d given to Sally. God, how she’d loved being lady of the manor.

He wondered how Thea would fit in there.