Since Bentley’s now viral Facebook post, Kit had been invited to 8 different Halloween parties – some across campus, and others in venues around Downtown Los Angeles. He’d received countless messages from fans of his boyfriend; people who said they looked up to him, people from the media putting in request after request for an interview, and, of course, their haters. It was absolutely nuts.

Kit felt nothing but pride when he thought about how Bentley handled the outing situation, and his heart melted every time he read Bentley’s post – it had been a lot of times. The thing that was stressing him out was the aftermath of it all.

Kit wanted things to go back to normal. He wanted to be semi-invisible again. While he understood the impact they could have on people’s lives with this new platform, Kit had to acknowledge he’d rather be forgotten about. He wanted to enjoy the honeymoon phase of their relationship. Kit was proud of Bentley, without a doubt. He just wished they’d gotten to enjoy more time to themselves before letting the world in.

It wasn’t a problem. They were out now, Bentley wrote the amazing declaration he wrote, and the two of them never looked back. In another 24-hours, Bentley would be back in Los Angeles, and Kit would handcuff him to the bed until he promised never to leave again.

Okay… that wasn’t going to happen, but he’d considered it.

He squeezed his stuffed koala as he thought about what would happen the moment he saw Bentley again. Kit had a list of things he wanted to do and say when he laid eyes on Bentley for the first time after two weeks, and 85% of those things were ungodly. But, his boyfriend had been intent on showing him that he wasn’t in a rush to get physical. Bentley said being overzealous got them in trouble at the party, and he really wanted to show Kit that he was nothing like “Pentagon.” He wanted to wine and dine and get to know him better before they explored that route.

Kit sighed in frustration. He knew that Bentley and Paulie were two very different people. Bentley proved that with his actions online and in-person. Sure, they hadn’t been together very long, but Kit didn’t mind. They were young men with needs, and the Snapchats they’d been sending one another over the past few days were only making things… harder for Kit. As sweet as the sentiment was, he wasn’t interested in going on cute dates and then being ushered back to his dorm room alone. Kit was fucking horny.

There was another hour before Bentley’s competition in Toronto would be livestreamed. Kit was so excited to watch and cheer for him from afar. He had one of his friends from the fashion club, and another from his psychology course coming over to watch it with him. Just as Kit thought to get up and make Noah’s side of the room look less like a bachelor pad, he heard his phone chirp. He lazily pushed his laptop aside and grabbed for it. The name on the screen made him roll his eyes.

New Message: Paulie Madison

It was a name Kit hadn’t seen in a while. He thought that Paulie had given up, and to be honest, that was fine with him. There was nothing he had to say to Paulie.

Apparently, there were some things Paulie needed to say to him…

Hey Kit,

I know there’s a strong possibility that you won’t even open this message, but I wanted to try anyway. It’s been months since we last spoke. Probably before prom, right? I can’t express how much I miss talking to you. I know I wasn’t the best friend… I wasn’t the best whatever it is we were. I don’t believe friend is strong enough a word. Fact of the matter is: you deserved better.

It’s good to see that you’re getting better now. I’ve heard of this Bentley Williams guy. He was a football beast in his freshman year. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought the guy I wanted to be with would go off to Cali and end up with a dude I watched play on TV like Bentley, but seeing the way he treats you makes me happy. That’s what you deserve, and it’s what I could never give you. I was too afraid.

I wish that I had the courage Bentley has. I wish I could tell everyone how I feel about you, and that if they don’t like it to fuck off. Kudos to him, and I’m happy for the both of you. But…somewhere in the back of my mind, I wonder… if I was brave enough to tell people how I feel, would you be here at OSU with me instead?

It’s been eating me up at night.

Back to the point; I just wanted to say congratulations on finding happiness. Not only with Bentley, but at UCLA in general. I should probably be ashamed to admit it, but I’ve been keeping tabs on you. Tawny won’t tell me anything but there’s Facebook, and this admission might make you block me, but I see you’re involved with writing for the university magazine and making so many friends. That’s great.

Things here haven’t changed much. I have nothing but football. I’ve tried dating, but it isn’t the same. I have to accept who I am, but that’s been a challenge for me. I’m not as strong as you, or Bentley for that matter. It’s the scariest thing in the world for me.

That’s enough whining for one day. If you read this, thank you. If not, I’ll probably work up the courage to say hi again around the holidays.

