Emmett went on to show him some new signs, Wilder mirroring his movements. He got more of them wrong than he got them right, but the frustration that would normally try to overwhelm him never came because of the joy shining from Emmett’s eyes, the laughter it drew out of him. He was all too happy to mess up if it meant he got to see that again and again. His perfectionism was taking a step back for once, and he was enjoying it. He was enjoying himself.
“How do you say dick?”
Emmett’s brows lowered into a frown, and for a moment, he thought he might not answer.
“There’s not really a sign for it. You can fingerspell it or use the sign for penis,” Emmett said, showing him the sign.
“Doesn’t really have the sameumph,does it?”
“Depends on your expression,” Emmett said with a shrug.
“How’s this?”
He cocked a brow at Emmett, lips pulled into a sly smile as he raised his right hand to his face, moving his middle finger to hit the pad of his thumb the way Emmett had demonstrated.
Emmett chuckled low and shook his head.
“That’ll do it.”
“How do you say?”
“No,”Emmett signed, the snap of his fingers combined with his raised brows driving home exactly what Emmett meant about the expression being important.
“Don’t you finish that thought,” Emmett said, red creeping up his neck.
He felt a smile spread on his lips as he leaned back, arm thrown over the back of the couch.
“No dick talk,”Emmett signed. Well. Nopenistalk, but he was absolutely going to use that sign as meaningdick.
“Killjoy.”
Emmett rolled his eyes, soft laughter filling the room.
“I should get back to it,” Emmett said and rubbed the back of his shoulder.
“Maybe you should quit for tonight.”
Emmett pursed his lips, gaze moving to the wall and the paint cans, then back to Wilder. Emmett had a stubborn streak that he generally admired, even if it made his job harder.
“Fine,” Emmett sighed.
They shared a soft smile, and then he said, “You pack up in here, and I’ll lock down the gym.”
He headed through the gym to the front, where he knew Dash and Alvis were hanging out. He sent them home a few dollars richer and then checked all doors and windows, making sure everything was locked. He was trudging down the stairs from the second floor when he found Emmett waiting for him, looking up with a soft smile and vibrant eyes, jacket on, and his bag in hand.
“You ready?”
Emmett nodded, lifting the strap of his bag over his shoulder.
He led the way down the hallway to the back door, much too aware of Emmett’s soft footsteps right behind him. He opened the door and scanned the parking lot before stepping out and letting Emmett exit.
He handed Emmett his helmet and watched as Emmett pulled it over his head before he put on his own. He dug his key out of his front pocket and mounted the bike, starting the engine before Emmett slid on behind him, arms wrapping tightly around his middle.
He knew Emmett could easily drive Miles’s car here every day while he followed on his bike, but he liked to torture himself by having the man pressed against him. Aside from their time spent together with Emmett teaching him ASL, this was his favorite part of the day.
Riding gave him a sense of freedom he’d never found in anything else. He tapped Emmett’s leg to let him know to hold on before speeding up. Emmett’s arms wrapped tighter around him, but not in the panicked way he’d held on the first few times he’d had him on the back of his bike. It made him smile to himself because just maybe that meant Emmett was feeling that freedom riding with him, too.
He almost slowed down again just so he’d get to feel Emmett pressed against his back for longer, but it wasn’t exactly a longride to the clubhouse, and soon he was forced to slow down to take the turn down the driveway anyway.
