He emerged from the bathroom wearing the new boxers and robe, and he gestured to the open door. “Your turn,” he said.
“Thanks.” Thomas had a pile almost identical to the one he’d handed Rhys, and as he approached the bathroom, he paused to crane up on his toes and give Rhys an appreciative kiss on the cheek. “Mm… You smell good.”
Rhys ducked his head bashfully, but he didn’t pull away. This new dynamic would take some getting used to, but he was determined to try. “Thanks. It’s probably the hotel lotion. I didn’t use the whole bottle if you need some too.”
Thomas pulled back, and his smile was warm. “It’s not the lotion, it’s you. But the lotion isn’t bad.” He batted his lashes playfully. “You can sniff me when I’m done too. Just to make sure I’m up to standards.”
“Okay, I will.” The words were out of Rhys’s mouth before he realized he was going to say them, but Thomas didn’t seem to mind.
“Good.” Thomas gave him another grin, then went into the bathroom. Rhys heard him turn on the water in the shower, then Thomas began singing the lyrics to “Call Me.”
Rhys paused in the middle of getting dressed to listen. Thomas had a good singing voice, but the lyrics were what got Rhys’s attention, and he wondered if Thomas was sending a message when he sang “cover me with kisses.”
After several minutes the water stopped, then Thomas stepped through the door wearing the robe and rubbing at his long, damp hair with a towel. “I wish I’d thought to ask for a hairbrush. Getting the knots out with a comb is going to be painful.”
“Would you like me to do it?” Somehow, Rhys’s mouth got ahead of him again, and he gave a sheepish little shrug. “I’ve had practice, after all.”
Thomas’s smiled at Rhys as though Rhys had hung the moon. “Would you mind? We have time, I think. If you sit in the chair, I can sit on the floor.”
Rhys went to open the curtains and let in the morning light, and then he sat down in the chair next to the balcony door. He scooted it away from the table to give Thomas room and then beckoned to Thomas. “Come on over. We’ve got plenty of time.” Memories of the night before flashed in his head, and he remembered how the man at the front desk had seemed star-struck by Thomas. “Plus I think your fan will cut us some slack on checkout time.”
Thomas settled down in front of Rhys and gave a hum of contentment. “So you remember Caleb, do you?” he asked. “I wasn’t sure if you would. You seemed almost asleep at that point.”
“Is that his name?” Rhys took the comb and separated a section of Thomas’s hair. He’d enjoyed combing Thomas’s hair the first time, but it seemed like an even more intimate act this time, considering their new dynamic. “Some things are clearer than others. I think I remember him because he was such an obvious fanboy. Did he ask for your autograph?”
“No, but I offered it, since he was so nice.” Thomas relaxed, seeming to enjoy Rhys’s efforts. “He’s the owner of the resort, if you don’t remember that part. He’s the one married to the Michelin star chef.” He fell silent for a moment. “You didn’t want me to kiss him. You were very specific about that.”
Rhys groaned, his face growing hot again. “I’d managed to block that out, but it’s coming back to me now.” He ran the comb gently through the silky length of hair, careful not to yank on any tangles.
“Well, it’s not like I really wanted to kiss him,” Thomas said. “I was more interested in kissing you.”
Rhys stopped combing and leaned forward, trying to get a look at Thomas’s face. “I thought you said you have feelings for someone already,” he said, a puzzled frown creasing his forehead. The more Rhys thought about it, the less sense it made that Thomas was so willing to tumble into bed with him, unless he was being used as a rebound.
“I do.” Thomas averted his gaze.
“Then why would you be interested in kissing me?”
“It’s a good thing you’re pretty, because you sure can be a dumbass sometimes.” Thomas shot Rhys an exasperated look over his shoulder and shook his head in disbelief. “Youare the someone.”
All Rhys could do was sit there and blink like a startled owl. He hadn’t let himself think about the possibility that Thomas was interested in him, although a tiny part of his mind — one that sounded a lot like his mother — caustically noted that he was an oblivious idiot not to have considered it.
“Well…” Rhys tried to figure out something to say that would acknowledge Thomas’s admission without opening up a deeper conversation than he was ready to have. “You did kiss me, so I guess it all worked out.”
“I guess it did.” Thomas settled back into place and stroked Rhys’s leg idly. “You’re a good kisser. Even when you’re sloshed.”
Rhys almost blurted out, “Maybe it’ll be even better when I’m sober,” but he managed to keep his mouth in check this time. He wasn’t ready to make such a bold statement yet.
“Good to know,” he said instead. “I do remember the kissing. I thought you were a good kisser too.”
“Thank you.” Thomas gave Rhys’s leg a squeeze, then returned to stroking. “I was surprised you’re such a cuddler. I never thought of myself as a life-sized stuffed animal before, but you know… I liked it. You wrapping yourself around me. It made me feel safe.”
Rhys stopped combing, taken aback. He remembered holding Thomas in his arms and how good and right it had felt, and he was glad Thomas hadn’t minded.
“It was nice,” he said quietly, resuming the combing process again. “It was different with Andy. We were about the same size, so I couldn’t wrap around him like that. I liked holding you that way.”
Thomas sighed softly. “I’m glad it’s different with us. Maybe you won’t feel like I’m trying to take Andy’s place. I’m not, you know. If we’re going to be together, I want my own place in your life, but I respect what Andy was to you. I won’t be upset if you want to talk about him or if you say you miss him. I won’t even mind if there are things you don’t want to do with me because you did them with him and you’re not ready to let go. I know he’ll always have a piece of your heart that belongs only to him. I don’t begrudge him that at all.”
Rhys felt like a weight he hadn’t known he was carrying had been lifted, and relief washed through him. If their relationship was going to work, he would have to let himself open his heart to Thomas in a way he hadn’t planned on doing again, and in the process, Thomas would have a place in his heart. But so did Andy, and that would never change. Knowing Thomas understood that and wouldn’t be jealous of his past helped ease his mind a great deal.
