“Okay, I guess. It was an ear infection, like you said. Jemma said the pain would subside after about twenty-four hours on the antibiotic.”
“Good.”
Cael grabbed two beers from the fridge and popped the caps, then handed one to Zach. Zach grabbed hold of it, but Cael didn’t let go. Instead, Cael tugged Zach toward him just a little, testing the waters because, Jesus H. Christ, he wanted him, and if there was a chance Zach wanted him too, after all this time, he needed to know, because it was getting significantly more difficult to hide it.
“All that aside, this is your night, Pook. I’m not gonna limit how much you drink unless you want me to, and we’ll do whatever you want to do, but just a reminder that if you drink too much, not only will you wake up with those little leprechauns chiseling away inside your skull but you’re also gonna be stuck sleeping here with me tonight.” Cael said it that way purposely, keeping his eyes locked on Zach’s, and the reaction from Zach was not at all what he had expected.
Zach actually relaxed a bit and rolled his eyes at Cael, of all things. Even laughed a little. “You that hard up that you’re trying to get me in bed with you, Manning?”
Cael laughed, going along with it. One, because Zach sounded like his old self and it was absolute music to his soul, two, because if he didn’t, Zach would probably figure out just how much Cael did want him in his bed, and three, Cael had no clue if he was purely joking or not, especially after his recent conversation with Chloe.
“I don’t know. Is it working?”
Zach took a swig of beer. “I’ll let you know after I’ve had a few more beers.”
Cael didn’t usually get hard when he said stuff like that, but this time… “Tease.”
Zach raised both eyebrows, giving Cael a once over and a shrug. “Who says I’m teasing?” he smirked, then left the kitchen, heading for the living room.
Zach set his bottle on the table and proceeded to pull out the old Atari game system Cael’s grandpa had handed down to him years ago before he died, leaving Cael short of breath with a major hard on.
Frack me.
Cael adjusted himself and drained about half his beer, watching as Zach settled in the middle of his worn-out, extra-comfy couch and plugged the two joysticks into the console. Cael sank down into the cushions next to Zach. They sat shoulder to shoulder. It was about as close as Cael would normally sit, which was still far closer than most straight guys would, friends or not, but Zach had never minded.
Never minded? Geez, had he really been that blind? If Chloe was right about him, Cael would never hear the end of it from her.
Grabbing the second-player controller, Cael set his beer down and leaned back, his dick straining against the denim in an obvious bulge. With a discreet wiggle, he adjusted himself again as Zach leaned forward and flipped the switch to power on the game.
Zach remained sitting on the edge of the couch with his elbows resting on his knees, staring at the TV as if mesmerized by the auto game play sample taking place on the screen. He set the controller down on the coffee table then pushed both hands into his hair, letting his forehead rest on his palms. Without warning, Zach abruptly pushed to his feet and headed straight into the downstairs bathroom, locking the door behind him.
Okay, even Cael knew there was something to what had just happened. He wasn’t that blind to think he just suddenly needed to pee. Zach was nervous or worried or something.
Cael pulled his phone from his pocket and texted his sister.
Cael: How sure are you about Zach?
He stared at the bathroom door, hoping Chloe answered before it opened.
Chloe: Did you screw up already?
Cael: No. Just tell me.
Chloe: 100%
Cael: He seems nervous.
Chloe: I told you he was.
Cael: What should I do?
Chloe: Did you tell him yet?
Cael: No.
Chloe: Kiss him.
Cael: What if he doesn’t want me to?
