“You’re overthinking it.”
“I am not,” I argue.
“A real boyfriend would probably wrap his arm around my back.” His fingers flex against my shirt, and that feels intimate, too.
Giving in, now that it’s his suggestion and not my instinct, I wrap my arm around his back and pull him closer.
Archer draws in a deep breath before releasing it slowly. It’s a sound of temporary contentment.
“You always smell so damn good,” he mumbles, pulling a smile to my own lips. “What’s your secret?”
“Regular bathing,” I mutter with humor in my voice.
His fingers flex again, causing me to jerk.
“Sorry. Forgot how ticklish you were.” His hand settles.
It surprises me. If he wanted to touch me more, if he wanted the opportunity to grind against me and get me to touch him back, this would be his chance.
It’s happened before with other clients. They brush against me and then use my ticklishness to rub their bodies all over me.
As a thank you for not manipulating me the way I have been in the past, I drop my free hand over the top of his, sandwiching it against my shirt.
I grin, knowing he’s still a flawed man who isn’t capable of resisting all temptation when he spreads his hand, tangling our fingers together.
“Are you trying to make friends with my dog?” he asks out of nowhere.
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve brought treats for her twice now.”
“I’m just trying to keep the demon from taking another bite out of my ass.”
He chuckles, and I love the sound of his happiness.
“She normally likes the people that come around. I have no idea why she acts that way with you.”
“Me either. Most animals love me.” Well, except Puff Daddy, but Wren’s African grey parrot, that is a constant fixture at the office, is a dick to everyone. “My friend has this bird—”
“Umm… I’m sorry… Excuse me?”
I jerk up, forcing Archer to sit as well. I can’t believe I let myself get so wrapped up in this situation that I let my guard down. We’re in fucking public for fuck’s sake. I’m meant to be protecting him while making it look like we’re in a relationship.
I look over at the boy standing there. He can’t be any older than sixteen or seventeen, and the smile on his face as he looks down at Archer tells me he’s not a threat.
“Hey, mate,” Archer says to him, weariness in his voice.
It’s sad that the guy no longer knows if he’s going to meet a fan or if the person standing in front of him is going to spew hate.
“I’m sorry to interrupt.” The boy chuckles. “I mean, if I were here with a guy as hot as your boyfriend, I wouldn’t be very happy with me.”
“It’s no problem,” Archer assures him.
Looking like a young rock star himself in black, strategically ripped jeans and leather bands on his wrists, I realize he’s a friend, not someone that’s going to cause problems.
“I just wanted to say thank you.”
Archer smiles. “You like my music?”
The kid nods. “I do, but that’s not what I’m thankful for. You coming out gave me the courage to do it too.”
With him still pressed to my side, I feel the way the boy’s words hit Archer. He tenses up, and I hate that this is his first response.
“It went well then?” Archer asks.
The boy gives a sad smile. “It was what I expected, but at least I get to be the real me now.”
Archer doesn’t say anything, and I wonder if he’s ever pictured himself in this kind of situation before. From his reaction, I’d say he hasn’t. I make a mental note to run through scenarios with him so he’s more prepared.
“So that’s it. Just thanks.” The boy walks away, and we both watch him until he disappears around the corner of a building.
Silence swirls around us. I don’t have a fucking clue what to tell him because I have no idea what’s going on in his head.
“See?” I say when the quiet drags on too long for my own comfort. “You still have adoring fans out there.”
“Do you think they’d still adore me if they knew how big of a fucking fraud I am?”
I remain silent.
“I didn’t come out because I wanted to. I was forced out, and then to make matters worse, I denied it. I blamed drugs and alcohol. I only admitted the truth when that didn’t work.”
“It was problematic,” I say after a long pause.
Archer scoffs. “That’s putting it lightly.”
“People make mistakes. Your manager—”
“What I’m not doing any longer is blaming others for my actions. My manager prepared that statement, but it’s not like I read it blindly. I ignored the part of me that knew it was wrong, and I did it anyway. That boy is much braver than I’ll ever be.”
I press my hand to his back, rubbing small circles because he’s got a point. I clamp my mouth closed to stop myself from reminding him that the young man who just walked away also doesn’t have an empire resting on his shoulders that he felt the need to protect.