Warren closed his eyes, a shaky exhale escaping through his parted lips. “I don’t know what I’m doing here.” He swallowed heavily.

“We’re going over contracts.”

Gian waited for Warren to say more. Instead, he remained quiet, almost pensive as an array of different emotions raced across his features. Fear, worry, and anger made appearances, but there was also something deeper, almost painful. Gian couldn’t stand the tortured expression and reached out. He ran the back of his fingers down Warren’s cheek, derailing whatever train wreck of thoughts cycled through Warren’s mind before he spoke again.

“I meant, with you,” Warren said, his voice hushed and unsteady.

“I know what you meant. And I’ve already told you to be honest with me. That always wins.”

Warren lowered his head. His voice raspy when he spoke again. “My life…it’s not filled with happy endings.”

“You don’t need a life filled with happy endings. You only need one. That’s why it’s called ‘an ending.’ And it usually takes time to get there.”

“I know I’m a bit jaded.” Warren sighed. “I’m a hot mess.”

Gian flattened his palm against the side of Warren’s face, his pulse kicking up a notch when Warren leaned into the caress. “I like messy.”

“Don’t forget the ‘hot’ part.”

Gian stroked Warren’s cheek as he half smiled. Warren was a man with a wiseass answer for everything. And Gian was starting to crave those little bits of snark like the touchy-feely dork he was. “How can I forget?”

The affection in those hazel eyes nearly undid him. “Do you like messy because it gives you something to renovate?” Warren asked, his voice sounding less confident than his norm.

“I like it because it’s real. It’s lived in. Honest. And not a facade. Nothing and no one is perfect.”