“I like this shower,” Callahan said.
Water slicked down his face, and he scrubbed it away, throwing his hair back with a flick of his wrist. Callahan’s eyes watched him intently, bright and blue, and Jace wanted to cry for the love that he felt when Callahan smiled at him.
“I like it too.”
It didn’t take long to come, and he painted the tiled floor with a gasping cry and the spray of his cum. He fell forward as he came, bracing himself on Callahan’s chest with a slick hand. Callahan grabbed his fingers, yanking him close and kissing his knuckles, the creases in his skin, his fingernails, and then followed suit.
Jace braced himself against Callahan, the water running cold against his back and swirling down around their feet. Without a word, he bent down and collected the loofah, rinsing it and re-soaping it, then he brought Callahan closer and washed him.
Carefully, slowly, reverently.
He was going to be late for work, but this had to be worth it. He would make it worth it. When he finished, he turned them around and moved Callahan under the spray, rinsing the soap off his body. Then he lathered some shampoo in his hands and washed his hair.
Callahan watched him the whole time, in this new and silent and thoughtful way he’d had about him since they’d gotten home from Mallardsville. Jace had to look away because the guilt of what he was about to do was too much for him to shoulder in such a small space.
After his hair had been cleaned, Callahan rose onto his toes so they were eye level, and he softly pushed their mouths together.
“I need to go,” Jace managed to say, kissing him again and again and again.
“Are you coming back tonight?” Callahan asked. “When you’re done at work?”
“No.” He cleared his throat and said it again, so maybe he’d believe it. “No. I need to go through the pictures and deal with some stuff for the showing.”
It wasn’t entirely a lie, but it was all things he could do on his laptop from the comfort and luxury of Callahan’s couch. He needed to put space between them to get some air, so when he finally cut the ties between them, he had a chance at surviving.
“Alright,” Callahan agreed.
He turned off the water and handed Jace a towel. Jace padded into the bedroom, still dripping wet. He had a few outfits at Callahan’s, and in case things happened faster than not, he picked the one he would miss the most if he didn’t get it back. He dried and dressed, using the towel to shake as much water out of his hair as he could. He packed up his camera and gathered his things, then found Callahan in the kitchen, brewing a cup of coffee.
“Would it be okay if I came over later then?” Callahan asked. “When you’re done.”
“I need to spend some time with Remington.”
“Oh.” Callahan snapped his mouth closed and drummed his fingertips on the countertop, waiting for his coffee.
“But soon,” Jace blurted.
“Did I ruin everything by telling you how I feel?” Callahan had his back to Jace, and Jace was thankful for it because he couldn’t control his face.
He closed the space between them and kissed the back of Callahan’s neck, loving the way his hairs raised and his skin prickled when he did it.
“No,” Jace promised. “You made it perfect.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Callahan Wants to Show his Love
“Rhys called me the other day.” Sebastian leaned back in the wicker patio chair and stretched his legs out, crossing them at the ankles.
Callahan cast him a glance, noting that his best friend looked better every day. He wouldn’t go as far as to say the divorce from Daniella was good for him because the drinking was still bordering on excessive, but the separation wasn’t hurting, either. Much the same, Callahan often thought of the lightness he’d felt in his chest since he’d unofficially cut ties with the lingering social circle of his youth, thinking that for the first time in his life, he was able to come of age.
The idea was preposterous, as he was already past thirty, but he was finally living on his own terms, and it felt good. He still had his money and the business, but he’d already begun the steps necessary to transfer operations of the firm to his COO so he could step back and pursue things he enjoyed.
Like Jace.
He hadn’t thought of much beyond that, but Jace was a good start and Callahan would find something to do.
“What did he want?” Callahan asked.
