Every now and then, Colton’s hand would brush his, a soft graze, like he was reminding Zack he was there. No one ever touched him that way, casual but steady, not asking for anything in return.
He felt weirdly seen. And safe. Like there was nowhere else he’d rather be, even if his palms sweated every time Colton’s leg grazed his under the table.
The hour passed in a lazy stretch. Nothing pressed in on them except the occasional burst of laughter or low music from the jukebox. They covered everything from best pie flavors to worst job stories. Colton had one about a plumber replacing the wrong pipe, causing a flood, and Zack returned fire with a tale of an elderly customer who carried around his own honey, insisting it cured every ailment.
With each story, the space between them seemed to shrink—not physically, since Colton was already crowding the booth, but in the way strangers quietly shifted into something closer.
Zack’s mind kept blanking on how good Colton looked up close. The eyelashes, the flawless skin, the way his hands dwarfed a coffee mug. He couldn’t wrap his brain around the fact that this guy wanted to spend time with him. Said he was adorable and laughed at his jokes. Nobody made him feel like that. Maybe the popular kids in high school hadn’t been right after all.
At some point, Colton’s gaze sharpened, warmth giving way to something heavier. The silence lasted longer than Zack expected.
“Your wrist okay?” Colton’s eyes were on Zack’s left hand, which he’d been using to fuss with a sugar packet. The fabric had crept up enough to show off the bruising. Crap.
Zack jerked his hand back, sleeve down in a heartbeat. “Oh. Yeah, totally fine. Walked into a doorknob. I’m sort of gifted that way.”
Colton didn’t look convinced, but backed down. “Doorknobs are tricky that way.”
“Really. I make bandages my whole personality.”
But it didn’t fool either of them. Colton still watched him, a careful patience behind the eyes that said I’ll let you have your secrets but don’t think I won’t remember. Instead of pushing, his big hand squeezed Zack’s good hand just long enough to send a jolt through him.
“Glad you’re okay,” he said simply. “I can take care of that doorknob for you.”
The offer stunned Zack, but he quickly recovered and their banter resumed. Colton dared Zack to try a slice of huckleberry pie, but Zack declined. He swore the only berry fit for human consumption was strawberry. Colton refused to concede. Mid-argument, his knee pressed against Zack’s and didn’t bother moving away.
Something strange flickered inside Zack. Not just the quick thump of nerves but a sharper need. Not even sexual, although, duh, Colton was basically sex on a stick. Something bigger. Like the horizon had shifted and Zack didn’t even mind losing his balance.
Colton cleared his throat, drawing a napkin through one strong hand. “You ever ride a motorcycle?”
The question caught Zack off guard. “Me? No, my brother told me I’d end up as street pizza if I ever climbed on one.”
Colton’s mouth stretched into a slow, wicked smile. “I think you’d look good on a bike. Or more precisely, on the back of mine.”
“That… sounds dangerous.” Who was he kidding? Zack had always wanted to ride a motorcycle but had never been brave enough to try. Also, Craig’s warning had included sound effects and graphic descriptions of injury or death. His brother’s theatrics had given Zack bad dreams for weeks.
Colton traced the rim of Zack’s coffee cup with his finger. “Promise I’ll keep you safe.”
Zack’s heart tripped over itself. Nobody had ever said that to him—not his parents, and definitely not Craig. But Colton’s promise felt written in granite, making Zack consider acting reckless enough to say yes.
How often did he take chances? Hardly ever. The last time he’d taken a chance on a frozen meatloaf dinner because of a coupon. Worst. Meal. Ever.
Are you seriously comparing a ride with Colton to a frozen disaster? Get out of your head, dork.
Colton folded his arms on the table. “Offers stands, handsome. Whenever you want to feel blood rushing through your veins, wind in your face, and the sun at your back, hit me up.” He set his phone on the table. Zack pulled his out and they exchanged numbers.
Before Zack lost his nerves, he nodded. “I want to feel all of the above.”
He’d officially lost his mind.
Colton’s mouth curved slowly, eyes crinkling first, shoulders lifting with a faint laugh. “You keep surprising me, shorty. I like that.”
Heck, Zack was surprising himself, so enamored with Colton he was willing to become a splatter on asphalt. “You promised to keep me safe.”
“Always.” Colton stood, leaving Zack to wonder what that exactly meant.
Chapter Four
Staring at Colton’s bike, Zack immediately reconsidered every life decision that had brought him to this moment.
