“Sweet boys who bring flowers get lucky,” Charlie said, smiling a slow, warm smile.
Scott’s stomach swooped at the thought. He hadn’t been sure what to expect, but he’d gotten supplies and squirrelled them away in his bedroom just in case.
“Do sweet boys who kick your ass at bowling still get lucky?” Scott grinned. He definitely liked the idea of taking Charlie home with him, but he wanted to get to the date part, first.
This wasn’t just about sex. It wasn’t evenmostlyabout sex. For Scott, it was mostly about spending more time with someone he really liked. Someone he felt like he was on the same wavelength with.
Not that he was about to refuse sex or anything. The first taste had been hot, and he was definitely up for more.
“What makes you think that you couldpossiblykick my ass at bowling?” Charlie asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I know my way around a bowling ball,” Scott said. He liked to think he could hold his own, though it had been years since he’d played.
Charlie laughed a warm, deep laugh that ran all the way down Scott’s spine. “Okay. I’m gonna put my ass-kicking shoes on, and then you’re gonna walk me to the bowling alley. I assume.”
“I don’t have a car, so yeah. We’re walking.” Scott shrugged.
“Good.” Charlie said, heading into the hall and toeing a pair of well-loved sneakers on, balancing against the wall one-handed as he flipped the backs over his heels. “Walking makes a good warm-up.”
Scott followed Charlie out onto the porch, and then, with a surge of confidence, offered his hand.
Charlie took it, squeezing, lightly, and then tugging him away from the house and out onto the street, in the direction of town. It really wasn’t a long walk, and it was a nice night for it.
All the nights in Hope Springs were nice. Peaceful. People didn’t drive so much here, and Scott had passed at least a dozen folks walking on his way to Charlie’s house.
It was nice to live somewhere a little on the quiet side.
It was nice to be able to hold hands and walk to a first date.
It was going to be even nicer to kick Charlie’s ass at bowling.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Owen totally set me up,” Scott said as Charlie prepared to bowl his last set.
Charlie didn’t laugh at him, but he only just managed to stop himself.
Their scores were close—or at least, close by Charlie’s standards. Scott was actually pretty good at bowling, but Charlie was better.
The whole time, he’d been expecting Scott to notice that this was his game—from the fact that the attendant had just handed him shoes without asking, to the shield on the wall that had his name alongside the rest of his championship-winning summer league team.
Scott had somehow missed those clues, and was surprised when Charlie kept bowling strikes. He’d congratulated him so sincerely, as though Charlie couldn’t more or less have done it blindfolded.
Charliealmostfelt bad, but Scott had chosen this.
Apparently, with Owen’s help.
“It’s extremely cute that you’re asking people what I like, but you could take the obvious shortcut of just asking me personally,” Charlie said.
Scott sighed heavily, making Charlie turn around. He suddenly didn’t sound like he was having fun anymore.
“Did I screw up?” he asked, his eyes soft and worried. Charlie made a soft, sympathetic noise, and put the bowling ball down, crossing to where Scott was standing.
As soon as he was close enough, he leaned in and pecked him on the lips. Charlie wasn’t sure yet how Scott felt about public displays of affection, but there were only a few other people here, and they weren’t looking at them, anyway.
“No,” Charlie said softly. “I mean it, it’s cute that you’re asking around to try and make me happy, but this isn’t supposed to be all about me. I wanna makeyouhappy, too. And this is probably bordering on not fun for you, huh?”
Scott shook his head. “No, actually. It’s nice to see you do something you’re good at.” He shrugged. “Plus, I keep getting a great view of your butt.”