Wishing you nothing but the best,

Paulie

Kit read the message once before staring up at his ceiling. For some reason, he felt the urge to reply. It’d feel amazing to get some things off his chest, and Paulie wouldn’t go away until he got the message.

Kit sat up, pushed the koala aside, and let his fingers move across the keyboard without a filter.

Paulie Madison,

I honestly never thought I’d feel the desire to speak to you again, but a few things in your message struck a nerve.

I don’t consider us friends. A real friend wouldn’t let their whole school think I was a sexual predator that came over his house with the intention of forcing myself on him. That’s honestly disgusting. I forgave you for it because I don’t want any animosity I have towards you to affect my current relationship. What’s done is done.

And you’re so right. I do deserve better. Bentley has proven that he’s willing to give me better. In a way, I should thank you for being a coward. You lied so well and had everyone isolate me to the point that I couldn’t wait to run here. Running here led me right to a guy that’s more than I could’ve prayed for.

Thank you for that, Paulie.

I also want you to realize that you’ve sent me so many incriminating messages that I could easily post one and vindicate myself. I could let the people back in Junction who think I’m some creepy stalker know that you were the one who came on to me. But you see what Bentley’s going through? Someone wanted to ruin his life. I would never wish that on anyone, not even someone who’s hurt me the way you did.

He reread Paulie’s letter, feeling a bit more sympathetic the second time around.

You’re afraid. I get it. I’ve been afraid too. But once you realize that being happy is worth more than trying to be those people’s perfect little angel, you’ll feel secure enough to be yourself. I wish you the best on your journey, and I hope you find the happiness I was fortunate enough to find here.

If you need someone to talk to about how you feel, I’m here. I just ask that you respect me and my wishes to not ever discuss us as a ‘couple’ ever again. I’m willing to be a shoulder if you need to talk about your sexuality, because that’s what I needed growing up, and I can tell you’re conflicted about your feelings. If you decide not to take me up on this offer, I wish you nothing but the best.

Kit

He hit send and placed his phone on the charger.

Suddenly, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Maybe it was because he had truly forgiven Paulie for the shit he put him through, or maybe it was because he knew he was going to be just fine with Bentley. Whatever the reason, Kit smiled to himself and headed off to prepare for the night’s festivities.

??

“Oh my God! I cannot believe what we got the chance to see here, folks. That was Bentley Williams with an impressive two-minute round here at X-Jam and the applause from the Toronto Crowd is deafening. We’re going to send it down to the judges table.”

Bentley pulled the helmet from his head as he looked around the arena. Fans were giving him a standing ovation as he struggled to catch his breath. He waved to the crowd and then turned his attention to the scorer’s table. Earlier, the senior judge had scored him much lower than he thought he deserved, but Bentley knew there was no way Victor Davidson could deny what he did in the last round. Bentley pulled off moves that would cause most of these guys to face plant hard on the ramps.

The judges entered their scores and the host read them off the screen. “Wow. Bentley’s average for round 2 is an 88.9, which leaves him in second place.”

Bentley gaped at the screen before looking back at the scorer’s table. As the audience began to boo, two of the judges looked at Victor Davidson in the middle, clearly wondering what the hell was wrong with him. Bentley wanted to know the same thing, though he had an idea. Since he’d come out as being in a relationship with a boy, people had been treating him differently. There were those who treated him as if he was a savior to LGBTQ teens everywhere – thanking him for admitting he was in a relationship – and then there were those who looked at him as if he were some sort of diseased heathen who they wanted their children to avoid at all costs. Bentley knew going into this that he and Kit would get attention, good and bad, but he figured as long as he and Kit were happy that wouldn’t matter. He didn’t account for the fact that a judge of the sport he loved so much would turn out to be a homophobic dickwad, and that it would affect his progress.

Because that’s what this was, right? One out of three judges were consistently scoring him low. Would he be scoring him low if he hadn’t just come out? He doubted it. Bentley angrily tossed his bike to the side and went to sit down in the riders’ corner. The guy currently in first place smirked at him, tugging at his Canadian flag t-shirt.

Bentley stewed as he waited for his chance to perform in the final round. He watched as the other riders competed, realizing that their best was what he was doing at fifteen-years-old. He was pissed the fuck off and he felt he had every right to be. If Bentley wasn’t getting the attention of sponsors like Red Bull, he’d definitely say something about what was going. He couldn’t, though. Not here. His uncle would kill him when he got back to California.

