Page 38 of Perfect Storm (Toronto Thunder #1)

“Don’t get carried away,” Levi said, snorting. Easier to make it a joke. Easier to do that than to try to figure out how to take it seriously. Even though there was a part of him—a part he was increasingly concerned wasn’t his dick—that wanted to.

“Hey, you’re the one who called me. Asked me how I knew Dylan was the guy.” Logan exhaled, a happy, contented sigh that Levi was not jealous of. Not one bit.

Levi had a fierce mini internal debate and finally gave in. “The guy told me he was in love with someone else,” he said.

It seemed like he’d shocked Logan into silence.

“For real?” he asked after that long fraught moment.

“Yeah. When I found out, it didn’t feel like a big deal. Like it told me he was queer, right, ’cause it was another guy he was into, and he was hot and I was like, well, why not give him a taste if he’s into it. He was. He is. But . . .”

“But?” Logan prompted.

Levi made an exasperated noise. “You fucking know what, Logan. But now I’m probably into him, and he’s not into me. Not like that. Likes the sex, sure, but what about anything else?”

“You could ask, you know,” Logan said.

“Yeah, ’cause if he doesn’t feel that way, that wouldn’t be awkward or anything.” It would be awful. He’d have to move out, but it wouldn’t matter, because he’d still see Aidan all the time. Every day, really.

And Aidan would feel bad—despite his reputation, Levi had discovered he had an unexpectedly soft heart underneath it all—because he’d just gone through the other side of this. But it wasn’t like feeling bad actually changed anything.

“Might not be.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so,” Levi said, feeling more sure than ever that he couldn’t.

“Levi,” Logan said softly.

“It’s a bad idea,” Levi said firmly.

“Alright,” Logan agreed. “But think about it, okay? Things always change.”

“Things might change.”

“Who are you and what have you done with my optimistic brother?” Logan teased, but the words hit home.

He didn’t want Logan to think he was sitting here crying about it. Aidan was in his bed—or he was in Aidan’s—and he couldn’t see that changing anytime soon. Maybe Aidan would never feel the same way about him, but as long as he had that, did he need more?

Levi didn’t think so.

“Actually, it’s good, I’m actually totally fine with how things are,” Levi said firmly. “He’s in my bed—or I’m in his. He’s not leaving for anyone else’s. So it’s cool.”

“How does Aidan feel about this guy being in your bed?”

Levi choked on air. Hoped that Logan didn’t hear it. “Uh, well. He’s um . . .he’s cool with it.” Cooler with it than Logan even realized.

“I was sort of surprised you didn’t find a new place right away,” Logan said, like he had no idea the shit he was currently wading into. And Levi really, really hoped he never figured it out.

“Uh, well, I’m pretty happy here. Settled, now. Aidan’s pretty decent to live with.”

“Sure.” Logan did not sound convinced. “I’m trying to figure out how you used to bitch about him, and now you’re like Aidan’s cool!”

Ever since I started thinking about getting him naked.

Levi wanted to defend the shift—wanted to defend Aidan, if he was being honest—but he couldn’t go too hard. Not without raising Logan’s suspicions. “Dude, he’s really kind of great.”

“You said that before,” Logan said. “Last time we talked.”

“Well, it’s true.” Don’t sound defensive, don’t sound defensive.

“Huh. Well. I suppose that makes sense, since you didn’t move out the moment you could.”

Levi hadn’t even thought about moving out. Especially not now, not since he’d started sleeping next to Aidan every night. Waking up in the morning to his bed head, to the sleepy heat in his blue eyes. He enjoyed it so much he couldn’t imagine leaving it for a bland, empty apartment.

“Yeah, well, if it works, it works.” And it worked.

“Guess so.” Logan still sounded incredulous but at least he wasn’t pushing it. Or suspicious.

“You gonna play in the next game?” Levi asked, changing the subject.

Logan made a frustrated noise. “No idea, but probably not. Coach is pissing me off.”

“Are you even allowed to say that?” Levi joked.

“Hell yes,” Logan grumbled. “He’s sitting a bunch of us. Resting up, I guess. Pax is really pissed, too. Wade and Tris, too. Sebastian’s been whining at Beau about it all week.”

Pax was the Piranhas’ starting quarterback, and Wade and Tristan played tight end and wide receiver for them, respectively.

“Wait, isn’t Sebastian dating Beau?” Levi asked. Sebastian was the Piranhas’ Pro Bowl safety, and Beau was the assistant coach—and son—of the Piranhas’ head coach, Asa Dawson.

“Yeah, you know that, Levi. That’s why he’s trying to use his influence.”

“I take it it’s not working.”

“Not really.”

“Sucks, dude,” Levi said, though it wasn’t like he was going to play again.

