“Zack!” John shouted. He had a big smile on his face as he hurried over to greet him. “I thought we weren’t meeting until nine.” He started to embrace him, but Zack stopped him an arm’s length away, studying John’s face. His smile looked strained, and his cheeks were pink.

“Are you okay?” Zack asked. His previous excitement drained out of him, leaving him with the distinct and unsettling impression that something was wrong.

“Of course,” John said. His smile faded a bit, which at least made him look less deranged. He put his hand over Zack’s on his chest. “I’m just surprised to see you.” He tilted his head in the sexy-coy way that he knew made Zack want to jump him. “Aren’t you going to kiss me hello?”

Zack’s unease began to ebb. “Yeah, sorry, I was just . . . I don’t know. Forget it.”

He removed his hand, and John closed the distance between them, kissing him voraciously. Zack couldn’t help but get sucked into it.

John pulled back just enough to ask, “How’d you get here? Did you take a cab?”

Zack’s excitement came rushing back. “I have a surprise for you. Well, several surprises for you, actually, but they can wait. I was enjoying that kiss.”

He wrapped his arms around John and dragged their bodies together. John gave a startled moan when their hips connected, and at first Zack couldn’t understand why, but then he felt something firm against his thigh.

“Oh my,” Zack purred. “One kiss, and you’re half-hard? You must be happy to see me.”

“Absolutely.” John moved to kiss Zack’s neck. “Since we have some time before our reservation . . . want to . . .?”

“Mmm, yes,” Zack said, letting his head fall back so John had more room to kiss him. He hoped John would take the hint and kiss his favorite spot behind his ear. John did, and Zack made a pleased humming noise.

His eyes started to flutter closed, but then he glimpsed the couch. Something pinged on the edge of his thoughts, and he looked harder. A dark object—John’s phone—was peeking from between the cushions. Through the fog of arousal, a small voice told Zack that this was significant. He tried to ignore it and focus on the beautiful man kissing his neck, but it kept nagging at him.

In a flash of intuition, it all made sickening sense. Phone. Voice. John alone in the dark. His fake, too-cheerful smile. Icy, unrelenting understanding flooded into Zack and left him breathless.

Zack shoved John viciously. John stumbled back and only barely managed not to topple over. “What—”

Zack held up a hand.

“Don’t,” he said, no louder than a whisper. He covered his face with his hands, still too shocked to process what he knew. He took a step back and stared at John, who watched Zack in return.