Page 123 of Necessary Time

He glanced up from his lap.

“If you want to talk…”

“I know,” he said quietly. “You’re my best friend too, Wes.”

“You don’t have to say that just because I said it.”

“You’re a different kind of friend than Miles.” Grayson shrugged. “And it’s really good. Thank you.”

“Thankyou.” I turned the unwarranted praise back at him. “You’ve been here for me since the first time I came to California. You let me move in with you and you got me a job. You aren’t even making me pay rent.”

“Just paying it forward,” he said.

On the driver’s side of the car, Colin was quiet as he headed toward Hollywood. After unrolling my window for me, because he knew I always liked it down, he stretched over the center console, resting his hand on my thigh. The cool ocean air whipped through the car, tearing my hair out of place, and I didn’t think I’d ever been happier.

It was so easy to be in love in California. In love with the weather and the views, and the man beside me whose cum was currently leaking out of my ass. Even in love with Grayson, who’d shown me an entirely different and important kind of friendship from what I’d known with David. California had given me more than I’d ever dreamed of.

“Whatever I do tonight,” Grayson said, stabbing at the button to unroll his window too. The sound of the wind and the traffic outside almost drowned him out, but I heard the message as he looked away. “Don’t let me call Rob.”

“What?”

“You heard me.” Grayson covered his face with his hands, making a frustrated sound. When he let his hands fall away, his features had cleared. He was back to wearing the casually cool mask he normally favored, and I understood the conversation was over. But we’d heard each other and whenever he wanted to talk to me, he would.

I turned forward in the seat, threading my fingers through Colin’s and readjusting our hands on my lap. I let my other arm fall out the window, hand dancing over and around the wind. Colin had already put on my favorite playlist and I hummed a familiar song, watching the sights of the city whip by.

“Hey,” Colin whispered, giving my hand a squeeze.

I rolled my head to the side, brow arched.

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you,” I said back, smiling as he kissed the tops of my knuckles before returning our hands to my lap. “I heard you talking to Grayson at the house about the poppers.”

“Best birthday present ever, by the way.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “It just brings up…there’s something I was meaning to ask you.”

“You can try them too if you want,” I said quickly, not wanting to be a hog about them. “They’re not just for me.”

“Not that.” He shook his head, pulling into the parking lot behind Marzena’s. As soon as he turned off the car, Grayson threw open the door and headed inside, leaving us alone.

“What’s up?” I asked, unbuckling and turning toward him.

“This is embarrassing.”

“After everything we’ve done?” I feigned offense. “After all the things we’ve shared? I’m probably sitting in a pile of your jizz right now and I don’t think anything could be more embarrassing than having dinner with my brother while that’s happening.”

“Thanks for reminding me,” he groaned. “But not that.”

“Colin.” I leaned closer, sliding my hand around the back of his neck and pulling him so close that our noses bumped together. “You can ask me anything.”

He closed his eyes, like he couldn’t bear to look at me, and he asked me, “What’s hentai?”

I laughed, throwing my head back before crashing our mouths together and kissing the concern right out of his mouth.

“I’ll show you after dinner,” I promised. “When we have a little more time.”