Page 8 of Covington Acres

That made Vince frown. “Why should it be your responsibility to think about it? I’m the idiot cooking half-naked.”

Colby didn’t answer, instead tracing a circle around the minor burn. “I’ll get you something for that.” Colby stood and tried to walk away, but Vince wrapped a hand around his wrist, stopping him.

“I’m a big boy, babe.”

Colby bristled. “I know.”

“And I’m fine.”

Vince couldn’t read the look on his face. He didn’t answer right away but eventually said, “You’re right. I don’t know what’s going on with me.”

Vince let him go, but he felt strange, like he’d done the wrong thing, though he couldn’t say how. “How about you get me a T-shirt? I might not be dying, but I wouldn’t want to hurt this pretty torso again.”

Colby grinned and rolled his eyes, but Vince could tell he’d pleased him. He wasn’t sure what that was about, but then, Colby was a nice guy. He was a caretaker, much like many of the men he’d met in Briar County. He might’ve felt it was his fault.

“I’ll be right back.”

He went and grabbed one of his own tees, probably not wanting to go into Vince’s room without him. Vince put it on. He finished cooking, and they sat down and ate together.

Afterward Colby did dishes, while Vince sat on the couch with his phone and browsed a hookup app. It was slim pickings in the area, but there were queer men around who weren’t part of his friend group and in committed relationships. There was one guy in Chelsea he’d met at the gay bar there. They’d hooked up a few times over the last year, neither of them looking for anything serious and just wanting to have fun.

Vince messaged with a couple of men, and when Colby was done with the dishes, he came over and sat beside him.

“What ya doing?” Colby asked.

“Talking to some guys. Might try and meet up with someone at some point.” It had been months since Vince had sex with anyone other than his hand. He’d never gone this long without in Atlanta, and while he was fine with it, sometimes he missed the attention…the feeling of being touched and touching someone else.

“Are you not going to dinner with me?”

“I’m going. I’d do this after, or hell, maybe later in the week.”

He had his phone in his hand, holding it upright, when a dick pic came through.

“Holy shit.” Colby averted his gaze.

“Fuck. Sorry.” He closed the app.

“People just send you random photos? You hear about that stuff, but I’ve never experienced it.”

“Yes, but that wasn’t random. We’d talked, and we both know what the other is looking for. You’ve never sent someone a photo of your cock?”

Colby gave a humorless laugh. “Nah, none of the women I’ve dated here would have been into that kind of thing.”

Vince didn’t answer right away. He wondered about Colby’s sexuality sometimes. The man said he was straight, and Vince believed him. It wasn’t his place to question how someone identified. He knew Colby had dated numerous women over the years, but none since Vince had known him. The thing was, Colby hadn’t even talked to a woman he was interested in. He hadn’t gone on a date or even hooked up. There was a chance he’d done one of those things without telling Vince, though as close as they were, and with as much time as they spent together, it would have been a hard secret for Colby to keep from him—and no reason for it.

He wondered if maybe Colby was asexual. Vince wasn’t sure if that was something he should ask. Not having sex in a year wouldn’t necessarily mean he was asexual, but Vince had seen women show interest in Colby, and he had yet to see Colby return it. Colby’s parents and his brother Dennis often mentioned the fact that Colby hadn’t settled down yet, and Colby always changed the subject. Adding to it that Colby never dated or hooked up, and Vince couldn’t help but be curious.

“What?” Colby asked. “You’re looking at me funny.”

“What about you?”

Colby’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head. “What about me…are you asking to hook up with me?”

Vince laughed. “Oh shit. I didn’t realize it sounded like that. No, that’s not what I meant.”

Colby bristled. “I didn’t know having sex with me was so funny. I’m good in bed, thank you very much.”

Seeing Colby defend himself that way made Vince laugh harder.

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