He performed for his final two-minutes and stood at the side of the ramps awaiting his score. He knew what was about to happen – he’d get high 90s from Carter and Simpson – the two reputable judges, and Davidson would give him mid-to-high 80s like he’d done after the first two rounds. Bentley clenched his fist as boos sounded throughout the arena once more, and he saw his average was even lower this time around.

It was official. After Simon Dubois hit the ramps for his final ride, Bentley would leave Toronto with the second-place prize. It would be one thing if he knew he didn’t work his ass off and outshine every rider in this skatepark, but he did. This was infuriating. He looked Victor Davidson in the eyes and saw the judge glare at him before rolling his eyes away. Bentley felt his jaw clench.

The crowd hadn’t stopped booing in response to how Bentley was scored until the Simon guy started to ride. Bentley stood off to the side and watched. He was mediocre at best; a couple spin moves and a few wheel touches before he concluded. Simon then stood on top of the ramp and blew kisses to the crowd like he was God’s gift to BMX. Bentley shook his head, waiting to hear the official announcement that he’d just lost to this joker.

After the competition, Simon was being interviewed by the host. Some fans stood and applauded their hometown rider, while others sat in their seats and listened. Bentley leaned against the wall beside the other riders, a couple of which were telling him he deserved the W.

Fucking Duh.

“Thank you,” Simon began. “It feels good to perform at X-Jam again this year! Last year, my injury knocked me out of qualifying, so this… it feels amazing.”

The host smiled at him. “For sure, man! Now, you’re going to be asked this when you go on interviews after today anyway, so I figured I’d get the first scoop. What do you think about your competition? Bentley Williams is a newcomer, and the crowd didn’t seem to agree with some of the scores he received. Do you agree?”

Bentley looked up, waiting to hear what was going to be said.

Simon simply chuckled. “You know, I think Bentley is going to go far one day. It’s in his blood. Right now, he needs to put the work in and maybe he’ll be better and can compete at X-Jam next year. Who knows?”

The fans reacted to the statement like they were ready for the drama. Bentley stared blankly. He couldn’t believe this guy believed he was better than him.

“Okay! Thanks,” the host said. “Congrats on your X-Jam win! Now, we’re going to interview our runner-up, Bentley Williams.”

The crowd applauded as Bentley stepped up to the mic. The camera pointed at him and he tried his best to hide the fact that he was enraged. The viewers at home likely knew this, but he didn’t need to be obvious about it.

“Now, this young man just finished a Red Bull-sponsored European Tour and arrived in Toronto last night to compete in X-Jam this evening. I imagine you’re exhausted, but it hasn’t shown. Spectacular debut, Bentley. A dramatic debut, but spectacular nonetheless.”

He licked his lips and smirked. “Yeah. I appreciate it.”

“I’m sure the crowd wants to hear your thoughts on how things panned out today.”

Bentley shook his head. “Well, I was robbed. I’m sure Simon is a great guy, but I was ten times better than him despite just getting off a tour overseas.” He struggled to hear himself over the crowd’s cheering. “I’m not sure why one judge in particular chose to score me so low, but I hope he realizes that regardless of how he grades my performance, I’m still going to go back to Los Angeles and make out with my boyfriend. Thank you for your time.”

“One sec,” the host said, not wanting Bentley to walk off. “Are you saying that you think Victor Davidson scored you lower than the other judges based on something other than your skill on the ramps?”

Bentley looked at the shorter man like he was stupid. “If any judge is going to be impartial based on their pathetic views about someone’s lifestyle, then maybe this isn’t the job for them. Victor Davidson is a homophobe,” Bentley said clearly. Some of the crowd gasped, others applauded. “Maybe he should change careers.”

The host turned to the camera as Bentley walked off. He stared a smirking Simon in the face and continued past him, not in the mood to get into it.

“The better man won, Williams,” Simon said, following behind him. “That’s all there is to it.”

Bentley went over to his things, still ignoring him. Not here. This wouldn’t be good for his brand, and he refused to let this guy fuck up his day even more.

“If you wanted Davidson to score you higher, maybe you should’ve blown him like I imagine you did the other two…”

Bentley turned around with clenched fists, but before he could swing, one of the other competitors jumped in between them. The guy was Bentley’s height, which was probably the only reason he didn’t get past him and punch Simon in his already crooked nose.

