An Unlocked Mind (Secrets #2)(33)

Rob mumbled something too soft for Vic to hear.

“I’m sorry, can you repeat that?”

Rob sighed, and his shoulders slumped. “I like to read, okay?”

Vic chuckled. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. What do you like?”

Rob’s eyes widened. “Mostly mystery stories. I like trying to figure out who did it before the end of the book. Plus, a good book takes you places when you can’t go yourself.”

Vic gazed at him thoughtfully. While Rob’s insightful remark could be taken at face value, it also revealed much about him. “Is that what you want? To go places?”

Rob shrugged. “Sometimes.”

“If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?”

Rob sat up straight. He was about to answer when the waiter came to clear away the dishes.

“Your steaks will be out in a few minutes,” he said, loading their dirty dishes onto a tray. “Can I get you anything else?”

“Rob? Would you like anything?”

“No, but thank you. It was really good.”

The waiter gave him a smile before withdrawing.

Vic took a sip of wine before continuing. “Back to my question. Where would you like to visit?”

“I’d like to see the US, I guess. There are a lot of places I’ve wondered about, but since most of the books I read take place in the US, I figured I’d start there.” Rob appeared more relaxed.

“Who are some of your favorite authors?”

Rob shrugged. “I don’t really have a favorite. I usually pick up secondhand books at charity shops, so I’m stuck with whatever they have on their shelves.”

“What about a tablet? You don’t have one of those?”

Rob shook his head. “Can’t afford one. Besides, there’s something about the feel of a paperback in my hand.” He smiled. “Sometimes I go for a wander around Waterstones. That new-book smell? It’s… comforting.”

Vic smiled to himself. He’d been correct in his assumptions. There was so much more to Rob than what appeared on the surface, and Vic wanted to know everything. He wanted to buy things for Rob, give him what he couldn’t afford to purchase for himself. Vic wasn’t about to buy his affection, though. I want you to come to me, because that’s what you want. He wanted Rob to know the decision was his to make, not something he could later blame on Vic.

He was about to press Rob for more details about his life, desperate to know what made him tick, when their waiter brought out the dinners. Two huge steaks, which appeared to have been broiled to perfection. Alongside them were golden orange disks of carrots in a redolent ginger sauce.

Rob’s eyes were wider than the plates. “I can’t eat all this,” he whispered.

“Eat what you can, then you can take the rest home with you tomorrow.” Vic had never had to ask for a takeout box, and he could imagine their waiter’s eyes growing large at the request, but it might be amusing.

They ate in silence. Rob tucked into his food, and bit by bit, the entire steak disappeared. His chest warmed at the thought of taking care of Rob, even if Rob wasn’t his. I want to help him find his path in life, to let him know it’s okay to smile.

God, Vic was a sap. Just yesterday he’d been thinking about going to the club to indulge in some much-needed sex. Instead he found himself sitting in a nice restaurant with someone who needed him, not for mindless rutting, but to build himself back up. Why was this suddenly more important to him than getting laid?

Vic looked up, and Rob smiled at him before he took the last bite of his steak. Warmth bloomed through Vic’s entire body.

Oh. That’s why.




ROB SAT on Vic’s couch, relaxed and content. Dinner had been… wow. He’d never had a meal like that, and he would remember it for a long time. Not just the food, but the company. He’d been uncomfortable talking about himself, but Vic had been a dog with a bone, doing his best to ferret out every nugget of information.

Why would he want to know about me? It’s not like I’m anyone special. He’d never designed a bridge or been in a magazine or…. The thoughts depressed Rob. All his life he’d been a disappointment to pretty much everyone. Most of all, himself.

“Are you looking forward to the film?” Vic asked, bringing in a cup of tea and setting it on the table in front of Rob.

“I’m still not sure about this,” Rob muttered. Vic hadn’t deigned to let Rob know what they were going to watch as yet, and Rob could only hazard a guess as to why. Despite Vic’s claims to the contrary, it had to be a chick flick. I mean, what do gay guys watch?

“Oh, come on. It’ll be great.” Vic lowered the lights, then sat down, picked up the remote, and clicked Play. A moment later the title appeared.

“The Wizard of Oz?” Rob groaned. He’d never seen it, but he knew it was an old film, probably older than his parents, and that was saying something.

Vic whacked him on the arm. “Hey! I gave Shaun of the Dead a chance. The least you can do is try this. Unless you’ve seen it already?”

Rob shrugged one shoulder. “No, but…. Come on.”

“I’ll let you in on a secret,” Vic said in a low voice. “When I was young, I wanted to do what you dream of doing. Getting away, traveling somewhere. Well, I told my parents that I wanted to go to Oz.”