before. Was there any truth in what Jake said? Did he sense something about my friendship with Kris I hadn’t recognized myself? I shook my head to clear it as Kris turned and sat on the bench.
“I was wondering how well you recovered after Friday night is all?” He looked up at me, a hesitant smile making his dimple show.
“Is that it? You’ve been stewing for three days just to ask me how big my hangover was?”
“Uh no, not really.” I raised an eyebrow. “I know if I didn’t go home after a night out, Nikky would’ve had my balls made into paperweights. I was hoping I didn’t put you in a difficult position with Jake. He left pretty early and you got real quiet, then really hammered, man, so I thought…” Kris trailed off, his unease clear.
“Paperweights?” I asked, trying to ease his discomfort.
“My balls are huge, man, far too heavy for earrings.” The wicked grin he flashed me said I’d succeeded.
He’s got huge balls?
I shook the image of Kris’s testicles from my mind. “No, you’re right. Jake and I… well, things have been a little difficult lately and not going home didn’t help, but we’re working on it.”
“Ah, well, that’s good, right? That you’re working on it, I mean.” Kris’s voice held a timidness to it that I didn’t think he possessed.
Kris stood and squeezed my shoulder. “If you ever wanna talk to someone, I’m here for you, man.”
And with that, he grabbed his bag and headed out. Kris waved a hand in the air, and without looking back, he shouted, “See you tomorrow, man, have a good night.”
It must be my imagination. Kris is straight. Right?
I noticed little things after that. Small smiles and glances in my direction, the odd touch here and there, a pat on the shoulder as he walked by. It was friendly, but not sexual. Kris was like that with everyone; he was one of those guys who liked to touch. I’d never noticed it before because it was commonplace for him. It wasn’t only me; he was like that with everyone. I couldn’t deny I enjoyed his company; he was a funny guy and enjoyed a laugh, especially after a hard shift. Jake’s suspicions about his sexuality were just that. Suspicions.
Chapter Six
Jake
It was the fight we’d needed to have. To scream our frustrations at each other and release the tension, as our pent-up emotions weren’t doing either of us any favors. Although Cam still struggled, we understood each other a little better, and I breathed a small sigh of relief.
I wasn’t convinced Kris was straight, though. Yes, he lived with his girlfriend, but these days that didn’t mean anything. He could be closeted, in denial, or bisexual. If Kris had his eyes on Cam, then it was Cam who had to put him straight. Would I give Cam up without a fight? Hell no, but if he wanted to go, I wouldn’t be able to stop him.
I knew Cam was the one from the very beginning. From our first time on my couch, when our gazes met, his come drying on his chest, I knew I had found my new home. Cam’s amber eyes wrapped me securely in a warmth I felt down to my toes. After I’d lost my parents, my sense of security had been shattered, but Cam had made their absence easier. I still missed them of course, I always would, but with Cam by my side, it was a lighter burden.
The fight had given me another aspect to think about too. Caroline was my best friend and we had known each other for a lifetime. I could count on her to help me out when needed, but that had me thinking about who Cam had. Sure he had me and his parents. Beth would help him where and when she could, but living so far away in LA, it was difficult for her to be there. So who did Cam turn to when he needed a sounding board? He had always gotten along well with his colleagues, but he’d never been the type to open up. The culture within the fire department was long and established: tough, brave men who could handle anything thrown at them. Even at college, before he dropped
“I was wondering how well you recovered after Friday night is all?” He looked up at me, a hesitant smile making his dimple show.
“Is that it? You’ve been stewing for three days just to ask me how big my hangover was?”
“Uh no, not really.” I raised an eyebrow. “I know if I didn’t go home after a night out, Nikky would’ve had my balls made into paperweights. I was hoping I didn’t put you in a difficult position with Jake. He left pretty early and you got real quiet, then really hammered, man, so I thought…” Kris trailed off, his unease clear.
“Paperweights?” I asked, trying to ease his discomfort.
“My balls are huge, man, far too heavy for earrings.” The wicked grin he flashed me said I’d succeeded.
He’s got huge balls?
I shook the image of Kris’s testicles from my mind. “No, you’re right. Jake and I… well, things have been a little difficult lately and not going home didn’t help, but we’re working on it.”
“Ah, well, that’s good, right? That you’re working on it, I mean.” Kris’s voice held a timidness to it that I didn’t think he possessed.
Kris stood and squeezed my shoulder. “If you ever wanna talk to someone, I’m here for you, man.”
And with that, he grabbed his bag and headed out. Kris waved a hand in the air, and without looking back, he shouted, “See you tomorrow, man, have a good night.”
It must be my imagination. Kris is straight. Right?
I noticed little things after that. Small smiles and glances in my direction, the odd touch here and there, a pat on the shoulder as he walked by. It was friendly, but not sexual. Kris was like that with everyone; he was one of those guys who liked to touch. I’d never noticed it before because it was commonplace for him. It wasn’t only me; he was like that with everyone. I couldn’t deny I enjoyed his company; he was a funny guy and enjoyed a laugh, especially after a hard shift. Jake’s suspicions about his sexuality were just that. Suspicions.
Chapter Six
Jake
It was the fight we’d needed to have. To scream our frustrations at each other and release the tension, as our pent-up emotions weren’t doing either of us any favors. Although Cam still struggled, we understood each other a little better, and I breathed a small sigh of relief.
I wasn’t convinced Kris was straight, though. Yes, he lived with his girlfriend, but these days that didn’t mean anything. He could be closeted, in denial, or bisexual. If Kris had his eyes on Cam, then it was Cam who had to put him straight. Would I give Cam up without a fight? Hell no, but if he wanted to go, I wouldn’t be able to stop him.
I knew Cam was the one from the very beginning. From our first time on my couch, when our gazes met, his come drying on his chest, I knew I had found my new home. Cam’s amber eyes wrapped me securely in a warmth I felt down to my toes. After I’d lost my parents, my sense of security had been shattered, but Cam had made their absence easier. I still missed them of course, I always would, but with Cam by my side, it was a lighter burden.
The fight had given me another aspect to think about too. Caroline was my best friend and we had known each other for a lifetime. I could count on her to help me out when needed, but that had me thinking about who Cam had. Sure he had me and his parents. Beth would help him where and when she could, but living so far away in LA, it was difficult for her to be there. So who did Cam turn to when he needed a sounding board? He had always gotten along well with his colleagues, but he’d never been the type to open up. The culture within the fire department was long and established: tough, brave men who could handle anything thrown at them. Even at college, before he dropped
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