he had thought they would be happy, and he had immediately fucked up—like always. In his panic, he rushed to explain. “In my profession, a lot of people have offered me some ridiculously expensive gifts to be at their bidding... sexually. Back in California, when I said there were no modern-day fairytales anymore, I meant no one stares into each other’s eyes on a first date and falls in love. You don’t hear about people accidentally brushing hands and knowing they’ve met the one. No one gets a fairytale wedding with a happy ever after. Well, I don’t get those things. I guess other people do, but those things will never happen for me because I’m an exhibitionist at a sex club five nights a week. No one looks at me and thinks they want to spend the rest of their life with me. That just doesn’t happen to people like me. No one wants to buy me a car for no reason other than to have me as their candy.”
Brett lifted his chin. Their gazes met in the mirror. Brett’s eyes shone bright with unshed tears, shocking Roman to his core. Brett sniffed. “I do. When I look at you, all I can think is that I could see myself with you for the rest of my life. You’re who I’m looking for. I don’t expect you to let me buy you. I want you to let me love you.”
Roman’s mind went blank. The shock of the car had nothing on this. At least, this time, he wasn’t dumb. He didn’t release his hold on Brett, so Brett couldn’t get away when he didn’t respond immediately. He thought about all the feelings that had been stirring in his chest since arriving at LAX and seeing Brett for the first time in months. The memory of sitting across from Brett half the day in that coffee shop fluttered through his mind. He had been swept away while staring into Brett’s eyes. Roman had thought he could spend the rest of his life with this man. He had been fighting to win him for good, because they were real. All his thoughts about them being meant to be weren’t just fanciful musings. He was in love with Brett. “That seems fair, since I already love you.”
Brett didn’t say a word. Instead, he continued holding Roman’s stare in the mirror, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop—like he didn’t trust that anyone could love him without strings.
Roman swept Brett from his feet and headed back to bed. “Where are your pain meds, sexy? You’re not going anywhere.”
Brett clung to Roman’s chest still looking like he expected to be rejected. “I don’t know. I haven’t been paying attention to what I’ve been packing.”
Roman settled Brett on the bed, unwound his sheet from his body, and covered Brett with it before going in search of Brett’s meds. He started in the bathroom with no luck before moving to Brett’s suitcase. Roman found them in the front compartment. “Here we go. I see they’ve lowered your dosage quite a bit.”
Brett didn’t respond. He watched Roman’s every move from the bed.
Roman snagged a bottle of water from the mini bar and headed back to bed. As he sat on the edge of the bed, Brett’s silence snapped Roman’s nerves. “Did I break your brain by telling you I love you?”
“No.” Brett sat up and accepted the pill and water. He didn’t speak again until he swallowed his meds. “I like watching you and I’m in a lot of pain. I twisted wrong when I stormed back inside,” he admitted with a wince.
Roman fought the urge to dig beneath the covers and check Brett’s foot like he had a medical degree. Instead, he set Brett’s water bottle aside and crawled beneath the covers with him. “Come here. Let my snuggles fix you.”
The sigh of relief Brett released as he settled into Roman’s arms said a lot. Brett obviously still struggled with a lot of physical pain he tried to hide. With his head on Roman’s chest, Brett stroked Roman’s stomach like he tried comforting himself. Roman’s guilt doubled over his reaction to Brett’s gift. Before the desire to apologize profusely took ahold of his tongue, Brett beat him to it.
“I’m sorry I overreacted. I should’ve realized lots of people have probably tried to buy you over the years. I’m not special.”
Roman kissed the top of Brett’s head. “You are to me and you didn’t overreact.