Soufflés at Sunrise by M.J. O'Shea and Anna Martin Page B

Chablis he liked the look of.
    While everyone else seemed content to chatter along with Jenna at the head of the table running it all, Kai let his focus narrow in on the man in front of him. He couldn’t summon up the enthusiasm for overpriced steaks and mediocre ceviche, but making Chase laugh and watching his cheeks turn pink the more wine he drank was definitely worth it.
    “I’m going to have such a hangover tomorrow,” Chase said, biting his lip as Kai signaled to the server for another bottle.
    “You’ll be fine,” Kai said and gave him what he hoped was a charming smile. “Drink plenty of water before you go to bed and take a couple of painkillers, you’ll be fine.”
    “Are you going to get dessert?” Chase asked. There seemed to be a pretty even split between the others; Jenna and Sylvia were already nursing coffees and had ordered from the very average dessert menu. The other guys were sitting back, seemingly content with whatever alcoholic drinks they were working on.
    “Do you want to share?”
    “Are you serious?” Kai didn’t know how public he was supposed to be with Chase in front of everyone. That group from the roof, fine. But Clarissa? He just didn’t know.
    “Yeah, why not?” Chase didn’t seem to care. Maybe Kai should take his cue from Chase.
    He shrugged. “Sure. Your choice.”
    “Cheesecake?” Chase teased.
    “Please.” Kai made a face.
    “I was kidding, don’t worry. They don’t even have it.” His bottom lip got tucked up under his front teeth as Chase looked down the menu again. “Pionono looks good.”
    “Sounds good to me.” Kai topped off both their glasses. “You know, in places like this, the desserts probably get made in a factory somewhere and get shipped in.”
    “Stop being such a party pooper.”
    Kai hooked his foot around Chase’s ankle and nudged the cuff of his jeans. “Does anyone say that after kindergarten? Besides, I am not a party pooper.”
    “Yes, you are. You’re all strong and silent and mysterious.” Chase made a face.
    “And you’re hilarious when you’re drunk.”
    “I am, aren’t I?” Chase said, pressing his fingers to his warm cheek. “Oh well.”
    To Kai’s right, Al elbowed Kai. “What are you doing to the boy?” he said in his familiar, rumbling tone. “He’s gone all red.”
    Most of the others knew there was something going on between the two of them, he guessed. It was hard to hide. Kai wasn’t used to having it out there in the open. He’d done it for years at home. LA had given him a new freedom, but he’d still never shared his private life much with the people he knew from work. The only person who was slightly weirded out was Aaron, and Kai understood that. If the situation were reversed, he wouldn’t want to stay in a room with a straight couple whose sexual tension was thick enough to cut with a Santoku knife.
    “Nothing,” Kai said to Al. “Not yet, anyway.”
    Chase blushed even harder.
    Kai kind of wanted to push Aaron to see if he could make him even more uncomfortable, but it wasn’t really his style. Besides, it wasn’t cool to get Chase all worked up when neither of them could do anything about it. So he didn’t lick the creamy dessert from the spoon like he’d been planning to. Next time.
    “See,” he said to Chase in a low voice. “I’m behaving.”
    “I still don’t trust you,” Chase whispered back.
    They shared a cab home with Sylvia and Jenna, who were gossiping in the front seat and didn’t mind that Chase and Kai were necking in the back. Out of everyone, Kai thought Sylvia would have been the one who had a problem with their relationship. She was like his grandmother—if his grandmother were a sweet-natured pastry chef instead of a tornado who blew around the house causing chaos wherever she went. Actually, she was nothing like his grandmother, but she was someone’s grandmother….
    Sylvia had surprised him with how laid-back she was. She told them they made a cute