Leon’s fingers tightened slightly on James’ arm, but before he could say anything, Trina chimed in, “We have plans tonight, and yes, Hailey’s mom gave us permission before she went in to work, and no, we don’t need a ride.”
This seemed to catch Leon off guard. He huffed and slid his hand down James’ arm to entwine their fingers. “Where are you going?”
“To a dinner theater!” Hailey said, bouncing up and down on her ruby red ballet flats.
Leon narrowed his eyes at her. “The one across town?”
“That’s the one,” Trina said.
“And your mom knows?” he confirmed. At Hailey’s nod, he pursed his lips. “Does she know it’s sleeting pretty hard out? Are you prepared to drive in that?”
“Oh my god,” Hailey said, dropping down so her feet were flat on the floor. She cocked her hip and placed her manicured hand on it. “I know how to drive in a little sleet. I’ve lived here my whole life.”
Leon squeezed James’ hand, and it reminded him of the haunted house once again. Given how cold Leon’s fingers were, though, James figured the weather might actually be quite bad.
“We could–” James tried to offer, but Trina shook their head.
“You can enjoy your night. We’re good,” Trina said.
Hailey took out her keys and spun them around her finger. “I’ll drive super safely, okay?”
“You should share your location with your mom. Or me, if you don’t want to share it with her for some reason,” Leon said, a muscle in his jaw ticking. “Especially if you decide to go somewhere else and don’t want to tell her. At least let me know so I can check that you get there safely.”
Hailey sighed, but Trina shrugged. “Okay.”
“Okay,” Leon said, some of the tension leaving his body.
“Have a good night. Happy Valentine’s Day to you both,” James said.
Leon sighed and pushed James back into the apartment so he could close the door.
“Hi–” James tried to say, but Leon captured his mouth in a kiss, pressing his slick jacket and damp chest tightly around James.
“Hi,” Leon growled back, immediately initiating a second kiss that was even steamier than the first.
If they kept at it like this, they might actually be able to evaporate all the moisture off of Leon.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” James said, kissing him a third time and only stopping when Yarmen meowed at their feet. “From meandYarmen.”
Leon looked down and let out a surprised laugh as he scooped Yarmen up. “Hey, buddy. Did you get all dressed up for our date?”
He continued to coo at Yarmen about how handsome he was, but he was looking at James. That swirl ofsomethingwas so predominant in his beautiful brown eyes that they looked almost golden.
The only thing that kept James from blurting out his confession of love right then and there was a drop of water running down the lapel of Leon’s jacket.
“Can I take your coat? I mean, it’s your house, so, obviously, you could take it yourself, but I sort of feel like I’m hosting, since I decorated and got all the food and am going to cook–as long as that’s still okay, and you don’t feel like I’m overstepping–”
“I’d love it if you took my coat. It mostly repels the water, but that means it ends up rolling down my back onto my ass anytime it rains or fucking sleets,” Leon said easily, sliding one arm out, and then juggling Yarmen so he could take off the other sleeve.
James took the coat, trying to avoid spreading more water on the ground, but it was a losing battle.
“Can you check if my ass is wet?” Leon asked as James finished hanging up the coat. He turned around to find Leon with one hand on the counter, his butt pointed in James’ direction.
A memory of Leon naked, completely blissed out and leaning against the same corner of the island, played across James’ mind.
“Did you actually want to talk about what Aspen said? The sweet boy comment?” James asked as he walked over to Leon. He ran his hand along Leon’s lower back and then grabbed his hip and gently turned him around.
Leon put Yarmen on the counter and grabbed James by his hips in return, so they were holding each other. “Is that what you want to talk about? I actually have given it some thought since our last time having sex,” Leon said, but his eyes widened, and pink appeared on the peaks of his cheekbones. “I mean, I’ve been thinking about some things, not specifically you…calling me a sweet boy or…whatever.”
