“I’mnot gonna say no,” Ash said. “How do you want me?”
Declansnorted. “Just maybe turn around a little? Unless you wanna sit on the floor.”
Ashconsidered that option, but the floor seemed very far away right now. Instead,he turned to his side on the couch, crossing his legs so he was mostly balancedon it.
Hehissed the moment Declan’s fingers made contact with his back, sore musclesprotesting at first, but when the warmth of his hands started to seep in, itwas bliss. Ash closed his eyes, humming softly as Declan squeezed his shoulders.
Thewarmth of Declan’s hands rolled through his body, Ash’s muscles easingprogressively under his touch. He bit his lip, squirming under Declan’s touch,heat building deep in his gut.
Itwasniceto be touched. He hadn’t had that in a while.
Declan’shands were warm and soothing, his fingers finding every knot of muscle and sorespot as though Declan had x-ray vision. Within the space of thirty seconds, Ashhad gone from tense and sore to slow, even breathing and heavy eyelids.
Hesighed happily, finally able to relax.
Ifit meant bonus shoulder massages, he should have married Declan for aninheritance years ago.
“Good?”Declan asked after a few moments, when Ash had been silent for a while.
“Ohyeah,” Ash responded, rolling his shoulders back. “You should consider chargingfor this.”
“Idon’t think I could do it for just anyone,” Declan said. “I’d have to likethem.”
“Some and your new boyfriend, Marcus,” Ash teased. Marcus had been in a few times,and he and Declan had been chatting excitedly about coffee and pastries theentire time. Declan wasn’t the kind of man whomadepastries, but he wasa big fan of eating them.
Itwas cute, and it made Ash so happy to see Declan making friends. He deserved tohave as many people love him as possible.
“He’snot my new boyfriend,” Declan said. “Even if I was gay, I don’t think he’d be mytype.”
Ashchuckled. “What would your type be?”
“Idunno,” Declan responded.
“Butnot Marcus?”
“NotMarcus,” Declan confirmed, running the pad of his thumb up and down the back ofAsh’s neck. He was starting to get a little oversensitive now, the frictionbetween his clothes and his skin starting to irritate him, but he didn’t wantto give up the contact just yet.
“Ilike him,” Declan added. “I want to be his friend and everything, but I don’tthink… he’s one of the guys, you know?”
“Ihate to break this to you, but one of the primary features of being gay is thatyour boyfriend does tend to be a guy.”
“Iguess,” Declan said. “I dunno. I know what I mean, but it’s hard to explain.”
Ashpaused for a moment to consider that. Hedidunderstand what Declanmeant, sort of. Not everyone was his type, even if he was perfectly happy to betheir friend.
Declanwasn’t in that category, and Ash had known that for a long time. Declan was hisfriend, but he was also firmly Ash’stype. Ash wasn’t sure whether ornot Declan knew that.
“Youwanna switch positions?” Ash asked, happy to change the subject if it meant hedidn’t have to hear he wasn’t Declan’s type, either.
“Seriously?”
“Seriously,”Ash said, unfolding his legs so he could change his position. “This has workedwonders for me, and I can’t do this alone, either.”
Besides,Declan had hurt his shoulder a while back, badly enough to have his arm in asling for a few weeks. He probably needed this more than Ash did.
“Youdon’t have to,” Declan said, even as he shifted to give Ash access to his back.
“Iwant to.” Ash put his hands on Declan’s shoulders, wincing at how tight theywere. Hedefinitelyneeded this. “We’re partners. Maybe not… I mean, Iknow the marriage is fake, but we’re stillpartners. We should take careof each other.”
