Jared knew the chances of someone being able to come were less than zero. Dylan didn’t get along with his brother, andhe hardly ever reached out to his parents for help. It was his way of keeping some space, as they were already clingy enough. He’d literally said once that he was a parent to his parents, and they weren’t old enough to need so much care. As for his friends, they were probably working. There was no way they could drop everything and watch over his feverish ass.
Dylan chuckled, the strength almost visibly leaving his body. “Cabinet, above the sink.”
“Roger that.”
Jared headed into the bathroom. After scanning the shelves for a minute, he found the thermometer and some Paracetamol. The man would need it.
When he returned to the living room, Dylan was in the exact same position as before. If it weren’t for the way he was struggling to breathe, Jared would have thought he was actually dead.
He shook his head and left everything on the coffee table before going to the kitchen for a glass.
“You should go to bed.”
“I’m fine here.”
“At least undress?” Jared said as he poured some water.
No answer.
He raised his head to see if his friend had passed out, only to be met with the cheekiest of grins.
“You’re just dying to see me naked, huh?”
“What?” Jared’s eyes bulged out of their sockets.
Dylan cracked up like a madman, arms wrapped around his stomach and all. “The look on your face,” he hollered between uncontrollable laughs and coughing.
“The fuck?” Jared mumbled, snickering.
“Can’t blame you,” Dylan said. “I’m hot as fuck.”
Jared snorted. “You are, but you’re also sick as fuck.” He left the glass of water on the table and handed Dylan the thermometer. “Put it on.”
“Why don’t you put it in me?”
“You sure would like that.”
“You have no idea…”
For a moment, the world stopped rotating, frozen in the intensity of Dylan’s blues as they stared at each other.
The man was sick—clearly delirious—his body temperature most likely boiling and disintegrating all his brain synapses.
However, the blunt meaning of his words didn’t go unnoticed. Deep down, Jared didn’t even want to ignore it, nor did his dick. The possibility of turning this man inside out as they both came all over each other was too alluring. So much so that he’d felt an unwanted throb in his jeans.
You’re in a relationship, for fuck’s sake!
Just thinking about crossing that line was beyond wrong. If his boyfriend ever heard any of the thoughts floating around whenever Dylan popped into his mind, his already low self-esteem would go to shit.
“Shut up,” he snapped, slapping the thermometer on Dylan’s chest.
“Okay, okay…” he grumbled, still snickering, but did what he was told and tucked it under his armpit.
Once Dylan had calmed down, a heavy silence filled the room for a few seconds.
“I’m sorry about the other day.”
Jared glanced at him from the coffee table, where he was sitting with his arms crossed.
