Page 54 of A Small Town Spring

Finally, he breaks the silence.“You have questions, I suppose.”

“Just one.”My voice doesn’t waver, but my entire body feels like it’s one big tremble.Am I really doing this?I’ve been so careful, but I remember what Van said about there being a chance Toby wants me back.If he’s right, I have to try.“Do you know how I feel about you?”

“What?”Toby’s smile is confused, as if he thinks I’m joking.“What do you mean?”

“Your painting—you know me so well, Toby.We’ve been in each other’s pockets for months.Your Christmas present—it’s—you know me.So you must know how I feel.”

“I th-think so,” he says hesitantly.“You like my work, you’re a supportive friend.You built me a studio.You love my cat.”As he enumerates my qualities, his eyes get bigger and bigger until it seems like they’re taking up half his face.“About me, specifically, uh—could you tell me, please, in case I’ve got it wrong?”he asks breathlessly.

“I want you quite desperately, Toby,” I say, the words thick on my tongue.Still, they come out surprisingly easy.I’ve been holding them back for so long it’s a relief to release them from their lockbox.

“Oh god,” he says as his face drains of color.

My heart’s in free fall and I close my eyes against the hard landing that’s coming.

“I want you, too.”

Instead of a splat, my heart rebounds into my throat.I open my eyes.“What?”

“I want you, Kingston, in every way I can think of,” Toby says.There’s color in his cheeks now, and his eyes flash with amber fire.“And I didn’t say anything before because I thought you were just being a really good friend, and I didn’t want to trespass on your friendship any more than I already have done.I thought if you wanted me, you’d tell me.You always take what you want—I thought it would be the same for me.”

“Nothing is the same when it comes to you,” I say fiercely.“You are not like anyone else, anything else that I’ve ever wanted.”

“But you do?Want me, that is?”

I step close, right up to him.“Toby.”

“Yes?”

“Can I kiss you?”

His lashes flutter shut, then fly apart.“Yes, please.”

I’ve got the permission.Enthusiastic permission at that.But as many times as I might have imagined kissing Toby—leaning over the breakfast table, dragging him into my lap while sitting in my green velvet armchair, bringing him a cup of tea in his studio and getting a kiss in return—this scenario matches none of those.

“Kingston?”

“Sorry, I’m a little overwhelmed.”

“You, the most together man I know?”Toby teases.

“Not when it comes to you,” I admit.“I’ve been a mess over you since the first time we met.”

“Really?”Toby sounds pleased.“As long as all that?”

“I think I’ve wanted you since the moment I set eyes on you.”

“That’s so romantic,” he says.“I don’t know when it happened for me,” he answers honestly.“But I do know that I was interested in you before I even moved in.I thought you were fascinating.”

“Naturally,” I say.

“And beautiful.”

“Hmmm.”

“And I’ve wanted to kiss you for what feels like a thousand years, so can you please?—”

I cover his mouth with mine, stopping him mid-sentence, so his mouth is already open and the sweet, romantic first kiss I’d imagined is suddenly an open-mouthed kiss of the French variety, our tongues inside each other’s mouths with a speed that has my head spinning and my cock filling and my hands tightening on Toby’s arms where I’ve clutched him out of sheer need.

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