by Evie Drae
The pink darkened to crimson, but Bo swallowed and offered a tentative nod. “I’d like that.”
“Good.” Adam clapped his hands. “First thing on the friendship agenda is another surprise.”
When Bo’s eyes widened in what could be mock horror but likely held a real trace of the emotion, Adam chuckled. “No need for excessive laundering with this one.”
Bo narrowed his gaze. “You swear?”
Adam held up three fingers in the universal Scout’s honor oath. “On my life.”
“Fine.” Bo breathed a heavy, exaggerated sigh. “What’s it going to be this time? You don’t plan to bust my eardrums again, do you? Because, seriously, you sound like an injured animal when you sing. That kind of auditory torture should be illegal. At the very least, it should come with a warning label so any at-risk parties can come prepared with earplugs.”
Adam’s jaw dropped. He planted both fists on his hips and shot Bo the stink eye. It took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to bust out laughing. Getting razzed was the last thing he’d expected after their tense wake-up call. But he loved it. “How’s about you take your sassy ass into the kitchen and get us some of that go-go-juice-on-a-timer that woke me from a dead sleep this morning. I’ll try really hard not to burst into spontaneous song while I clean up out here. We’ll reconvene at the bottom of the stairs in three minutes. Deal?”
Bo grinned. “Deal.”
Adam admired the man’s ass as he sashayed toward the kitchen, because, hey, friends could still appreciate the view, right?
As he bent to pick up the throw pillows they’d tossed off the couch, he belted out the opening lyrics of “Hot Patootie, Bless My Soul” from Rocky Horror. Complete with Meat Loaf’s high-pitched hoot at the beginning.
Bo’s head materialized around the corner like a prairie dog popping out of its hole. His hands covered his ears. “You promised.”
Adam shrugged as he tossed the pillows onto the couch. “Be quick with that coffee or I’ll sing the extended version. With twice the number of chorus renditions. And a few extra whoops for good measure.”
Bo groaned and disappeared into the kitchen. Without missing a beat, Adam picked up where he’d left off. Damn if Bo didn’t slide out of the kitchen on his socked feet with two cups of steaming coffee clutched in his hands before Adam could get past the second verse.
“Well, now I know how to get speedy service.” Adam nearly busted a gut when Bo’s eyes bugged. “I kid, I kid. That wouldn’t be fair. Plus, I’m the one paying your health insurance. Wouldn’t want our premiums to go up if you wind up needing ear surgery or some shit.”
He accepted the mug Bo offered, took a blessed sip of the hot caffeinated liquid, then motioned toward the stairs. “After you. Second door to the right and straight on ’til morning.”
“Peter Pan? Really?” Bo quirked a brow.
Adam grinned and shrugged. “Wait until you see what’s behind that door. Quoting Peter Pan won’t seem half so strange once you do.”
“No more singing?”
Adam rolled his eyes and bobbed his head in a yeah, yeah motion. He pointed to the stairs again. “Go. Or I’ll dig into my Wicked repertoire. I do a mean Idina Menzel.”
Bo let out a squeak and scurried up the steps. Adam enjoyed the view one more time before plastering on a goofy smile and following in his wake.
Chapter Eight
BO bounded up the stairs, two at a time, and waited for Adam by the door. The grin pulling at Adam’s lips when he joined him bordered on ridiculous. It managed to be both childishly adorable and mind-bendingly sexy all at once.
Bo’s chest tightened. It wasn’t fair. What had he done to deserve the torment of working for—and living with—someone he wanted but couldn’t have?
Adam jutted a chin toward the door. “You gonna stand there all day or go inside?”
With a scowl, Bo gave the knob a twist and shoved the door inward. Whatever met him on the other side couldn’t be any worse than standing there moping over the future of his sure-to-be-crushed heart.
Except, in a way, it was.
