He shifted again in the chair, failing to get comfortable.Damn it!
Sometimes dreams weren’t enough.
Corey emerged from under the throw. Where was his confidence? His assertiveness? All he had to do was ask.Are you gay? Do you fancy me a bit?Yet he retreated undercover once again, disappointed in himself.
Where was Tal anyway? Why was he so quiet? Was he all right? The idea about him being dead, suddenly became a worry despite having convinced himself that Tal drowning in the bath was unlikely. Tal might not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol but he was very tired. Corey had almost fallen asleep in the shower. He pushed to his feet, considered taking the throw, then left it behind and walked naked into the bathroom feeling about as brave as a profusely bleeding man in shark-infested water. At least he wasn’t going to freak Tal out with a hard cock. He was limp as a noodle.
When he couldn’t immediately see Tal in the bath, or anywhere in the room, he panicked. He must have fallen asleep and slipped under the surface. Corey reached into the foam, trying to get a hold of him—oh that wasn’t an arm—and found himself yanked into the water. As he splashed and floundered, his limbs and Tal’s tangling, Tal’s foam-covered head emerged. “What the fuck? Are you trying to kill me?”
“I thought you were dead.” Corey scrambled out of the bath, flopping onto the bath mat in a tidal wave of foam and water, and quickly wrapped himself in Tal’s towel.Oh God,nowmy cock is hardening? Down, boy!
“Why did you think I was dead?”
“You were so tired and you’d gone quiet. Shit, I’m sorry. I wasn’t attempting my own version of Psycho. Honest.”
He looked at Tal and gulped. It was hard not to laugh at the accidental foam mohawk on Tal’s head.Don’t!
“I was fine,” Tal said.
“I know that now. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to freak you out or…touch you inappropriately.”
Corey blinked away the foam dripping into his eyes. Tal reached forward and wiped a whole swathe of it off Corey’s forehead. His lungs locked.
Oh!Oh! That one gesture said everything. At least he thought it did.“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The mohawk on Tal’s head slithered to the side.A chance missed.
If Corey didn’t say something now, he might as well resign himself to a life of disappointment because this was the perfect moment.
He took a deep breath and exhaled shakily. “I’m deducing from the fact that you’ve not called me a pervert and yelled at me to get out of the bathroom, out of your room and out of the hotel into the snow without even a box of matches to sell or you’ll call the police, and that I should look for a sheep to cosy up with, that you’re not too disturbed I’m in here with you. Though I didn’t fall in on purpose. I don’t want a sheep to cosy up with. You yanked me in.”Oh God, my mouth.
Tal frowned and Corey spoke quickly. “I get that it was just a reaction to being surprised by me checking for signs of life. But…”Ask him!“But…”Shit.“Are you by any chance…into men?”
Tal stared at him with his unfathomable eyes. “Yes.”
Corey risked a smile. Tal didn’t smile back. Okay. Into men.Not into me.
Tal cleared his throat. “The problem is—”
“Fine,” Corey blurted. “Sorry. Yes. Of course there’s a problem. No wife but a husband. Or a fantastic boyfriend. Or I’m not your type and would I please get out of the bathroom.” He groaned. “I could keep going. You’ve just seen how I can talk as an Olympic sport, gold medal assured, but I’ll save us both the embarrassment.”
He started to push himself up and Tal put his hand on his arm and stopped him. Corey slid back down and hugged his legs again. His cock was still hard. Ridiculous organ!
“I’m not married. I don’t have a boyfriend,” Tal said.
Corey pressed his lips together. He could sense abutcoming.
“How old are you?” Tal asked.
“Twenty-two.” There was a defiant lilt to Corey’s voice. There always was when he answered that question because he knew he looked like a teenager.
“I’m nearly forty.”
Corey frowned. “How near to forty?”
“Thirty-six.”
