Will sighs and meets Nate’s eyes. A sharper Will might have seen through Nate’s innocent act, but this current Will doesn’t. He hands Nate the keys, their fingers brushing.
Nate must be more nervous than he realized, because now he’s the one who struggles to open the door. But he manages and opens the door for Will to enter. Before he can be told to leave, Nate steps inside and closes the door behind him, locking it with both the key and the deadbolt.
Will turns on the light in the small but homey livingroom. “You’re still here?”
“Just doing my duty as a man of the law.”
“You don’t give a shit about the law. Go home.”
“Are you always rude to your guests? Sit down. I’ll bring you water.”
“Nate—”
But he’s already exiting the living room and going into the kitchen. He takes a glass and pours water into it. Once done, he spits inside, liking the thought of his fluids sliding down Will’s throat.
“Here you go, buddy.” He hands Will the glass and sits next to him on the couch. He used to sleep on this couch from time to time, back when he, Will, and Joel would finish a night out. He’d lie awake while listening to them trying to have quiet sex, and sometimes he’d even put his ear against their door. If he tries, he can still hear Will’s deep, intimate moans.
Will takes a few sips before placing the glass on the table, where a few magazines of furniture and construction are scattered.Where’s the gay porn, Will?There must be something here, since he never hooks up with anyone, as far as Nate is aware.
Will rubs his face, shaking his head as if he’s trying to wake up. He’s wearing an open green flannel shirt and a white undershirt.
“How’s work?” Nate asks, leaning back on the couch and making himself comfortable.
“Fine. Busy.” He rubs his face. His cheeks are flushed,and his eyes are puffy.
“It’s great that you have your own business now. I remember when you first started working for old Dale before he retired. You bought the business from him, right?” Nate knows all that, but he needs to give the drug more time to work.
“Yeah, he sold me his equipment. I’m still paying him back. Shit, that last drink was too much. I really need to call it a night.” He begins to rise, but Nate pulls him back, and Will slumps down with no resistance. The drug is fulfilling its purpose. The idea wasn’t to make Will pass out, just to make him less sharp and easier to handle.
“You must be happy now that spring’s here.”
“Yeah, people point that out to me.” He shakes his head again, blinking like there’s light in his eyes.
“How’s your love life?” Nate asks, sliding an inch closer.
Will sighs. “I’m not looking for conversation, especially not aboutthat, and definitely not withyou.”
Nate can understand that. He was a fool to make a pass on Will shortly after Joel’s death, but he knew his best shot was taking advantage of Will’s grief and the chaos surrounding Joel’s death. Nate was willing to be the ally Will needed when everyone turned against him, but he bluntly refused. Nate doubts that waiting a few more weeks would have changed the outcome, since men like Will Thomas don’t end up with someone likeNate.
“Remember how you helped me when those kids wanted to kick my ass?”
“That was a long time ago.”
“Yeah, twenty years ago. I was nine, and you were ten. They called me a freak when I was walking back from school. They shoved me around, and then you showed up and stopped it.”
“Nate—”
“You fought them off for me.”
“They were assholes to many kids back then.”
Don’t say it wasn’t about helping me. Don’t fucking dare.
“Anyway, I don’t know why you can’t talk about your love life with me,” Nate says and casually rests his palm on Will’s knee. “We were friends.”
“Some friend you were.”
“Oh, come on. I was grieving too. Not everyone grieves the same.”
