As Jude returned to Zero's house the pup decided it had found itself the most appropriate spot to pee on; the front lawn. Of course, his host chose that exact time to step outside. Looking sexy and disheveled from his workout Jude couldn't just help but think about how Zero had dated a guy in high school?

Was it an experimental onetime thing?

Did that make him bisexual or something?

But Jude decided it couldn't be, it definitely couldn't explain how Zero wouldn't have hit in him or something.

He wasn't being egotistical but Jude knew he was attractive enough to awaken poets in interested boys and inspire the straight boys' curiosity though he had enough pride to not indulge those just having fun.

But Zero really? It had to be a lie.

"Couldn't you take him elsewhere?" Zero asked around a frown and Jude shrugged. Zero's gaze fell to the pup that'd started to kick up the grass and Jude tried not to cringe.

"Isn't he supposed to lift his leg to mark his territory?" Zero asked

"Maybe he doesn't consider your home his territory. You certainly don't act like you want him around." Jude replied slightly miffed that Zero missed the entire time he referred to the pup as 'she' meaning that she was female. Periodt.

After Zero laughed and talked about how he wasn't against the pup staying over blah blah blah Jude decided to screw with him a little more "Would you believe back at the shelter he'd lift his leg around other dogs?"

Zero shook his head amused "Locker room behavior. I can relate." He leaned down to pet and make nice with the pup. Without warning, he paused and glanced up at the uptown city boy before him.

Their gazes remained locked as if their spirits were merging or flirting with the merge. Zero swiped a tongue easily at his bottom lip completely devastated by Jude's handsome face. And Jude stared down at the sports hero frozen in a time frame where Zero's gaze reeled him in deeper and deeper.

"Gideon!" a shrill voice rang, shattering the beautiful moment.

He rose up to his feet, squaring his broad shoulders stepping away from Jude and withdrawing.

"Hello, Esther," he said, expression hard and unyielding.

"That's no way to refer to your mother, especially in front of strangers." The immaculate woman in pressed slacks, high heels that dug into the grass and a Vincent Mulatto sweater. A high-end designer Jude ought to know, he and his siblings wore his suits to work often.

At a glance, it became obvious the mother and son had no more in common inside than out.

When Zero remained silent his mother stepped forward "I see your manners haven't improved. I'm Esther Bennet his mother. May I ask who you are?"

"Jude Reynolds. An old college friend of his" Jude tightened his pup's leash afraid the bitch would jump on the perfect-looking woman. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I wish I'd known you had company." Ester chided her son as if he were a child but there was nothing childlike about Zero anymore so he bristled at his mother's tone "So you could bake a cake?"

Jude winced, any mother would want to be spoken to with respect and yet Zero denied his mother the basic courtesy. Jude didn't understand how children could be rude to their parents, he never could. Not even with his friends in high school.

"Oh I know, you'd have thrown one of your infamous dinner parties." Zero continued, his tone antagonizing "Well you don't need to bother yourself; Jude is my guest in my home."

Jude painfully felt like an eavesdropper and withdrew a little neither mother nor son seemed to notice.

"Now that's a pity." Esther said her voice seemingly earnest "Any friend of yours would be welcome darling. But I'm sure you two have plans of your own." Her tone and simple gaze this time suggested more was going on between them than mere friendship.

Which led Jude to wonder if Zero was out to his mom perhaps his dad too? Jude wondered if Zero brought other men home—in his hometown as Gideon the man not the sports star.

He glanced back at the athlete who from the short distance was now massaging his temples looking worn out and immediately Jude discounted the thoughts but based off what?

Jude remembered reading up about Zero in the tabloids and on ZMT and although he recalled paparazzi shots of the man with scantily clad women. He didn't remember seeing any that showed him ogling or canoodling with the women or any men. In fact, the athlete was mostly in the news for the drag races he indulged in with his friends and the occasional field scuffles. That was the full extent of his scandals.

So, for now, Jude came to the conclusion, Zero might be all show but back here in his hometown he was all about privacy. If he wanted the lodge's perception to change then that would have to change first.

But at the moment, Jude was all about ending this uncomfortable discussion between mother and son first.