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Noah shook his head. ‘I…’ He stopped, then decided that fuck it because Adriano deserved to know. ‘We met back in college. On campus. You were the TA in my class, and you invited me to a Deaf event.’
Adriano stared at him, then his eyes went wide. ‘You never showed up.’
Noah swallowed thickly and glanced away for a second. ‘My grandmother died that night. I was there, but my brother called…’ His hands stilled.
Adriano grabbed him by the wrists and pressed a kiss to the top of his knuckles, one after the other, until Noah felt like he was on fire. “I’m so sorry.”
Noah shook his head and pulled back so he could answer him. ‘I followed you after that. I had seen the video already, so I found you on Twitter. I’ve been a fan for a long time, but I was afraid to say anything. I didn’t want to seem like a creep. I messaged you because I felt bad that you were hurting. But then we talked, and I realized I liked you as a person. But I still…like your work,’ he finished, his hands shaking a bit.
Adriano’s smile returned, and he reached out, taking Noah’s hand back in his, squeezing with a gentle strength Noah wanted to curl up in and never leave. “It’s okay.”
Noah drew his bottom lip between his teeth, then his eyes darted toward the window before he looked back at Adriano’s face. ‘Pizza?’
With a hearty laugh, Adriano tugged Noah away from the door, but he didn’t let go. Instead, he slung an arm around his waist, and Noah’s entire body went hot, on the knife’s edge of orgasm. It was only his sheer panic that kept it at bay, but Noah knew it would be a damn miracle if he didn’t come in his pants before the night was out.
As they moved into the living room, Jude marched away from the sofa and right into Adriano’s arms, and the familiar, soft feeling of watching that big man cuddle the small dog was back. Noah’s flush hovered around the base of his neck, making it hard to talk, though he supposed that didn’t matter at all. But it was wholly distracting and probably going to be the death of him if he couldn’t get himself under control.
Adriano was sweet, and he said he liked Noah, but…
Noah couldn’t let himself think like that. Adriano’s life was so much more than Noah’s. It was bigger, and chaotic, and beautiful, and free in a way Noah couldn’t begin to understand. Noah didn’t envy what Adriano did, but he envied the way life seemed to pour off him, even in times of heartbreak.
He took a deep breath, then grabbed his phone. When he looked over, he found Adriano on the sofa, legs up on the table with Jude against his side. Noah had an unwilling, unwanted flash of the future. Of Adriano being here as a partner—as more than just a fly-by-night guest who left town on a whim.
Stop, he ordered himself. He bit his lip, then waved his hand until Adriano looked over. ‘What do you like on your pizza?’
‘Whatever,’ Adriano signed lazily. He grinned, then winked, and when Noah flushed, Adriano looked triumphant.
He knew what he was doing, Noah realized. He didn’t know if Adriano was toying with him or if maybe he actually liked him, though it was damn near impossible to assume the latter. Noah had seen what Adriano’s ex looked like, and Noah did not measure up. He was round and soft, on the chubby side. Eric had been cut from marble with a million-dollar smile and baby blues that someone could get lost in for days.
His hands shook harder as he fumbled with his phone. “Hi, I need…” Noah struggled with the words and closed his eyes. “I need pizza for delivery.”
Eventually, he got his head together enough to order cheese, olives, and peppers, then set his card out before taking hesitant steps toward the sofa. He was still painfully hard, but it was mostly confined to his jeans behind his baggy shirt. It made walking with any grace impossible though, and he flopped down with the dog between them and reached out tentative fingers.
Jude didn’t hesitate to nuzzle in, to absorb every ounce of affection, and Noah heard Adriano scoff. “He acts like no one loves him.”
Noah lifted his eyes. ‘I can tell he is very spoiled.’
Adriano’s laugh was deep and genuine, and he shook his head with a grin so wide his ears lifted with it. ‘So is your cat. What’s his name?’
‘Marshmallow.’
Adriano’s smile widened. ‘Cute. How long have you had him?’
Noah glanced away for a second, steeling himself. ‘Since Adam moved out. My brother got him for me. Our friend runs a cat café in town.’
Adriano’s eyes were soft and attentive, and he nodded for Noah to go on.
‘Adam brought him home for me.’ He pointed at Marshmallow, who was primly grooming his paw.
Adriano reached over and gave the cat another scratch.
‘He was already named when Adam gave him to me.’ His fingers trembled. ‘But my brother tried to change it. To Sylent.’
Adriano blinked, then threw his head back and startled both dog and cat with his booming laugh. ‘Because of me?’
‘No,’ Noah hurriedly signed, then dropped his hands and shrugged. ‘Yes. Maybe. I don’t know. I thought it was a coincidence, but he probably knows how much I…’ He forced his hands to still.
Adriano leaned in. ‘How much you what?’
