Page 35 of Hearts Adrift
He meets my eyes again. We continue staring at each other, neither of us making the effort to move away.
Just like last night on the couch, our bodies so close to each other, as I worked to loosen his tense muscles—both of us ignoringothermuscles that were very much growing more tense by the second.
I get the sense it’s been a long time since either of us have been touched in that way.
The chemistry is practically crackling between us.
Where’s all my courage? Where’s his?
Why do we keep clutching each other, growing closer, then neither of us making a move?
“You totally were here yesterday,” he decides abruptly.
“No, I wasn’t.” I swallow. Then sigh. “Yeah, I was.”
“Pretty risky, to do that.”
“It was.”
“Why did you come here?”
“Cabin fever. Curiosity. Sheer stupidity. Just pick one of those answers, you won’t be wrong.”
“I’m sorry I conked out.”
My face scrunches up. “What do you mean?”
“After your … very generous massage. Last night. I … I think I was … a lot more tired than I realized. Actually … kinda mortified,” he then laughs, but quickly draws silent again. “Would’ve been nice to chat some more.”
“You probably needed the rest.”
“Needed the company more.”
“Me too.”
His grip on me changes, fingers curling into my jacket. Our hips are close, too. His lips part expectantly.
“You need to be more careful,” he says.
“What?”
“You shouldn’t have come here yesterday. Or now. You could be spotted. You’re not Clark Kent, your shades are no match for hiding those cheekbones.”
See? These gorgeous fucking cheekbones.I’m cursed.“I’ll be more careful.”
“Well, it’s too late now.”
“I know.”
His throat tightens. “Okay. Under the pier.”
“H-Huh?” I intelligently reply.
He takes hold of my hand, and off we go, hurrying to the end of the alley past the back of the Parrot, rushing past the openings between the buildings, dodging any person in sight and sidestepping along brick walls. Our hands graze one another’s as we flit from shadow to shadow together, cutting past curtains of sunlight that give us away.
This is the kind of role I always dreamed of. A sprinkleof danger. A dash of excitement. All against a backdrop of a budding will-they-won’t-they romance between men.
I could almost believe we’re just having fun.
