Chapter Twenty-Six:Alexander The Way He Looked At Me
1056 Words
Four days.
Four days since he left.
And Alex hated every second of it.
That was something he never thought he would admit.
He loved his work.
He loved business.
He loved the feeling of closing a difficult deal, walking into a room, and knowing everyone was waiting for his decision.
That was who he had always been.
Focused.
Driven.
Controlled.
But this trip?
This trip felt different.
The meetings felt longer.
The conversations felt more exhausting.
The hotel room felt too quiet.
And the worst part was that he knew exactly why.
Adam.
He missed him.
He missed the little things that he never thought he would care about.
The random conversations.
The way Adam laughed at things that weren’t even funny.
The way he would talk about his paintings with so much passion.
The way he would simply exist beside him and somehow make everything feel calmer.
Alex had spent his entire life surrounded by people.
Employees.
Business partners.
Clients.
People who wanted something from him.
But Adam…
Adam was different.
Adam didn’t want anything.
He just wanted him.
And that thought was both terrifying and comforting.
⸻
Alex had just finished showering when he walked back into his hotel room.
A towel was wrapped around his waist as he reached for his phone.
Before he could pick it up, the screen lit up.
A video call.
Adam.
A small smile immediately appeared on his face.
He had planned to call Adam later.
But apparently, Adam had beaten him to it.
He answered quickly.
Except…
The call disappeared.
Alex frowned.
A second later, his phone rang again.
This time, a normal call.
He answered.
“Why did you turn off the video?”
Adam immediately sounded embarrassed.
“I didn’t mean to.”
Alex smiled.
“You called me on video by accident?”
“Yes.”
A pause.
“I was trying to call you.”
The honesty made Alex smile wider.
“It’s fine.”
There was silence for a moment.
Then Alex switched the call back to video.
Adam appeared on the screen.
And Alex immediately noticed something.
Adam was staring.
Not saying anything.
Just looking.
Alex raised an eyebrow.
“Adam.”
“Hmm?”
“You’ve been quiet.”
Adam blinked.
“I was just…”
He stopped.
Alex looked down at himself.
Then he understood.
He wasn’t wearing a shirt.
His hair was still damp from the shower.
For the first time, Adam was seeing him like this.
Not in a suit.
Not as Alexander Hayes, the businessman.
Just him.
Alex leaned back slightly.
A teasing smile appeared.
“Do you like what you see?”
Adam’s eyes widened slightly.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Adam looked away, clearly trying not to smile.
And then…
That sound.
That small response Alex had somehow become obsessed with.
“Mmm-hmm.”
Alex smiled immediately.
“There it is.”
Adam looked confused.
“What?”
“That.”
“What?”
“When you say that.”
Adam laughed softly.
“You like that?”
“Yes.”
The answer came too quickly.
Too honestly.
Adam smiled.
“Why?”
Alex looked at the screen.
Because there were a hundred reasons.
Because Adam never sounded fake.
Because even his smallest reactions felt genuine.
Because hearing Adam relax around him made something inside him settle.
Instead, he simply said:
“Because it’s you.”
Adam became quiet.
His cheeks turned slightly pink.
Alex watched him for a moment.
Then he admitted what he had been thinking for days.
“I miss you.”
Adam looked back at him.
“I miss talking to you.”
Alex shook his head slightly.
“No.”
He paused.
“I miss your face.”
Adam smiled softly.
“I miss your hair.”
Another smile.
“I miss playing with your hair.”
Adam’s expression softened.
“And…”
Alex hesitated for only a second.
“I miss kissing you.”
The silence that followed wasn’t uncomfortable.
It was warm.
Adam looked down, smiling.
“Mmm-hmm.”
Alex laughed quietly.
“You know exactly what you’re doing.”
“I’m not doing anything.”
“You’re saying that on purpose.”
“I’m really not.”
But Adam was smiling.
And Alex liked that.
More than he should.
⸻
They talked for a long time after that.
About the trip.
About the gallery.
About a painting Adam was working on.
About small things that didn’t matter to anyone else.
But mattered to them.
Eventually, Alex noticed the time.
“Adam.”
“Hmm?”
“You need to sleep.”
Adam sighed.
“You’re starting again.”
“Starting what?”
“Giving me instructions.”
Alex smiled.
“It’s not instructions.”
“It sounds like instructions.”
“It’s care.”
Adam laughed.
“That’s a very convenient excuse.”
“It’s also true.”
Adam shook his head.
“You’re impossible.”
“And you’re going to sleep.”
Another laugh.
“Okay.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
“Good.”
Adam looked at him through the screen.
“You really are controlling.”
Alex smiled.
“No.”
He paused.
“It’s called caring.”
Adam smiled softly.
“Fine. Caring.”
“Exactly.”
They laughed together.
And for a moment, Alex forgot he was thousands of miles away.
⸻
After the call ended, Alex remained sitting there.
His phone was still in his hand.
And he couldn’t stop thinking about the way Adam had looked at him.
He knew he was attractive.
He had never lacked confidence.
He knew exactly what he looked like.
He knew the effect he had on people.
But Adam’s reaction was different.
There was no performance.
No attempt to impress him.
Just genuine appreciation.
The way Adam looked at him made him feel seen.
Not as Alexander Hayes.
Not as the powerful businessman everyone respected.
Just as a man.
And somehow…
That meant more.
Alex leaned back against the bed, staring at the dark screen.
Four days away from Adam had felt longer than he expected.
And for the first time in his life…
He wasn’t counting down until he could finish a business trip.
He was counting down until he could go home.
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