Chapter Fourteen
Julian rolled over as he began to wake, the warmth of the bed too comfortable to even consider giving up just yet. He’d slept better last night than he had done in alongtime, completely exhausted by being with Isaac.
The thought brought a smile to his face instantly, and he reached out to the other side of the bed.
Only to find it empty. And cold.
Julian sat up, his heart sinking down to his stomach as he realized Isaac was gone, and had been for a while. Did he regret it? Had they just screwed everything up between them?
He sighed, glancing over at his alarm clock to check the time. Instead, a piece of paper caught his eye.
A piece of paper with Isaac’s handwriting on it.
Julian snatched it up, eager to see what it said, and smiled as he read the first two words.
No regrets, it began.
Relief washed over Julian. He’d been so afraid for a moment that Isaac would hate him now, that he’d feel used, or… or like this wasn’t something he wanted to face. Isaac thought of himself as straight, after all.
Even if evidence was beginning to pile up that he maybe wasn’t.
Had to leave early for training,the note continued.You looked peaceful so I didn’t wanna wake you. See you later.
It wasn’t exactly signedLove, Isaac,but Julian would take what he could get. This was a lot better than he’d been afraid it might be.
Julian groped for his phone, yanking it away from the charging cord and opening up a new text message to send to Isaac.
Thank you for leaving a note,he typed, and then hit send.
He was grateful. He would have spent the whole day with his stomach in knots over how Isaac felt now if it hadn’t been written down so plainly for him to find.
While he waited for a response, Julian climbed out of bed and stretched, bracing himself to face the day. A task which, as it turned out, seemedjusta little easier now.
Now that he knew there was someone waiting for him on the other side of it. Maybe not tonight, maybe he wouldn’t see Isaac for another few days, but it was something to look forward to. That was nice. He hadn’t had much to look forward to for a while.
His phone vibrated on the nightstand.
You sleep okay?Isaac had texted back. Julian’s heart swelled, a tiny squeak of joy catching in the back of his throat.
Isaac could be sweet when he wanted to be. It was really,reallynice to have that sweetness directed at him.
Better than in a long time,Julian responded, taking the phone with him as he headed to the bathroom. He had to get ready for work, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t talk to his…
Boyfriend? Maybe. Not quite, though, not really, despite what Isaac had planned on. Julian was beginning to see that he reallyhadn’tput that much thought into the plan at all.
It seemed like he’d just been reaching out to someone he knew who might understand what he was going through. Like maybe he’d discovered something about himself.
Julian gnawed on his lip, unsure he should be thinking that about Isaac at all. It wasn’t as though he could read the guy’s mind, but…
It didn’t feel like a coincidence that he’d kissed his first boy a little over a week ago, and he’d hadsexwith his first boy last night. It felt more like being kissed had changed him. Or notchangedhim, but given him the courage to see who he really was.
Julian almost wished he’d had the courage to do it back when they were teenagers. Maybe things would have worked out very differently.
Or maybe Isaac would have taken to avoiding him, and he would have lost the only support he had at a time when he needed it most. Isaac’s friendship had been, and would always be, more important than access to his cock.
Dick was easy and plentiful to come by. Friends like Isaac weren’t. Which was why Julian planned to be very,verycareful about this.
His phone vibrated again as he turned the shower on, and he rushed to check it while the water heated up.
