William was all too happy to relinquish control.
———
The late-morning sun warmed William’s skin, the soft breeze carrying scents of fresh bread, coffee, and those fat bouquets the florist had on display. His thumb moved to the slow rhythm of his leisurely walk, tracing gentle circles on Adathan’s hand.
He glanced at Adathan strolling next to him for the umpteenth time, and his heart swelled at how goddamn lucky he was. It was difficult to fathom why he’d resisted so long.
In a sense, he was proud of himself for it—impulsive as he was, he rarely managed to show restraint. It was proof of how much he cared. Of how much Adathan mattered to him.
William let go of Adathan’s hand to squeeze past a large group of people crowding the sidewalk. He stopped and turned, waiting for Adathan to fall back into step with him.
Adathan wore a black hoodie and faux-distressed blue jeans today, his long hair bouncing as he caught up with William. They exchanged smiles, and their hands found each other as soon as the space on the sidewalk allowed it. Just like magnets.
Adathan had taken off his last bandages this morning, his cuts now almost completely healed. William was optimistic that no such incident would happen again. He’d make it clear to Adathan that mistakes weren’t worth panicking over. After all, they were onlyhuman.
“You guys have any plans for the afternoon?” William asked as they turned onto Oliver’s street.
“He didn’t say. Maybe we’ll play Scrabble again or watch TV. And you? What will you do while I’m gone?”
“Miss you” almost slipped from William’s lips. It was scary but the truth. Now that he’d embraced his attraction to Adathan, all he wanted was to spend every waking minute with him. And sleeping too.
“Not sure,” he said. He hadn’t given it much thought, busy as he’d been having Adathan on his mind, in his bed, and in his arms. “I might take a nap.”
Adathan bit his lip seductively. “So, you’ll be energized upon my return.”
Heat crept up the back of William’s neck—and down low. He glanced around them, but no one seemed to pay them any mind. When he looked back at Adathan, he found a self-satisfied smile on his face.
William narrowed his eyes. It appeared Adathan enjoyed making him all hot and bothered in public. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t like it, but he knew better than to give Adathan the power of openly admitting it.
“We’re here,” William said, stopping in front of Oliver’s apartment building.
Adathan wrapped his arms around his torso. “Thank you for walking me.”
“Of course.” William stroked his back. “Just ask Oliver to let me know when you’re ready to leave, all right? I’ll come get you.”
“There’s no need.” Adathan pulled away, giving him a bright smile. “I know the way back now.”
William blinked at the unexpected response. Was this about boundaries again? Nothing in his body language should have made Adathan think he needed space. Unless it was Oliver who—
No. From the few texts they’d exchanged, it was clear Oliver wouldn’t treat Adathan the same as before. Oliver was smarter than that.
Still, William couldn’t understand what had changed—why Adathan suddenly wanted to walk alone.
“You sure?” he said. “I really don’t mind.”
Adathan cocked his head. “Are you concerned for my safety, William?”
William’s lips parted, but he said nothing. Yes, he was worried, though he had no reason to be. It was barely a ten-minute walk, and the neighborhood was one of the safest in the city. If Adathan felt confident he could find his way back, then he should too.
But something felt . . . off.
Maybe Adathan needed space? He spent most of the week alone, so that’d be surprising. But he was never alone outside. Perhaps he just wanted to explore the neighborhood at his own pace. Despite his unease, William could understand that.
“All right,” he said. “Just ring the doorbell when you get home so I can buzz you in. I’ll stop by the hardware store tomorrow after work to get you a set of keys.”
“A set of keys?”
“Yeah.” William smiled, ignoring the discomfort in his chest. “That way, you’ll be able to get in and out whenever you like.”