“Oh my God.” Bo lifted a hand to cover his gaping mouth as he stepped into the room. No, not just a room, but a library. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in the same rich mahogany as the one in his bedroom lined every wall. More bookshelves, slightly shorter to allow the warm glow of morning sun to peek over their tops, stood back-to-back to form aisles down the center of the room. A cozy nook with overstuffed leather armchairs, a shared ottoman, and a plethora of colorful throw pillows and fuzzy blankets sat off to the side.
Adam stepped up beside him and folded his arms. His grin had somehow grown in both size and absurdity. “I thought you might like this.”
Bo dropped his hand and shook his head. “There must be thousands of books in here. Have you read any of them?”
When Adam quirked a brow, his grin slipping into a wry smirk, Bo gave himself a mental kick to the nuts. Of course he’d read them. Maybe not all, but at least some. He wasn’t the brain-dead meathead the media made him out to be. Not by a long shot. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”
“It’s all good.” Adam clapped Bo on the shoulder. “I give off the dumb jock vibe on purpose. It’s more intimidating that way. People think I’m stupid enough to do the crazy shit. Keeps ’em on their toes because they never know what to expect.”
“Oh. Right.” Bo nibbled on his lip and stole another glance to the side. Adam lit up as he scanned the room. His passion for the vast collection was evident, and when those smoky irises shifted to meet Bo’s gaze, another punch to the proverbial gut had Bo clutching at his stomach. Why did Adam have to be so perfect?
“Go on, look around. Anything that strikes your fancy is yours for the reading. I’ve got a little bit of everything. I can’t seem to pick a favorite genre, so I read it all.” Adam gestured around the room. “It’s my guilty pleasure.”
Bo frowned. “What is? Reading?”
“Yeah.” Adam chuckled. “I never finished high school because my pop pulled me to focus on training. At the time, I thought it was the best thing ever. What hormonal adolescent wouldn’t be on board with the idea of doing the thing they love all day instead of going to school? But that doesn’t mean I don’t like to read and learn new things. I just have to keep that part of me hidden, right alongside my clothes-diva, musical-loving alter ego.”
Bo’s heart pinched. Adam’s father had been the reason he’d left high school early? What kind of parent would place athletics so far above their child’s education? It was one thing to drop out of college to pursue a professional sports career, but an entirely different thing to have a parent complicit in the loss of a basic childhood right.
No one deserved to lose the chance to finish high school, and Bo hadn’t missed Adam’s addition of “at the time.” Did he regret the lack of a diploma as much as Bo did?
“I’d say the Beast is more an alter ego than that side of you.” Bo tipped his chin and pursed his lips. “It’s almost laughable to think of you in that way, now that I know who you really are.”
“See?” Adam poked a finger into Bo’s chest. A spark of warmth seeped into his skin at the contact. “No one would fear the real me. That’s why I gotta keep that dude buried deep.”
Bo wandered farther into the room, trailing his fingers over the well-loved spines of countless books. “You’ve read all of these, haven’t you?”
“Nah. Not all of them.” Adam mimicked Bo’s absent tracing, stopping short of where Bo’s fingers still rested. Bo itched to feel the warmth and comfort of Adam’s touch again, but as if reading his mind, Adam dropped his hand and stepped away. “I’ve read quite a few, but not all. Those I haven’t read are here because I hope to someday.”
Bo wrung his hands to dispel the urge to reach out for Adam’s. Instead, he continued his trek through the rows of books, marveling that several of the titles had brothers on his own shelf down the hall. “You’ve got good taste, Mr. Littrell
.”
“Hey, what’d I tell ya about that ‘Mr.’ shit?” Adam winked when Bo shot him a look. “I’m kidding. You can call me whatever you want.”
Bo chewed back a moan and gripped his shoulders in a self-hug. Memories of lying in Adam’s arms swirled through his brain. He’d barely caught himself from spilling an inappropriate term of endearment when he’d woken pressed against that hard body, encircled by the solid warmth of that strong embrace.
He bit his lip until the tang of coppery blood hit his tongue. It was time to change the subject. “Have you ever thought of going back to get your GED?”
Adam guffawed. “I’m nearly forty. It’s a bit too late for that.”
