possible. I doubt that’s who we’re dealing with. We’re going under the assumption this is someone I’ve had contact with, and I haven’t met anyone who’s better than Leo.”
Fitz nodded. “What now? I don’t want a bodyguard following me around.”
“Fitz, I’d really like you to consider—”
“Absolutely not. I spent the last two years piecing my life back together because some asshole made me second-guess every decision I ever made. Ten years, Jack. Do you know what it’s like to lie awake at night while you go through every conversation you had with someone you believed loved you, questioning whether they were lying through their teeth? Wondering how many of those business trips were bullshit? Worrying that it was you? Maybe you spent too much time working. Maybe you weren’t funny enough or attractive enough or smart enough. There had to be a reason, right?”
Fitz started to pace, his blood boiling. “Do you know what it’s like to have your confidence and self-worth ripped to shreds? And the more time passes, the more you see things you hadn’t seen before. Like his ‘suggestions’ of what you should wear because ‘you look even more beautiful’ in what he’s picked out, or all the times he paraded you in front of his friends because he was just ‘so proud of you,’ or how he would talk you out of eating certain things because ‘you wouldn’t want to ruin that gorgeous figure.’ You fool yourself into thinking it’s because he loves you. Then one morning you wake up, and you’re, like, holy shit! He never loved you. You were nothing but arm candy, something to impress his buddies and colleagues with. His doll to dress up and show off. You were some asshole’s boy toy.” Fitz spun around to glare at Jack. “I’m not giving anyone that kind of control over my life ever again.”
“Okay,” Jack said calmly, quietly. “Tell me what I can do.”
Fitz blinked at him. How was he so calm after everything Fitz had just unloaded on him? Shouldn’t he have been running in the opposite direction? Or at the very least annoyed that Fitz was refusing to do what he wanted? Instead, Jack was a study in patience. He wasn’t trying to force or convince Fitz into agreeing with him.
“You haven’t lied to me yet, so don’t you dare start now. No omissions, holding on to information, or downplaying. I want to be kept in the loop about whatever you find.”
“I can do that, but I want the same from you. Any strange phone calls, anyone hanging around that makes you uncomfortable, weird emails, anything, I want to know about it.”
“Fine. Anything else?”
“I didn’t think you would remember, and I get it, you were… compromised, but if it was me, I’d want to know.” Jack smoothed down his shirt before lifting his gaze to meet Fitz’s. “You kissed me last night.”
“Oh.” Well, that certainly wasn’t what Fitz expected to hear.
“You were, um, sort of cuddled against me in the car on the way to the hospital. You pulled back suddenly, and I thought something was wrong, but before I could ask, you kissed me.”
“I’m sorry.” He wasn’t. Actually, he was. Sorry he couldn’t remember.
“Oh no, God no. You don’t need to apologize for that.”
Fitz stepped closer. “Did you like it?”
“Very much.” No hesitation whatsoever.
Fitz held back a smile. “I appreciate your honesty.” He closed the distance between them and kissed Jack. It was quick, but enough to send a delicious jolt through Fitz. He pulled back, his eyes meeting Jack’s stunned gaze.
“That’s not—I didn’t tell you so you would—”
“I know,” Fitz said with a smile. “But I’d rather kiss you sober. That way I get to enjoy it.”
“Oh. And, um, did you?”
Fitz dropped his gaze to Jack’s mouth, then brushed his lips over Jack’s. “I did.” Unable to resist, he kissed Jack again, slipping his arms around Jack’s neck as he deepened the kiss. He parted his lips, letting Jack’s tongue into his mouth. The taste of him, the feel of his hard body against Fitz’s had him melting in Jack’s arms.
Jack’s mouth was warm, his lips soft, and his tongue tasted faintly of coffee. His fingers gently dug into Fitz’s waist, their bodies pressed together, and heat flared through Fitz, every inch of him aware of Jack. Jack moaned, and the slow burn that had been sweeping through Fitz flared into a raging inferno. He’d never felt this level of heat with anyone. Everything about Jack captivated him, but