Page 20 of Unwrapped
A few reporters had learned about their relationship and asked Jack about Adam, and he told them without hesitation, Adam was his partner.Instead of the attention they thought their relationship might get, it turned out to be barely a blip in their lives.
The rest of the drive was spent with laughter as Jack guessed outlandish presents Adam could have gotten him.
“A horse?Where would I put a horse and do you even know how to ride?”
“I could learn.”
Adam shook his head.
“Fine.You got us a dog.You didn’t put it in a box and forget about him, did you?”
Adam growled and shook his head.“When we get a dog, we’ll both go down to the shelter together and pick one out.”
“I’d like that.”Jack squeezed Adam’s fingers.
When they arrived, the party was in full swing but Adam spotted their friends mingling among the employees they knew.Jack laced their fingers together and they walked toward the group.Adam wasn’t surprised by Jack’s gesture, but it still made his heart beat hard in his chest at how open Jack had become.
“Hey, boss.”
They turned to see Aiden, without the man he’d been with at the club.Jack and then Adam shook his hand.
“Have you had any problems with Derrick’s old friends?”
“Nope.They seemed to have forgotten about him and they’ve left me and the others alone.”
As they spoke to Aiden, Adam noticed Aiden was more relaxed than the last time he’d met the man.Adam realized now that Aiden had seemed tense at the club and Adam hoped Aiden broken it off with the man he was with as soon as they left the club that night.And his hunch was confirmed when Jack asked Aiden about it.
“He cheated on me.We were only together a couple of months, but I found out that night.Well, while we were talking, actually.I spotted a man at the club he’d been texting and put it together.”Aiden shrugged as if he expected all his relationships to go in that same manner.
“Why don’t you come and meet our friends,” Adam said.
When Aiden blanched at the group, Adam snagged Aiden’s arm.Jack introduced Aiden to their group of friends, emphasizing that he couldn’t live without the man, and Adam noticed that Sam hadn’t taken his eyes off Aiden since they walked up.
Jack and Aiden had started talking a new project for the new year and Sam pulled him aside.
“Adam, hey, is Aiden single?”
Adam nodded.“Yeah, and I have a feeling that he’s been hurt one to many times before.Be careful with him, okay?”
“I wouldn’t hurt him.I’ve never—”
“I know, Sam.”
Adam snagged Jack’s gaze and they communicated silently until a smile broke out on Jack’s face.He waved Adam and Sam over.
“Aiden.”
Aiden turned and his eyes widened as he looked up at Sam.
“This is Sam.He works with Ronan restoring houses.”
Sam held out his hand and when Aiden shook it, Aiden shivered.
“Would you like to grab a drink at the bar?” Sam asked.
Aiden nodded and Sam, being the perfect gentleman, held his arm out for Aiden to take.Without saying anything else, they wandered away, lost in each other.
Sam and Aiden made perfect sense to Adam.Although Sam was older by seven years, he knew that Sam would never hurt Aiden.Sam had dedicated himself to his work with Ronan and their company, but as Adam remembered back throughout the years, he’d never seen Sam serious about anyone before.
