a fool all right. Here he was planning out their whole future together and they hadn’t even gotten beyond Braylin ordering room service.
“I’m sorry,” Braylin glanced up. “Am I taking too long?”
Zen realized Braylin had misinterpreted Zen’s frustration with himself.
“No. And quit saying you’re sorry all the time.”
“I’m sor—” Braylin flushed. “Um, I’ll try.”
Zen smiled in the hopes it would help calm the anxiety Braylin had rolling off him in waves.
“Good boy. We can work on that later.”
Yeah. He was in trouble. But he hadn’t met anyone in so long who ticked all his Dom boxes the way Braylin did.
Braylin ducked his head then went back to studying the menu. He wiggled on the small sofa and Zen couldn’t tell if Braylin had to pee or if his nerves were about to send him over the edge.
“Did you need help deciding?”
Braylin peered back up at him, his features more distressed than before. “Most people get annoyed with how slow I am at deciding what to eat, and on top of that, I can’t believe I’m sitting in Zen Diamond’s hotel suite. That’s it’s just you and me and you want to talk about something.” His cheeks turned scarlet. “Talk with me.”
Zen was met with a new dilemma. He’d underestimated the intensity of Braylin’s fan worship.
“Ah, I see.” Zen took a chance and sat next to Braylin, careful to keep to his own side of the love seat. “Now, why wouldn’t anyone want to talk to you, baby? You don’t think you’re an important part of the team? Important to me?” He grinned at the wide-eyed Braylin. “Shit, if you weren’t taking charge of Sal’s set-up every night, who knows what we’d sound like? I know my guitar has never been better.”
“R-really?” Braylin noticeably swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down in the most enticing of ways. “I make sure the EQ is exactly how you specified and everything. I-I hope it’s okay, but I used a different oil when I cleaned your Martin. It’s the one I rub on my own.” Braylin slapped a hand to his forehead. “On my guitar, I mean.”
Zen chuckled. “I assumed, but the visual works for me either way.”
Yeah, he could definitely get off all day long watching Braylin stroke the fretboard.
Braylin wrapped his arms around the menu and hugged it to his chest. Zen mentally slapped himself over his suggestive remark—especially after he’d promised Braylin nothing sexual.
“Now it’s my turn to be sorry, Braylin.”
Braylin took a tentative peek at him. “Why?”
“I got a big mouth and a wicked tongue.” He quickly held up his palm as Braylin’s eyes rounded. “I didn’t mean it that way, although…” Zen rubbed his forehead with thumb and forefinger. “Damn. Can’t stop, can I?”
He let out a light laugh, and after a moment, Braylin did too. Braylin’s shoulders relaxed a bit and he no longer gripped the menu as if it were his lifeline.
“It’s okay,” Braylin said. “I’m just being weird. I promised myself from the moment I heard I’d gotten the gig that I wouldn’t act all starstruck. And now here I am, doing that very thing.” Braylin winced. “Is it okay for me to say I’m sorry about that?”
Zen laughed harder. If he’d been drawn to Braylin before, now he was completely charmed. Wouldn’t he make the most delicious sub?
“If you feel you need to, that’s fine. But it isn’t necessary.” Zen winked. “I can be a bit bossy. I don’t mind if you take a while to decide on food. Do you mind that I’m a control freak?”
Braylin shook his head. “No, I don’t. You’re more experienced than me, you’ve worked hard to get to where you are today. I respect anything you have to say.”
“Hmm…” Zen wondered if Braylin knew what door he’d just opened in Zen’s heart. “Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind. For now, though, let’s get you fed. Would you like some help making a decision?”
Braylin gave him a shy smile. “If you don’t mind.”
“Not at all, baby. It’ll be my pleasure.”
After ordering some baked chicken and vegetables that Zen verified with the chef wouldn’t contain any breading or sauces with flour or dairy, he took a seat next to Braylin on the sofa again. His poor boy had gone back to fidgeting.
Go easy, fool.
“We’ve got a minute until the food gets here. Why don’t we start with you telling me why you’ve been avoiding me?”
“Oh.” Braylin bowed his head and picked at his sweats. “I didn’t know I was