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Authors: Astrid Amara
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to have them, for here at least,” Lars reasoned. “Come on. You're going to be
in Whistler another four days, you'll want them.”
Seth gave in. “Thanks.”
Lars grinned and paid for them. When he returned, Seth pulled them on. He held up his
hands. “How do I look?”
“Like the most attractive man I've ever met.” Lars stared hard at Seth.
Seth couldn't respond. Lars leaned down and kissed him.
It was such a shock, Seth froze. Lars had never kissed him in public, never even held his
hand where others could see him. Seth couldn't close his eyes. He stared, stunned, as Lars gave
him a deep kiss and then, slowly pulling back, looked hesitantly into his eyes.
“Hey?”
Seth swallowed. Around them, people ostentatiously averted their eyes and hurried past.
Carol of the Bellskis
47
“I can't believe you just did that,” Seth whispered.
“I'm learning,” Lars whispered back.
Seth reached up and cupped the back of Lars's neck. He pulled him in for another kiss,
when suddenly Lars went rigid and jerked away from Seth.
“What?” Seth asked.
Lars walked backward, slipping into a clothing aisle.
Seth followed him. “Lars, what's wrong?”
“Shh!” Lars grabbed Seth and pulled him close, dragging him into the coats.
Seth stared out. “What are we doing?”
And then he saw him. Tall man, bald, with an impressive round gut and a long, expensive
coat. A woman half his age clasped his arm. Seth recognized that sharp face at once. It was
Glenn Bowen, one of Finch and Varga's wealthiest clients, a man Lars had just successfully
negotiated a settlement for in the tens of millions.
Seth glanced to Lars, stock-still beside him. Lars had gone pale and watched Bowen's
movements like a hidden rabbit eyeing an approaching mountain lion.
“Come on,” Seth said, grabbing Lars's hand to lead him the other way.
Lars dropped Seth's hand as if it burned.
“Fuck you,” Seth said angrily, not caring if his voice carried. He pushed his way out of the
coats and left the store. His heart beat furiously. He was such a fucking idiot.
He started walking home. It was a long distance, and he hoped that Lars got lost.
No such luck.
He heard Lars behind him, running to catch up. “Wait! Seth!”
As soon as Lars caught up, Seth shoved him in the chest.
Lars's eyes flashed dangerously.
Seth squared his shoulders, almost daring Lars to hit him. But Lars's expression crumpled
in confusion.
“What's wrong with you?” Lars touched Seth's arm.
48
Astrid Amara
“What's wrong with me ?” Seth pulled away from him. “You know what? Fuck you.
Seriously. Everything's fine one second, and the next you drop my hand as if touching me
physically repulses you!”
Lars looked surprised. “Of course it doesn't! What are you talking about?”
“What happened in there?” Seth cried.
“Glenn Bowen was in there.”
“I noticed.”
Lars frowned.
“So what?” Seth snapped.
“I thought he saw us!”
“Again, so the fuck what ?” Seth shouted. “You're done with his case! He's not your client
anymore!”
Lars swallowed. “Seth, I just didn't want to make a scene.”
Seth walked away. Lars followed him.
“For fuck's sake. Talk to me,” Lars begged.
“Go home. I'm sick of you.”
“Stop being a baby. You know perfectly well that this has nothing to do with my not
wanting to touch you.”
Seth didn't answer. Lars continued after him, until Seth turned and shoved him again.
“Stay the fuck away from me!”
Seth walked on. To Seth's relief, Lars stopped following. He turned for just a moment, to
see Lars standing there, pale and wide-eyed, looking shot through the heart.
Good, Seth thought. He wished he could enjoy the feeling.
Instead he felt like puking. His heart shuddered painfully in his chest.
Back at the B and B, Seth slipped off his coat and slunk upstairs to his room for a quiet nap
before dinner. He tried hard, but there was no way he could sleep when his chest felt so
in Whistler another four days, you'll want them.”
Seth gave in. “Thanks.”
Lars grinned and paid for them. When he returned, Seth pulled them on. He held up his
hands. “How do I look?”
“Like the most attractive man I've ever met.” Lars stared hard at Seth.
Seth couldn't respond. Lars leaned down and kissed him.
It was such a shock, Seth froze. Lars had never kissed him in public, never even held his
hand where others could see him. Seth couldn't close his eyes. He stared, stunned, as Lars gave
him a deep kiss and then, slowly pulling back, looked hesitantly into his eyes.
“Hey?”
Seth swallowed. Around them, people ostentatiously averted their eyes and hurried past.
Carol of the Bellskis
47
“I can't believe you just did that,” Seth whispered.
“I'm learning,” Lars whispered back.
Seth reached up and cupped the back of Lars's neck. He pulled him in for another kiss,
when suddenly Lars went rigid and jerked away from Seth.
“What?” Seth asked.
Lars walked backward, slipping into a clothing aisle.
Seth followed him. “Lars, what's wrong?”
“Shh!” Lars grabbed Seth and pulled him close, dragging him into the coats.
Seth stared out. “What are we doing?”
And then he saw him. Tall man, bald, with an impressive round gut and a long, expensive
coat. A woman half his age clasped his arm. Seth recognized that sharp face at once. It was
Glenn Bowen, one of Finch and Varga's wealthiest clients, a man Lars had just successfully
negotiated a settlement for in the tens of millions.
Seth glanced to Lars, stock-still beside him. Lars had gone pale and watched Bowen's
movements like a hidden rabbit eyeing an approaching mountain lion.
“Come on,” Seth said, grabbing Lars's hand to lead him the other way.
Lars dropped Seth's hand as if it burned.
“Fuck you,” Seth said angrily, not caring if his voice carried. He pushed his way out of the
coats and left the store. His heart beat furiously. He was such a fucking idiot.
He started walking home. It was a long distance, and he hoped that Lars got lost.
No such luck.
He heard Lars behind him, running to catch up. “Wait! Seth!”
As soon as Lars caught up, Seth shoved him in the chest.
Lars's eyes flashed dangerously.
Seth squared his shoulders, almost daring Lars to hit him. But Lars's expression crumpled
in confusion.
“What's wrong with you?” Lars touched Seth's arm.
48
Astrid Amara
“What's wrong with me ?” Seth pulled away from him. “You know what? Fuck you.
Seriously. Everything's fine one second, and the next you drop my hand as if touching me
physically repulses you!”
Lars looked surprised. “Of course it doesn't! What are you talking about?”
“What happened in there?” Seth cried.
“Glenn Bowen was in there.”
“I noticed.”
Lars frowned.
“So what?” Seth snapped.
“I thought he saw us!”
“Again, so the fuck what ?” Seth shouted. “You're done with his case! He's not your client
anymore!”
Lars swallowed. “Seth, I just didn't want to make a scene.”
Seth walked away. Lars followed him.
“For fuck's sake. Talk to me,” Lars begged.
“Go home. I'm sick of you.”
“Stop being a baby. You know perfectly well that this has nothing to do with my not
wanting to touch you.”
Seth didn't answer. Lars continued after him, until Seth turned and shoved him again.
“Stay the fuck away from me!”
Seth walked on. To Seth's relief, Lars stopped following. He turned for just a moment, to
see Lars standing there, pale and wide-eyed, looking shot through the heart.
Good, Seth thought. He wished he could enjoy the feeling.
Instead he felt like puking. His heart shuddered painfully in his chest.
Back at the B and B, Seth slipped off his coat and slunk upstairs to his room for a quiet nap
before dinner. He tried hard, but there was no way he could sleep when his chest felt so
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