can’t offer you the protection I can. Number two: we aren’t strangers. Granted, we just met last night, but there’s a connection between us. I feel it, and I believe you do, too.”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
Nate rubbed his hand across his face. “Yes, I feel it. I just don’t know what to do about it.”
Bran took the plastic wrap off of the green bean casserole. “I vote we don’t do anything about it. We should just relax and let things happen naturally.”
“Before we do, there’s something I need to tell you, just so you’ll understand why I’m so freaked out by all this.”
“Go ahead.”
“Last night, when I told you that Rick and I never, well, you know?”
“Never made love?” Damned if Bran didn’t get turned on just from watching Nate blush. Thankfully, Nathan didn’t seem to notice. He said, “Right. Well, after Rick broke up with me, I was too afraid of getting hurt to try again, so I didn’t.”
“I understand, but we’re just talking about relationships here, right? I mean, you’ve been out on dates and had a few flings, haven’t you?”
“No.”
Brandon almost dropped the corn on the cob he was unwrapping. “Nate, are you telling me that you’re still a virgin?”
Nate nodded, but hung his head so Brandon wouldn’t see his embarrassment.
Brandon crossed the room in three long strides and pulled Nate up and into his arms. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about, baby. When you’re ready to make a commitment, you’ll be able to give your partner a gift that not many people, male or female, can offer. That’s something to be proud of.”
He felt Nate relax against him. “Then why do I feel like such a freak?”
“You sure don’t feel like a freak to me.”
Nate gave him a playful shove. “You have a one track mind, you know that?”
Bran kissed his cheek and went back to unwrapping the food. “So I’ve been told. If it makes you feel any better, I haven’t exactly lived like Casanova these last few years myself. I’m not a virgin by any means, but I’ve been celibate since I ended it with Jeff.”
“How long has that been?”
Brandon shrugged. “Four years, give or take a few months. Not that we had much of a sex life towards the end, anyway. He didn’t like the hours I worked and I didn’t like the fact that he fucked around behind my back. Not exactly a relationship made in heaven, was it?”
“No, but thank you for telling me about it. I don’t know why, but it does make me feel better.”
Brandon filled two plates full of green beans, corn, and his mother’s melt-in-your mouth pork roast. He set one of the plates in front of Nate and poured two glasses full of milk. “So, are you comfortable with staying here now that you know I’m not expecting you to ‘put out’ as part of your room and board?”
“As long as you’re sure you don’t mind having me here, then I’m grateful for the protection.” His voice dropped a little. “And for the company.”
Brandon sat down at the table and said grace. As they ate, he watched Nate from the corner of his eye. Conversation was limited, but Bran honestly couldn’t remember ever having enjoyed a meal more.
* * *
Nate looked down at the file in his hand. It was his and Amy’s first day back at work in over a week, and the place was swamped. In a way, he was grateful. As long as Amy was occupied with patients, she wouldn’t have time to hover over him. Between Gale’s calls and visits and Amy’s fussing, Nate was being mothered to death.
When she and Mike got down to Atlanta and found his aunt not only healthy and whole but off visiting relatives in Savannah, Amy immediately connected the phony call to Nate’s attack. She and Mike spent the whole night at the airport trying to catch the next flight back to Chicago. She went first to Nate’s apartment, freaking out when she saw the swarm of deputies gathering evidence from the ransacked townhouse.
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
Nate rubbed his hand across his face. “Yes, I feel it. I just don’t know what to do about it.”
Bran took the plastic wrap off of the green bean casserole. “I vote we don’t do anything about it. We should just relax and let things happen naturally.”
“Before we do, there’s something I need to tell you, just so you’ll understand why I’m so freaked out by all this.”
“Go ahead.”
“Last night, when I told you that Rick and I never, well, you know?”
“Never made love?” Damned if Bran didn’t get turned on just from watching Nate blush. Thankfully, Nathan didn’t seem to notice. He said, “Right. Well, after Rick broke up with me, I was too afraid of getting hurt to try again, so I didn’t.”
“I understand, but we’re just talking about relationships here, right? I mean, you’ve been out on dates and had a few flings, haven’t you?”
“No.”
Brandon almost dropped the corn on the cob he was unwrapping. “Nate, are you telling me that you’re still a virgin?”
Nate nodded, but hung his head so Brandon wouldn’t see his embarrassment.
Brandon crossed the room in three long strides and pulled Nate up and into his arms. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about, baby. When you’re ready to make a commitment, you’ll be able to give your partner a gift that not many people, male or female, can offer. That’s something to be proud of.”
He felt Nate relax against him. “Then why do I feel like such a freak?”
“You sure don’t feel like a freak to me.”
Nate gave him a playful shove. “You have a one track mind, you know that?”
Bran kissed his cheek and went back to unwrapping the food. “So I’ve been told. If it makes you feel any better, I haven’t exactly lived like Casanova these last few years myself. I’m not a virgin by any means, but I’ve been celibate since I ended it with Jeff.”
“How long has that been?”
Brandon shrugged. “Four years, give or take a few months. Not that we had much of a sex life towards the end, anyway. He didn’t like the hours I worked and I didn’t like the fact that he fucked around behind my back. Not exactly a relationship made in heaven, was it?”
“No, but thank you for telling me about it. I don’t know why, but it does make me feel better.”
Brandon filled two plates full of green beans, corn, and his mother’s melt-in-your mouth pork roast. He set one of the plates in front of Nate and poured two glasses full of milk. “So, are you comfortable with staying here now that you know I’m not expecting you to ‘put out’ as part of your room and board?”
“As long as you’re sure you don’t mind having me here, then I’m grateful for the protection.” His voice dropped a little. “And for the company.”
Brandon sat down at the table and said grace. As they ate, he watched Nate from the corner of his eye. Conversation was limited, but Bran honestly couldn’t remember ever having enjoyed a meal more.
* * *
Nate looked down at the file in his hand. It was his and Amy’s first day back at work in over a week, and the place was swamped. In a way, he was grateful. As long as Amy was occupied with patients, she wouldn’t have time to hover over him. Between Gale’s calls and visits and Amy’s fussing, Nate was being mothered to death.
When she and Mike got down to Atlanta and found his aunt not only healthy and whole but off visiting relatives in Savannah, Amy immediately connected the phony call to Nate’s attack. She and Mike spent the whole night at the airport trying to catch the next flight back to Chicago. She went first to Nate’s apartment, freaking out when she saw the swarm of deputies gathering evidence from the ransacked townhouse.
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