Page 15 of Steam

Josh was gifted—there was no denying that. There were paintings all over every surface of the living room, canvases of all sizes stacked up against walls, hung high—and there was no use even asking if they were his. There were so many half-finished ones that it was impossible they could belong to anyone else.

“I’m sorry for teasing you about the collar,” Josh said, pushing a cup of coffee into his hand.

“I’m sorry for acting like you were a degenerate,” Barrett said.

“Forgiven and forgotten,” Josh said, smiling.

Wow.That smile. Had he never smiled at Barrett before? Barrett definitely would’ve remembered a smile like that.

Get ahold of yourself,Barrett told himself. He was clearly letting the reality of this human being be colored by the fantasy he’d had of the piano player. Josh was definitely out of his league—and probably straight, despite the teasing flirting from before.

“Barrett, I know this is strange because we don’t know each other, but I have to thank you.”

“Thank me?” Barrett said, standing in the man’s kitchen and looking at him dumbfounded. “For what?”

“I’ve been mired in an art block for a week that was so bad I was ready to give up, man. Your request kicked something off in my head and, I don’t know how to explain it, I’m inspired.”

“All that over a little Liebesträume?” Barrett said, raising an eyebrow.

Josh gave a deep chuckle that reverberated through his chest. The noise made Barrett’s knees weak.

“All that and more,” he replied. “I really owe you.”

“Well, consider us even in that case,” Barrett said. “I can’t tell you enough how much I’ve enjoyed listening to you play.”

“I’m flattered.”

“Really, it’s like a ritual now. I’ve never had something I could rely on to so completely take my stress away, but I look forward to your playing every night.”

“I feel like a nuisance when I do it, but it helps me think,” Josh said.

“A nuisance? Christ,” Barrett said. “You play beautifully. I could fall in love with someone who plays as well as you without ever seeing their face.”

Oh God, overshare. Barrett, why?

Josh raised an eyebrow—but he looked intrigued, not offended.

“I guess I’ll keep playing, then,” he said with an easy smile.

Are we flirting? Is this what this is?

“Then I’ll… keep… listening.”

Nice, Barrett. Smooth.

* * *

Wasthis guy coming onto him?

Did Josh put out an “easy lay” vibe that strong, he wondered, or was it reserved for guys he really wanted, who looked like Barrett?

He was shocked that body was hiding under Barrett’s fussy-looking suits the whole time. He was even more shocked that the man was giving him the time of day after Josh had so relentlessly teased him about the collar.

And there he was, getting flustered again. It was completely irresistible to watch the man blush and fumble.

Barrett was clearly someone who was used to being in control, and he had no experience hiding his reactions from an interested party.

That would be an incredible thing in bed, Josh thought. He didn’t bother to chide himself for wondering what Barrett was like under his sweatpants. There wasn’t a ring on his finger, and he was the one who had started the flirting with the whole “falling in love” talk…

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