Page 23 of Just Watch Me

We stuck with each other as we wandered through the market. Skylar grabbed way more cheese than we would be able to eat, but I loved seeing him so excited.Who am I to get between a man and his dairy?

“How are we going to keep it cold?” I asked as I stared at his rapidly filling basket.

“I’m sure we can find a Styrofoam cooler at a convenience store. If not, I think a Fred Meyer is across the road. We can probably find a cheap cooler there. I haven’t seen this much good stuff at the grocery stores in Portland, and I will kick myself if I don’t take advantage.”

I grabbed a second pack of the aged white cheddar and tossed it in my basket. “Just in case.”

Skylar winked at me. “I like the way you think.”

After we paid for enough cheese to last us a year, we went over to the cafeteria and ordered tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. It was a nice June day, so we sat on a picnic bench outside. The soup was incredible. Almost as good as the company.

Skylar picked up his sandwich and paused before taking a bite. “It’s barely lunch, and this is already the best day I’ve had in a long time.” He smiled sweetly.

I tried to swallow past the lump in my throat. “Me too.” I returned his smile then dropped my gaze to my bowl. I couldn’t believe I was part of one of his best days. Me, the boring, introverted guy who preferred to stick close to home. I was helping an adventurous wanderer have fun and explore my state.

I tried to think of the last time I’d been so comfortable with someone but came up empty. I could never fully relax with the handful of guys I’d dated. I could relax to an extent with my online friends because I always had the option to sign off, but I never let themreallyknow me. I was letting Skylar know me, and he kept wanting to hang out for some godforsaken reason.

Skylar dipped his sandwich in the soup and hummed as he chewed. “This is fucking magic, J. You gotta try it.”

Before I could dip my sandwich in my soup, he dipped his and held it out for a bite, offering me some of the same thing I already had, but I wasn’t about to turn him away. I leaned across the table and took what he’d offered. Somehow, his sandwich tasted better. Probably because he’d offered it.

“Mm.” I couldn’t look away from his warm, dark eyes as I chewed.

“Good, right?” His eyes twinkled.

I nodded.

“You’ve got a little—” He pointed at my face.

I tried to lick the corner of my mouth but must’ve missed because he reached forward and gently swiped his fingertip there. If I were someone braver, I would’ve grabbed his hand and licked the soup off his finger. But I was me, so I cleared my throat and sat back.

While smirking and holding my gaze, he licked his finger. “So good.”

My nostrils flared.Friends. We’re friends.

We chewed in comfortable silence for a while, but the temperature in the air had skyrocketed.

“I’m not used to doing this stuff with anyone else. It’s nice,” he said minutes later. Skylar’s smile was almost shy. “I’m always exploring solo, but I like doing this with you.”

“I can’t even say that. Hanging out with you has gotten me out to see so many things I never would have,” I admitted. Heat tickled the back of my neck. It was so embarrassing to admit exactly how sheltered I was.

“Thanks for trusting me to explore with you.”

Words escaped me. I couldn’t understand how he understood me so well, but I wasn’t going to continue questioning it. Instead, I lost myself to the fantasy that we were more than friends. I wanted to pretend he was my boyfriend, at least for the day. Spending the day together on the coast sure felt like a date—a date with no consequences or risks because it only existed in my head. Perfect.

As we finished lunch, we chatted about places we wanted to visit and bucket list travel destinations. Eventually, we realized the picnic area had grown busier, so we stood to free up a table for people with food.

“Let’s grab ice cream and get a photo in the Volkswagen cheese mobile before heading out,” Skylar said.

Extroverted Skylar quickly found someone to take the photo. It took all my self-control to avoid making it my phone’s wallpaper, but I couldn’t promise that wouldn’t happen once Skylar moved away, and I didn’t risk him seeing my phone.

“Where to next?” he asked as we walked back to my car.

I tripped on a curb because I kept darting glances to watch him systematically take long licks around the ice cream cone to catch its drips.

Each time his tongue swiped the ice cream, I clenched. Fantasies of him teasing my hole had dominated most of my dreams. It was too easy to imagine his tongue on me, licking my ass like a lollipop.

Skylar grabbed my arm, steadied me, and winked.

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