Page 69 of Melting the Ice

“Good,” Brody said, nodding. “And you know what else? I didn’t tell you we were gonna be friends just because I wanted . . .”You. This.“Uh . . .” He gestured between them.

“You’re not that kind of guy, Faulkner. Never imagined you were. Don’t worry. I get it. Friends with benefits?”

Brody hadn’t known what label he wanted to put on it, but he supposed that worked as well as any other. AndDeanhad been the one to suggest it.

“Works for me,” Brody said. “You ever done this before?”

Dean shot him another of those disbelieving looks, and he’djustcome, so it shouldn’t have heated him up the way it did.

“You know I haven’t,” Dean said.

“No, I mean . . .like a casual friendly hookup,” Brody said. He’d never imagined he was good at this, but he was worse than he’d expected.

“No, not really. But we’ll figure it out.” Dean paused, his loose grip around Brody’s waist tightening. “But no more bullshit, okay? I don’t do drama.”

It was a warning. Brody knew it.

“No worries. I’ve definitely worked through my gay freakout,” Brody said lightly.

“Well, next time, text me and we’ll do it together.”

“Oh my God, you madeanotherjoke.”

Dean rolled his eyes, but he was smiling, eyes crinkling at the corners.

“I do that, sometimes.”

Brody reached up and patted him on the cheek. “I’m sure you do, big guy.”

“I . . .I,” Dean stuttered a bit, and ohhey, here was a little of that awkwardness. But instead of letting it turn him off, Brody was only amused and enchanted.

“Use your words. I know you can, now,” Brody teased.

“I’ve got to do some homework, still,” Dean admitted. “I want to hang out, but . . .” He shrugged.

“I get it. Me too. I just came in here because I was thinking about you in the shower—”

“Hey, guess what, I was thinking aboutyouin the shower.” Dean grinned.

Brody made a face. “Don’t even tease me like that. I was sure that was what you were doing, and I got . . .well,hotthinking about it.”

“Was pretty hot. Hot enough that I was ready to go again, just now.”

Brody laughed. He hadn’t been entirely sure, butyes, they could have this easy friendship that they’d been buildingandindulge in that undeniable heat between them.

“Too bad that shower’s too small for the both of us,” Brody said.

“Yeah,” Dean agreed.

Brody knew this was his cue to disentangle himself from Dean’s body. But it was so big and warm and he didn’t want to let go.

But a hookup would let him go. Especially because he said he had homework, still.

So he did, moving away, hating how his pulse eventually returned to normal. Detouring to the fridge, even though he wasn’t particularly hungry or thirsty, figuring it would be a good cover.

It was. Dean righted his clothes and then leaned against the counter.

“We’re home on Saturday,” he said. “Wes invited me to a party and I told him I’d pass, but maybe you’d want to go.”

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