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Dom stood and held out his hand. “Will do.”
Abe shook his hand, too, still surprised how easy and fun the whole experience had been. As he and Dom headed back for their car, he was surprised by Dom’s somewhat grim mood. He remained quiet outside of asking Abe to come to his house for a beer. He had a feeling it was for a drink and a talk.
Dom seemed particularly vigilant as he parked in his driveway and led Abe into his house, his head swinging right and left. He also alarmed his security system fast, his hands shaking faintly, like he vibrated with some kind of nervous energy.
Prickles rushed along Abe’s skin because he got the distinct feeling Dom was protecting him and if that was the case, then something had him spooked.
“Beer?” Dom asked as he swept past him.
“Sure,” Abe murmured, following him into the kitchen, which Dom had remodeled with dark gray cabinets and black appliances. He stared hard until those pretty green eyes met his over the open refrigerator door. He tried to read what was wrong because he had the strongest feeling it had nothing to do with the personal situation between them. “You okay, Dominic?”
His shoulders deflated for a moment before he gave Abe one of the sweetest smiles he’d seen on that face. “Yeah, I’m fine. I have some things on my mind. Tell you what, with that slight cool front that moved in tonight, why don’t we enjoy these outside?” Dom asked as he shut the door, two bottles in his hand. “I have something really special to show you.”
Abe rolled his eyes at the slight return of innuendo as he let himself onto Dom’s back deck. Dom had told him before that the house had actually been built in the early 1900s, and he’d kept all the original white brick, including this archway that led to the modern deck. He smiled when he spotted chaise lounge chairs at the back of the property past some trees.
Dom followed as he walked down the stairs to the grass. Abe looked around with appreciation at the midsized backyard. “You have a lot of nice, old trees back here,” Abe murmured, stroking his hand down the bark of a sycamore. “This one is massive. Does the bark turn white in winter?”
“It does. These offer great shade in the summer, but keep walking underneath to the chaises.”
When they reached that spot in the yard, Dom pointed up.
Abe lifted his gaze and sucked in a breath at the clear spot of sky with hundreds of twinkling stars.
“I have no idea why this particular patch of sky is this flawless, why none of the pollution or city lights seem to affect it, but it was a nice surprise after I bought the place. I come out here at night all the time. It’s my favorite spot to relax.”
“I wondered why these lounge chairs were set so far from your house, but now I get it.” Abe took a beer and settled in one of the chairs, his large chest dwarfing it. “Join me?” He waved his hand at the other chaise.
Dom stretched out, and they were silent for a few moments.
Abe took a deep breath of the air, which was still warm but carried a faint coolness now that felt good in his lungs. He relaxed and let himself soak in the stars.
“Abe?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re frustrating me to death.”
“I know,” Abe answered, his voice hushed. He rolled his head on the chaise to stare at the man who had taken up so much space in his head. Moonlight sharpened the lighter strands in his auburn hair and shone on his face. The need in his gaze did what it always did to Abe—made his breath catch and his heart pound.
Dom looked away, taking a swig of his beer and looking back up at the stars. “I don’t understand, to tell you the truth. I don’t know what to ask. What to say. I can tell you want me.”
“I do.”
“And?” He sat up and swung his legs to the side of the chaise to face Abe. “It can’t be all about the age thing, Abe. What has you so spooked? Can’t you tell there’s something big here? Is it because I’m male?”
“Are you asking if I have a problem being attracted to a man? Because that’s not it. I’ve known I was bisexual since middle school.”
“Oh.” He looked down at his beer.
Fuck. He needed to just open his mouth because he was hurting the man when all he wanted was to not get hurt himself. Patricia did a number on his heart and it may have been years ago, but that kind of soul-deep pain left a mark, one he wasn’t ready to share yet. And the other reason was humiliating, but Dom deserved more.
