I didn’t want to leave at all, but I replied, “Of course.”
“Can you tell your family I have a headache? I understand if you don’t want to lie, but I kinda do now, so you’re not.”
I agreed, then reached for the door, stopping with my back to him. “You know…it’s okay to need someone sometimes, Milo. It’s okay to want to stand on your own too, but needing someone doesn’t make you weak. It’s not unique to you.”
He didn’t reply, so I walked out and made my way back downstairs. Orlando had gotten the mess cleaned up, and Rachel was at the register while people made purchases.
“Where’s your friend?” Mom asked when I joined them again.
“He had a headache. I had to let him in the apartment.” The looks on their faces made it clear they didn’t believe me. “He’s fine,” I said, my tone sharp and defensive.
“We know,” Mom replied.
I made eye contact with my brother, again trying to silently thank him, and he winked at me.
“This is new,” Kris said.
“What’s new?”
“Seeing you with a boyfriend.”
“I know, right?” Meg concurred.
“You guys are so cute!” Heather added.
Ugh. Fuck my life. I knew this would happen. “He’s not my boyfriend.” The words detonated a truth bomb inside my chest. Holy shit. I wanted Milo to be my boyfriend. I was disappointed that he wasn’t, and I wasn’t sure he wanted to be. This was different from when Orlando and Kris had teased me about him before. We were closer now, and yeah, I wanted to claim that title from the man who made it a point to tell everyone we were only friends. “Don’t say that to him or tease him about it, okay? We’re just friends.”
“Embarrassed of you, is he?” Kris joked, ignoring my second sentence completely.
“Ha-ha, fucker,” I countered. “I’m gonna help Rachel at the register.” Because I’d rather do that than walk around, trying to entertain.
I did, and my family left not long later. It was almost three hours before the last person left the store. I sighed, leaning against the counter. “That was a lot.”
“How’s Milo?” Rachel asked.
I shrugged. “Not sure.” But I wanted to know. I was slightly bummed he’d sent me away. I understood it, but I was bummed all the same.
“Go ahead and go upstairs. I’ll take care of things down here and lock up.”
Relief flooded my veins. “Thank you. I owe you.”
The apartment was dark and quiet when I got upstairs. Milo’s pants were gone from their spot by the door. He would have put them in the washer. It didn’t surprise me that he couldn’t leave the mess until morning.
I lingered in front of his bedroom door, but forced myself not to go in. He’d asked for space, so I’d give it to him.
I went straight for the bathroom instead, taking a quick shower, then headed into my room in just a towel. When I turned on the light, there was a lump under the blankets and a familiar head of auburn hair on the pillows.
He’d gone into my room to sleep.
He’d never done that on his own. He’d crashed after orgasms, but not this. I liked it. I liked it too much.
With a smile on my face, I removed my towel, turned the light off, and climbed into bed, wrapping my arm around his waist to go to sleep.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Milo
I woke up as soon as Gideon turned on the light, but tried not to move. I liked my bed better. It was more comfortable and easier to sleep in. His wasn’t like the hotel’s had been, but still, it wasn’t mine. I’d climbed into it because I wanted to be close to him, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that…or if he’d wonder what I was doing since we hadn’t just blown each other.
I smiled when his lips pressed gently against my shoulder. Gideon’s kisses were the best. He was affectionate and seemed to like being affectionate with me. I never thought I’d be the type who liked cuddling—my space meant too much to me—but I liked cuddling with Gideon. That was probably a bad sign. I worried my feelings for him were growing too much.
“Did it go okay?” I asked quietly. Stupid freak-out. I got so mad at my brain sometimes.
“It did. Mom said she’d love for you to come over with me sometime.”
My heart punched against my chest so hard I thought it might fall out and land in Gideon’s hand, which was holding mine. A lot of the time I didn’t care what people thought of me; what was the point? I couldn’t change it. But Gid’s family weren’t just anyone. They were his, and he was mine—well, not mine, but sometimes it felt like he was. “They didn’t notice anything weird?”
“Lo.”
I rolled over toward him. His room faced the front street, so there was a soft glow from the lights outside. “Gid, I’m neurodivergent. I don’t always behave like everyone else. That’s okay. It feels like placating me if you act any differently.”