The truth springs to my lips. “I’m not,” I admit. It may seem cold, but I have no love for that man. Felix turns to look at me. “He wasn’t good to my mom. He terrorized her. She tried to leave, but then she found out she was pregnant with Alyssa, so she kind of gave up after that. Then he died.”
“Oh, I’m really sorry. Either way. That’s not something anyone should go through.” I don’t miss the quiet tone. “I’m sorry about your mom, though. I bet she was incredible.”
Yeah, she was. It’s not something I’ve come to terms with yet. Still the worst day of my life. My mother was the sweetest soul and didn’t deserve the life my father pushed her into.
I need to think about something else. “What about you? Where did you grow up? Your family?”
“I um, I grew up less than an hour from here. My father isn’t alive, and my mom, she was never there much. I haven’t seen her in years. I heard she married some guy, but I don’t even think she lives in Oregon anymore.” I want to ask more but I don’t want to make him uncomfortable.
“What did you do for work before this?”
“I worked at a dental office.” Felix looks at me, his legs softly swinging off the dock. “Have you thought more about when you’re going to tell your friends? They will support you. They seem like good people.” I take it for the subject change it is.
“Even the one who yelled at you?”
Felix smirks, shrugging. “He only did that because he cares. Plus, he apologized.”
“You sound like his fiancé.”
“What about you? Any girlfriends? No one comes to the house... I just, I mean I?—”
“No, no girlfriends.” A smile grows on my face. “Ever.” Confusion hits his eyes. They’re a softer shade of brown in the sunshine. “It’s been a while since I had a man in my life, though.”
“You’re gay?” I nod. “That’s—” There’s a tug on his fishing rod. “Oh! I got one. What do I do?!”
I put my arm around him to help hold it steady. He looks to the side, his lips so close to mine. His breath ghosts over my lips. His eyes dip to my mouth, then he slowly drags his attention to my eyes. He tilts his head slightly to look at me. I’m barely breathing. “Greyson?” The breathy way he says my name makes me thicken behind these damn jeans. “What are?—”
A tug startles us, and I close my hands over his. “Reel it in slowly.” I smile. “Nice and gentle.” He shivers. “Like that. Real slow.” He licks his lips. The action goes straight to my cock. “That’s it.” I look at him, drunk on whatever this feeling is. Fuck he’s cute. “Felix?—”
He leans in slightly. “Ah!” He jerks back. Water hits us as the fish on his reel thrashes. It’s almost to the surface when I see it. He turns with a swallow, focusing back on the rod, and he reels it out of the water. “I don’t want to touch it,” he laughs.
I grab the fish, unhooking it from his line. It’s a pretty good size rainbow trout. “Looks like we have dinner.” I look at Felix. “You may want to look away.”
“Why?”
“I don’t think you want to see this part.” I grab my supplies and watch as Felix turns away. I quickly stun the fish then take care of it before placing it in my cooler. “All done.Do you want to head back or keep fishing?” I wipe my hands on the wipes I brought out here.
“Can we head back?”
I’m still trying to find my damn sense because it sure as shit isn’t here. “Not really your thing?” I am not good at this. “Sorry, this was kind of lame.”
“Honestly?” Felix looks out at the lake. There it is again, that light airy feeling when I look at him. It’s not even about the feelings I currently have. It’s seeing the happiness on his face. I remember how he was when he first moved in. All nervous energy and high anxiety that you could feel radiating off him in waves. I soak in the calmness he has about him now, and I hope that means he knows I won’t hurt him. I hope it means he can trust me.
“Yeah. Be honest.”
He looks at me, smiling, and heat explodes inside me. “This is the best day I’ve had in years.”
TEN
Felix
Grey reaches up to the top shelf and grabs two cans of frosting. My mind is still a wreck after everything today. My nerves were on edge the entire time we drove around, but then down at the dock, I don’t know. It’s like all my fear melted sitting beside Grey. I felt safe.
Even if Steven somehow found me, I felt at that moment I was protected. Then, when Grey helped me reel in that fish... The closeness, the smell of his bodywash, the way his arms felt around me... it was as though nothing could touch me even if it tried.
He almost kissed me. Right?
My eyes flit to the way his shirt rides up as he reaches for the frosting, my attention on the sliver of exposed tan skin. He practically ripped his jeans off and changed into a pair of sweats the moment we stepped through the door. I know that practically, the sweats and boxers are more comfortable, but visibly...
