All Through the Night: A Troubleshooter Christmas Read Online Free PDF Page B

Robin on his final and most famous drunken binge, that was still enjoying a record number of weekly hits on YouTube and proving Sam’s point.
    â€œI also think,” Sam said, holding out the ring box for Robin, “that you really want to stay sober.”
    â€œAnd we both know,” Robin couldn’t keep himself from saying as he put it back in his pocket, “how well your threats will help me do just that.” He stopped himself. Took a deep breath and exhaled hard. “I know I’ve earned your mistrust. I understand that. I accept it. What I don’t accept is your disrespect of Jules—as if you think he’s unable to take care of himself, so you’re going to do it for him.”
    To Robin’s surprise, Sam actually nodded. “You’re right, I definitely crossed the line. I apologize.”
    â€œThat makes it all better.” Robin stood up, brushing the crumbs from the sandwich off of his jeans. “Excuse me. I’m going to go check on my lover.”
    â€œI love him, too,” Sam said. “If that’s worth anything.”
    â€œSorry,” Robin said. “You’re hot, but I’m not into three-ways.”
    â€œThat’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
    â€œYeah, well, I just thought I’d get that out on the table,” Robin retorted.
    Sam actually laughed. “You’re okay.”
    And that was the final straw. “Oh, good,” Robin said. “I was worried that maybe you thought I wasn’t okay. I’m so glad I passed your test. But guess what, asshole? You’ve got a long way to go before you pass mine.”

    So Sam had really fucked
that
up.
    The last thing he’d wanted was a serious rift between himself and Jules’s significant other. And yet he
had
doused himself in some serious holier-than-thou during their little talk. Robin had gotten that right.
    But Sam had lived through the final few months of Jules’s relationship with Adam. He’d watched his friend get destroyed again and again as he’d discovered Adam’s countless infidelities.
    Jules had assured Sam that, despite living together, he and Adam had never reached a point of trust sufficient to go bareback—which was gayspeak for having sex without the protection of condoms.
    Yup. That had been one hell of a conversation. Still, Sam had brought it up because he needed to make sure Jules was being smart and safe.
    But that was then, and this was now, and Sam suspected that things would be different between Robin and Jules in terms of trust, and yeah, that scared him.
    Less so now, though, after Robin’s outburst.
    Still, a drunk was a drunk, and if Robin slipped and relapsed, God only knew what he’d do.
    But Robin
was
right. The decision to trust Robin—or not—was going to have to be Jules’s. Not Sam’s.
    With a sigh, Sam turned off the light and went inside.
    It was freaking dark in there, and he felt his way to the bathroom, where he relieved himself, washed up and peeled down to his shorts.
    Then it was another fumble back through the pitch darkness to the bed where Alyssa was fast asleep.
    Sam quietly slid in beside her, aware as hell that he could hear Alyssa breathing, and he could also hear Jules. The fact that he couldn’t hear Robin meant the movie star was probably still awake.
    And probably still pissed from their little heart to heart.
    Maybe if Sam just said,
Look, I meant well, but I’m scared that you’re going to hurt my friend, so I fucked it up but good, and I’m sorry about that. Can we maybe start over?
    Alyssa shifted in the bed, spooning against him, which was nice, but would have been nicer without the other slumber-party guests in the room. And of course, since the option of having sex with his wife was completely off the table, Sam now found himself unable to think of anything else. He’d had similar trouble sitting across the conference table