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“You never need to ask,” Caleb told him.
Ravi shuffled his way toward the bedroom, and the moment he was gone, Caleb got up and settled beside Bodhi, who was still curled into himself, tucked into the corner of the couch. He didn’t touch him, but he sat close enough that when Bodhi was ready to reach out, he wouldn’t have to go far.
“I missed you today.”
Bodhi’s eyes widened. “Are you just saying that?”
Caleb shook his head. “It was hard being at the office knowing you were here. It was hard telling Wren what happened without telling him how badly I wanted to come home and kiss you.”
Bodhi swallowed heavily, then shifted so their hips brushed together. “Kiss me.”
It wasn’t a request. Caleb cupped his hand around Bodhi’s cheek and drew him in. It was an easy, soft press of lips without demanding more, and Bodhi softened against him, rubbing their noses together before he pulled back.
“Are you okay if I stay with you?”
“I’d be really lonely if you left,” Caleb answered. “But I’d also understand if you need some time away. All of this has been a lot.”
Bodhi’s eyes were half-lidded and looked a little sad. “I want to be with you. And since we can’t be in my bed, I want to be here. I don’t want to sleep at Wren’s. It doesn’t feel good there.”
Caleb frowned. “Has he said anything to make you uncomfortable?”
Bodhi quickly shook his head. “No. He’s my friend. But I don’t sleep well away from home. Except, I slept well here, and I liked it. I liked touching you. I liked feeling your erection pressing against my ass.”
Caleb flushed and wondered if he’d ever get used to the blunt, intense way that Bodhi just signed whatever was in his head. He loved it, andGod, he wished he could be more like that instead of dancing around social convention.
Reaching up, he traced a touch down Bodhi’s jaw before pulling his hand back. “I liked that too.”
Bodhi smiled—small but bright. “Can we go to bed early? I feel tired.”
Caleb nodded and lifted his hips so he could dig his phone out of his pocket.
Caleb: Ravi is yes, Bodhi is no.
Wren: Sounds good. Luke and Ananda are going to make the bank deposit on their way home. I texted Jori about Monday. He said thumbs up. Wants to bring baby.
Caleb: Definitely bring baby.
He set his phone down and looked back at Bodhi who was definitely starting to drift. “Wren wants to close the shop on Monday and have a day out. Do you and Ravi want to skip class?”
Bodhi blinked up at him sleepily, his brow furrowed like was processing the signs, then he smiled. “Yes.”
Caleb’s grin widened. “Yes.”Ohhe liked that sign on Bodhi’s hand.
Bodhi bit his lip, and Caleb found himself wanting to replace Bodhi’s teeth with his own. He wanted to taste Bodhi’s tongue again, to feel the warmth of his skin under his own palms, to tuck him in close and not let go for a while.
But then Bodhi’s expression fell.
“What’s wrong?” Caleb asked.
Bodhi swallowed heavily. “I want to hold your hand.” When Caleb started to offer it to him, Bodhi laughed and shook his head. “No. On Monday.”
“Monday,” Caleb repeated, his hand circling slowly as he tried to figure out what Bodhi meant. Oh, shit. Monday. Around everyone. He settled further against the cushions so he could turn his body to face Bodhi better, and he hooked one of his ankles over his lover’s so he could touch him while keeping his hands free. “I’m not afraid to tell people. I just didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable at work.”
“You’re not ashamed?”
Caleb hated that Bodhi had to ask that. “No. Never.”
Bodhi’s fingers danced with his stims for a second, then he took in a breath so deep, it made his whole body move. “Sometimes people treat me like I’m a child. I know that I think differently. I process,” he spelled the word, “different. I say things that sometimes seem weird or too honest.”
