“Uh.” Ramin looked around, confused. Pulled out his phone, but the screen stayed dark. He blew a raspberry. “Nowmyphone is dead. Cockblocked by an iPhone.”
Noah’s chest fluttered, but he wasn’t thinking about that right now. “We can go to my hotel. I have a charger.”
“Okay.”
Noah kept hold of Ramin’s hand as he led the way back to their hotel. As they passed a pharmacy, Ramin snickered.
“Look. The vending machines sell condoms.”
Sure enough, a large silver vending machine stood outside the dark, locked pharmacy. It had more than just condoms: There were lubes, vibrators, tampons, pregnancy tests, even little bottles of soap for washing your butt when you used the bidet.
“Guess what! My luggage showed up!” Ramin sighed. “I didn’t bring any condoms in your size, though.”
Noah blushed, but his heart skipped a beat. He liked knowing that Ramin was thinking about him likethat.
He really, really liked it.
Ramin rested his head against the lit-up glass of the vending machine and heaved a sigh that would’ve made Jake proud. “And the pharmacy is closed.”
Noah smiled.
He wanted to do more with Ramin. But not now, while he was drunk.
“We’ll figure something out,” he said, hoping to get Ramin moving again.
It worked. Ramin pouted, but he started walking again.
Noah let Ramin in as quietly as he could. The walls were thick enough, he didn’t think they’d disturb Jake and Angela, but on the off chance they woke up, he didn’t want to have to explain this. Not when he was still trying to wrap his head around it himself.
“You want some water?”
Ramin nodded. He could hold his head up straight again, and his walking had improved. He was sobering up, at least a little. He scratched at the center of his chest.
“I better. Thanks.”
Noah grabbed a bottle, handed it over. Ramin cracked it, took a huge glug, and immediately spat. He coughed and wheezed as Noah patted his back and winced at the noise.
“The bubbles,” Ramin sputtered.
Crap, Noah hadn’t meant to grab the frizzante one.
Ramin wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
Why was that so sexy?
He took another, slower drink, as Noah self-consciously assessed his room. It was smaller than the one they’d shared in Como. And messy, too. Who could keep a neat hotel room when you sometimes shared it with a nine-year-old?
Noah gestured for Ramin to sit on the bed, then settled down next to him.
“Thanks for coming to get me.” Ramin sighed. “How’d you even find me?”
“Your picture.”
“I sent a picture?”
Noah’s eyebrows raised, and Ramin blushed.
Noah liked it when Ramin blushed, liked the way the pink spread all the way down his neck, toward his collar.
