Page 98 of Melting the Ice

“You’re being an asshole,” Brody retorted.

“Yeah, a little. But it’s fun to tease you about this. I’ve never gotten to before.”

Brody nearly told him it was for a reason. Because he didn’tdothis. But whatever he wanted to call this thing with Dean, whatever comfortable, convenient label they were plastering over it, it was happening. Brody couldn’t deny that.

“Yeah,” Brody agreed.

And maybe that wasn’t much, but Ramsey smiled, softer this time, because he clearly knew itwassomething, too.

“Alright, well, have fun. Don’t let your parents freak Dean out too much.”

“You think they could?” Brody hadn’t worried about that.

“Bro—he’s clearly crazy about you if he’s willing to go to this dinner. But he’s still a human and a clueless guy, because we’re all sort of clueless. Add in that your parents can be a lot, and well . . .all I’m saying is that itcouldhappen.”

“Alright. Yes. I know. Okay.” Brody took a deep breath.

“Don’t worry. It’s all gonna be fine.” Ramsey patted him on the shoulder.

Brody hoped that he was right.

Dean was waiting for him at the apartment, sitting on the couch, wearing what Brody had already figured out were his nicest pair of jeans and a dark green button-up that did unbelievable things for not only his eyes, but his shoulders, his chest, his torso, his . . .

As Brody stood in the doorway, staring at him, he realized that Ramsey was right.

Deanwasa friend.

He was more, too.

And he wondered, because he couldn’t help it, if Dean felt the same as he rose, his gaze never leaving Brody.

“You ready to go?” Dean asked, his voice low and rumbling.

“No,” Brody said.

Dean raised a dark eyebrow. “No?”

“I need . . .” Everything was suddenly pushing in on him. This new thing with Dean—untested and unspoken and possibly fleeting, to boot—and the thing with his parents, the pressure they were going to exert on him in the next few hours, even though they wouldn’t mean too.

It helped that his friendship with Ramsey was no longer a jagged hole in his chest but the rest was a lot, too, and he just needed—

But Brody didn’t need to ask. Didn’t even need to say it.

Because Dean knew, and he was already rounding the coffee table and tugging Brody into his arms, hugging him tightly, fiercely.

He’d just hugged Ramsey outside the rink, and that had felt good, undeniably, but this feltgreat.

How had this happened? It felt like Brody had blinked and woken up and suddenly, he hadfeelings.

You have a crush on Dean. A big fat freaking crush.

“You’re gonna be fine. They seem like nice enough people.”

“You met them for probably five minutes before,” Brody said into his shoulder.

“Yeah, but they raised you, so they can’t be all bad,” Dean said, pulling back. His green eyes were intent.

“And don’t,” Dean continued, “bring up my mom here, because I know it doesn’t always work out that way.”

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