Free A Bit of Me by Bailey Bradford Page B

look any less masculine. The man just hit every one of Xavier’s switches.
    Xavier cocked his head to the side and decided to tease Chase a little since he seemed so tightly wound. “So, let me get this straight. It’s my fault you opened the door and ran out of it—with your head turned aside, I’d like to point out—and barrelled into me .” Chase averted his gaze, looking down as he ground his teeth, a tic flittering in his jaw. Xavier thought he was the sexiest thing ever. “Then when I try to keep you from bouncing back onto your ass and hurting yourself, that’s a bad thing and I get punched in the ribs for it. Do I have a clear understanding of your rationale now?”
    Chase gave a jerky nod but still didn’t meet Xavier’s eyes. Adam walked up behind
    Chase and shook his head at Xavier, whatever that was supposed to mean. Maybe that he should stop teasing Chase? Adam gave him a pleading look and Xavier sighed internally just as Chase finally turned those beautiful eyes on him and spoke.
    “I’m sorry, okay?” Chase glanced back at Adam. “You know I have to see James. I can’t just sit here when he is still out there somewhere!”
    What the hell is James to Chase? Xavier’s stomach burned like he’d sucked down some drain cleaner. He could hear the worry in Chase’s voice, see it in his expression and the stiff way he was holding himself.
    Adam came closer and put a hand on Chase’s arm. “Just stop and think for a minute,
    okay? You’ve been doing great in physical therapy, but your shoulder is still messed up. You don’t have any money or transportation—”
    Chase drooped for a second then stiffened his spine, which he turned towards Xavier.
    “Christ, Adam, could you make me sound any more fucking pathetic?”
    Adam blushed to the roots of his hair as he darted a glance at Xavier, then back on
    Chase. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think—”
    Xavier could only imagine how embarrassed Chase must be to have his personal
    business bared in front of a stranger. Adam continued to apologise and try to coax Chase into coming back into the living room. Xavier hovered in the doorway for a second, wondering if he should leave. He didn’t want to intrude any further than he had. He might as well just go www.total-e-bound.com
     
    A BIT OF ME
    Bailey Bradford
    53
     
    sit in his office and write out schedules or something. He’d end up changing them if he made them up too far in advance, but it’d still give him something to do.
    “Xavier, are you coming in?”
    Xavier glanced at Chase and heat rushed through his body before centring in his groin.
    Chase was watching him defiantly, as if daring Xavier to— to what? Stay? Leave? Xavier didn’t know which but he did suddenly know which he’d prefer. He looked at Adam and wiggled his eyebrows. “Did your mom make cookies?”
    “Of course,” Adam snorted, like it was the dumbest question ever. “And if you want
    some, you better get them quick before Les comes home for lunch. Otherwise, you are SOL, buddy.”
    Xavier couldn’t resist checking Chase’s reaction to the offer and was surprised to find the man eyeing him hungrily, like he’d taste every bit as good as Charlene’s cookies.
    Flattering, but he must not have tried the cookies yet or thoughts like that would never cross his mind.
    Xavier came in, shutting the door after him. He considered the seating arrangements in the living room and decided the couch looked the most comfortable. Of course that may have had a lot to do with the sexy man sitting on it. He stopped in front of Chase and waited for the man to look at him. Chase did, his pupils widening slightly and his breath shortening, signs of arousal Xavier knew too well since he reacted the same way to Chase.
    “Are you going to try to hit me if I sit beside you?” He couldn’t resist teasing, just a little.
    But Chase trumped his teasing by offering a shy, sweet smile that stole into Xavier’s heart. Chase uncrossed his arms