sure how he could shield himself from it.
“So, what do you usually do on a Saturday afternoon?”
Jordan blinked to refocus his attention. It would never do for Bennett to discover how he was turning him inside out without even intending to do it.
“Aside from taking the dogs for an extended walk, I usually do chores that can’t get done during the week like laundry and shopping. Sometimes, when I’m feeling especially antsy, I go for a drive and take the dogs with me. What do you do?”
“Aside from work? Hang out with my brothers, if they’re available, once in a while babysit my niece, hike…the usual. But honestly, mostly, I work.”
“No friends aside from Ryland?”
“Not really, no.”
Chapter Ten
Bennett registered the incredulity that Jordan wasn’t quite able to disguise, before he settled his face into some semblance of neutrality. He couldn’t say he blamed the guy. What kinda guy could have managed to get to thirty years old and not have any real friends aside from Ry? What did it say about him? Maybe Jordan was thinking the same thing, and wondering if he should cut and run?
“I’m surprised you don’t have a busier social life,” Jordan said, clearly doing his best not to sound judgmental.
Bennett appreciated the effort and in a way he was flattered by the idea that Jordan thought he was hot enough that other guys would be interested. And he supposed he was, or at least he had been until he’d shut down the hooking up.
“I did,” he admitted, “until I decided I’d had enough of sowing my wild oats.”
Jordan chuckled. “I’ll bet that made your mother happy.”
Bennett grinned, amused by Jordan’s insight. “It probably did, but she’s been exercising remarkable restraint and not saying anything about it.”
Jordan smiled. “Embrace that. Trust me, no matter how intrusive it may seem, if it’s coming from a place of love, interference from your mother is a good thing.”
Bennett could hear the wistfulness in Jordan’s words, though he kept his tone neutral. Having grown up with both parents present and active in his life, he couldn’t fathom being without them. What had happened to Jordan’s parents? Now seemed as good a time as any to ask, since there was still a whole lot he wanted to know about the man.
“What happened to your parents?”
Jordan stilled, his whole body frozen for a long moment. Had he gone too far, stepped over the mark, asked a too-personal question? Bennett swallowed the worry that perhaps he had and had fucked things up again with his questions. He opened his mouth to retract the question when Jordan spoke.
“They were…murdered.”
What the hell? Bennett stared in shock at Jordan, whose face remained stony.
“Murdered? How? Why?” His questions were sputters of astonishment. then he caught himself and put up a hand. “Wait! I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer any of those questions. I’m sorry.”
Without conscious thought, he stood up and walked around to where Jordan sat and pulled him into his arms. Placing a chaste kiss to his jawline, he said again,
“I’m sorry, Jordan.”
He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt Jordan’s arms around his waist, keeping him close. There was still so much they didn’t know about each other, and he was keenly aware that his own life experiences weren’t only fewer, by virtue of the age gap between them, but also that his had been far more privileged than Jordan’s had been. The playing field was not level between them, and though he felt like they could make something special if they tried, he didn’t think that that Jordan would appreciate his pity.
The feel of Jordan’s lips on his temple was all the reassurance he needed. He smiled against Jordan’s neck and waited for him to speak again.
“You’re a cuddler, huh?”
Bennett chuckled. It wasn’t where he thought the conversation would go, but that was becoming less and less surprising with Jordan.
“And a snuggler, too.”
“So you’re saying if we took this to my bedroom, you’d be all up in my business?” Jordan’s amusement was almost palpable, though he made no move to go anywhere.
“Being up anywhere with you doesn’t sound as harmless as snuggling.”
Jordan laughed, the feel of his body shaking with his amusement doing funny things to Bennett’s heart. He felt great pride in having lifted the heavy mood caused by Jordan’s painful revelation, but boy did he also just love the way the laughter pulled him further under Jordan’s spell. Bennett pulled away to look into his face.
“You don’t seem to mind