“What?”

“Shorts. Either we need to feed you a lot more or your elastic has issues.”

“Ah.” They’d dipped a couple of times at the park too, a particularly loose pair that went with the mermaid top, but apparently they’d dipped low enough to reveal a strip of his underwear. Just a hint of lace on the waistband really, but the way Garrick’s eyes were riveted to it, one might think there was fire involved. Or maybe that was simply the heat sizzling between the two of them, some sort of charged energy. “Problem?”

“No.” Garrick’s gaze didn’t waver and Rain didn’t hike the shorts up. This was the exact opposite of feeling invisible, lost in a crowd, and the singular attention made his pulse speed up.

“Wanna see more?” He fingered the waistband of his shorts. “I’m not shy.”

“That you’re not.” Garrick’s voice was all low and husky.

“Maybe you’d like this pair as much as my pony shirt...” Rain was seconds from dropping his shorts altogether when the pancake closest to him started sizzling, that too-done aroma filling the air. Hiking his shorts back up, he saved the pancake from near doom but singed his finger in the process. “Crap. Crap.”

“Did you burn yourself?” Rolling closer, Garrick’s expression went from seductive to concerned.

“Not too bad.” Setting aside the pancakes, he ran his finger under cold water. “I’ll live.”

“Bandage needed? I’ve got a first aid kit. God, I’m sorry. I distracted you.”

“No bandage or apology needed.” Rain brought both plates to the nearby table, which already had one chair pushed to the back wall to make space for Garrick. “I like the distraction. A lot.”

He took the chair on the end, closer to Garrick, rather than across the table, Garrick still sputtering on about being sorry.

“Seriously, dude. Quit apologizing. I think we both could use more...diversions. In fact, I propose we start after breakfast.” He gave Garrick what he hoped was a seductive and not maniacal smile. He didn’t have a ton of practice with seduction, but no time like the present to start.

“Rain...” Garrick trailed off and cut his pancakes into rough hunks before spearing one particularly hard.

“Yes?” Rain prompted because he wasn’t a mind reader. He was well aware that he could be somewhat...much for certain people, but Garrick’s tone wasn’t that kind of fed up.

“You don’t need to show me anything. Or flirt. You know that, right? I’ll help train you and keep the dog regardless of how...friendly you are.”

Rain had to blink at this turn of reasoning. “You’re worried you’re taking advantage of me? Not the other way around?”

“I am the older one.” Garrick nodded sharply. “I don’t...ah...want you feeling obligated.”

More than a little amused, Rain shook his head. “And if I don’t? If I simply enjoy flirting and love being a distraction? Can I keep doing me or you need me to tone it down?” Rain didn’t particularly want to dial down the flirting, but Garrick being uncomfortable was no good either.

“You do you. Whatever makes you happiest. I mean that.”

That was probably as close to a green light as he was going to get, and Rain had to resist the urge to wriggle in his chair. He liked that Garrick both seemed to get him and wanted to indulge him.

“And if showing you my unmentionables would make me happy?” he pushed. Only a little. Because Garrick said he could.

“Rain...”

“That’s not a no.” He still made no move to stand and drop his shorts, because it wasn’t a yes either, and being the diversion Garrick needed would be much more fun with him enthusiastically on board.

“It’s a bad idea. Even if... Heck. I’m not sure I can—”

The doorbell cut Garrick off before he could explain further, leaving Rain to try to fill in the gaps. Bad idea because Garrick knew it was likely a temporary thing? Or because he was concerned about some stupid age gap? Or because he couldn’t physically go there? Rain hadn’t considered that last possibility, and if that was the case, he’d like to know more, see if there was a way for Garrick to feel good that accommodated his injuries. But he didn’t get his chance to ask as Garrick quickly rolled to the door and let in an older, more barrel-chested clone of himself—dark blond hair shot through with gray, tall, big build, and Garrick’s same sharp blue eyes and angular, chiseled features.

“Did I mess up the day for PT?” Frowning, the man, who had to be Garrick’s dad, asked as his gaze swept over the room, taking in Rain and the breakfast table.

“It’s Tuesday this week. Crap. I forgot to send you a reminder text last night. It’s been crazy with all the stuff with the dog.”

“Dog?” Garrick’s dad shifted his attention from Rain and the dining nook to Cookie, who was attempting to hide her bulky body behind Garrick’s chair, not coming out to say hello. “Ah. I see now. Shy sweetheart. It’s not a visitor?”

Tags: Annabeth Albert Hotshots M-M Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net