Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 39756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 199(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 199(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
“Isn’t that your job?”
Stephen pointed at Ehren with his beer. “I’m off the clock. I’m in friend mode right now.”
Ehren’s warm amber eyes sparkled with mirth. “I’m pretty sure friends are allowed to ask uncomfortable questions too.”
“Does Dave have a key to your place?”
The happiness disappeared. “No, though it would make sense. He’s one of the few people who would have known that I was out.”
“Did he ever have one? Maybe he could have made a copy and then returned the one you gave him.”
Ehren shook his head. “No, I never gave him a key to my place.” He paused and scratched at the lettering on the bottle of beer. “I guess I should use the term ‘ex’ loosely with Dave. We dated, but it was never monogamous. I knew he was ‘seeing’ other people,” he said. Stephen could hear the air quotes.
“You mean he was sleeping with other people.”
Ehren nodded. “I wasn’t happy about it, but I also didn’t care that much. Dave was good about keeping the loneliness at bay. He was someone to make me laugh, and the sex wasn’t bad.”
Stephen sat up and put his beer on the coffee table. He turned to face Ehren, one knee bent on the sofa between them. “No shame here. I’m sure we’ve all had relationships like that. I’ve had more than my fair share of no-strings-attached, friends-with-benefits arrangements.”
“Yeah, but they’re not healthy.”
Stephen shrugged one shoulder. “They’re not all bad if you’re honest with yourself and your partner about what the arrangement is. It starts getting unhealthy when you lie to yourself about it being something more and it isn’t.” He paused and narrowed his eyes on Ehren. “You just tricked me into doctor mode.”
Ehren giggled, and it was the most adorable sound. “I did, and it was so easy.”
Stephen rolled his eyes. “So, you were smart enough to know it was an open thing you had going with Dave.”
“Yeah, but I also wanted more. Not with him. I don’t think Dave is capable of something monogamous and serious. He likes being the center of attention for multiple people. He likes being wanted more than devoting himself to one person.”
“And you called it off completely with him.”
Ehren groaned. “Yeah, but I’m weak. We sort of hung out a few times, and then Kimi talked sense into me. I called it off.” Ehren suddenly grinned. “I was weak again, and you saved me.”
“Glad to be of service.”
Ehren nodded. “Dave is a self-centered asshole, but I don’t think he’d break into my place. If he really needed money, I think he’d just ask for it.”
Stephen placed his elbow on the back of the sofa and rested his head against his hand. “The evil ex Dave is not the culprit. Got any other evil exes?”
Ehren took a sip of his beer and put it on the table. “No, I don’t collect evil exes. At least, no more than the next guy.” He sat there frowning. Stephen waited. There was clearly something on Ehren’s mind and he needed a moment to work it out. “I…I wonder at the timing. I was gone for over a week in Ankara. Why not hit the apartment, then? If this thief was searching for something, that would have been the perfect time.”
“Did you bring back anything interesting from Turkey?”
That question definitely earned him a glare.
Stephen held up both hands warding off Ehren’s ire. “I don’t mean drugs or anything illegal. I mean…well, I’m not exactly sure. Did you get anything from your uncle’s estate that someone else might want? Do you think the thief was looking for that?”
Ehren’s expression softened. “It’s a good thing you’re cute.”
Stephen stretched across the sofa and kissed Ehren’s cheek before moving lower to nuzzle his neck. He kissed and nibbled until his shoulders relaxed. “Baby, I would never have let you in my house if I thought even for a second that you were involved in anything illegal.”
A low hum of happiness rumbled from Ehren. “Don’t you say the sweetest things.”
Reluctantly, Stephen returned to where he’d been sitting, stopping his lips from their hungry exploration. “I’m sorry for insulting you.”
Ehren was already waving off his apology. “No, I should have known you didn’t mean that. But to answer your question, I arranged to have the majority of my uncle’s estate sold. House and furniture. The clothes went to charity. I shipped a few boxes of family pictures to my mother. The only thing that went into storage were some pieces of art my uncle had collected. I haven’t decided what to do with the collection. Besides, it would all need to be examined and sold through an auction house.”
“Your uncle was a collector?”
He gave a small shrug. “A little. He worked for years in restoration and specialized in manuscripts. I guess being around all that old work made him an art lover. He collected some pieces, but they were mostly modern. Looked to be painted in the last hundred years or sooner.”