They knocked into the walls, the metal door, anything in their way, searching for more space without letting go.
Neither of them heard the main bathroom door open.
“Ody, are you in here?” Steve’s voice echoed.
They broke apart instantly. Both froze, pressed together in the cramped stall, eyes wide, breath ragged. Ody’s hands were still against Mano’s bare back, fingers trembling.
Footsteps approached. They held their breath, bodies rigid.
Two knocks hit the stall door. “Ody?” Steve called again, right outside.
For a split second, both of them wished the ground would swallow them whole.
Chapter 41
Ody’s mind raced. If Steve saw them like this, bodies pressed together, Mano shirtless and breathing hard, it would be game over.
The door rattled again, making both of them jump. “Yeah, I’m here!” Ody called out.
Mano shot him a startled look.What the hell are you doing?
“Come on, dude, why aren’t you answering? I heard a noise. You good?”
“Yeah, man. I was tying my shoelaces and lost my balance,” Ody said, not daring to look at Mano, even though he was still inches away.
“Alright… You coming out?” The sink turned on.
“In a bit.”
“Where’s Mano? Have you seen him?”
Their eyes snapped to each other. Ody answered fast. “His phone rang. He stepped outside to take a call.”
“You want me to wait for you?”
“Nah, go ahead. I’ll be there soon.”
Footsteps faded before the door opened and closed. The hallway fell quiet again. Ody exhaled hard and backed away, finally giving them space. Mano shook his head in disappointment.
“What?” Ody asked.
Mano grabbed his shirt and yanked it over his head. “You’re a damn good liar.”
Ody clenched his jaw. “What exactly did you want me to say to him? If you’re so brave, why didn’t you open your mouth and say something?” He shoved him in the chest.
Mano stepped into him without hesitation. Ody’s back hit the tiled wall. Their faces hovered inches apart, breaths mixing, but there was nothing soft about it. The air between them tightened like a live wire pulled too tight. Mano’s gaze dropped to Ody’s lips for a heartbeat, then dragged back up to his eyes. Heat snapped between them, angry and hot. Then Mano tore his eyes away, yanked the stall door open and walked out.
Ody stayed frozen for a moment, staring at the empty doorway. His pulse was still hammering in his ears. He couldn’t walk out right after him. He forced himself to stay put, pressing his palms against the stall walls, trying to steady his breathing. Thirty seconds. Maybe a minute. Long enough that Steve or anyone else wouldn’t think twice about it.
When he finally stepped out, he splashed water on his face, straightened his shirt, and fixed his hair. He looked almost normal. Almost.
Then he headed back toward the table, pretending he hadn’t just been pinned to a wall with Mano’s face inches from his.
When the food arrived, the group slipped into easy conversation. At some point, plans for a night swim started forming, everyone getting excited about it. The idea spread fast, laughter picking up around the table. Ody barely reacted and Mano stayed quiet, while the rest of the group made their plans.
They stayed there for hours, eating, talking, and settling into that lazy vacation rhythm. By the time they finally left the restaurant and made their way back to the hotel, the sun was already turning warm on the buildings.
It was 4 p.m when they reached their rooms, the night swim set and agreed upon.
