Heat pooled into Wyatt’s veins, liking that John knew what the inside of his mouth tasted like. “Yeah, it was a mystery drink.”
Wyatt spotted the waitress with the cat ears and tail and waved her his way. John smiled politely at her, choosing the bright pink drink from her tray.
“That's my favorite,” cat-ears said. “Rum, mango blend.”
“Wonderful, thank you.”
“The pink matches your outfit too, Zaddy,” she cooed, biting her lower lip and eyebrows wiggling before sauntering away.
John laughed. It was loud, easy, and so fucking delicious that a few heads turned in their direction, and Wyatt had the absurd urge to throw a blanket over his head.
“Oh God, it’s already starting,” he moaned, pinching the brim of his nose. “I can’t take you anywhere. You’ll be eaten alive.”
“I don’t get out much, if I’m being honest. So far, this is great.”
“New rule…” Wyatt declared, resisting the need to flee the den of hornets.
John’s eyebrows raised. “I thought we weren’t going to have rules anymore?”
“You’re right, we aren’t,” Wyatt replied, using his own official doctor tone, “Complete transparency between us, here on out. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” John nodded. “I can live with that.”
“Okay, so, here it goes. Truth is, I had no idea that the art show was likethiswhen I invited you,” he said, cringing slightly.
John unexpectedly chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. Wyatt decided that this flustered neck rub that Dr. John-Fuck-Me-Please-Donnelly did was his latest obsession.
“I’m fine with it,” he said genuinely, glancing around the art gallery.
Surprised, Wyatt stared, “Really?”
“Really.”
“So, this doesn’t—uh, make you uncomfortable?”
“Why would it? We see all kinds of people all day long. These are just photographed well and not maimed, broken, or bloodied.”
“True.” Wyatt nodded, realizing that he should have known John would respond so well. He was kind. A trait that many people overlooked. He appreciated John even more for it now.
“I’m glad you’re here,” he admitted softly.
They stared at one another, and Wyatt wanted to kiss him again.
“Me too,” he replied. “I’m sorry for how I ended our call today.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Ididworry about it,” John whispered, stepping closer. “A lot, actually. Because even though I didn’t mean to say it, I meant it. I like you, Wyatt. I do. And, I’m sorry for the rules. I thought that by making them, it would protect me from getting attached to this,” he glanced from his lips to his eyes, “to you.”
Wyatt’s stomach swirled like a dust tornado.
“The problem is, it didn’t work,” John admitted. “Now, I think it’s time we had fun together, outside the ED and bedroom.” His fingers reached for his, grasping and squeezing.
Wyatt realized that John was asking without words to hold his hand.
His heart fluttered and he swallowed, nodding, and together they took a tour around Jin’s art gallery. And Wyatt was pretty sure he was walking on clouds, never feeling this light before in his life.
They tilted their heads to the side and slowly backed up, trying to find the right angle for the overexposed portrait of a gymnast doing a back-breaking bend, nude, with a black-and-white studio in the background.
