“Just because I’m picky doesn’t mean I’m a fucking saint. When will you get that through your head? I work hard and have weird hours. Not everyone wants to deal with that.”
“All the more reason to be a little more…flexible, wouldn’t you say?”
“I wonder how your viewers would feel if they heard the serious, trustworthy Alexander Thorne talk this way.”
“I don’t know. I always get emails saying I need to loosen up a little. Maybe I’d get a jump in the ratings? What do you think?”
Bailey rolled his eyes. “You’re already in the number one spot, as if you need any help. People love you, and I thought you wanted to hear about this.”
“I do.” Xander crossed his ankles on the ottoman and placed his hands behind his head. “So just to reiterate. Black hair, leather jacket, rings, and piercings?”
“Pier-cing,” Bailey said, thinking about the small silver ring in Henri’s nose.
“Yeah, I’m going to bet that the guy has more than one. Hundred bucks sound fair?”
“No, because there’s no way we’re ever going to find out.”
Xander let out a booming laugh and clasped his hands over his stomach. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I’m not. I don’t know anything about this guy.”
“You know his name, and don’t tell me you didn’t look up his address, because I won’t believe you. Plus, if you really need help digging for more info, I happen to be an award-winning journalist, in case you forgot. Between the two of us, we could know everything about him in ten minutes, easy.”
“You’re crazy,” Bailey said as he sat up on the recliner and planted his feet on the ground. “I’m not going to hunt this guy down. That’s stalker behavior. I arrest people like that.” He aimed a pointed look at Xander. “Something you’d do well to remember.”
Xander flashed a grin, and Bailey scrubbed his hands over his face.
“This is ridiculous. I never act like this.”
“No, you don’t.”
“And I don’t even like him.”
“So? Some of the best sex I’ve ever had has been with people I hate.”
“Nice, Xander.”
“I’m just saying, being friends is not a requirement. Knowing his life story is not a requirement. You can’t stop thinking about this guy. So find out his number and call him.”
“And how exactly am I going to do that?” Bailey asked. He supposed Robbie was an option, but he’d flat out said that Henri was a bad idea. So that only left… “I can’t exactly call up Priest and say, ‘Hey, I want to sleep with your ex-boyfriend, could you give me his number?’”
“Why not? I wouldn’t care if someone called me about you.”
“This is different,” Bailey said automatically, and somehow, deep down, he knew that it was. Not only from the way Henri had reacted at the wedding, but also yesterday morning, when Priest had casually called him my Henri.
“Okay, so maybe you go old school and write a letter. Or wait outside his house.”
“How pathetic do you think I am?” When Xander opened his mouth, Bailey shook his head. “Don’t answer that. Plus, are you forgetting the part of this story where he bailed when we were supposed to sleep together? That makes him an ass, and it’s also a pretty good sign that he’s not interested. So anything after that just makes me look desperate.”
Xander sat forward, his eyes taking on that serious glint they got whenever he was on the trail of something hot. “I would agree if he didn’t say what he did when you pulled him over.”
Bailey snorted. “Come on, he was just trying to get out of a speeding ticket.”
“I don’t think so. I’ve been dreamin’ about you. About that night and what it would’ve been like. How many times has someone said that to you to get out of a speeding ticket?” When Bailey said nothing and just stared, Xander smirked. “Exactly.”
The faint sound of his phone chiming from the kitchen made Bailey spring to his feet, not wanting to miss an opportunity to end this conversation.
After making his way into the other room, he scooped it up and noticed a text from a number he didn’t recognize. He punched in his passcode as he walked back into the living room, and as he opened up his messages and read the words on his screen, his feet came to a standstill.
No way. It can’t be…
But as he read the words again, there was no mistaking who the message was from.
So, do I really need to get arrested to see you again? Because I will. Or you could just call me, since you have my number now - Henri.
Chapter Ten
CONFESSION
Knowing the truth and hearing it out loud are two completely different things.
HENRI STARED AT the text he’d just sent off as he climbed into the Aston Martin and pulled the door shut behind him. He’d barely waited until he was in the elevator before he’d sent a message Bailey’s way, and as he willed a reply of some sort to appear in front of him, he tried to push aside the conversation he’d just had with Priest.