Page 64 of Due Dilligence (Takeover)
“You didn’t love him.”
“I did, but more like a mentor. He taught me so much about myself.” Todd unbelted and turned to face him. “But I still liked casual sex back then and he... Well, it’s hard to explain—like this, anyway.” He gestured around the car.
Fazil didn’t understand, but nodded.
“Give me time.” He got out of the car.
Time. Even if Fazil stayed an extra week or two, he’d still go back to Pittsburgh. If he was honest with himself, hemissedthat city. It had grown on him.
He released the seat belt and pushed the door open. “Hey,” he called to Todd. “I’m going to grab a drink.”
Todd saluted him and Fazil headed inside. He grabbed a bottle of water—anything with sugar or caffeine would keep him awake, and theydidhave to work tomorrow. Then he wandered the aisles—past the Band-Aids and aspirin... and condoms. He’d expected Todd to have gained experience in fifteen years, but not in the way he did.
Disgust crept up his throat, not from Todd’s story, but from the images that wanted to play out in his head. Ones that had Todd ramming into him in a cramped stall over and over.What the hell is wrong with me?He stomped to the front, paid for his water, and slinked back to the car.
Todd gave him a curious, then calculated look, but finished paying for the gas at the pump. “I’m gonna grab a snack. I’ll be right back.”
It didn’t take Todd that long. He returned with a bottle of water and a large bag of chips.
“That’s more than a snack.”
“We can catch dinner when we get back, but Ireallyneed something to tide me over.”
Fazil’s stomach grumbled and Todd laughed. He handed him the chips. “That’s why I got enough for two.”
Like old times. He smiled at the bag. “Yeah.”
When they got back onto the highway, Fazil opened the chips and let Todd reach in. At this point, if either of them had a cold, they both had it.
Shit. “Um.”
“Yeah?”
How to ask? “You had a lot of sex...”
“Yup. With men I didn’t know.” Todd glanced over. “First thing Martin insisted was that I get tested for everything under the sun. Wasn’t about to have sex with me until we both knew the results. I always insisted on condoms, but...”
“They’re not perfect.” Didn’t he know that from watching some of his friends get pregnant, despite the guys wearing condoms?
Todd took a few more chips. “Like I said, I was lucky. I managed not to catch anything.” He paused. “I still get myself checked periodically. Side effect of Martin.”
“Sounds like he was a good guy.” Fazil fought against the voice in the back that whispered,a better man than you.
“He was,” Todd said. “I wish you could’ve met him.”
Fazil took a few chips to cover his flinch.
“How ’bout you?” Todd changed lanes. “Probably should have asked before I fucked you into my mattress, but you’ve always been fastidious.”
Those two things, being tested and the memory of Todd drilling into him so deep and rough, bent Fazil’s brain sideways and he choked on a potato chip. “Um.” God, he was hard again, the image from the gas station filling his head. “I get tested. Nothing’s come up.”
“Not a dad?”
He laughed. “No. At least not that anyone has told me, and I think they would have. I’m on good terms with most of my exes.”
“Well, that’s good.”
The conversation dried up. Not uncomfortably. Todd reached over and grabbed chips, and a few times slid a hand over Fazil’s knee.
