He turned and walked around his truck, climbing into the driver’s side and starting the engine before he looked up again. Scott was still there, rubbing his neck and glaring at him now that he thought there was a safe distance between them.
Jeremy rolled down his passenger side window and leaned toward it with a scowl. “Call me a dog again and I’ll bury your bones where no one can find them.” It was satisfying to see the man pale as he drove away.
Scott was a moron. The worst kind. He didn’t know how good he had it. When Jeremy was younger, the only thing he’d wanted more than he wanted to draw was to be a member of the Finn family.
Of course, now there was something he wanted more than that. One thing. One Finn in particular.
“Hell.”
Chapter Eight
His hands were covered in ink. Jeremy looked down at them and then over to the clock on the wall. He’d completely lost track of time. That hadn’t happened in a while. Not with his contracted work anyway.
But this wasn’t work. It was Owen.
Every sketch was of him. Jeremy studied the details in the eerily light blue irises, the way the eyes crinkled at the corners when he laughed. The strong jaw, as stubborn as it was handsome. Lips that could be firm in anger or soft in sensual wonder. He knew this face better than he knew his own. Had watched age and life experience define it. He knew all its expressions and moods, and he’d spent the last few hours capturing them all from memory, losing himself to each curve and line.
“Shit.” This was bad. When had he gotten this pathetic? He wasn’t a romance kind of guy, and God knew now would be the worst time to become one. Owen Finn was experimenting, he reminded himself for the hundredth time. The man was good at it and fucking thorough, but if Jeremy allowed himself to believe for one minute this could be more—he was just begging for heartbreak.
He never said he wanted it to be more.
He left his workroom and headed to the kitchen sink to wash his hands. Stubborn or not, Owen would surely come to the same realization that Jeremy had while thinking about the Finn family on the drive home. They were far too involved in each other’s lives to keep this relationship secret for long. And while the brothers Finn might accept Owen—even congratulate him—for getting a woman to agree to being hog-tied and spanked for pleasure, it was highly doubtful they would be okay with his dating a man. And if they knew it was Jeremy, someone they considered an honorary part of the family? Their disapproval would mark the beginning of the end of his status with the Finn clan. He would be alone.
Even if was a short-term affair, if they found out they might never forgive him.
Tasha was the only other person in his life who was like family—which was why when she’d called back at the appointed time, he’d preempted her interrogation and demanded that she share the one detail about the Christmas party she’d previously neglected to mention. The one that worried him. The one having to do with a Finn in a car.
“I’m not going to tell you who, but I will admit that it happened,” she’d offered carefully.
“What happened, Tasha? A kiss? A holiday cuddle?”
“Sex,” she mumbled. “It was the only private place and believe me, I’m not planning on repeating it. Car sex is for teenagers.”
Jeremy had laughed at that, but inside he was in knots. “Was it Owen, Tasha? You can tell me. You two have been dancing around each other for a while.”
He couldn’t believe how much it hurt to think it might have been him. But why would it matter? He and Tasha shared men all the time. He’d even wondered how long it would be before Owen suggested bringing her in as a third. He’d been preparing himself for it so he wouldn’t react the way his confusing emotions might force him to—with jealousy.
“Not Owen,” Tasha said firmly. “I know you tease me about it a lot and I tell you about his women at the club, but I would never do that to you, Jeremy. I need you to know that.”
Relief made him dizzy. “Me? What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean. And I’ve always known that was one line I would never cross. You’re too good a friend.” She paused. “Such a good friend that you’re going to change topics, forget about my Finn fling and tell me who you’re dating.”
That distracted him. “I don’t want to go into it yet, Tasha. It’s too new. He’s not… He’s shy.”
Tasha groaned in frustration. “He’s shy. That’s all you’re going to give me? You shaved your beard for him and he’s shy?”