Page 194 of Should the Sky Fall

Dawson snorts. “Yeah, I won’t be holding my breath.”

“Smart.” Ash crosses his legs and leans back. “Now that’s sorted, tell me more about the big, bad reaper doing house chores. I’m dying to know.”

Dawson laughs.

Yeah, they’re going to be just fine.

Donut greets him at the door as if Dawson’s been gone for a month instead of an hour and a half.

Dogs… How had Dawson lived so long without one?

“Hey, little devil.” He pats Donut’s side and calls out that he’s home. There’s no answer. “Where’s your dad?”

Donut snorts. He pushes past Dawson so he can get to the door, then looks up meaningfully.

“Of course,” Dawson says with an eye roll. When he opens the door, Donut attempts to squeeze through. Dawson snatches him by the collar, tugging him back. “Nuh-uh. No dogs allowed. Don’t give me that look. I won’t be five minutes. You can wait that long.”

Donut gazes up at him in betrayal, but Dawson isn’t swayed. He pushes past him and slips out, then makes his way to the rooftop.

As he expected, Cal is in the pool and there’s no one else around. Dawson sits on a sunbed, content to just watch him for a bit.

Cal is fast. He’s really improved over the past few weeks, and apart from being unable to lift anything too heavy just yet, no one would be able to tell he’s had major surgery. Some time soon, he might even try his hand at surfing.

It makes Dawson wonder how much his body will remember and if there’s anything left of theotherCal. He’s not sure how he feels about that.

Cal finishes a lap, coming up for air. He rubs water from his eyes—Dawson really needs to tell him about a magical thing called goggles—and his face lights up with a smile when he notices Dawson.

“Oh, hey.” He swims towards him, propping his forearms on the edge of the pool. “Sorry, I lost track of time. How was Ash?”

“Full of himself, as usual.” He goes to sit on the ground in front of Cal. “I told him this was our last session.”

“It was?” he asks, surprised.

Dawson hasn’t mentioned it to him because he wasn’t sure about it until he sat down in Ash’s office.

“I feel like I’ve milked it as much as I could. I mean, I started going to him because I wanted to understand my feelings for you. In the light of recent events, I think that mystery is solved.”

Cal’s eyebrows slowly climb up. “Is that right? And what are your feelings for me?” he asks suggestively.

Dawson glimpses a sparkle of mischief in his eyes and slaps his hand. “Stop fishing for compliments. I’m not inflating your ego any more.”

Cal catches his hand before Dawson draws back. He kisses Dawson’s knuckles, making him blush. “Want to join me?”

“I didn’t exactly bring a swimsuit.”

“No one is here.”

Dawson stares at him in shock. “I’m not skinny dipping!”

“Keep your underwear on,” Cal says like it’s no big deal. The exhibitionist. He lets Dawson go and pushes himself off the edge, just floating. Waiting for him.

Ugh. Why is everyone in Dawson’s life such a pain?

“I swear, the things you make me do…” he grumbles as he starts taking off his shirt and jeans, leaving only his undies on. At least he had the foresight to wear something dark today. He makes his reluctant way to the pool and throws his legs over the edge, sucking in a breath when the water turns out to be colder than he’d expected.

Sweeping his gaze around one more time to make sure no one is there to see them, he slides into the pool, submerging himself completely.

When he comes up, Cal’s grinning face greets him.