“It’s never too late.” Bo turned on his heel to face Adam head-on. “I never finished high school either, and you can bet your butt I’ll get my GED the first chance I find. Even if I am forty.”
Rather than firing off another flippant response, Adam squinted his eyes. He swiped his thumb over his lower lip and followed the same path with his tongue. The action drew Bo’s gaze to that plump, kissable mouth. His balls tightened.
“You didn’t finish high school either?”
Bo swallowed and worked his jaw back and forth. Admitting to his lack of education wasn’t something he made a habit of, but Adam wouldn’t judge him. Not because he shared the same deficiency, but because he was a good man. Bo trusted that now more than ever. “My dad passed away when my sister Lulu was only eleven. I was eighteen, so I took custody. My priorities shifted after that. No way I’d let Lulu end up in the system when I could take care of her myself.”
“And taking care of her meant quitting school so you could work?” Adam’s voice dropped an octave, and he frowned. “I’m not sure I could ever do something that selfless.”
Bo laughed. “You could. Trust me, you could. If someone you loved suddenly relied on you for their very existence, you’d give up everything to make sure they never wanted for anything. I don’t regret quitting school because I did it for Lulu. She’s my whole world.”
Adam’s frown softened into a flat-lipped smile. “But you’d go back and finish if you could.”
“Heck yeah.” Was that really a question? “I fully intend to. Some day.”
Nodding, Adam ran a hand through his cropped hair. “I’ve got a proposal for you.”
A nervous chuckle slipped past Bo’s lips. No way the proposal Adam had in mind would mirror the one Bo wanted to hear. Inappropriate or not. “Ah, okay.”
“Retirement’s looming in my future. Having my high school diploma might prove beneficial, especially considering I have no fuckin’ clue what I’m going to do with my life when I can’t fight anymore.” Adam shrugged and offered a lopsided grin. “I’m an old man. The thought of going back to school terrifies me. Any chance you’d be interested in doing it with me? I could use the support. I doubt I’ll ever do it on my own.”
If Adam had grown a second head, Bo wouldn’t have been more surprised. He closed his gaping mouth with a clash of teeth and pressed his lips together to keep it shut. Was Adam really offering him a chance to get his GED? With guaranteed time to study because he’d be doing it alongside Adam? “Ah….”
What the heck was he supposed to say? He had no clue how much it would cost. Did he have the funds? Lulu’s education took priority over his own. He couldn’t risk running out of money. His budget was already tight.
“Tell you what, don’t decide now. Do some research for us. See what it’ll take to get enrolled or whatever we’ve gotta do.” Adam slapped a palm against the solid wood of the nearest bookshelf. “If you’re willing to help, consider the tuition costs a perk of the job. You’d be doing me a favor, after all.”
Bo was shaking his head before Adam finished speaking. “No way. If I do this, I’ll pay my own way.”
Rumbling laughter filled the air, and Adam waggled his brows. “You have no idea how much work I’ll be. Trust me, it’ll be compensation well earned.”
When Bo shook his head again, Adam landed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Dude, I’ll be a huge thorn in your side. Think about how much effort it takes to wake my ass up in the morning and multiply that by, like, fifty. At least. You deserve a little extra for the pain and suffering.”
Bo groaned and raised a dramatic hand to his forehead. “You’re not doing a great job of selling the idea.”
Adam snorted. “You can always say no. But if I don’t have studying to keep me occupied while I wait for the training camp to start, I might have to take Kyle up on those singing lessons he suggested. Which would mean practicing at home. A lot. Like, all the time. Night and day. Day and night.”
“Okay, okay, okay.” Bo couldn’t hold in the laughter, especially when Adam grinned like a loon when he did. He wasn’t that bad of a singer. In fact, the deep bass rumble of Adam’s voice did indecent things to Bo’s body and brain alike. Especially when he wasn’t actively trying to sound like a drowning cat. “I’ll do it.”
“And you’ll let me pay?”
Bo sighed. His heart did an extra little flip. If the masses had any clue how sweet and wonderful the real Beast was, he’d be fending off suitors with a stick. Or he’d be married. Or, if nothing else, his bed wouldn’t be empty every night, as it had been the past week.