“Hey, bro. It’s not worth it. Let it go.”

Simon laughed to himself as he grabbed his things and walked off with his girlfriend. Bentley took a breath and stepped back.

“Are you good?” the guy asked.

Bentley counted to ten in his head before nodding. “Yeah. I will be.”

Bentley dragged his things from baggage claim and out to arrivals. He looked around LAX and wanted to kiss the ground. It felt so good to be back in Los Angeles. He’d missed the city of stars – palm trees, beaches, insane traffic, all of it. Most of all, he missed Kit. At the same time, returning wasn’t as enjoyable as it should’ve been. Bentley was exhausted from his uncomfortable flight and his nonstop overthinking. What happened at the competition in Toronto had been bothering him for hours. All he wanted to do was see Kit, hold him, and then sleep for 36 hours.

After watching taxi upon taxi pull up to where he was standing, Bentley considered hopping in one instead of waiting for Uncle Don to show up. He’d go straight to UCLA and find his boyfriend, and he’d worry about getting his luggage home later on.

[B] Guess who’s on Californian soil and can’t wait to see you…

[K]??????

[K]  Welcome back, cutie. I’m trying not to do my happy dance in my history lecture right now, lol

[K] You better be in my dorm room at 4pm sharp

[B]  naked?

[K]  Preferably.

[K]  I’m so happy you’re back, baby. Can’t wait to see you

[B]  It feels good to be back. See you soon, beautiful.

“There he is,” Bentley said to himself, seeing his uncle’s car pull to a stop in front of where he stood. He pocketed his phone and grabbed his belongings just as Don got out of the SUV. Don smiled at him and rounded the car, and Bentley was rather shocked at the hug. He expected to be reprimanded before anything else – he knew his uncle wouldn’t be fond of his behavior in Toronto, or Bentley calling out Victor Davidson, or him saying that the first-place winner wasn’t deserving, but Uncle Don pulled him into a hug and it felt amazing. Bentley hadn’t realized just how much he needed it.

“Welcome home, Benny.”

Bentley smiled, hugging the shorter man back. “Hey, Unc. Thanks.”

One of the guards came over and politely asked them not to loiter. Don apologized before grabbing one of Bentley’s bags and helping him load the car. They both climbed in, and Bentley hadn’t even gotten his seatbelt fastened before his uncle broke the news.

“So, you were dropped from the XCM competition next month.”

Bentley could feel his heart drop. He turned to Uncle Don as he turned the steering wheel and pulled off. “Wait, what? Why?”

Uncle Don adjusted his large frames before answering. “Apparently, Victor Davidson is the co-chair of that competition. I can’t be too sure, but he probably didn’t like you calling him homophobic for all of Canada to hear.”

Bentley scoffed at what he’d just heard. “If he doesn’t want to be accused of being homophobic, maybe he should’ve judged me based on my talent instead of who I’m with –”

“I understand where you’re coming from, Bentley –”

“Do you?” Bentley asked. He could damn-near feel his blood boiling. “Did you even fight for me at all? I have fans fighting on my behalf, and even sports commentators backing me up.”

His uncle continued to drive. “Listen, I am not saying that you were wrong to assume he is judging you based on something other than your skill –”

“Based off the fact that I came out as not being a heterosexual,” Bentley finished for him. “Because I’m dating a member of the same sex. That’s why he discriminated against me.”

“I don’t argue that,” Uncle Don replied. He took a deep breath, slowing down at an intersection. “I just know that there are politics in this sport, just like everything else. You have to understand that there is a right and a wrong way to do things. The way you handled the situation at X-Jam may’ve felt great in the moment, but it could seriously hurt your future in this industry. That’s something to consider, Bentley.”

He faced forward and thought for a moment. Were people really this stupid? Bentley remembered when he told Kit he was being silly for not wanting to come out as a couple. Now, he understood his boyfriend’s hesitance. It was the 21st century and people were this bigoted. Bentley couldn’t believe all the hard work he was willing to put in to go far in this industry was potentially jeopardized because he told the truth about an asshole.

“What does this mean for me now?” he asked. “What do I do now? Is everyone going to drop me?”

