Page 55 of What I've Tasted of Desire

“Yeah… some idiot just d-did,” he muttered coolly.

Oh… he’s being bratty.

I turned back to face him and frowned. We stared at each other for a long moment before Alex sighed. “Come inside, I’ll make us some tea.”

I turned the truck off and followed Alex through the door. He walked right past the new alarm panel and started heading off towards the kitchen.

“Alex,” I called after him, my voice thick with frustration.

“What?”

“Baby, please come set the alarm.”

If Tom walked in here in the middle of the night, I’d have to kill him in front of Alex. He’s been through enough.

“Oh, I forgot,” he said with a shrug, turning back. “I’m n-not used to having it.”

I walked over, wrapped my arms around him, and kissed the top of his head. “I’m sorry, I swear I’m not trying to be an asshole. I’m just worried about you. I’m here tonight, but what happens when I get back on shift at the firehouse? I have to know that you’re safe, and that you’ve, at the very least, remembered to set the alarm.” Alex melted against me and I held him a little tighter. “Have you ever considered getting a gun?”

“I’m not g-getting a g-gun!” Alex wiggled out of my arms, “N-no n-not h-ha-happening!”

I put my hands up in defeat. “Okay. I didn’t mean to make you stutter. I apologize, it’s been a long day.”

You fucking fool.

“Make me s-stutter?”

“Yeah…” I began hesitantly, “I’ve noticed that you have the most trouble when you’re upset or stressed out. You know that when we were laying in the hot tub and talking about books and music, you didn’t stutter once? You were just… happy and content, and it was incredible. I’m a really lucky guy to have gotten to see you like that.”

Tom could never…

Alex stood there staring at me with his mouth open. I expected him to turn around and kick me right back out at any second.

Alex took a few steps forward and brought his arms up and wrapped them around my neck. He stood up on his tiptoes and kissed my lips. I relaxed and wrapped my arms around his back. We kissed slowly for a while until he stepped back. “I can’t believe you d-drank that shit at s-seven o’clock at night.”

He must have been able to taste the energy drink on my tongue.

“I thought I was gonna be in the driveway all night. I didn’t think you were going to let me in. You were so mad earlier.”

His soft smile turned devious. “S-so you have all this extra energy?”

Oh, God, help me.

Despite my swollen fingers and enormous fatigue, I smiled and looked around the room. “Can we do it on something historic?”

Alex laughed. “The whole house is historic.”

“The roof, then?”

I bent over, picked Alex up off the ground with ease, and slung him over my shoulder as he let out a playful squeal.

“Is this how you rescue people from a burning b-building?”

“Yep,” I replied confidently as I carried him into the sitting room. “I’m here to rescue you from a lonely night.” I carried him down the hallway and into the main sitting room. I turned around in place a few times trying to decide where to deposit him, before depositing him on an ancient looking chaise lounge with an aged, yellow floral print.

“Do you have any accoutrements?”

Alex chuckled and shook his head. “What?”

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