“Do you want kids when you’re older?”
His head tilts. His brown-black eyes stare at the opposite wall. His posture is loose, one elbow propped on the arm of the couch, his other hand resting on his jean-clad thigh. After a moment, he says, “I wouldn’t say no. I guess if I found the right person...” He trails off, turning to me. “What about you?”
“I definitely want kids. At least two. They’re hilarious when they’re younger. But having children with my husband sounds really nice. I come from a close-knit family, so I want that for myself when I’m older.” I watch his reaction to my response.
He nods, still thoughtful. “That makes sense.” Kellan looks around, checks his watch. “It’s getting late. I should get going.” He stands, and I do the same.
“Yeah.” What I wish he’d do is stay longer. Stay the night. Ha. That’ll never happen. “Kellan?”
“Hm?”
“I had a fun time with you today. And thanks again for being a good sport about the birthday party.”
He checks his pockets to make sure he has his wallet and keys, then slips on his coat and scarf. “It’s no problem.”
My intention is to walk him to the door, say goodbye, and leave it at that.
That’s not what happens.
Instead, I get it into my head to plant a friendly kiss on his cheek. A thank you. But as I lean in to kiss his cheek, somehow Kellan shifts his head a fraction. By the time I realize what’s happening, it’s too late.
My lips brush his. Shock rolls through me like distant thunder, gaining in intensity as it courses through my body. Our mouths touch, our noses angled so his skims my cheek. I don’t know what to do. I’m afraid if I move even an inch, I’ll make this whole thing worse. It wasn’t my intention to kiss Kellan. At least, not on the mouth. A friendly peck on the cheek between friends. I do it with some of my gay friends. It’s never taken for anything besides friendly affection.
Kellan isn’t moving either. The air is charged with his awareness. A taut feeling between us, wrenching tighter the longer we stand there.
You come to a guy’s house expecting video games and food, and instead you get a kid’s birthday party and an unexpected kiss from your teammate. “Um, sorry. That was an accident. You moved and—”
He startles. “It’s okay. Really. Um.”
“You can kick my ass if you want.” My attempt at humor doesn’t sound as smooth as I’d like. Fuck.
Kellan offers me a small smile. “Maybe another time. I have to go. Thanks for… today. Really. And I’ll see you tomorrow?” The door opens. He closes it with a soft click in my face.
Chapter 11
Noah
The moment I close Max’s apartment door behind me, I bolt for my car. It’s only as I’m yanking on the door and it doesn’t open that I realize I’ve forgotten to unlock the car.
With trembling hands, I dig my keys out of my pocket, unlock the car, slide inside, and start the car. Sitting in the driver’s seat with the heater turned on to full blasting, I let the warm air thaw my frozen fingers, and I try to suck in enough air to keep me from hyperventilating.
What just happened?
I’m pretty sure Max and I shared a kiss, but it was perhaps the most chaste kiss in the history of kisses. Dry lips, no tongue. And yet my entire body had felt shot through with electricity.
I’m still not sure how it happened. One moment I was looking down, and the next moment, I was lifting my head without realizing how close he was standing, and our mouths… touched. Can it even be considered a kiss without intent behind it?
Which makes me wonder.DidI want the kiss?
No point in lying to myself. I wanted it. I shouldn’t have wanted it, but I did. I do. Spending time with him today felt completely natural. Hell, I even enjoyed a kid’s birthday party—mostly. That’s enough to send me into panic mode, because going down that road is the last thing I need.
As I clutch my cell phone to my ear, listening to it ring, my car idles in the parking lot. There’s a chance Max could look out one of the windows overlooking the parking lot, but I’m not dumb enough to drive while on the phone in poor weather conditions. The roads are icy at this time of year.
Kellan picks up on the third ring. “Hello, Brother,” he says breezily.
“I can’t do this anymore.”
There’s a silence, one of astonishment.
