Although the little quirk of Logan’s crooked smile was already becoming familiar, and Seth wanted to see it again and again. Wanted to see everything. Wanted to learn all the shapes and sounds of Logan.
Logan’s laugh was throaty, and the sound sent lust spiking through Seth. Logan pulled his black woolen hat from his pocket and tugged it over his ears. “You’re the boss.”
Seth laughed, although unease prickled his skin. “Let me get the other shovel and help.” He didn’t want Logan to feel like they weren’t equals.
“I just have the steps to finish.” Logan squinted at the driveway. “Didn’t think there was enough fresh to warrant shoveling all of that as well. But I can if you want.”
“No, no. Like you said, there’s not enough. The SUV gets through it no problem, and if there’s too much, a guy comes to plow the drive.”
Logan nodded, then bent to push a shovelful of light snow off the walk. “I’ll be done in a minute. Why don’t you check out the backsplash?”
“Oh! I almost forgot. Thank you.” Seth climbed the few steps and stamped his boots before going inside. On the indoor mat, he tugged off his boots, carefully stepping onto the hardwood in his socks and trying to avoid the wet spots.
After hanging up his coat, he padded through the still-empty sitting room and into the kitchen, gasping softly. The pale blue subway tiles gleamed, brightening the space immeasurably and making the white cabinets really pop. It all looked so clean and crisp and inviting, and Seth was suddenly eager to cook. And not just prepackaged stir fries and bacon and eggs. This was a kitchen he wanted to spend time in.
Grinning, he admired it, running his hands over the shiny gray quartz counters. The rhythmic scrape of the shovel on the walkway outside was strangely soothing. Seth had been rattling around the half-finished house all alone for more than a year, and having Logan there helping and doing things for him made Seth feel…
It was silly, but it made him feel cared for. Comforted and peaceful, even though it was only part of their deal. It wasn’t real. It was only temporary. Soon enough he’d be shoveling his own walkway and he’d be alone again.
His smile faded, his pleasure over the finished kitchen diminishing. Yes, he’d still make better use of it and cook for himself in the new year, but a hollow void cracked through the swell of comfort that had filled him.
“Enough of that,” he muttered to himself. Logan was with him now, and he’d make the best of it.
Before long, he had chicken breasts cooked and pasta boiling, and he was grating an old hunk of Parmesan after cutting off the questionable bits. The sauce would have to be jarred, but it was a decent organic brand. He smiled to himself as he listened to Logan come inside the house and take off his winter gear.
“Something smells good,” Logan said as he rounded the corner.
“The boiling water?” Seth joked.
“Yep, that must be it.”
“The kitchen’s so gorgeous I had to start cooking immediately, even though I’m not much of a chef. Thank you. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”
Logan shrugged, but his smile was definitely pleased. “Glad you like it.” He rubbed a hand over his cold-red face, the scruff rasping. The sound went straight to Seth’s groin. Logan wore a sweatshirt over his jeans, and he pulled it over his head, his T-shirt riding up and exposing his belly and the dark hair that pointed down to what was under his waistband.
“Do you drink wine?” Seth asked Logan too loudly. “I have a nice Pinot. Well, I think it’s nice. Hopefully.”
“Sure. I’m not fussy.”
Seth busied himself grabbing the bottle from the pantry. “I should get a proper wine rack. Instead of keeping the wine beside the Bran Flakes.”
Logan filled the pantry door with his broad shoulders. “Should be easy enough to do. Where do you want it? I’ll get the dimensions and ask Pop what he thinks. He was here today supervising.” He stepped closer, peering around Seth at the corner of the pantry. “If he tells me what to do, I could probably build one pretty easily.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that!”
Logan shrugged. “I want to.”
They stood a foot apart, and Seth suddenly could barely breathe. When he did, he inhaled the faint fresh scent of Irish Spring soap. Then he was imagining Logan naked and wet in the shower, lathering himself, sudsy and slippery…
“Seth?”
The timer for the pasta beeped in the kitchen, and Seth plastered on a smile as Logan backed out of the pantry to let him by. Seth hurried to place the colander in the sink and dump the pasta into it.
He asked Logan, “Do you want to open the wine? I think the glasses are in that box in the corner. Still need to get all the cabinets sorted.”