“What?” Jack asked, confused. “Also, can we not talk about him while we have hard-ons?”
Callum barked out a scratchy laugh. “I just left work. I was supposed to work.”
“Hmmn. I think he’ll give you a pass."
“Did you want to finish the movie?” Callum asked.
“What I want is to go to bed with you. I’m jetlagged beyond belief.” Jack stepped back, twining Callum’s fingers with his, not able to break the contact between them. It felt too good after so long without.
“Bed it is,” Callum said, tossing back the rumpled comforter and sheets. He sat on the mattress and scooched backward, making room for Jack to slide in beside him. Callum’s bed was soft; the mattress felt like it was made of a mountain of pillows covered in a fitted sheet.
“How do you ever get out of this thing?” he asked, settling against the pillow.
“I try to not,” Callum admitted, rolling onto his side to face Jack. He reached a hand out and traced his fingers once again along the arch of Jack’s cheekbone.
Jack took his fingers and kissed them, holding them against his mouth.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” Callum whispered, darting his glassy eyes away before focusing back on him.
“I couldn’t stand to be away from you another day, kitten. Every day, I thought about everything you said the last time we talked, and I felt worse and worse until I realized I was being ridiculous. That I was the one holding us back. Thank you for not giving up on me.”
Jack swallowed, painfully aware of how terribly different this could have gone if Callum had decided things with him were too much or not worth the wait.
“I’m glad you came around.”
“God, me too.” Jack maneuvered an arm under Callum and pulled him close, breathing in against the top of his head. “You were right all along.”
“About?”
“August was too far away.”
Callum pushed up onto his elbow and looked down at Jack, a small wrinkle appearing between his eyebrows while he studied his face. Jack reached up and rubbed his finger across the line, willing it away.
“What’s wrong, kitten?” he asked, sliding his thumb around Callum’s eyebrow to the corner of his eye.
“I’m just so glad I never gave up on you.” Callum smiled and settled back into the sheets against Jack’s chest.
“Me too.”
Callum sighed happily. Jack closed his eyes, his heart beating slow and steady against the side of Callum’s face.
“Our heartbeats are in sync,” Callum murmured.
“Are you surprised?”
Callum shook his head.
“Can I still have a rule?” he asked after a moment, his voice shaking a little.
“Ask me,” Jack replied.
Callum inhaled and his body shook against Jack’s. “I never want to be apart from you again.”
Jack rolled them over until Callum was on his back. He looked down and studied his face, those fucking bright green eyes that glowed so earnestly back at him.
“That’s a big rule, kitten.”
Callum’s nostrils flared at the endearment and it caused Jack’s dick to throb against his leg.
