Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 132031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 660(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 660(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
He had to fight the laughter building inside him at the silence staring back at him.
One of those big palms covered Cash’s eyes.
Any other time someone had given him a similar look, a fight or a parting of the ways came next. Neither of those options applied with Cash. He somehow knew Cash had the patience of… whatever was patient.
Dev took a bite of the chips in his hand, grabbed the rest of his uneaten sandwich and the bag, and got to his feet. Exhaustion barreled down on him.
“Change of subject,” Dev said as he started for his bedroom. “Let’s sleep for about an hour then you could wake me up with your tongue up my ass. Don’t stretch me before you fuck me next time. I’ve seen that’s hard for you…” He chuckled.
At the bedroom door, he stopped again, and shoved half the sandwich into his mouth as he spotted the unmade bed. He’d fucked Cash all over the blanket wadded in the middle. He bet the pretty boy liked clean beds. The chips were tossed on the dresser, and he grabbed the spread.
Cash wasn’t in the bedroom with him.
From the door, Dev tossed the blanket toward the laundry room. His tired eyes landed on Cash who hadn’t moved from his spot in front of the sofa. “I was tryin’ to be funny, not assumin’. If you stay tonight, I’ll make up the shower to you tomorrow. I’m not as perverted as I’m makin’ it seem. Those days are long gone.”
Dev hovered in the doorframe, staring at the handsome man who exuded clean-cut and good decisions. Which meant, Cash knew exactly what a bad decision Dev was. They stared at one another. Whether or not Cash wanted to stay, he had to feel the unseen bond they shared cinching tighter.
“Let’s see if I can say it better. In the mornin’, I’ll wake you by gently stretchin’ you open—you really seem to like that, so I’ll give it to you. Besides, I don’t like the idea of causin’ you pain. It’s a weird feelin’ for me. I’ll figure that out later. I’ll wrap up and do my best to tenderly love you until all you see is me for the rest of your day.”
Dev’s shoulder hit the doorframe. He crossed his arms over his chest. His fatigue had him fighting back a yawn. “When I’m in you, I’ll tell you how gorgeous you are to me. And you are. How much I’ve liked the last couple days. And I have. I also have a clean, thicker blanket ready for the bed. My sheets are pretty clean. I had a spill and had to change them a few days ago but I’ll rewash ’em tomorrow if you’ll agree to come back tomorrow night. Lots of condoms in the drawer because I’m responsible no matter how I present myself. I’ll always use them with you, but you don’t have to use them on me. Is that better?”
“I prefer condoms,” Cash said. He tilted his head to the side and the muscles in his thick neck rolled, his shoulders followed as he started toward Dev. “I appreciate the words. I wasn’t lying when I said I don’t do this often.”
Dev chuckled and nodded, pushing off the doorframe. “I don’t know that I’ve ever spent three nights in a row with the same person. Not even when I was married. I’ve known Tena for twenty years. We met in elementary school. Got hitched three weeks after Mae was born. Marriage didn’t suit us.”
Cash nodded, watching him grab the blanket out of his closet. Cash stepped up to him and placed his palm over Dev’s heart. The anxiety of Cash leaving evaporated under the touch. “No more talk of the past. It makes you edgy. Where do you want me?”
“Climb in the center of the bed,” Dev said, relieved and excited Cash was staying. They locked gazes. Dev was a bulldozer that Cash managed to keep in check. “I’ll follow. Want me in clothes?”
Cash shook his head, looking as if he were crazy. “Absolutely not.”
The honesty they shared in the exchange silenced anything more Dev might have to say. What a rare occasion.
~~~
Dev hadn’t read Cash’s mood properly.
He didn’t care one whit about the mess…mostly.
He didn’t care where they slept…mostly.
What bothered him was how Dev chose to be so careless with his body and his life.
He spoke of gonorrhea as if it were the common cold. Dev acted as if his life didn’t matter. That his presence in this world didn’t have meaning. Hell, take it a step further. Dev didn’t seem to care if he lived or died.
Instead of saying any of that or doing what he really wanted to do and tell this man exactly how valuable he was, how Cash’s own life only mattered because of the meaning Dev had placed in it twenty years ago, he did as Dev asked. He climbed to the center of the bed, after discarding his pants. “Here?”