“Yeah.” He nods. “Again, no proof, but people talk in a small town.”
“How have I never heard about this?”
“I don’t know. Probably because Charles is way closer to my age than yours.”
We finish the rest of our meal, but the entire time, my blood is boiling as questions fire off inside my head.
Did something like that happen to Bodhi?
I have to figure out how to ask him.
Chapter Forty-One
Jules van der Meer
The heel of my shoe taps the floor repeatedly while my stomach flip-flops in anticipation. It’s a few minutes to seven on a Friday evening, and my eyes are locked on the entrance to the lounge, where at any minute, my date for the evening will walk through.
Tonight is the first night Bodhi and I have seen each other in four months. He got home late last night from Blackwood, but he insisted on Elias and Camden picking him up from the airport, and he and I just seeing each other tonight.
To say I’m nervous would be a severe understatement. I haven’t been this nervous to see Bodhi in… I don’t think ever, actually. Ridiculous fears are running rampant in my mind, like what if too much time has passed, and he doesn’t feel the same about me. Or what if he comes here, and he realizes this isn’t something he wants to pursue.
All thoughts are shot from my head, though, the moment he walks through the door. My chest swells as I take him in. He hasn’t noticed me yet, so I take this opportunity to greedily drag my eyes over the man I’ve missed for the last four months.
His black hair is slightly longer on top but still shaved down on the sides. He’s wearing a white and black checkered crop top with black skinny jeans and clunky black combat boots. His icy blue eyes shimmer when they finally meet mine, a genuine smile tugging on his full, pale pink lips. As he makes his way to the table, I can’t help but notice howhealthyand happy he looks.
Right as I’m about to stand, he shakes his head subtly, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. I settle into my seat, waiting to see what he’s got up his sleeve. My insides vibrate, pulse racing as he stops in front of the chair across from me, hands resting on it, but not pulling it out.
“You must be Jules,” he purrs, echoing the very same words he said to me that first night all those months ago.
A zap of electricity races down my spine as realization dawns on me. “And you must be Jamie.”
“The one and only.” He pulls out the chair, sliding into it like a prince taking his throne. His gleaming eyes drink me in while he bites down on his tempting bottom lip.
Our server steps up to the table. “Hi, folks. My name is Stevie, and I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I start you two off with something to drink?”
Never taking my eyes off Bodhi, I say, “We’ll take a bottle of your best pinot noir, please.” His piercing blue eyes darken with heat as Stevie walks away, the entire restaurant seeming to vanish until we’re left just him and I.
“So, Jamie,” I mutter. “I’m so glad you could make it tonight.”
“I wouldn’t miss it…”
The air around him is so different from what it was. Where it was almost like a dark cloud hanging over his head, ready to downpour at any moment, it’s now clear skies. He holds his shoulders a little straighter, head a little higher. There’s light in his eyes that wasn’t there before.
“You look beautiful,” I tell him, the words coming out husky.
His cheeks pinken—that shy part of him still the same. “Thank you. And you look very handsome, yourself, Mister…?”
“Van der Meer,” I offer with a smirk playing on my lips. “And thank you.”
He holds my gaze as his middle finger rubs a circle around the rim of his glass.
We flirt a little, make small talk, all under the guise that he’s Jamie. It’s a miracle we’re able to make it through an entire meal without ripping each other’s clothes off. Bodhi doesn’t make it easy either, his foot continuing to rub sensual lines up and down the length of my leg, getting dangerously close to the erection I’ve had since the moment he sat down.
By the time the bill comes, I’m so worked up, if I don’t get him upstairs and beneath me in the next five minutes, I may combust. Weaving our way through the crowded lounge with one hand on the small of his back, the other covering the tent in my pants with my suit jacket, we make our way to the elevators.
We had previously discussed our plans to stay the night here, so Bodhi should’ve already had his bags sent up before he met me in the lounge.
The ride up to the suite is supercharged. Neither of us touches the other, but the desire is there—and it’s strong. We make it to the end of the hall, and I use the key card to unlock the door to our room, letting him go in first, with me to follow. As soon as the lock is clicked into place, it’s game on.
