The Current Between Us (22 page)

Next on his long to-do list, he placed a phone call to his buyer at Nordstrom
’s. Gage arranged to have the Cooper family outfitted for The Gallery’s grand opening. The buyer, who he’d known since grade school, thoroughly questioned him about the purchase. Asking all the questions he knew his mother would ask her once she spread this information around. Who were these people, why did he do it, and if he were willing to donate to her latest cause to keep this quiet from his family.

Of course, Gage gave very little information away, just his open credit card to get them all ready for the evening as well as to donate a sizable amount to Doctors without Dolce, or whatever she pushed this week. But he gave two stipulations on the deal. First, take the price tags off everything they showed Trent and the kids. Second, the entire process needed to be done in Trent
’s home. He didn’t want Trent or Rhonny to know what store provided the clothes.

He
’d witnessed Trent’s reaction to his penthouse and it wasn’t good. Several walls dropped between them as Trent glanced around his living room again before they’d left this morning. Trent had shut him out and it was an almost tangible feeling. He’d fought the urge to defend himself, to tell Trent this wasn’t really who he was as a person, but he couldn’t explain it without bringing his family into the mix, and he certainly wasn’t ready to have that conversation with his skittish new boyfriend.

Ahhh
… new boyfriend… his boyfriend
… Those words had never entered his vocabulary before, but he liked them, liked them a lot when applied to Trent Cooper. But he didn’t want to have to continue breaking the walls down every time they were together. Gage wanted to move this relationship along, not start from the beginning over and over again.

Trent walked through the gallery with one of his electricians and the movement caught Gage
’s attention. They stopped at a lighting fixture where Trent used his hands while talking to the other man. Gage watched him for several minutes before he picked up the phone and called Trent.

“
Coop Electric,” Trent said without looking at caller ID.

“
You’re sexy dancing like that. We should have gone dancing last night. I would love to hold you in my arms, swaying back and forth… Mmmmm… And the club I frequent has excellent semi-private bathrooms,” Gage said, smiling as Trent turned toward him, then quickly away.

“
Hang on a minute,” Trent said and dropped the hand holding the phone to his ear. “I have to take this. When you’re done out front, come in here, tighten all these fixtures the way I told you,” Trent said before lifting the phone back to his ear and turning toward the front windows. He stayed in Gage’s view, but with his head turned away.

“
I’ve arranged for a friend of mine to dress you guys for the grand opening. Now, I see you about to open your mouth and tell me no, but let me finish. She can come to the house when Rhonny and the kids are home and let them pick out some things. Then come back and get your measurements for a tuxedo. Unless you have a tux, then it’s just for the kids. Now, go ahead and tell me no, I’m prepared,” Gage said, watching Trent the entire time he spoke.

“
Gage, you aren’t buying my children something to wear. I’ll take care of it,” Trent said.

“
Oh, really? And when will you do this? I have you working night and day until Thursday. No way you have the time. Now bring on the next argument,” Gage said.

“
I work it out all the time. I’ll work this out. Thank you, but no.” Trent turned to look at Gage as he said it. Gage wondered if he realized he’d turned to stare at him in the crowded gallery foyer. Gage stared back at Trent, pleased to not be hiding this between them, but he could see the stares Trent got.

“
I like talking to you better when you’re sleeping, you don’t tell me
no
as much,” Gage said.

“
You know you keep referencing our conversation while I slept. At some point you’re gonna have to tell me what you said and what you think I agreed to,” Trent said, coming to stand right outside the front of the office. He was relaxed now, smiling, and the absolute hottest man Gage ever laid eyes on.

“
I will, I promise. The next time I’m buried deep inside you, I’ll tell you. As a matter of fact that may be another time I can ask you questions, you give me lots of yeses then, too,” Gage said, giving Trent a wink and grin back. Trent just stood there, staring at Gage, the bulge in his pants growing more pronounced with each word he spoke.

“
I’m hot for you, Trent Cooper. I can’t get last night out of my mind… I loved making love to you,” Gage said, his voice turning husky as he spoke.

“
Me too,” Trent said, very quietly.

“
Good, I’m glad. I can’t wait for the repeat. Now, back to this matter of the children’s clothing. I have already paid. This is a longtime friend who needs this sale. Emmie and Rhonny will love having their new clothes brought to the house. Please say she can come tomorrow at three. If you need her to come here and measure you, she can or she can come back tomorrow night, handsome. Now say yes,” Gage said, nodding his head to encourage the appropriate answer.

“
Only if I can pay her directly or pay you back,” Trent said.

“
Deal,” Gage said immediately.

“
I don’t trust that quick deal,” Trent said. Gage laughed out loud.

“
Think you know me so well already? Well, you do, but you’ve agreed. What’s Rhonny’s number? I’ll get Ladonda to call her directly and then call you to set up a time to be measured,” Gage said.

“
I’ll text it to you, it’s in my phone. I should go, I’m on a strict deadline,” Trent said, lifting a hand to wave at him.

“
Goodbye, sexy. I’ll talk to you later,” Gage said, disconnecting the call. Trent stood there a minute more, smiling, then turned and left the room completely oblivious to everyone staring at him and Gage. He couldn’t force the grin from his face either, so he just dropped his head and began to type an email to the buyer, giving her Trent’s number and Rhonny’s when the text came through a few minutes later.

****

Unsure what small children ate for dinner, Gage parked his Prius in the front of the Gourmet Haven grocery store and hightailed it in to the gourmet dinner section. The lines for both the deli and the pre-made dinner counter were long, packed with people just getting off work. Gage did a wide sweep around the displays looking at all the food. The specials for the evening were roasted lamb and bacon wrapped asparagus or spinach, feta, artichoke salad. Both looked good to him, but he wasn’t sure Em or Hunter would really like any of it after watching them go crazy over those chicken nuggets the other night. On second thought, if Trent’s kids liked McDonald’s he wasn’t sure Gourmet Haven would be on their list of acceptable food choices. Reaching for his phone, he stood in front of the counter and decided to forgo the surprise of bringing dinner over. Instead he called Trent.

