“Fine,” Sage said. “Band-Aid didn’t make me smarter.”
“Still attached, though.”
“Barely.” They both grinned.
They ate at the table. “What’s tomorrow?” Bryce asked around a mouthful of noodles.
“Workshop at noon,” Sage said. “Then notes. You?”
“Gym early. Group study at two. I’ll text.”
“Okay.”
After washing the dishes, Bryce said, “Couch?”
“Yeah,” Sage said.
Bryce flipped the throw down and reached for the remote. He found an old cooking show rerun with bad lighting and soft clatter in the background.
When Sage sat, Bryce leaned in, and Sage met him halfway. The first kiss was soft and light. The second one was longer and deeper. Sage put his hand on Bryce’s side, pulling him closer. Bryce moaned and slid his hand over Sage’s chest.
Sage gasped into their kiss when Bryce’s fingers rubbed over his nipple. “Bryce.”
“They’re so sensitive,” Bruce murmured as he pushed Sage’s T-shirt up and licked over Sage’s nipple.
“I never knew they were until you.”
Bryce lifted his head and grinned. “I like being the first one to figure it out.”
Sage chuckled as he rolled his eyes. “Of course you do.”
“Let’s go to bed, Sage.”
Sage looked into Bryce’s eyes, seeing the heated look he gave him. “Yes.”
Bryce stood and pulled Sage up, then kissed him again. “Let’s go.” Sage laughed and followed Bryce into the bedroom. Not long after, the only sounds in the apartment were their moans and soft cries of pleasure.
Chapter Seventeen
Bryce woke before his alarm. Sage was tucked against his side, head on his shoulder and a leg thrown over one of Bryce’s. Bryce watched him breathe for a few seconds before seeing Sage slowly blink up at him.
“Morning,” Sage said.
“Morning.”
“Coffee?”
“I’ll get it.” Bryce eased out and pulled his underwear on and then walked into the kitchen. He set the coffeemaker, filled the carafe, and lined the mugs up. Once the coffee had been made, Bryce changed into his running gear.
“You going now?” Sage asked, rubbing his face with one hand as he came out of Bryce’s bedroom.
“Yeah. I’ll be back after you’ve showered, then we can have something to eat.”
Sage nodded. “Okay.”
The elevator took too long, so Bryce took the stairs. He jogged the three blocks to the gym, carded in, and headed for atreadmill. At seven a.m. there were only a few people there. One guy doing deadlifts, two on bikes, a girl with a jump rope.
He ran two miles easily, bumped it up for the last half mile, then took it back down. He stretched calves, hamstrings, shoulders. Sage sat front and center in his thoughts. The change in their relationship, from friendship to lovers, something Bryce had never expected to happen.