The sinking weight of jealousy tugged at Bo’s belly. That was a reality that wouldn’t last and one he’d have to learn to live with. Even if Adam had shown a return interest in Bo, it would be short-lived now they’d secured the label of friendship around whatever the heck this was between them.
Once Adam moved on, his infamous slew of fast-and-dirty affairs would kick back into full gear. And when they did? Bo would have to sleep two doors down with a pillow over his head while Adam gave other men the things he wanted.
He scowled. Life was so totally unfair.
Chapter Nine
ADAM’S gym shoes slapped against the mechanical belt of his treadmill, his thoughts spinning and twisting nearly as fast as the gears powering the machine beneath him.
What the hell had he been thinking? Since when did he want to get his GED? Since never, that’s when. Especially not now. His training camp for the title defense fight that would determine his future in the UFC was only a few months away. He needed to focus on getting his body ready, not wasting precious hours studying for some damn piece of paper that didn’t mean shit to him or his career.
But he’d sensed the yearning in Bo. That paper meant something to him. Over the past week, Adam had learned enough about Bo to guess it wouldn’t be a simple task to offer him a gift. Even if the gift were as minimal as the cost and time it would take to study and prepare for the GED.
So he’d stretched the truth a bit and asked Bo to help him chase a dream that wasn’t his own. The way those brilliant green eyes had lit up when he finally agreed was all the payment Adam needed.
Plus, the endeavor might harbor a few additional benefits. It would give Adam some guaranteed time with Bo where they wouldn’t be acting as boss and employee. After their conversation that morning solidifying the impossibility of a physical relationship, he didn’t want to risk losing the chance at friendship.
If he couldn’t have Bo in his bed, he’d damn well make sure he could at least have him as a friend. There was something about the man. He drove Adam to distraction. Even now, with a runner’s high that usually kept his attention focused on pushing his physical limits, Adam couldn’t keep his mind on the task at hand.
All he could think about was Bo’s sweet smile and that spark of passion when he spoke about his sister and his dreams to finish his education. How hard had that been to lose his father at such a young age? And with a little sister to look after and support through the traumatic aftermath, no less.
Bo had been the only person standing between Lulu and the terrifying foster care system. And yet he’d been a kid himself, hadn’t he? Still in high school. Forced to give up his childhood to enter the workforce so he could take care
of his sister. But when he talked about it all, there was nothing but love holding up his words.
He had the kindest soul and purest heart Adam had ever known. Bo was as courageous as he was brilliant and loving. Was it such a shock Adam wanted more than a business relationship with him?
“I thought Sundays were your day of rest.”
The tenor of Bo’s voice rose above the EDM track blaring over the gym speakers. Adam startled at the unexpected interruption but couldn’t stop his grin. He slammed the heel of his palm on the Stop button and hopped to the side rails as the belt jerked to a halt.
“You didn’t have to quit running. I’m sorry.” Bo stood inside the door to Adam’s home gym. He clutched a notebook, his eyes bugging behind his glasses. “I shouldn’t have bothered you.”
The irrational joy at seeing Bo should have worried Adam. They’d only left each other a few short hours before. But it didn’t. He was too old and too experienced to fight the inevitable. He’d settle for friendship because that was all they could have, but his feelings for Bo weren’t going away anytime soon. Plus, friends could have the total hots for each other as long as they didn’t act on it.
When Adam caught Bo’s eyes wandering over his shirtless torso and settling on the bulge at the front of his gym shorts, his grin spread even wider. At least he wasn’t suffering alone.
“You aren’t bothering me at all.” Adam snatched his towel off the handrail of the treadmill and ran it over his sweat-drenched chest. Bo licked his lips, swallowed, and darted his gaze away. Adam’s shoulders drew back on a ridiculous swell of pride. He worked damn hard to keep his body in shape and was used to others appreciating his physique as part of the public-image package. But there was something special about Bo’s reaction. Whether they could act on it or not, there was a comfort in knowing the attraction went both ways.
