You need to take it slow, was Rowe’s diplomatic response, which only brought the fire back to Andrei’s blood.
It was the same damn thing Lucas had been telling him for days now, but he was tired of slow. He just wanted to get back to his life and that included doing his job. Yet, before he could compose a response to Rowe, two more texts chimed in. One from Ian, guessing that he was already at Lucas’s for some “hot loving,” and the second from…Snow.
Andrei stared at it for a moment in shock, a cold weight settling deep in the pit of his stomach. He and Snow never talked. Not directly. Andrei understood that Lucas’s relationship with Snow was close, and Andrei felt awkward around the surgeon. Unwanted. An intruder.
But now Snow had texted. Hell, he had Snow’s cell number programmed in his phone for Lucas related emergencies only. He hadn’t expected Snow to have his number.
Don’t let Lucas drill you through the mattress and set back your recovery.
Andrei swore loudly before grabbing another slice of pizza. Who the hell had told Snow anything? And in record fucking time! Was this what it was like to be part of Lucas’s little group? It was amazing that Lucas got anything done during the day.
More texts chimed in from the trio and Andrei felt a reluctant smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. They were intrusive, crude, and bossy, spending way too much time talking about his sex life and in frightening detail. But despite the ridiculous teasing, there was an undercurrent of concern and acceptance. A feeling of family.
Between bites of pizza, Andrei texted the three men, dishing out equal helpings of teasing and sarcasm. When Andrei finally untangled himself from the texts, he looked up to find that forty-five minutes had passed and still no Lucas.
This was not going to work. He was not going to be put on hold or taken for granted. Their time was precious to him. When Andrei started working again, he knew they were going to be hard-pressed to grab more than a few minutes here or there together. Working security left him with odd hours free, and not to mention days or weeks at a time when he was constantly on the job.
Lucas had postponed their evening once already and had canceled the night before altogether. Andrei understood that there were times when work would get in the way, but there was no way in hell he was being put off for another second. Something profound had sparked between them so many weeks ago, before he’d gone undercover, and they had only just begun to explore it.
When Andrei had returned badly injured, Lucas had immediately backed off, treating him with kid gloves and seemingly content to just lounge on the couch, watching movies and talking. Andrei now knew that Lucas had an illogical but deep hatred of bananas, loved swimming, and was his own worst critic, holding himself to a ridiculously high standard in nearly everything he tried. Andrei had enjoyed their time together, sure that he’d never laughed so hard or so much in his life.
But he wanted more. He wanted to touch the fire that had burned through all his hang-ups and even common sense where Lucas was concerned. He needed to know if he could still burn Lucas up with that same fire.
Leaving his cell phone on the kitchen counter so there was no risk of further distraction, he strode back to the second floor and Lucas’s office, where the man paced behind his desk with his phone pressed to his ear. He looked stressed, the muscles in his neck tensed and his meticulously styled hair tousled from repeatedly running his fingers through it. Lucas needed a distraction.
Andrei strolled into the office and stopped in front of the small sofa that faced the desk. With his feet spread and his hands on his hips, he waited until Lucas was looking at him before grabbing the bottom of his black T-shirt and pulling it over his head in a slow reveal that drew a low hiss from Lucas. Even though he hadn’t been able to step foot in a gym for a month, Andrei had retained most of his hard, lean muscle. Lucas had spent more than a few nights tracing the ridges and valleys of his chest.
Meeting Lucas’s heated gaze from across the room, Andrei smirked as he tossed the shirt on the floor. He stepped back and dropped onto the sofa, lounging with his legs stretched out before him in open invitation.
Since their first kiss, Lucas had given up all artifice when it came to his attraction for Andrei. When they were alone, Lucas reveled in his body and Andrei soaked it in. Now, sharp, green-gray eyes swept up his jean-clad legs and over his bare chest to stop on his face. His gaze was so intense Andrei could almost feel it, like a hand moving over his body in a firm caress. Not enough. Not even close. Andrei wanted the real thing and he wanted Lucas to come to him.