Uncle Don shook his head no. “I personally think you should take it easy for now. You have a few more film sessions and tours scheduled with Red Bull. Do that. Enjoy it, and build your brand. Your next competition isn’t until January at Disney World, and they haven’t expressed a desire to drop you at all. Let’s not do anything rash that’ll change that, and I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

Bentley’s mood had just plummeted tenfold. He shook his head as they drove. This was the worst. He needed to go to sleep so that he could put on a happy face when it came time to see Kit.

??

Uncle Don pulled into Mr. Edward’s driveway and parked. Bentley stared up at the two-story home and let go a long breath. It felt great to be back here.

“Matthew is at the shop, but he says you have a key, right?”

Bentley nodded his head, but remained quiet. He had been quiet for the entire ride to Carson after his uncle broke the news. Now, he was going to go inside and try his best to forget any of this bullshit even happened.

They got out and carried Bentley’s things up to the front door. Bentley felt around for his keys, eventually finding them in his backpack. He opened the door and allowed Uncle Don to step in first before following.

“I think I’m going to head up to my room,” Bentley said. He’d probably Uber it to UCLA later in the afternoon when Kit was free from his classes. “Thanks a lot for picking me up and all.”

He was about to head up the stairs when he realized his Uncle had gone to stand in front of a large sign in the Edwards’ living room that said, “WELCOME HOME BENTLEY!” Joining him were Matthew, Clarissa, Aunt Pam, Ariel, Jonah, Noah, Kit, and Mikey who was in Kit’s arms. Bentley’s jaw dropped.

“SURPRISE!” shouted the collective voices.

They threw confetti and Jonah blew the kazoo, and Bentley could not believe his eyes. He hopped over the bannister immediately and everyone pounced, pulling him into hug after hug. Suddenly his mood had gone from in the dumps to soaring. He told everyone he hated them as they group-hugged him, but eventually he was freed long enough to see Kit leaning against the sofa laughing, eating it all up. Bentley could not help but stare – a smile growing on his face. Kit managed to somehow get even more gorgeous while he was away. He was downright sexy, and Bentley looked him up and down as he walked over.

“Do I get a hug?” Kit asked, moving in close with a shy smile. Bentley wrapped both arms around him and breathed him in; the two rocking back and forth.

Okay. He hated all of them but Kit. Bentley cupped his face and leaned in for the kiss. There were a few wolf whistles and loud cheering, and Bentley could feel Kit’s skin heating up as their lips touched. Kit grinned, pulling away with an obvious blush on his face, and that only made Bentley want to kiss him even more. Eventually, everyone ran over and it was another big group hug that made Bentley feel like the luckiest guy in the world.

??

There was Hawaiian pizza, peperoni pizza, pizza with olives and mushrooms because his mother and sister were weird, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and so many sodas. Bentley felt like a pig, but it was his first day back, and his family and friends had thrown him an awesome welcome back party. He felt like he had a pass to eat like a monster. He’d make sure to get back in the gym this week.

During the first hour, everyone made Bentley tell them about his experiences overseas. He shared about the places he visited, the fans, and about the different foods he’d tried.  Jonah made the food conversation last longer than it needed to because he was a greedy bastard. Bentley didn’t mind sharing, but eventually, he made everyone tell them what they were up to in his absence. All of it helped him forget that he’d been so frustrated less than an hour ago because of the situation with Victor Davidson. Mikey’s story was best, because he had a new best friend that he wouldn’t shut up about and it made Bentley feel good. He knew how nervous the kid was about starting kindergarten. The day was filled with more love than he could’ve imagined.

As everyone showed off the European souvenirs they’d received from Bentley, he took the opportunity to grab Matthew and pull him to the side. He could tell by the look on Matthew’s face that he knew what this was about, and though Bentley didn’t know how to begin the conversation, he knew it was one they needed to have. They walked into the kitchen away from the group and luckily for Bentley, Matthew spoke first.

“Welcome back, kid.”

Bentley ran a hand through his hair. He walked over to the kitchen island and leaned against the counter. “Thanks.” After a moment where he sort of looked around the room unsure of himself, Matthew spoke again, saving Bentley the embarrassment of bringing up the topic he wanted to speak about.

“Kit showed me the article,” Matthew began.

Bentley took a deep breath. “Yeah. That’s what I wanted to bring up to you now.”

Matthew stared before continuing. “He said he wanted me to find out from him instead of seeing it on TMZ or something.”

