Page 30 of Leave

“I’m ready when you are.”

He met my gaze again, and there was a faint smile on his lips. “Let me finish this”—he raised his cup—“and I’ll be ready to roll.”

We spent the rest of that day figuring out reservations and rental car logistics, and we planned to hit the road tomorrow.

Of course, those arrangements and getting a new rental car didn’t require theentireday. We found ways to pass the time, though, especially as Riley managed to shake out the morning’s funk. I had no doubt it was still bothering him and would be for a while, but by late afternoon, he was closer to his normal self, especially after he’d gone for a run and taken a shower. By thetime I came over to his room to watch a movie, he was definitely himself again. Or at least, the version of himself that liked to fool around with me; I couldn’t remember the last time I’d just made out with someone without getting each other off, but it turned out Riley seriouslyloveddoing that. So did I, so I didn’t object.

I didn’t object when wedidget each other off, either. Never did when Riley was involved. After a stupid buddy-cop comedy we’d seen a million times, followed by a couple of long, drawn-out blowjobs to cap off the evening, I’d felt pretty damn good. Though when it came time to call it a night, I’d worried things might get awkward.

They didn’t. He didn’t ask me to stay in his bed again, even though I could see the invitation in his eyes, and I went back to my room without any fuss.

We left Riley’s hometown at 0700 the next morning, which would get us to our hotel in Sacramento this afternoon. We could in theory make it all the way to Seattle by tomorrow night, but neither of us felt like making the whole drive in two days. Instead, we’d stay in Sacramento tonight, Grants Pass tomorrow, and Portland the next night. Grants Pass to Seattle was totally doable in a day, but what could I say? We weren’t expected in town until then anyway, and I didn’t mind dragging our feet a little.

The homestretch would be easy. We were guaranteed to hit some hellacious traffic on day three, especially on the 175-mile stretch through Portland, Olympia, Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Seattle, and the Eastside, but we’d still be in my hometown of Redmond by dinnertime at the latest.

I’d texted my dad last night to let him know our plans, and that he and Mom wouldn’t need to come pick us up at Lewis-McChord like we’d originally planned.

Wouldn’t it be cheaper to take a military flight?he’d asked.

Yeah, but we’d have to stay in town a couple extra days, and we have to be at the terminal at 0300. (puking emoji)

Hahaha twelve years as a Marine and you still can’t get up early.

I can. I just don’t want to.

Of course you don’t. Drive safe, kid. See you soon.

Too soon,I thought, which made me feel insanely guilty. I loved my parents and I was looking forward to seeing them. I’d been pleading with them to come visit me ever since I’d been stationed in Japan.

I just… didn’t want to go home.

But I wasn’t going to miss my brother’s wedding. Not even when there was someone there I never wanted to see again. At least I’d have someone else with me whose presence I could wear like armor.

Except it occurred to me that the man sitting beside me now hadn’t said more than two words since we’d left the hotel almost seventy miles ago.

I glanced at him. His gaze was fixed on the passing scenery, his expression completely blank. I’d never been good at any of this shit—reading people, talking about things—but I was worried about him. Was he still thinking about the fact that he’d cut off his parents? Because he didn’t seem to be in a foul mood or anything. Just… up in his own head.

I wasn’t great at having uncomfortable conversations, but I was even less great at sitting through hundreds of miles in tense silence. I stole another glance at him, then cautiously asked, “Hey, you good?”

“Yeah. I’m…” He pressed his elbow beneath the window and scratched the back of his neck. “Just thinking.”

“Yeah?”

He shifted around as if he couldn’t quite get comfortable. “The other night—I wasn’t too pushy with you, was I?”

Oh,thatwas where his mind was? I hadn’t seen that coming.

“Too pushy?” I glanced at him, brow furrowed. “With what?”

“With, you know, getting more… physical, I guess? It was just kissing, but since it took us this long to do that, and then it happened in the heat of the moment, and I didn’t know if…”

“Nah, it wasn’t too much. I’d have said something.”

“Okay. Just… I mean, I don’t want to push for anything, you know? I thought it would be hot, but then afterward, I got to thinking, and…” He sighed. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m overthinking it.”

I chewed my lip. Truthfully, the fact that he was worried about it was a relief. I didn’t want him uncomfortable or upset, but if he was concerned about pushing me farther than I wanted to go, then that was a good sign that I could trust himnotto push me that far. Not that I’d worried about that in a long time; I worried about it with everyone I ever touched, but I was more confident with him than I’d been with anyone else.

Confident enough that pushing some of my usual limits was apparently on the table.

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