Tek flops back onto the bed. “I’m still pissed at you for splashing me.”
"Such a toddler," I mutter under my breath as I open the van door.
"You started it."
"You're only proving my point," I tell him as I look out over the pebbles, sand, and waves. "You and Eden are so made for each other."
"And what about me and you?"
I'm really not sure how I'm meant to answer that. I know I want to be with Tek, and I know anything short of that will feel like we're robbing ourselves of something that could be life changing. But whether we're actually good for each other remains to be seen.
I step out of the van filled with the lingering scent of two men and left over sex, and breathe in the fresh sea air. "Do you wanna stay another night?"
"That's a hard no."
“Why’s that?” I ask, still looking towards where the sun is just starting to break over the water.
“Cause I wanna get you in my real bed.”
I glance back over my shoulder at him. “How quickly you’ve forgiven.”
"You're easy to forgive… Now shut the door. It's fucking cold."
Tek pulls the van up out the front of Eden’s apartment building. I watch his hand as he turns the key, willing him to take it out of the ignition but too scared to ask him to do it.
Back at the beach, we had the trees protecting us. Out here, this is real life. No pretending like this is a fairytale where age doesn’t matter. I’m not a Prince, and Tek is no Knight in shining armour. Here, he’s a man closer to forty than I am thirty, and that comes with judgmental eyes and extra scrutiny. And I can't dictate how he handles that.
I can want him with my entire body, mind, and soul, but if he pulls the pin before it’s even fully hammered down, I just have to deal with it.
I told him how I feel.
I told him I can’t keep working at the shop if we have to go back to ignoring our feelings.
But still, every single ball is in his court.
This ishishome.
Hisbusiness.
Hisgroup of friends.
Hisentire ass is on the line if someone wants to start a vicious rumor.
And none of those things even take Eden into consideration.
I love him, but I’ve lived most of my life without him. Tek, on the other hand, has his whole life intertwined with that stubborn son of a bitch. I might be willing to give my brother the middle finger if he disapproves, but that’s as deep as my stakes go…
The keys jingle in Tek’s hand as he pulls them out. “C’mon. I’ll help you get all your stuff inside.”
I smile and get out because I’m scared of sounding stupid for thanking him.
With my backpack on and my surfboard under my arm, I reach in and grab my sleeping bag.
“That’s enough.” Tek bats my hand out of the way when I try to pick up the tent. I step back and watch him climb in and drag the cooler towards the step. “D’you want your lube?”
“Nah, leave it there.” I turn towards the building. “Who knows when we might need it again.”
As I scan the fob that lets me into the building, I hear the van door closed. I hold the door open with my foot and wait for him, and it makes me feel way too warm and fuzzy inside to see him carrying my tent and cooler. Like, to anyone walking by he’s just a friend helping me out, but they don’t know our dirty little secret.
