“That sounds rough.” Daniel had no idea what that would be like. He’d grown up in a noisy house full of sisters with two parents who made sure they had everything they needed. He couldn’t imagine being twelve and alone.
“It was. I didn’t know what it was like to have a real home.”
He eyed Edward, took in the sad expression, then realized what an idiot he was being. He let out a harsh, bitter laugh. “You know what? I really believed you for a minute there. I actually felt bad for you. And then I remembered who you really are, and I know everything you just told me is a lie. How can we have any sort of real conversation when you can’t tell me anything about who you really are? Anything about what you do for a living?” He leaned back in his chair and glared at Edward. “Why don’t we cut the chatter, hmm? I don’t feel like being lied to anymore.”Daniel was right. Edward had lied, but it was more out of habit than anything. He’d spent his entire adult life spewing lies, so the story had just spilled from his lips with a practiced ease. Hell, he could tell that story with more confidence than he could the truth.
His background was probably a lot more like Daniel’s, only he had one sister instead of four. His parents still lived in the Kansas house where he’d grown up. He had a fairly normal childhood, but being truthful about it wasn’t a part of his job description.
Still, it irked him that Daniel had scoffed. It shouldn’t, but it did.
They finished their dinner in silence, then headed to the hotel. Daniel grabbed some clothes and disappeared into the bathroom, and Edward thought back to when Daniel had done the same thing that first night in his hotel room. Then, he’d been preparing for sex. He sure as hell wasn’t doing that now.
Edward got out a pair of sleep pants and sat down to wait his turn. He’d been serious about them having sex while here. He didn’t see the harm in enjoying each other while they were stuck together. It wasn’t often he found someone he meshed with quite so well, and as Daniel came out of the restroom, he had to work not to run his eyes over that fine, lean body.
Daniel wore a pair of sweat pants and a tight T-shirt that left little to the imagination. He took one of the pillows and blankets and tossed them on the couch, next to Edward. “I don’t see why we had to share a room anyway.”
“I can’t protect you properly if I can’t see you.”
“I don’t need protection. It’s just a meeting, right? You’re not expecting whoever I’m meeting to try and kill me, do you?”
“The last guys shot at you, Daniel. They killed the real agent.”
“That wasn’t you?”
“No. Why would I kill him when I needed information from him?”
“So, you never planned to kill him? Kill me?”
Edward didn’t answer that question. What could he say? Of course he’d planned to kill the man once he’d learned all there was to know.
“Look, we’re in the same hotel room because I need to stay close to you, and if that means sleeping on this couch, then so be it.”
He fluffed the pillow, then stood. Daniel climbed into bed and Edward was surprised by how badly he wanted to get under those covers with the man. One thing he hadn’t lied about was how good the sex had been between them.
Daniel flipped off the lamp next to the bed and lay down, putting his spine to Edward.
Grabbing his shaving kit, Edward walked into the bathroom. The whole time he brushed his teeth, he thought about what it had been like to sink into Daniel. The way he’d rolled his hips and tightened his hands in the sheets. How he’d come without even touching his dick. Edward looked down at his own now-hard length and smirked. Compatible, hell…they’d burned up the fucking bed. He wanted back inside that gorgeous body. Badly.
He left the bathroom and went to his makeshift couch bed and stretched out. While the bed was likely softer, Edward had slept in worse places. He listened to Daniel breathing and willed his hard-on to go away.
“Edward,” Daniel said quietly.
“Yes?”
“Can you tell me one thing that’s true?”
Edward was silent for a while before he sighed and turned onto his side. He propped his head on his hand. “I truly feel bad for getting it wrong and bringing you into this mess. I wish meeting you on the beach had been purely kismet.”
“I guess there’s that.” Daniel shifted on the bed, the sound of his body moving on the sheets faint. “Have you ever mistaken a target like that before?”
“No.”
“I don’t know how to act like a spy. I’m nervous about this meeting.”