It was embarrassing having pictures of himself and his boyfriend kissing and touching readily available whenever someone decided to Google search their names, but it was even more embarrassing knowing his boyfriend’s dad had seen them as well. His mother and little sister… the list went on. Bentley felt like shit.

“I’m sorry. I invited Kit to that party. I was the one who suggested we go to that room –”

“You both did something stupid,” Matthew cut in. “I told him that, too. It was dumb to mess around in a house full of people, especially any reporters. You’re in the public eye now, Bentley.” He picked up a red solo cup and a 2-liter Coke bottle, pouring himself a drink. “But I do have to say; the way you handled everything… I’m proud of you. I’m proud of the both of you.”

“Thanks.” Bentley took a deep breath. “You do know we were going to come out eventually, right? I was never trying to sneak around with him.”

“I’m aware. You’re a good kid. You’re good for Kit.”

Bentley smiled. That was a huge confidence booster. “Yeah, well that means the world coming from you.”

“I appreciate that you two are such good pals,” Kit said, leaning against the doorway. “But I haven’t seen Bentley in two weeks and I kinda wanna spend some time with him…”

Bentley smiled at him. As much as he loved his friends and family, he would’ve loved it if everyone could get lost and give the two of them some alone time.

“You can have him.” Matthew grabbed his cup and walked towards Kit, kissing his son’s forehead. “We’re about to put a movie on.”

Kit nodded to him, watching his dad leave. He then changed his focus back to Bentley; arms crossed over his chest as he looked him up and down.

“Science lecture, huh?” Bentley asked.

Kit laughed softly. “I needed to make it believable so you wouldn’t know we were planning this,” he said, gesturing around.

Bentley nodded; his eyes focused on Kit’s. He missed him so much. It felt surreal being back. “Come here, Kit.”

Kit arched an eyebrow, a smirk covering his face. “You come here.”

Bentley began to smile again. He decided he’d play along, slowly walking over to Kit with both hands at his side. Kit looked up at him with wide, excited eyes, and Bentley felt himself relax as Kit wrapped him in his arms.

“I’m so ridiculously proud of you,” he said.

Bentley rolled his eyes. His hands wrapped around Kit’s waist and squeezed tightly. “I don’t know why.”

“Because you stood up for yourself, of course.”

“And cost myself entry into the next competition end of November,” Bentley answered. He stared at Kit’s lips and continued. “So not only did this guy cost me $15,000 and first-place last night, he knocked me out of XCM which would’ve been a huge platform for me as a new rider.” His hands moved lower to Kit’s ass and he bit his lip. “Can we go upstairs?”

Kit smiled; his own hands moving from Bentley’s shoulders down his chest. “With our parents in the living room? I don’t think so.” He smiled softly at Bentley’s pout and continued. “I want you to know that guys like that judge won’t win. We won’t let him win.”

Bentley didn’t know how true that was. It seemed like Victor Davidson was doing a great job of winning right now. He had a lot of stake in the industry, and Bentley’s own uncle wasn’t trying to fight for him. “Yeah. Alright.”

“Not alright,” Kit said. “I’m serious. I’m in this with you, and you have a lot of fans who won’t let this go by quietly either.”

Bentley closed his eyes at the kiss Kit placed to his lips. When Kit pulled away, he grabbed Bentley by the hand.

“Let’s go watch a movie with everyone.”

Bentley followed behind him. Just before they reached the doorway, Bentley pulled him back and quietly pushed him against the wall. They could hear the movie beginning in the living room, and Mikey asking for more pizza. Kit smiled as Bentley closed in on his personal space.

“When can I get you alone?”

Kit reached up and stroked his chin for show. “And show me all that you’ve been studying while on tour?”

That got a smirk from Bentley. “Something like that.”

“Come spend time with me on campus tomorrow. Everyone will be out partying for Halloween and we can take advantage of the quiet.” Kit let his hands move to Bentley’s abs, sliding lower as he continued. “I also have something I need to show you at my fashion club. I think you’ll like it.”

Bentley was interested, but his mind couldn’t help but shift back to the two of them having alone time while everyone partied tomorrow. “What’s the something you need to show me?”

Kit smiled. “Are you ready to go watch the movie?”

Bentley chuckled. “Oh, it’s like that?” He allowed Kit to drag him into the living room, and the two collapsed against a single-person recliner.