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“I’d like that.” He looked at Dom when he said it and found Dom already watching him, a pleased smile curving his lips.
CJ caught the look between them and his eyebrows lifted. Evan dragged him out of the kitchen before he could say anything, steering him to the front door by the back of the neck. Dom followed them, muttering about boundaries and restraining orders. The front door opened, and CJ looked past Dom toward Gavin, winking with all the subtlety of a grenade.
“Have fun cleaning.”
Dom shoved him onto the porch, and Evan laughed as he followed.
Dom closed the door behind them and made his way back to the kitchen just as Gavin carried the remaining plates into the kitchen and stacked them beside the sink. Dom moved to stand next to him, and Gavin was acutely aware of how close they were.
Dom reached over and turned on the water, and Gavin’s attention dropped before he could stop it. Dom’s forearms were tanned from hours on the field, the muscles shifting beneath his skin as he reached for the soap and sponge. Gavin grabbed a dishtowel from the oven handle before Dom caught him staring.
He’d been attracted to Dom from the first time they met. That part had never been difficult to admit. Dom was beautiful in an effortless way that immediately demanded attention, all sharp lines and restless energy softened by an expressive mouth. The difficult part had been everything that came after.
Dom washed the first plate and handed it over, their fingers brushing before he let the plate go. Gavin dried it carefully and reached for the next one. Dom didn’t let go this time, and the plate remained suspended between them before he seemed to realize what he was doing. His grip loosened, but instead of reaching for another dish, he simply stood there, gripping the edge of the sink while he stared at the running water.
“Dom?”
No response.
Gavin set the plate down, reached over to turn off the water.
“You okay?”
Dom inhaled and straightened, turning so his back was to the sink. “Yeah.”
His eyes found Gavin’s mouth first before they slowly, almost reluctantly, lifted to meet his eyes. The room seemed to grow quieter. A few minutes ago, Evan and CJ had helped fill every silence, making it easy to ignore the pull between them. Now there was nowhere else to look.
Dom held his gaze.
“You feel it too, don’t you?” he asked quietly. “It’s not just me.”
“It’s not just you,” Gavin said quietly. “You said you weren’t looking for anything.”
Dom’s jaw tightened. “I’m not.”
“Okay.” Gavin shifted, leaning one hip against the counter, putting a little more space between them.
“You said you weren’t looking either,” Dom challenged.
“I know.”
Dom deflated and scrubbed the back of his neck. “It doesn’t matter though. I can’t.” His laugh was quiet and humorless. “Lucia needs me. And baseball is… My life is already too full.”
Gavin heard what he wasn’t saying. Lucia came first and she always would, and anything left over would never be enough. Gavin wanted to tell him that love didn’t have to work that way, but what did he know?
His marriage had fallen apart because he hadn’t been enough either.
“That doesn’t make this go away,” Gavin said quietly.
A helpless smile tugged at the corner of Dom’s mouth. “I know.”
Gavin took one step closer. Dom didn’t move. He could have stepped back. Gavin paused to give him every opportunity to. Instead, his eyes drifted to Gavin’s mouth again, and that was answer enough. Gavin lifted one hand, slowly enough for Dom to stop him, until his fingertips traced the line of Dom’s jaw. Dom inhaled sharply.
His skin was warm beneath Gavin’s hand, rough with the faintest trace of evening stubble. Gavin let his thumb settle near the corner of Dom’s mouth, feeling the small, unsteady breath that escaped him.
“This is a bad idea,” Dom said.
“Probably,” Gavin agreed.
