Page 7 of A Series of Rooms
They were quiet for the rest of their dinner, but Liam found that it wasn’t the uncomfortable kind.
“Tell me to leave if you would rather be alone,” Liam said when they were finished, gathering the empty containers. “But to be honest, I’m in no hurry to go back.”
“It’s not my room to kick you out of,” Leo said. He must have sensed that wasn’t the kind of enthusiastic consent Liam was looking for, because he amended his statement. “I don’t mind if you stay.”
“Are you sure?”
Leo narrowed his eyes. “You ask a lot of questions.”
“I talk when I’m nervous.”
“I hadn’t noticed.”
Liam looked up from the trash bin in time to catch the fleeting wisp of a smile. Despite himself, he mirrored the expression. “Yeah, well, I’ve never been accused of being subtle.”
“Would you mind if I took a shower?”
The sudden change in topic, or perhaps the fact that he was asking Liam permission for such a menial task, caught him off guard.
“Sure,” he said. “Yeah. Go for it.”
Leo wasted no time climbing off the bed and crossing to the bathroom. He stopped for just a moment as he reached the corner, looking back at Liam as if to say something more. Liam watched him patiently, giving him time to find his words, but after a beat he seemed to decide against it and disappeared into the bathroom.
Alone, Liam collapsed back onto the bed. He hadn’t realized just how much tension he was holding in his body until then. When he heard the water splashing against the shower floor, he pushed himself onto his elbows, debating whether or not he should grab his duffel bag from Nathan and Ben’s room. Maybe he could get his laptop, give himself something to do. Maybe he could lend Leo something clean to wear out of the shower. The thought had him reaching for his key card.
Much to his relief, Ben and Nathan were still gone for the time it took him to slip in and out.
The shower cut off shortly after Liam returned, but not before he placed a stack of clean sweats just inside the bathroom door, which had notably been left ajar. He tried not to read the gesture as a misplaced invitation, closing it gently behind him before he returned to the bed he’d claimed.
When the bathroom door creaked open again, Liam looked up to findLeo standing in the doorway, a towel wrapped around his waist. He held up the wad of Liam’s clothes, looking unsure of himself.
“They’re mine.” Liam explained, making a conscious effort to keep his eyes above Leo’s neckline. “For you.”
“I have clothes,” Leo said, bristling.
“You don’t have to wear them if you don’t want to,” Liam said. “I just thought it might be nice to have something more comfortable to sleep in.” He left out the fact that Leo’s clothes were visibly unwashed, and he wanted him to feel refreshed after his shower.
Wordlessly, Leo stepped back into the bathroom. When he reappeared a minute later, he was wearing the sweats.
“Thank you,” he told Liam.
“All good.”
“For the food, too.”
“It’s on the room.” Liam reminded him.
Leo remained standing in the empty space between the beds and the bathroom, looking uncertain about his next move. When Liam made no effort to direct him, he settled for the empty bed, this time scooting back against the headboard and drawing his legs up to his chest.
“I’m sorry about earlier,” Leo said suddenly. “I made you uncomfortable.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Liam opened his mouth, then closed it. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.” Liam shrugged. “You seemed really freaked out.”
He turned away from Liam, facing forward. “I’m fine,” he said. Any of the soft sincerity he’d earned retreated again behind an airtight seal. For a minute, Liam thought he might have lost him completely. Then, tentatively, Leo asked, “You said it was your birthday?”