Coach Zane had made a few offhand comments about running him again at left tackle for a few plays next week, but Levi wasn’t sure if he had a decent week of practice if those reps would even materialize.

Especially if they wanted to spend the field time figuring which backups would be making the final fifty-three-man roster.

“I just wanna play,” Logan complained.

“You’re gonna get there,” Levi soothed. Sometimes Logan could be so bitchy. “Week one isn’t that far off.”

“Fair,” Logan agreed. There was a sound on his side of the call. “Hey, I gotta go. Dylan’s home.”

“Can’t keep your man waiting,” Levi joked. Even though Aidan would be home soon, too. Aidan wasn’t his man. Not in the same way Dylan and Logan belonged to each other, but he still wanted to be off the phone by then.

“Yeah, yeah,” Logan said. But he sounded distracted already, and that was par for the course whenever Dylan was involved.

“Talk to you later, bro,” Levi said and hung up.

He groaned and slid out of bed after plugging his phone in to charge and got into the shower.

By the time he was done, pulling on only a pair of shorts, he headed into the main living area, and sure enough, Aidan was back, putting stuff into the fridge.

“Oh hey,” Aidan said, straightening up, the beginnings of a pleased smile emerging on his face. “I brought you some food. Put it in the fridge ’cause I didn’t know when you’d want it.”

“Now. Obviously now,” Levi said, detouring towards the kitchen. Aidan had pulled the takeout container out, setting it on the counter, and Levi popped the top.

Wherever Aidan had gone to brunch looked incredible.

That had to be brisket, sliced thick, with a decent-looking smoke ring, nestled under two poached eggs, on top of biscuits, with a little cup of sauce on the side.

And alongside, an enormous pile of delicious-looking breakfast potatoes, full of crispy crags.

“Damn,” Levi said, unable to resist popping a potato in his mouth. “I think I love you.”

He said it without thinking, and he told himself not to freeze when Aidan flushed red. “Just thought you’d enjoy it. Hope it’s good. I know you’ve got feelings about brisket and biscuits, being from Texas.”

“Hard to find good barbeque outside of it,” Levi agreed. “But this looks great. Thanks.”

He slid the whole mess on top of a plate for reheating, even though he’d already had a protein shake this morning.

“Just don’t tell the nutritionist,” Aidan said, flushing.

“Please tell me you had something that was at least this good,” Levi said as the food spun in the microwave.

Aidan winced. “Avocado toast and egg whites?”

“Dude. Dude.” Levi pulled a fork out of the drawer. “That’s so fucking disappointing.”

“I did splurge a little. Got a mimosa. Felt like celebrating.”

“Oh yeah, why?” The microwave beeped and Levi pulled his food out.

Didn’t even bother moving to one of the barstools—just leaned over the counter and dug in.

The brisket wasn’t quite as good as his favorite from Austin, but this was still pretty damn good, especially considering they were in Canada.

“Told my agent I was . . .well, that I was something,” Aidan said. He sounded so matter-of-fact Levi had to look up and try to read his face.

“That you’re queer?” Levi questioned between bites of biscuits and brisket.

“Yeah,” Aidan said. “I didn’t give him a label, because I’m not sure I know the right one.”

“Makes sense,” Levi said.

Aidan looked surprised. “You’re not . . .you really think that?”

Sometimes Aidan was an idiot. A cute idiot, sure, but an idiot all the same. “I said it, didn’t I?”

“I mean . . .shouldn’t I know?”

“No?”

Aidan sighed. “Okay. Well. Anyway. I told him. First person outside of um . . .family and close friend circles I’ve told.”

“Who have you told?” Levi wondered. Then realized he probably didn’t need to ask that. Didn’t need to know that.

But before he could tell Aidan that, Aidan just shrugged and said, “Well, you, obviously. Riley. Landry. And um . . .Dawson, too. Wes knows. And now Carson, my agent.”

“Cool,” Levi said, nodding.

He couldn’t make the argument these biscuits were as good as the ones his mom made, but they were close enough that he was going to have to get the name of this restaurant out of Aidan. Maybe a bit of sexy bribery might work?

And next time Aidan went, Levi would go with and make sure he didn’t get freaking avocado toast.

“I’m not really thinking of coming out, not publicly,” Aidan said, “but I’m not against it either? I don’t talk about my personal life much, anyway . . .”

“Bro, you have a personal life?” Levi joked, smile fond.

He wasn’t ever sure what would be a step too far for Aidan—he could be so painfully serious, often caught up in his own head—but he only grinned. “Bro, see if I ever bring you the good stuff again.”

Levi laughed. It didn’t surprise him anymore when Aidan was funny. He sort of even expected it now. He imagined that Logan might tell him that Aidan’s sense of humor was still shit, but that when you were down bad, objective judgment on what was actually funny went right out the window.