“You ready to go, big guy?”

The starlings are gone.

The sky is turning pink and orange.

The sun is in the west.

He’s in front of the diner. Sean’s in front of him. He looks a little tired, a little worn, but in a good way, like’s he’s just put in a hard day’s work and is proud of it. He’s already divested himself of his apron and is wearing a white V-neck and jeans. His hair is sticking up, like he’s been running his fingers through it. His eyes are bright, and they’re trained on Mike.

Mike wants to say, I don’t know how I got here.

Mike wants to say, Did you see the birds?

Mike wants to say, Please tell me you saw the birds.

Mike wants to say, I can’t be the only one who sees them. Who sees all of this.

Mike wants to say, I need you to be real. Please, oh please, be real.

He doesn’t say any of that, though.

He says, “Yeah. Yeah, I’m ready.”

And he smiles.

The smile he gets in return is blinding.

XIX

EVEN WITH everything going on around him, even with the way he thinks he’s being pulled in a million different directions, even with the thoughts of kicking a woman to her death off a balcony, it starts between the two of them the moment they walk away from the diner.

At first it’s just a little thing. It’s the way Sean walks close to him so their shoulders bump together. It’s the way he curls his hand around Mike’s elbow and squeezes and squeezes, not enough to hurt. His hands aren’t as big as Mike’s, and Sean would never hurt him regardless. But it’s enough pressure to make sure Mike knows he’s there, like he knows Mike’s almost ready to fly apart. It keeps him grounded. It helps to clear the cloud in his head.

He looks over at Sean as they walk. Sean looks up at him. Their gazes crash and then skitter off, and they both chuckle, Mike’s face hot, Sean wearing his just-for-Mike smile. They’re indulgent, these moments, but Mike can’t find it in himself to give a damn.

It escalates when they get to Sean’s house. Sean’s at the door, getting ready to push it open, and he just happens to glance over his shoulder back at Mike. There’s a fire in his eyes, something burning that Mike’s only seen in passing before. They’ve taken this slow, so goddamn slow, and that’s about to end.

Mike can’t stop the growl t

hat rumbles in his chest and throat. He’s right behind Sean then, pressing up against his back. And Sean’s hand is on the doorknob, but he’s not pushing the door open yet. He’s just standing there, chest heaving. He tilts his head back, letting it rest on Mike’s shoulder. Mike watches as he swallows thickly, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. His eyes are closed, his lips parted. There’s a quick flash of his tongue as he wets his lips and Mike drags his gaze down the long column of Sean’s throat, the skin pale. He lets himself have just a moment, because any longer will ensure he takes Sean where he stands.

He bends his head, letting his lips trail against the side of Sean’s neck. He takes his time, sure of himself, at least in this. Probably only in this. He moves his mouth up to Sean’s ear and just breathes into it. Then, “Open the door, Sean.”

Sean shudders against him but does as he asks. It takes him a moment to walk through the door, but he goes.

Mike follows.

They don’t speak, but Sean’s moving slowly, glancing over his shoulder again and again like he’s trying to make sure Mike’s really there. That Mike’s really following him. Every time he looks back, Mike looks back at him, and there’s a little stutter to Sean’s step. He keeps flexing his hands at his sides, like he wants to reach for something but is holding himself back. Mike’s okay with that for now. He’s doing the same thing.

He thinks maybe he should wait in the den. Or the kitchen.

He follows Sean to the bedroom. Sean goes to his closet and stands at the door, leaning against the frame, arms crossed over his chest. Then Sean switches on a light and blushes, averting his eyes.

“Should just take me a little bit, okay? Just gotta pack some stuff. Are you sure you want me to stay with you? I don’t have to. I don’t want to impose. I know how you can get sometimes, Mike. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I don’t want—”

“Sean.”

Sean nods, blushing and rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, big guy?”

Tags: T.J. Klune Romance
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