Page 87 of Dean

My cock twitches in my pants at that. What kind of making up will he do? Will it be with his pretty mouth? “Fine.”

“Hi. Hey there! Thanks for letting me crash for a bit,” Kit sayshappily, his eyes a little less red-rimmed than they were when he arrived.

I stare at the guy, feeling suspicious. He was peering through my windows like he was scoping my place out. Something about him is off, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. “Yeah. Sure thing.”

“I just…you know, I’m just dealing with some shit with my job. And Avery makes the best food. I was kind of hungry too so I just showed up. I know I wasn’t invited…”

“You weren’t,” I murmur, but it goes unheard. Or at least ignored.

Avery and Kit take a seat next to me and dig into their food. I eat a little slower, listening to them chat as I do.

“So, what are you going to do for work then?” Avery asks around a bite.

“I don’t know. Maybe become a contract killer,” Kit replies with a wobbly smile, and Avery shakes his head in amusement. “I mean, kidding, amiright? I’m not really good at much and failing at this just solidifies it.”

“I’m sure you’re good at something, Kit. You have a ton of degrees. You just need to figure out what you want to do.”

“Yeah, I dunno. We’ll have to see. I may need to go back to school again or take up an apprenticeship…”

“I’m sure you can find someone to work with.”

“Maybe.”

He sighs, the two of them continuing to chatter. And I can’t help but wonder where this kid came from and why he’s suddenly a part of our lives.

Too much to think about at the moment, to be honest. I just want him gone so I can have Avery all to myself.

But he lingers. He won’t leave. He’s like a cat who’s decided to make a home in someone’s house. There’s no way to evict them. They just keep coming back, meowing at your door. Probably shouldn’t keep feeding him or he’ll keep coming back.

But after dinner, he helps Avery clean up and then awkwardly shifts on his feet, his eyes moving around the room like he wants to find a reason to stay.

He will too. Kit seems determined. If the kid has anything going for him, it’s that.

“Listen, why don’t you stay,” I suggest, much to my frustration. “I’m gonna go to the garage and work on some shit if you need me.”

Avery’s lips roll between his teeth, popping out a second later, pink and wet.

I want to kiss them.

But it’ll have to wait.

I meander out into the small garage I had built for my projects and notice that Ben’s car isn’t around. He’s been busy with work and school lately. Probably has a social life I don’t know about. I should take him out soon to catch up. I don’t like how disconnected I feel from him.

It’s almost like losing a part of Elaine, like she’s disappearing a little more each year.

I shake that thought away and get to work, hoping that starting on some projects will kill time until Kit finally leaves.

And it works. I’m elbow-deep in the engine of an old truck I wanted to restore with Ben before I knew how much he didn’t care about cars —when Avery appears.

“Hey,” he says, and I peer over at him, taking him in. Fuck, he looks good in those little shorts and that skimpy, tight shirt. I wonder if he had started wearing that earlier if I’d have had my sexual awakening sooner? Or maybe I just always liked him and didn’t realize.

“He finally gone?”

“Yeah. He’s just lonely. Probably because he keeps joking about murder, but anyway. Thanks for letting us hang out for a bit.”

I stand up and wipe my hands on the rag hanging from my back pocket. Avery’s breath hitches as he watches me.

“What?” I ask, and his tongue pokes out, wetting his bottom lip.

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