“Uh, thanks.”

He laughed, probably guessing what I’d been thinking. “What, you didn’t think I’d be able to appreciate your kicks?”

I was going to go with something PC but decided to say what I was really thinking, “Umm no, not really, since you’re usually wearing Gucci loafers.”

At this point the elevator stopped on the fifth floor and Easton extended his hand to me so I could get out. He followed right behind.

We stood in front of the apartment for a moment as he talked. “My mentee, Tyren, is a Jordans fanatic.” The smile on his face was a new one; there was some protectiveness and clear affection there.

“Well, he’s technically not my mentee anymore, although we’re still close. I was his Big Brother when he was a high school student and he’s at Ithaca College now.” His eyes shone with pride when he said that. “Anyway, Ty has like twenty pairs.” His tone was indulgent when he talked about his mentee, and it really fucking warmed my heart.

This guy had me bugging, for real.

Easton tipped his head down, his eyes back on my feet. “Ty was talking about those.” He rolled his eyes and chuckled, his hands deep in his pants pockets. “He actually convinced me to get a pair a while ago. I have some pretty boring gray ones. Retros of course.”

He looked a little self-conscious, like he was waiting for me to mock him or something, but I was still stuck on the fact that he had been mentoring a young man for years, and they were still close. That he clearly cared for the kid. That piece of information, more than anything I knew so far about Easton, broke something open in me.

I was humbled, because I’d made too many assumptions about this man. Nesto was right—I didn’t really know very much at all about Easton Archer, other than the way we could make each other feel.

I tipped my head to the side and pointed at the closed door behind him. “I’d like to see you rocking your Jordans some time.” He beamed at me, as if he hadn’t expected that response. “But for now, can I see this place you’re supposed to be showing me?”

He really was a beautiful man and with that little bit of red on his cheeks, I was having a hard time not reaching out and touching.

We walked into the apartment and immediately I knew I was going to take it.

Everything looked pristine. It was a loft, open floor plan with high ceilings. There was one bedroom in one corner of the floor and another one in a mezzanine up a spiral metal staircase. The kitchen was completely done in stainless steel, even the countertops, and the dark hardwood floors gleamed.

Easton pointed at the space upstairs. “The mezzanine is deceptively large and it has a bathroom en suite. The one down here is just a shower, but that one has a pretty nice tub.” There was that dirty smile again. “I don’t know if you remember, but I have the same one at my place.”