“Because I wanted to make sure you’d come.”
“Red,” he said softly. “I called all weekend. I sent like forty texts.”
“Forty-seven. I know. But then they stopped, and I was worried—” He bit his lip. “I thought maybe—”
That Linc had given up on him? “I had to go to work.”
“Oh.” Then Avery glanced up, mouth curving into a smile. “Oh!”
It hurt that he would even consider Linc abandoning him so quickly. But then, hadn’t he done exactly that at the auction?
“Red.” He took a step forward. “I’m sorry. So sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I was trying to do the right thing for my family and I—I can’t even tell you how sorry I am for what I did to you in the process.”
“I know.” Avery shivered again. “I did read all of your messages. A few times. I’m sorry about your dad.”
That was—a very complicated topic. Linc and his dad might not ever come to an understanding, not with the time left. It didn’t matter, though, not in that moment. Right now, all that mattered was Avery.
“How’s your sister?” Avery asked.
“Why are you asking about my family? How are you?”
“I’m—” He gasped and nodded, like he was agreeing with a thought he hadn’t put voice to. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
“Still leaving for Atlanta?”
He nodded again, but his smile faded. “Yeah. It’s better that way. I don’t think I can actually be a grown-up in this town. I’m going to go down next weekend and look at some apartments.”
“That’s good. That’s—” He licked his lips as he tried to find the best way to ask his question. “Could I come visit you? Once you’re moved in and settled?”
Avery’s smile came back, soft and perfect, as he ran a hand over the back of his head and down his neck. “Yeah. Yeah, I think I’d like that.”
“Yeah?” Relief burst in Linc’s chest and warmed him from the inside.
“Sure. I mean. If you still want to. I was pretty awful to you the other day.”
“Oh, Jesus, Red.” He couldn’t help himself. Linc reached for Avery and pulled him close. They both sighed at the contact. “I deserved everything you had to say. My family is a disaster from beginning to end, but their mess doesn’t excuse that way I broke my promise to you.”
“But I—”
Linc kissed him. Avery would never win that argument. But he opened up for Linc, melting against his body, while Linc threaded his fingers into Avery’s red hair. They were touching from chest to knee, and he could still feel too much space between them. He took one more step forward. Avery was still barefoot, while Linc was still in his boots. Avery yelped and hopped backward as Linc stepped on his toe.
“Sorry! Sorry. Are you okay?” It would be just like them to screw up this moment with a broken toe
“Fine.” He shivered again. The edges of his lips were tinged with purple.
“You’re really cold, aren’t you?”
“Maybe a bit.” His quivering chin and chattering teeth betrayed his words.
They warmed up in the shower, staying under the spray until the water turned cold. Then they stumbled toward the bed with hands and laughter, flinging back the blankets so they could curl around each other naked.
Linc could barely believe he had the stamina after the night he’d had, but relief outweighed exhaustion. They were here again, in this little basement apartment that had somehow become theirs. He came embarrassingly quickly as Avery blew him like a champ. Linc returned the favor with his tongue and the little jeweled plug until Avery was screaming his name and coming all over himself.
After, when they were warm and sleepy and spread across each other and Linc’s arms and legs felt like they were turning to stone, Avery sighed quietly on his chest. “I know you said I couldn’t ask you to make the decision for me. About Atlanta.”
“Mm-hmm.” Sleep was coming fast and made words hard.
“But.” Avery traced small circles in Linc’s chest hair, tangling the threads together until they pinched. “Since I’ve made up my mind now, do you think, maybe, instead of visiting, you might...I mean. Do you think—”
