Common Goal (Game Changers #4)- Rachel Reid Page 0,74

it rotten.”

“It deserves it.”

Kyle laughed quietly. “Thank you for showing it to me.”

Eric wanted to show him so much. Everything. He wanted to see his face light up in every gallery in the world. Every museum. Every historic site and breathtaking view. “I’m glad you came. You should look at the rest.”

They spent another twenty minutes or so examining the art and discussing each piece. Finally Kyle grinned at him and said, “Is it empanada time?”

“Definitely.”

They thanked Jeanette and she hugged both of them before they left. When they were outside, Kyle said, “That was nice.”

“The gallery?”

“Yes, but... I meant the overall experience of going to a gallery with you.”

Eric’s heart flipped. “I liked it too. I mean, I like spending time with you.”

Kyle smiled at him, and Eric considered kissing him. But Kyle stepped back and said, “Empanadas! Let’s go.”

* * *

Kyle smelled the delicious aroma of spiced meat and fresh-baked dough before he even opened the door of the Córdoba Bakery. He stepped into the welcome warmth of the cramped, brightly colored Argentinian bakery, holding the door for Eric. As Eric brushed past him, Kyle reminded himself, again, that this wasn’t a date.

Valentina, who owned the bakery with her husband, greeted Kyle in Spanish, and they made small talk for a minute in her native tongue. He hadn’t been kidding when he’d told Eric he came here all the time. He ordered his usual—four spicy beef empanadas; two to eat now, one to give to Maria, and one for later. He assumed he’d be heading home after this. He and Eric hadn’t made plans to do...other stuff. And if Maria heard he went here and didn’t bring her back an empanada, she would be furious.

“Siempre tan predecible,” Valentina teased him. “Es uno para Maria?”

“Si tiene suerte.”

She glanced at Eric over his shoulder, seemingly recognizing him, and switched to English. “Grilled vegetable, right?”

“Right,” Eric confirmed. A grilled vegetable empanada sounded like a waste of dough to Kyle, but it was probably the least healthy thing that Eric allowed himself to eat.

“Do you know each other?” Valentina asked. “I see you both all the time, but not together.”

“We’re friends,” Kyle said, throwing Eric a grin over his shoulder.

Valentina handed Kyle a paper bag that was stuffed with piping-hot empanadas. As always, she had “secretly” added two free dessert empanadas to his order. Kyle, as always, was pretty happy about it. Eric got his order, and they moved out of the way for the next customer. Córdoba was a popular spot.

Kyle gestured to a miraculously empty table. “Should we sit?”

Eric nodded. “Yeah, okay.”

He seemed uncharacteristically nervous. Kyle had noticed it at the gallery as well. Was it because Jeanette had been subtly teasing him about Kyle? Was Eric embarrassed to be seen with him? Stressed out about people suspecting?

Kyle wanted to tell him not to worry about any of that, but a cramped bakery wasn’t the place to discuss it. Especially not since four more customers had just walked in, filling most of the middle of the shop.

He wasn’t sure what exactly Eric wanted. Their last time together had been hot as fuck, and Kyle was pretty sure they’d both thought so. But that wasn’t what had been making Kyle’s head spin for days. It was how hard it had been for Kyle to leave that night. How he’d been dying to stay in Eric’s bed, not for sex, but because he wanted to be held by him. He wanted to fall asleep in his arms and wake up to his tender kisses. He wanted to talk as they ate breakfast and planned their day together.

And all of that was exactly why Kyle should be putting some distance between himself and Eric. He was in danger of falling for this man, and that was a mistake Kyle wasn’t willing to make. For one thing, Eric didn’t seem quite ready to be in a public relationship with a man. For another, he clearly wasn’t comfortable with the age gap between them. He probably managed to convince himself that it wasn’t a big deal when they were in Eric’s bed, or when they were visiting a gallery together, but Kyle knew how fragile it was. Eric could decide at any time that Kyle was too young, too male, too...ridiculous for Eric to be in a relationship of any kind with. Kyle would rather not have his heart invested when that happened.

He watched Eric pull one of the empanadas out of his paper bag