“I thought you could handle him,” Jared commented, watching Zach curiously. The last time he’d seen Zach and Tristan in the same room, Tristan was the one demanding he fire Zach, while Zach was cool and collected, even amused. What had changed?
“I thought so, too,” Zach said, a corner of his mouth curling up in a humorless smile. “I’m used to difficult patients, you know that.”
“But?”
“He’s trying to seduce me.”
At first he thought he had misheard Zach.
But of course he hadn’t.
“Ah,” Jared said. He chuckled. “Is that all? It’s just the way he is. Tristan’s always been a flirt.”
The look on Zach’s face was difficult to read.
“He came onto you?” he said. His voice was a little strange.
Jared frowned, looking at his friend appraisingly. Zach had never been homophobic. Zach’s own younger brother was gay, and Zach had been nothing but supportive when Nick came out.
But there was definitely something off about his reaction.
“He used to flirt with me a lot, but it was nothing serious,” Jared said slowly. “I thought he did just for the fun of it and to annoy Gabriel.”
“And you were never tempted?”
Laughing a little, Jared said, “I’m not a monk. He’s easily the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever met.”
Zach’s eyes pierced into him like twin daggers.
Jared shook his head. “Nothing happened. He’s my patient, Zach.”
Something flickered across Zach’s face. “Gabriel is your patient, too.”
Jared paused, wondering how Zach knew about him and Gabe.
“It’s different,” he said.“You know how special he is to me. Tristan is—yeah, he’s ridiculously beautiful. I’m a healthy gay man and I have eyes, but I was never really attracted to him. I couldn’t see him as anything but Gabriel’s brother. When you already love someone, it’s easy to control trivial lusts.”
Zach flinched.
Jared studied the sudden tension in Zach’s shoulders and the way his hand was balling into a fist. It was puzzling. He’d never seen his friend so high-strung. It wasn’t Zach’s way. Being the eldest in his family and used to managing his younger siblings, Zach wasn’t one to get all wound up easily. Some people considered Zach overbearing, even arrogant, but Jared knew it was just the consequence of Zach being responsible for so many people ever since he was a teenager. If someone had asked Jared to describe Zach with one word, he would definitely pick the word “responsible.” That was why Zach’s sudden decision to quit had surprised him so much: it was very out of character for him.
“Does Tristan’s flirting bother you that much?” Jared asked, keeping his voice neutral. Talking about these things with his straight friends was always somewhat awkward. “If that’s the problem, I’ll tell him to cut it out.”
Zach remained silent.
“Zach?” Jared said.
“I want to fuck him.”
When Jared said nothing, Zach’s lips twisted. “Stop looking at me like I’ve grown a second head.”
Jared cleared his throat. “I thought you were straight.”
“I am,” Zach said with a pinched look. “I just really want to screw the little shit.”
Jared cleared his throat again. This wasn’t a conversation he had ever expected to have with Zach about Gabe’s brother. “Aren’t Donna and you still in an open relationship?”
Zach nodded curtly.
“Then what is the problem?”
“What’s the problem?” Zach chuckled harshly. “Are you serious?”
“Are you freaking out because you’re attracted to a guy?”
“No.” Zach ran a hand over his face. “Maybe a little. I don’t even like the brat. He drives me crazy. Half of the time, I want to throw him over my knee and—” He snapped his mouth shut and gave Jared a rueful smile. “It makes no sense. I’ve seen and touched hundreds of naked men, and okay, maybe none of them had such a pretty mouth—” Zach cut himself off again with a grimace. “It makes no bloody sense.”
Jared couldn’t really say he could relate. Women did nothing to him, no matter how beautiful they were. “Talking to Gabriel would probably be more helpful for you than to me, though maybe not.”
“Why not? I’ve always thought Gabriel was straight, too.”
Jared looked at the picture on his desk. It was a team photo, taken two years ago after winning the BPL trophy. Gabriel was leaning into him, his cheek pressed against Jared’s, like a kitten starved for affection.
“It was different for Gabe,” Jared said, tearing his eyes away from Gabriel’s smiling lips. “He has always loved and needed me, so when we actually got together, sex was just a next step. Other men do nothing for him. He wants me because he loves me, rather than the other way around. He wouldn’t know a thing about wanting a man he dislikes.” He gave Zach a probing look. “You sure you can’t control it? Do you really have to quit?”
A self-deprecating smile touched Zach’s lips. “A few weeks ago, I gave him a spanking just because he went looking for sex after I had forbidden him, so I think it’s pretty safe to say my professional judgment is compromised. Stop looking at me like that. I know: I shouldn’t have done it. I know that. I just can’t think clearly around the little shit.” Zach raked his hand through his hair, frustration plain on his face. “When he’s around, it’s like my brain is located in my dick. I have to quit.”