Page 25 of Shades of Henry
“Twisted,” Bobby agreed, turning his tanned face toward the sun. Lance thought fondly that the only reason Bobby and Reg weren’t true rednecks was that theywerein porn, and theyhadbeen conditioned to take care of their skin. Bobby had a long, strong face with a bold nose and no-bullshit green eyes. He was one of those people who would rather rebuild your porch than sit and watch TV with you, which was good, because Reg needed some looking after. Bobby didn’t mind being busy, and Reg didn’t mind being looked after.
“Wasn’t his fault,” Lance said after a moment. “But….”Dammit.
“You were starting to like him?” Bobby asked delicately.
“He has unexpected depth,” Lance said with dignity.
“Then he’ll forgive you for being an asshole,” Bobby told him, lips twitching.
“But will he forgive me for being in porn?” Because as soon as Lance had wounded him, that’s where Henry had gone.
“Remember that one time you and me hooked up?” Bobby asked him softly.
“Yeah.” Lance closed his eyes. Reg, Bobby—he’d done them both, on and off camera.
“That was special to me, even though I was breaking my heart over Reg. Sex is complicated—you taught me that. Love is simple. It’s where the two meet that shit becomes a tangled mess.”
Lance laced his fingers behind his head and tilted his face up to the sun. “It’s not that tangled yet,” he admitted. “There’s been no sex.”
Bobby let out a laugh. “And he’s lived in the flophouse for how long?”
Oh God.“Since late March?” Lance was really asking if that was bad.
Bobby’s out-and-out guffaw told him it was. Really bad. “Oh my God, Lance. You’ve managed to tangle this mess without a penis in sight. You realize that, right?”
Lance buried his face in his hands. “Oh, for sweet fuck’s sake….”
“Yeah. I’d say you and this guy are more fucked-up without the sex than him and his brother’s ex were with it. Fun shit right there. I hope you survive.”
Lance glared at him. “You. Asshole.”
“We’ve met,” Bobby said evenly. At that moment Bobby’s foreman shifted the boat into a lower gear, and they all looked in anticipation of the dock at Discovery Park. Picnic time. Time for Lance to be fun and charming, for Bobby’s boss to be a neat old geezer who didn’t mind a bunch of porn kids in his construction company, and Lance to put his worry on hold.
HE GOThome that night, happy, a little buzzed from the beer Bobby’s boss had so generously provided, and full from the picnic. He hated feeling full—and he hated himself for what he was about to do about it, but he figured he’d turn on the shower to cover the sound, the way he always did.
But first, he had to deal with the aftermath of that morning.
He opened the door to find Henry in the corner of the couch, his knees drawn to his chest, watching an action flick, with the guys gathered around him, hooting at the screen. There was a big bowl of popcorn on the table—unsalted, unbuttered—and a smaller bowl of carrot sticks. Snack time for porn models.
Lance closed the door behind him and looked meaningfully at the spot on the couch next to Henry, currently occupied by Cotton.
Cotton looked back at him, his eyes wide and innocent, and Lance narrowed his in return.
“Scoot, junior, or I’ll break your arm,” he said softly, and Cotton laughed.
But he retreated, moving to the air mattress with Curtis, Zep, and Fisher.
Lance wriggled in and very casually leaned against Henry in a way Cotton had seemed too scared to do.
“Good day?” Henry asked, his voice careful and civil.
“Sunshine, wind,” Lance said, smiling pleasantly. “Beer.”
Henry gave a soft laugh. “Well, good. You needed it.”
“Anything fun happen while I was gone?”Did you suddenly realize how much I like you and decide that porn didn’t make me a completely unsuitable candidate and human being?
“Nope. Fixed shit for John, shuttled Frances to child care and back. Davy wanted me to ask you to dinner next week, so, you’ve been asked.”