Donny hadn’t meant that statement to weigh as much as it did, but the sincerity and the truth of it ricocheted in Roland’s head until it settled itself with a sticky and heavy finality. Roland hated the thought that Donny was settling by being with him. He glanced over his shoulder and watched the way Donny caught his eye and smiled. He watched the way Donny’s eyes sparked when they traced the lines of Roland’s arms, and Roland’s selfishness weighed on him like a stone.
“Am I?” he questioned before tugging a white v-neck tee over his head. Roland’s mind warred back and forth with itself.
Accept Donny at his word and give him all you canorcut him loose before it’s too late.
“Of course.”
Roland slid a navy blue blazer up his arms and shrugged into it, stepping into a pair of unlaced black boots before he turned back to Donny. He held his arms out to his sides and lifted his shoulders.
“Do I pass muster?”
Donny stood up and walked across the room, sliding his hands over Roland’s waist.
“Everyone is going to be so jealous of me tonight when they see you on my arm.” Donny smiled at him, and Roland hated himself a little more. Yeah, this thing with Donny might be an actual relationship, and he might be ready to acknowledge that, but that didn’t change the fact Donny deserved more than him.
“Debatable. Come on, let’s go.” Roland took Donny’s hand and guided them out of the bedroom.
Donny’s birthday party was being held at some restaurant in Hollywood that Athena loved, and since she'd been the one wanting to arrange it, Donny had let her plan everything. He pulled up a ride-share app on his phone and scheduled a pick-up.
“The car will be here in five minutes. We should head downstairs.” He slid his phone back into his pocket.
“Let me just fill up Pete’s water.” Roland held Pete’s bowl under the tap, then set it back down on the ground next to his food dish. Pete was nowhere in sight, and Roland was pretty sure he was tucked into the corner of the couch as that had become his favorite place to lie while Donny and Roland had dinner.
“You take very good care of him,” Donny observed, wrapping his fingers around Roland’s hand as they walked to the elevator. Roland shrugged.
“You take very good care of me, too.” Donny pushed him into the elevator and slid his palm down the front of Roland’s pants.
Roland groaned. “I think you mean you take good care of me.”
Donny curved his fingers around the shape of Roland’s cock and squeezed, only letting go as the elevator came to a stop on the ground floor. He hummed a non-committal sound and stepped back.
“We’re on a two-way street, just so you know.”
Roland followed Donny to the curb, trying to adjust himself without drawing attention to the fact that five seconds of attention from Donny’s hand had gotten him noticeably hard. Donny stepped in front of him and then back, aligning his ass with Roland’s cock, and he shimmied a little before looking over his shoulder to chuckle at Roland.
“You’re a tease.”
Their car arrived and ushered them through the horrendous traffic that existed in Hollywood every Friday night but reached the restaurant in surprising time. They got out of the car and Donny stared up at the sign for the restaurant before he reached down and grabbed Roland’s hand. Donny’s palm was clammy.
“I don’t want to go in,” he whispered, daring a glance at Roland.
“Why not?” Roland casually stroked his thumb over Donny’s knuckles in what he hoped was a reassuring way. It was something Donny had done for him more times than Roland could count.
“I just want to be with you.”
Roland squeezed his hand. “You are with me.” He meant for that to mean more than physically, and he hoped Donny would understand the meaning in his eyes.
“Am I?” Donny’s looked doubtful.
Roland nodded. “Come on.” He tugged Donny into the restaurant.
It was dark inside and loud. Roland gave the hostess Donny’s name and she pointed them toward a private room in the back. It was decidedly quieter in the room until Athena saw them enter and jumped up and screamed.
“The birthday boy is here!” She ran around the table and snatched her brother into her arms. Donny held fast to his hand, and Roland squeezed before untangling their fingers and allowing Athena to sweep him away.
“Can I get you anything to drink, sir?” A waitress appeared out of nowhere and Roland nodded eagerly.
“Vodka on the rocks.”
