Page 67 of Dean

“Mm.” How do I answer that? I don’t fucking know, and yet, I add, “Yeah.”

It’s a lie, but I still say it.

“Oh. That’s cool, man. Love gay people. I mean, I’ve even been with a few guys, but I wouldn’t say I’m into them or anything. Just, you know…they kiss real nice. And I love dicks. I just like trying things. You know, boogieboarding, scuba diving, murder…”

“What the fuck?” Avery says with a laugh, and Kit joins in.

“Totally kidding. I’m bad at jokes.”

I stare at him for a long moment before turning back to the steaks on the grill.

Well, I guess I can kind of relate. In a small way. I’m not gay, but something about Avery does it for me. Like I told him, I’m confused and not sure what this is. But I definitely want to find out.

“Oh, that smells good. What seasoning is that?” Kit says, smacking his lips together.

“Just Worcestershire sauce.”

“Is that how you say it?” Kit asks. “Never knew.”

I stare back at the grill, looking at the steaks and then back at the two of them.

They look happy, like good friends. And they just met one another.

“Hey, where did you go to college?” Avery asks.

Kit just shrugs. “You know. Here and there. Community college shit. I have like ten AA degrees. They finally kicked me out because I had too many credits.”

“Shit. Is that a thing?”

I tune them out, continuing to watch the steaks. And when they’re done, Avery appears, helping me dish them up and then he puts some kind of blue cheese spread on the top which is to die for. I inhale the entire plate.

What the fuck is he doing to me?

Why is he such a good cook? Why is he good at everything?

I bet he’s good at sucking my dick too.

Shit, that’s making me hard again.

I try to turn my focus back to Kit and Avery’s conversation. They’re talking about what colors would pop on the walls inside the house. Blues and purples, greens and whites are what they’ve decided. I’m left just sitting and listening, Avery peeking over at me occasionally as if embarrassed he’s had ideas on how to change the inside of my home.

“You can change the wall colors if you want,” I finally murmur, and Avery stops talking.

“Yeah? I mean, I’m just a roommate…”

“Yeah, but I know it’s boring and bland. I never had an eye for design and never wanted to bother with colors.”

“Oh.” He sits up a little straighter. “Okay. I can do that. Yeah, if you’re really sure.”

“I’m sure.”

I sit back, and he stares at me, his eyes glimmering. “And you know, whatever else you think would work. I’d love this place to feel more like a home.”

“Itisa home, Dean. A lovely home. It just needs some fresh paint. And maybe some artwork on the walls.”

“And some trees,” Kit interjects. “He told me about the trees.”

I peer at Avery, realizing there’s a lot about him I don’t know yet.

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