“Over there, down the hall. Behind the bar.”
“Kay. I’m gonna go pee. I’ll be right back.”
He nodded, remaining uncharacteristically silent as I stumbled off to find the men’s room.
Oh boy.
I probably shouldn’t have told him that.
But the look on his face had been worth it. I could apologize tomorrow for being a drunken idiot. He knew I didn’t drink much.
He would understand.
Jay was thebestlike that.
He never made me feel bad about anything, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I finally had a real friend.
NOVA play: Hearts on Fire – Timmy Trumpet Remix ft. ILLENIUM, Dabin, Lights, Timmy Trumpet
Ifinished washing my hands and walked out of the bathroom to find Jay leaning against the wall, waiting for me. The hallway that led to the restrooms was empty, and the music from the bar was slightly muffled back here.
I startled a little bit when I saw him. I hadn’t expected him to follow me, and I gave him a tentative smile.
“Hi,” I said, taking in the serious look on his face.
He stared at me for a beat, then uncrossed his legs, gesturing to the space between his feet.
“Come over here, please.” The order rolled through the dimly lit hallway, and before I could think better of it, I found myself obeying.
He was leaning against the wall in such a way that when I was nestled between his thighs, we were eye level with each other, and it felt incredibly intimate.
My cheeks heated as he slowly raised a hand to the side of my face, gently tucking a lock of my hair behind my ear.
I shivered, and my eyelids fluttered.
He was always so gentle. It felt so good.
“So…you like it when I touch you, Milo?” he rumbled, and I nodded. Swallowing hard.
“Yeah…”
“Good. That’s good,” he breathed, running his hands through my hair again. “Because I like touching you, too.” He guided my head closer to him, and our breath mingled in the small sliver of space between us.
“Yeah, I know you’re probably touch-starved living here for so long. Don’t worry. I know it doesn’t have anything to do with me,” I rambled, my whole body still humming from the gentle play of his fingers in my hair.
His fingers tightened, and he jerked my head back slightly so he could look at me better.
“Is that what you think this is, Milo? You think I followed you down here because I’m touch starved?”
I swallowed and nodded—or as much as I could with the way his fingers were tangled in my hair.
“Well, I think everyone here kind of is.”
He chuckled softly, but there was no joy in it.
“You’re not wrong about that.”
He raised his other hand to my face and stroked his thumb over my cheek, his eyes shining with that look he always seemed to get when he was watching me.
