Page 172 of Checking Out the Librarian

He attached a shot, taken when he and Jess had returned from checking fences, of Ribby sleeping in the shade under the apple tree. Heavy fruit bent the branches because his father hadn’t pinched back this year for some reason. The leaves dappled the light over Ribby’s coat and made him look patterned, like a mini-Appaloosa pony.

Jonathan

That’s nice, your dog is great, blah blah, you know what I want

Connor

Told my sister

Jonathan

What?

Connor

That I’m gay

That I’m dating you

Not lying anymore to anyone about anything

Jonathan

I’m calling

Connor

Need to find my ear bus

Buddhas

Buds

They were across the room charging on his dresser because he hadn’t intended to get out of this bed for another eight hours, but he was happy Jonathan wanted to talk.

He hit the camera icon and saw Jonathan wearing his super-soft pale green sleep shirt. Connor knew exactly how that shirt would feel under his hands, how it would catch on his calluses but glide on Jonathan’s skin.

“How’d it go?” Jonathan’s warm voice in his ear let him pretend Jonathan was next to him on the pillow. Connor should have used his laptop screen so he could see him better, but at least his voice was like a hug.

“She thinks you’re hot.”

“And water is wet and the orange man is a felon. None of that is news, big guy.”

Of course, his boyfriend smirked. If he was there, Connor would kiss that smirk right off his pretty lips.

“Did you show her my iEros pic?”

“Absolutely not.” He put as much vehemence into his voice as a whisper could sustain. “It’s a pickup photo!”

“Well, you should. Or the cowboy one I sent.” The smug confidence in Jonathan’s voice evoked an image of his boyfriend, curved lips and flirty eyes and that knowing smirk. He wanted to be able to reach out and press their lips together and worship that confidence.

Then a much less happy thought intruded. “Wait, you don’t still have an account, do you? I deleted mine so I can’t see that photo.”

Jonathan made a dismissive sound. “Of course I deleted it. We talked about this in the woods ages ago. But you didn’t download my photo? I think I should be insulted.”

Connor kicked himself for not doing that. He could be looking at Jonathan’s naked torso and mysteriously placed below the frame hand whenever he wanted, but he hadn’t thought strategically. “I guess it didn’t occur to me, because I had the real-life model in my bed, you know? It’s a nice photo. But no substitute for you.”

“Ahh, flattery.” The gust of air that Jonathan exhaled didn’t sound as mocking as Connor would have expected. Someone did like to be complimented late at night in the dark.