Page 44 of Once in a Lifetime, Part 2

“No… I should head home. Thanks, though,” she said, stepping into the bathroom.

Ody was already at Anna’s house, her parents gone for the night. The moment she opened the door, she fell into his arms. They talked for a bit about his time in Patra and her days back in Athens, his answers easy, surface-level.

Her lips found his at the first opportunity, and he noticed right away how different they felt from Mano’s.

He closed his eyes, Mano’s face flashing in his mind. The way his eyes had fallen shut, the breathless sounds he’d tried to suppress. Heat hit him instantly, low and sharp. He lifted her legs, wrapping them around him as he carried her to the bedroom, dropping her onto the mattress.

Anna felt wanted tonight. She could feel it in the way he kissed her, in the weight of his breaths against hers. But Ody’s mind wasn’t on her.

Later, she asked him to stay the night, since her parents wouldn’t be coming back. Her fingers traced over his bare chest as she looked at him with those soft brown eyes.

He couldn’t say no. Even though he knew this was already over.

By morning, everything felt different. Ody went back home, while Mano headed to the gym. He started his warm-up, but had to wait for the squat rack. Another man was using it, tall and broad, built thick with muscle, the kind of size that made Mano look smaller next to him. A short, trimmed beard framed his jaw, and tattoos covered both arms, running all the way down to his fingers.

Mano watched him for a moment. He was lifting more than he did. A couple of plates more. When the man finished, he wiped his short dark hair with a towel and glanced at Mano before walking off.

After his workout, Mano went home and took a cool shower. He’d barely finished getting dressed when the doorbell rang. He looked through the peephole, finding Ody on the other side, and opened the door. “Did something happen?”

“Does something have to happen for me to come see you?”

“I thought you’d be with Anna.”

“And you with Ranya,” he shot back, their eyes locked.

“I told her to stay, but she wanted to go home.”

Ody’s expression hardened. “You told her to stay here? With you?”

“It was late. And why do you care? Didn’t you sleep with Anna?”

Ody gave a sharp nod, almost mocking himself. “No one else is to blame. It’s on me,” he muttered.

“What exactly?” Mano crossed his arms.

“Opening up to you. Showing you how much I fucking want you.” His voice sharpened, his gaze turning ironic. “But I guess not all of us are used to treating people like hookups.” His jaw clenched. “I wish I didn’t care. I wish you didn’t matter. But I can’t stop thinking about you. I can’t.” Something in him seemed to give way. “She was asleep in my arms… and I couldn’t close my eyes. Not for a second. Because all I could think about was you.”

He let out a short, frustrated laugh, shaking his head. “That’s how fucked up I am.” His gaze snapped back to him. “I kept picturing you with her. Touching her. Letting her have her hands all over you—” His voice broke, more anger than weakness. “—and I couldn’t sleep.” He stepped closer. “So go on. Tell me how pathetic I am for wanting you like this, while you don’t give a shit about me.”

He took a breath, then shoved Mano back with both hands against his chest. “Say it!”

The words hit harder than the shove. Mano didn’t move at first. His jaw tightened, his eyes stayed on him. On the anger, the frustration, the way his chest was still rising too fast.

Something in him snapped. His hands came up fast, grabbing his face and pulling him into a kiss.

Ody froze for a split second at the sudden move, then melted into it. His hands found Mano’s back as firm fingers held his head in place.

The kiss was hungry, wet, their tongues moving against each other as Mano pushed him backward step by step, forcing Ody to retreat until his back hit the wall.

The kiss deepened, more intense now, Mano claiming him for the first time like this.

He broke it just long enough to breathe, his face still close to Ody’s. “I want you too…” he whispered.

Ody’s gaze snapped from Mano’s lips to his eyes, his breath catching. “What did you say?”

“You heard me,” Mano said, his thumb brushing over Ody’s cheek, neither of them breaking eye contact.

“Say it again,” Ody said, pulling back to get a better look at him.