Page 61 of Necessary Time

“Youlikeit,” I said, rolling the word around in my mouth.

“Let’s get cleaned up and then we can go get some breakfast,” he said, ignoring my comment.

Which was fair.

It wasn’t a conversation either of us was ready to have, even if the seed—ha!—had been planted.

“Do you want to shower first?” I asked.

He frowned, pulling back further. “I figured we could shower together.”

I pursed my lips and shook my head, untangling myself from his arms.

“No. That whole perpetual motion thing.” That earned a laugh and, with ease, the tension between us snapped. “You go first and I’ll hop in when you’re done.”

“Alright.”

Colin dropped a kiss against the top of my head and made for the bathroom. Once I heard the water turn on, I ran for my phone, scrolling furiously through my messages until I found Grayson’s name.

Me: How do you know if you’re in love with someone?

His reply came quickly.

Gray: Too early for this, Wes.

Me: You’re awake.

Gray: Not coherent. Too early for love.

His comment rubbed me the wrong way. He didn’t know what being with Colin was like. Sure, we hadn’t been together long, and we weren’treallytogether at all, but that didn’t mean there weren’t feelings between us. It bothered me that Grayson tried so quickly to dismiss them. It made me think of Henny and all the times he dismissed me because of my age or my immaturity.

Me: You don’t know what it’s like between us.

Gray: Not what I meant. Early on the clock.

Gray: We can talk about it when you’re home.

Me: Right. Okay. Sorry.

Gray: Goodnight, Wes.

Me: It’s Saturday morning.

He didn’t respond to that, and I assumed he must have fallen back asleep or deliberately chosen to end the conversation, which was acceptable. Grayson and I got along, but that was a heavy question and itwasreally early. I hated that I didn’t have anyone else to talk to about it, but it would have been a question in the past for David.

In fact, it had been.

We’d talked about it once, but not in this context, and it was impossible to replay the conversation without wondering if all the examples he’d given had been about me all along.

When you don’t want to be apart from them.

When they’re the first person you want to share something with.

When thinking about them makes you smile.

I sighed, turning away from my reflection in the black screen of my phone. Thankfully, Colin appeared in the doorway, water rolling down his chest and a towel held loose around his waist. It was low, the thick curls around his cock damp and in plain sight. Maybe an endless cycle of orgasms and cum wasn’t the worst way to live.

“It’s all yours,” he said, letting his towel fall.