“No, but I can keep a surprise or two, right?”
Damn, that’s hot.
“I normally hate surprises. But in this case, I’ll take it.”
He laughs. “Good.” His face goes closer to the crook of my neck, and I feel his breath on my skin. “You’re going to pursue your dreams, Clay. I see how hard you work, and I know what your craft means to you. I’m really happy for you.”
“I’ll celebrate when it’s all done. But yeah. It’s looking good. And this guy cares about the gayborhood. That’s why he wants to move here from downtown. He’ll be a good neighbor and take care of the place.”
“I’m more than a little relieved.” He rubs his hand across my chest. “Look at that,” he says, not entirely enthusiastic. “Everything is turning out just like we hoped.”
“I’ll be relieved when you don’t get too bad of a rent hike.”
“I’m going to have some new financial realities to face, but Flower Hub is the big factor in that. Not you. You didn’t have to consider my situation as you made your decisions, but you did. I’m grateful.”
I’m glad he sees it that way, but I still feel like I owe him something. Or maybe like we owe each other a whole lot.
Nicholas drags his hands down to my hips. I’m hard, and I suck in a breath, his hand only inches from my bulge.
Slow touching. Nothing more.
“Just because I didn’t fuck you over, that doesn’t mean I deserve an award,” I tell him.
“Oh, I think we’re going to earn plenty of awards before you leave town.”
I chuckle, and Nicholas strokes my chest.
“I don’t know about awards, but I’ve been doing pretty good. Haven’t had a single freakout, in case you didn’t notice.”
“At all the gay sex and butt stuff, you mean?”
I cup his ass and hitch him closer with a growl. “Saybutt stuffagain.”
Nicholas laughs, and I keep my hand on his ass.
“You’re getting off easy,” he says. “Everything we do happens behind closed doors. You might not shy away from a rim job, but what if I tried to kiss you in the grocery store? Or asked you to dance with me at the bar?”
“You do shit like that all the time,” I point out. “You hook your arm with mine, and you kiss the air around my face. You squeezed my bicep in front of the bagel truck line yesterday.”
“I’m affectionate with my friends. That’s different.”
“Okay,” I admit. “I’m not a touchy person, though. I don’t… touch. People. Or dance with them. Especially not in front of other people.”
He laughs. “I know. And you’re right. You get credit for enduring casual affection in public. You’ve succeeded at all of your gay experiments.” His hand drifts back to him as he lies against me. “You’d be adorably hot dancing in public, by the way. I know you aren’t looking for love. But if someday down the road someone manages to force you to dance, please send me a video.”
I grunt. “It wouldn’t be that bad.”
“No, it would be that good.”
I grumble, but I’m smiling.
“Speaking of not dancing, do you want to come to my thirtieth birthday party? Half the neighborhood will be there. It’s an afternoon garden type of event with a bar and catering.”
I wrinkle my brow. “You want me to come?”
“Like I said, no expectations for dancing, gifts, or anything sentimental. But it would be nice to have you there with my other friends, if you’re free and up for that kind of thing.”
He might as well ask me to walk into a volcano, but I don’t want to disappoint him.
