Landon wanted to make sure that Gregory knew who he was now, and that he kept that separate from the child he used to be. He wanted to get to know who Gregory was now. Landon had this idea of Gregory in his head, of the sort of man he’d always assumed he would grow in to, and he worked daily to reconcile that idea of Gregory with the man he was learning Gregory to really be.
He’d found himself surprised in the instances when he realized he wasn’t far off in his memories. When Gregory reacted a certain way or did a specific thing, and Landon would think,I knew he’d do that. But there were times where Gregory caught him off guard, and it was those times when he had to remind himself that he was working with two separate understandings of Gregory in his head.
One thing Landon hadn’t been surprised by was the ease with which Gregory commanded him. Kneeling for him was like slipping into a pair of his favorite shoes—well-worn and familiar. Gregory’s dominance radiated from his chest like a beacon of light, and even if they hadn’t known each other in a past life, Landon liked to believe they still would have been drawn together.
Finally deciding on a shirt, Landon pulled a dark purple button-up from his closet and slipped it over his shoulders, turning to face Verity as he buttoned it. His hands trembled and fumbled around the tiny holes. Verity unfolded themself from the bed like a mountain cat and met Landon in the middle of the room. They swatted Landon’s hands away and finished dressing him.
“He loves me,” Landon whispered.
Verity smiled, patting their hand on top of the final button. “I know. And you love him, too.”
“I know,” Landon agreed.
“Now that we’re all agreed…pants.” Verity tapped Landon on the hip and turned him toward the dresser. “The black jeans, the ones with the hole in the knee.”
“Really?” Landon looked over his shoulder. “I’m in my thirties. I don’t even know why I have those.”
“Because they’re hot,” Verity told him, reaching over his shoulder and pulling them out of the drawer. “Now, put them on.”
Landon shook out the jeans that Verity had made him buy and shoved his feet into the narrow leg holes.
“Jesus. These are snug.” Landon bent over to gather the material together so he could pull them up his legs.
“You’re welcome. You haven’t been skipping leg day; be sure to show them off.”
Landon wiggled his ass into the jeans and snapped the button. He shoved his hand down his pants and adjusted his cock toward his thigh, hoping he wouldn’t lose circulation.
“I think I’m gonna invite Gregory and his friends over on Saturday. During the day. I want them to meet you, like officially.”
“Ooh.” Verity raised their eyebrows. “Is this like my debutante ball?”
"Why? Are you looking for a suitor?” Landon angled a brow up.
“I’m not against the walnut crusher. What’s his name?” Verity tapped their chin in thought.
“Don’t for one second act like you don’t know his name, Verity.” Landon rolled his eyes and forced his phone and wallet into his pockets.
“Aaron,” Verity breathed out his name like a prayer.
Landon looked at them sharply. “It sounds like you have a bit of practice with how those syllables roll off your tongue.”
Verity narrowed their eyes at him. Landon didn’t miss the way heat crept up Verity’s neck, coloring it a flushed and vibrant fuchsia.
The doorbell rang, and Landon decided to let Verity off the hook. He huffed out a laugh at his rarely flustered best friend then made his way downstairs. He opened the door and found Gregory there, all broad and handsome. He was in dark denim jeans and a black henley. The sleeves were pushed up his forearms and the curly brown hairs that lined his arms sprang free.
Gregory’s eyes dropped to Landon’s legs, taking in the frayed material at his knee and the unmistakable bulge at his crotch. His nostrils flared and he looked back to Landon’s face.
“Ready?” he asked, his voice thick with want.
Landon nodded. “Yeah. Yes.”
Landon followed Gregory down the porch and to his car, leaning over to pop the driver’s door open once Gregory had settled him inside.
“Where are we going?”
“Dinner.”
Gregory drove them through the city and merged onto the freeway, heading towards downtown. Landon held his hand over the console, drawing circles against Gregory’s palm with the edge of his thumb. It felt right, it felt like home.
