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“Come on, push it,” Tobias barked, his voice projecting across the gym. Tobias was so much better at directing a class than talking one-on-one.
“P-push it real good,” Cole shouted, drawing breathless chuckles from a few of the guys. Tobias just rolled his eyes.
Rafe laughed like he wasn’t out of breath, and Garrett couldn’t help staring at him.
It wasn’t that he regretted the hurried frotting session they’d had the day before, but he wanted so much more than that. They both came, and he didn’t even get the chance to see Rafe naked, to feel his bare skin. He wanted to rectify that, but he wasn’t sure if his heart could handle it.
For now, he watched Rafe drop into squat after squat, wishing he could put his hands on his perfect peach of an ass, wanting to touch the muscular legs and arms flexing with each burpee.
Garrett had to bite his lip hard to keep his blood from rushing south again. He did not want to have to explain to Tobias that he fainted during a workout because of a hard-on from watching Rafe tease him.
He was in so much trouble. He feared Rafe would leave him devastated and broken. Again.
“One more minute. Give it everything you got,” Tobias shouted as the clock ticked, and everyone put a little extra effort into their workouts. There was something about time running out during a workout that helped Garrett find whatever energy he had left, burning it so he could reap every ounce of the benefits from the exertion.
Exactly like when he was close to coming. Nearing the edge and wanting to jump off.
Stop thinking about sex.
It was an impossible task. Having Rafe in his life again, knowing he had feelings for Garrett too. How was he supposed to ignore that?
He just hoped it wouldn’t kill him.
“Three, two, one,” Tobias shouted, counting out the final seconds of the workout.
Like an earthquake had shaken them, they all dropped to the floor when the clock ran out.
Garrett breathed heavily, his heart racing as he lay on his back on the gym floor. He turned his head to check on Rafe, only to see him already staring at Garrett. A smile grew on Rafe’s face as their eyes met.
“So, what’d you think?” Garrett asked between panting breaths.
“I think I’ll be coming with you every day,” Rafe said, his smile turning wicked.
Garrett’s eyes widened.
Did he have to say it like that?
It was official. Garrett was fucked.
10
“WE WAKE UP IN the middle of the night and there’s a striped hyena foraging through our shit, so this guy decides to sing to it, thinking that will keep it calm. The problem is, he couldn’t think of any song except Complicated by Avril Lavigne,” Rafe said through laughter, the guys hanging on his every word and laughing along with him.
“What did the hyena do?” Josh asked, his eyes wide with anticipation.
“The thing cocks its head at him like a confused puppy, then turns around and takes a shit before running off. We started calling him the Animal Laxative.”
Laughter erupted around the table as Rafe turned to Garrett, whose face was pink with embarrassment, but the small smile on his face lit Rafe up inside.
“How is that worse than the time the skink lizard crawled across your foot and you shrieked like a damn banshee and literally jumped into my arms?” Garrett asked.
“Those things carry salmonella!” Rafe argued, and Garrett shook his head and chuckled.
Everyone but Cole sat around the table with them, riveted by their stories, and Rafe felt happier than he’d been since… well, since he was last with Garrett.
Garrett was always his favorite place in the world, and that hadn’t changed in two long decades. The fact that Garrett had found this little family lessened Rafe’s guilt, but not by enough. He wished he hadn’t missed so much time with Garrett, but it wasn’t his choice. He never had a choice.
From now on, I’m making my own choices.
