Page 12 of Ethan

"You think he's interested?"

"His eyes said yes." I switched to his other foot. "He's divorced."

"From a woman?"

I nodded. "Married for twenty-two years."

"Kids?"

"Two."

Owen sighed. "I don't know, Ethan. Seems like a lot to take on. You'd be walking into an instant family with kids probably not much younger than you."

"That's crossed my mind."

"Also, what if he's freshly out? Or not out at all."

I shook my head. "I know. I don't know if he likes men for sure. I flirted with him a bit. Made him blush. But maybe he was just embarrassed." I released a long breath. "The way he looks at me, though. There's longing there. But the fact it took him six months to come to see me is a bit of a red flag. Maybe he's not comfortable with his sexuality. He might not be ready for me."

Owen snickered. "Are you referring to what a needy bottom you are?"

I pinched his baby toe, and he jerked his foot away. "Be nice." I shoved his other foot, and he sat up, feet back on the floor. We watched the movie in silence for a while. The sharks were attacking a group of swimmers. My head jerked, surprising me, and I realized I'd nodded off.

I moved down the couch, stretched out, and put my head on Owen's lap. His fingers were instantly in my hair, carding through it. I rarely made it to the end of a movie.

Tonight was no exception.

I never found out the conclusion of the shark apocalypse. Owen nudged me awake sometime later, the television off, and guided me down the hallway to my bedroom.

"You have anyone coming to play with you tonight?"

I wasn't about to tell Owen the truth, that I was putting my sexual needs on hold, waiting to see if anything would happen with Daniel. It felt right to save myself for him—for now.

"Nah. Me and my cock need some sleep."

"Then I'll bid you sweet dreams." Owen kissed me on the back of my head then shoved me stumbling into my room. I could take it from here.

Owen would use the key on the hook by the door to lock up and then drop the key through the mail slot. I waited until I heard the it dropping onto the floor before closing my bedroom door.

My bedtime bathroom routine attended to, I slipped between my sheets and called up the dream I'd been having in the living room. Daniel and I walking along the beach, holding hands.

Daniel stroking his fingers through my hair.

Daniel whispering words of encouragement into my ear.

I hummed, lost in those words.

They lulled me to sleep.

I opened another six small paper bags and set them on the counter, ready to receive leftover baked goods from the last couple of days. I did this twice a week to keep the items as fresh as possible. The homeless of our city deserved the best food I could organize to give them.

I popped the last six muffins into each of the bags. I had twenty-three bags in all with quite the assortment of loaf slices, muffins, cookies, and chocolate éclairs. I retrieved two boxes that the butter had been delivered in and tucked all the bags into them.

Before I headed out, I checked in with the front-of-house staff to make sure I could take off for an hour. They were managing fine without me.

Twenty minutes later, I pulled off Pandora Street onto a slip road lined with tents, tarps, garbage, and destitute wandering souls. I found a spot to park outside the homeless shelter and leapt out. A few people recognized me and waved. One made his way over to my car.

"Bakery man!"

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