“
Babe, I’m standing in Gourmet Haven, and I can’t decide what Emmie and Hunter might like to eat. Oh, and what’re you doing? Can I bring dinner over? I miss you already,” Gage said, still looking over all the selections of gourmet dinners while trying to decide.

“
I’m cooking dinner now and you don’t have to come over, you have to be exhausted, Gage. I don’t expect to see you every day,” Trent said. Gage could hear all the activity in Trent’s house. The TV blared, the kids were talking and the water or something ran in the background, maybe from the washing machine.

“
Okay, well how about if I bring a pie or cake… Kid’s like all cake, right?” Gage said, pivoting on his heels to the bakery down the aisle.

“
No sweets before bed. The sugar hypes them up, but you can come over if you want. There’s enough for you. I’m making grilled chicken, some sort of bagged rice deal, and fresh green beans they won’t eat,” Trent said.

“
I don’t want to be in the way, Trent, and lord knows I have more than my fair share going on. I just missed my boyfriend and the things you promised me last night, but I don’t want to mess up the flow of your night. I only wanted to spend a couple of hours with you before the crews finish up tonight and I need to be back to lockup,” Gage said, walking through the double automatic opening doors back out into the parking lot, forgoing the plan.

“
You know, you keep bringing this up… At some point you’re gonna have to tell me what we talked about while I slept,” Trent said. His voiced lowered until Gage practically had to shove the phone inside his ear to hear Trent speak.

“
Are the kids right there,” Gage said, climbing inside his car.

“
Yep,” Trent replied quickly.

“
Can they hear me?” Gage asked, starting the car and then backing out of the spot.

“
No…” Trent said,

“
Well, you agreed to let me lick that tight ass of yours next time we’re together,” Gage said, grinning as he pulled out into traffic, heading toward Trent’s house.

“
I did not,” Trent said, chuckling.

“
You did, that was right after you agreed to be my boyfriend,” Gage said.

“
Boyfriend, huh? I think we need to make a new rule. When I’m sleeping, no talking,” Trent said, and called out to the kids to settle down.

“
No way! I told you, it’s the only time you say yes. Well, it’s not the only time you say yes; if I remember correctly, you called it out several times while I had you in my mouth… I’ll be there in about ten minutes, babe.” Gage disconnected the call, not waiting for an answer. No one in his circles would believe this side of him. He’d always been considered hard, focused, and stern with his career, and since he lived only for his job—before meeting Trent—that was how he lived his life. Now, he couldn’t keep the smile off his face or the teasing banter from rolling from his lips. Whatever! He’d gotten an invite to dinner and he was spending time with his boyfriend. The night suddenly looked up.

****

“Trent, make him stay until I get home! I can’t believe I’m going to miss him again. This is so not fair!” Rhonny said, actually stomping her foot with her books in her hands and her backpack slung over her shoulder.

“
We’ll see. Last night was a long night; he couldn’t have slept much, and he was already at the gallery when I got there,” Trent said.

“
Then I’m not going tonight. I’ll stay here,” Rhonny said, this time with a very distinct whine in her voice.

“
You have to go tonight, Rhonny. You’re taking off Thursday night and we need you to do well on the LSAT, it’ll help you stay in the country longer, honey,” Trent said, turning off the grill and lifting the lid. He took each piece off the hot grill, balancing it on the plate in his hand. “You need to get out the door now. You’re already gonna be late and remember the woman from the department store will be here tomorrow after school, so come straight home.”

“
I’ll remember, but promise me you’ll see if he can stay,” she said, not budging from the spot.

“
I will, now go, you’re late already!” No sooner did he say it than the doorbell rang. He could hear the kids landing on the hardwood floor of his living room as they bounced off the sofa, running toward the front door.

“
Daddy, he’s here, he’s here!” they both yelled out to him as if he couldn’t hear the doorbell.

“
It looks like you stalled long enough and he made some seriously good time,” Trent said, juggling the patio door with his hands full and Rhonny right on his heels as the kids answered the door.

“
Gage!” Em said, launching herself into his arms.

“
Well, this is a great greeting. How are you today, Emalynn?” Gage asked, heaving her up in his arms, putting her on his hip. Gage only had eyes for Em as she answered his question, but he reached down and cupped Hunter’s head with his hand. The gesture tore at Trent’s heart strings. Gage seemed to genuinely like his children and it lured him closer to Gage, more so than anything else could have.

“
I’m good. Daddy’s in a good mood and said we can watch SpongeBob tonight while we go to sleep,” Em said, her excited face turned, beaming in Trent’s direction.

“
You’re lucky,” Gage said, following Em’s gaze to Trent who now stood in the entryway. “Hunter, how’re you tonight?”

“
I’m good,” Hunter said, staying beside Gage in the doorway.

“
Guys, let him come in,” Trent said, breaking the spell weaving around him at seeing how pretty a picture the gorgeous Gage Synclair made while talking to his children. Trent took the door handle, ushering Hunter back inside. Gage dropped Emalynn back to her feet, and they both ran close to Rhonny. All three of them watched Gage as he came inside the house.

“
Thank you for letting me come by. I missed you,” Gage said, walking in the front door. He leaned in for a light kiss on Trent’s lips. The click of a captured photo sounded in the background as Emalynn giggled the sweetest little laugh at the quick peck. It drew both their eyes toward Rhonny and the kids.