Page 24 of Adrift

“You check on the food, then,” I order him gruffly and set down the bag of food. Then I stride around to the other side of the kitchen island, grabbing my sweatpants to step into them.

Kieran giggles. “Mmm. The pie made it. I didn’t squish it against my chest.”

I smirk. “Some people are into that.”

Kieran groans. “Notme. God,” he shivers in horror. “Do you know how hot this pie is? It just came out of Berty and Doug’s oven! These nipples are far too cute for third-degree burns.”

I want to pay more attention to his nipples, but did he just say… “Berty and Doug?” I’m actually smiling all of a sudden. I don’t remember a lot of people from the island, but for a kid who was growing up gay, they sure made an impression. “They’re still here?”

Kieran giggles. “Like they’d ever leave!”

Good point. I grunt and shrug as I pull on a T-shirt. “Yeah. The island has a way of getting a hold on people?—”

“Augh!”

Kieran’s screech makes me yelp. He’s scrambling away from the counter, frantically brushing the back of his neck and flicking his hands everywhere.

And now all I can imagine is a spider flying through the air… and probably landing on me. Ireallyhate spiders.

“Where is it? Where the fuck is—” I shove my arms the rest of the way through my T-shirt and then brush my hands over my face and hair. But then I realize something way more important.

Kieran’s stumbling backward toward the pitch-black living room, and most of what’s stored there is sharp, rusty, or both.

Shit.

“Where’s wha—oof!” Kieran crashes right into the steel shelving unit, but I’m already there, grabbing both his arms as shears and saws clatter to the ground.

Without even thinking about it, I haul him away from danger... and straight into me. I catch his weight easily, one arm going around his waist as the other stays on his upper arm to grip him tight.

Our hearts pounding, we both turn to glance at the darkness until it’s silent again. Then, we both let out a breath.

“Holy shite,” Kieran breathes out, looking up at me. “Thank you. You… you move fast. For a big, strong, muscled…” he trails off, and then the tip of his tongue darts across his lips. “Bloke,” he finishes, his voice suddenly a little too loud.

He feels it, too.

The way the darkness in the cabin seems to press us toward each other, inescapable and magnetic… the warmth of his body crushed against mine, the way that just feels right…

Maybe this evening isn’t going to turn out so bad after all.

Chapter

Ten

GAGE

It’shard to form words with Kieran gazing up at me like I’m a big damn hero. At most, I saved him from a tetanus shot… but I don’t mind having him look at me like that.

Not one bit.

No problem, I should say.It was easy.But it’s hard to pay attention to words when his lips are just inches away. Both his hands are flat on my chest, and my skin tingles with the weight of him against my thigh and chest.

Now that I’ve got Kieran right here, fitting against me so perfectly… nothing else matters.

I don’t want to let him go.

With Kieran’s chin tipped up toward me, his breathing is quick and hot against my cheek. I can’t help responding to it, leaning down a little. Kieran closes his eyes and melts into my hold, letting me take his weight as he tips back his chin.

I lean down.

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