But he thought of everything his therapist had said and sighed. “But, honestly, I could use a little time to think.”
“Sure, okay,” Graham said.
He didn’t sound upset but Thad still winced. He rubbed a hand across his face, feeling like he was letting Graham down left and right.
“I’ll make it up to you tomorrow,” Thad promised.
“Deal. I should probably get back in there. I ordered food.” Graham sounded almost apologetic. “I wasn’t sure when you’d get here, so ….”
Thad winced. “Yeah, go eat. And I’m sorry. I really am … I want to do better. You’re—you’reimportantto me, Graham. You know that, right?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“I did warn you I’m new at this and I’d probably be kinda shitty at being someone’s boyfriend, remember?” He said it not as an excuse for his behavior, but more as a reminder he wastryingbut still figuring things out.
“I remember.”
Thad couldn’t really get a read on Graham’s mood at the moment, and he suddenly hated that they were talking on the phone. Hated he couldn’t touch Graham.
“I miss you,” he admitted.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come over?” Graham asked. “I could get this to go and order something for you …”
“Thanks, but no,” Thad said. “I really do need some time to think. I promise, we’ll spend tomorrow together though. All day.”
“Okay. Sounds good. Night.”
“G’night,” Thad said.
He hung up the phone, tossed it beside him on the couch, and stared up at the ceiling.
Maybe someday he’d figure out this relationship shit. He just hoped he didn’t lose Graham before that point.
The following day, Thad awoke to the sound of barking.
He blinked, confused and annoyed and ready to stumble out of bed and yell at his stupid neighbor with the annoying dog.
Thad lifted his head, squinting around him, and abruptly realized he wasn’t at home. The wide, comfortable bed with the mountain of pillows and luxuriously smooth sheets were a far cry from his shitty small mattress and bargain bedding in a bag.
The annoying dog didn’t belong to his neighbors, but to hisboyfriend.
Thad buried his face in the mound of pillows around him and smiled. They smelled like Graham.
He had come over early, before practice. Graham had answered the door in nothing but a sheet. Thad had immediately dragged him to the bedroom.
He’d fingered Graham while he sucked his cock, half-tempted to give in to the urge to fuck Graham for the first time, but there hadn’t been enough time, and it wasn’t something he wanted to rush.
Graham had given him a handjob, cleaned up, then left Thad in his bed with a kiss. Thad must have fallen asleep after.
Through the half-open bedroom door he heard Graham hiss, “Cut it out,Murphy!”
He must be back from practice now.
Thad yawned and stretched, taking in the tangled sheets and the time on the clock across the room. Damn, he’d slept for a while too. That was a good sign, wasn’t it?
He’d finally managed to get some sleep at Graham’s place. Maybe not overnight and not with Graham here, but a couple of hours wasn’t nothing.
Maybe the talk with his therapist had helped.
