Page 71 of Melting the Ice

“I’m glad he did.” Wes paused. “You shouldn’t be alone so goddamn much.”

“If I’m alone, it’s ’cause I chose to be,” Dean reminded him. “Not everyone has got to be some social butterfly.”

“No, but there’s a happy medium, too. You know that. And I’m glad you’re finally doing something about it. So you’re bringing Brody to the party. That’s good.”

“Notbringinghim,” Dean retorted, and he knew the moment the words were out of his mouth that he’d gotten too defensive. That he’d exposed something he hadn’t been ready to share.

Wes smiled slow and easy. “No?”

“He’s . . .” Dean considered continuing pretending otherwise, but maybe this was inevitable. And maybe he could use a little advice. He felt out of his depth, with this thing with Brody. Technical knowledge he could glean from an internet search, but it was so much more than that.

“He’s what?” Wes was still smiling, knowingly.

“He’s a good guy, that’s all. A nice guy.”

“Attractive, too.”

“I noticed that.”

Wes raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you did?”

Dean told himself firmly not to flush bright fucking red. “I called him pretty boy, from the beginning.”

“You got a crush,” Wes guessed. “I don’t want it to seem like I’m dissuading you from having one, because it’s a fuckingamazingthing that you’re finally looking atanybodyand thinking about more than just your future, but based on a few things Ramsey’s mentioned, he’s not gonna swing that way.”

“Well, about that,” Dean said and then hesitated again. Not that he thought Wes was gonna go around talking out his ass about Brody’s sexual preferences, but it wasn’t his place to say.

“Oh, hedoes,” Wes said. And it was him guessing, not Dean admitting it, so he nodded.

“But it’s not . . .not common knowledge.”

“About you either,” Wes pointed out. “Not that I didn’t think if the right guy caught your eye, you wouldn’t do anything about it.You’re remarkably free from that kind of angst. But the catching your eye part was going to be toughest part of that whole thing.”

Brody caught it alright.

“Yeah,” Dean agreed. Because it was true.

“So you’re what . . .dating now?”

“No, no,” Dean said hurriedly. He should have led with that. “Just . . .just friends. Friends and hooking up. And it’s good so don’t try to convince me to overthink it.”

Wes shot him a fond look. “Like anyone could get you to overthinkanythingif you didn’t want to.”

“You’re not bothered by that?”

“By you being friends with benefits with the hockey player? Why would I be?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you’d want me to be like . . .madly in love with him, or something,” Dean muttered.

Wes just laughed. “No, I’m thrilled you’re doing justthis. Something you’ve picked for yourself.”

“Sometimes I think Brody pickedme,” Dean said. After all, he’d been the one to suggest the initial experiment on the couch. Of course, Dean could have not been interested. Could have said no. But he’d thought,what the helland thenwhat the hell,again.

“Well, he’s got good taste,” Wes said approvingly. “Anything you need to know? Google and lube are your friends, but then you’re not stupid.”

“Figured those.” Dean could hear how gruff his voice had gotten. He was already thinking about it. About everything he and Brody had done. Everything they hadn’t. Things they’d need that lube for. He cleared his throat.

“No questions, then?”

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