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“Great idea. Burn off calories, sober up.” Steve laughed.
“And…we get to know one another better.”
They started off into the sunshine and the hustle and bustle of a perfect-weather Saturday when everyone in the world was out.
Steve was surprised how little time the walk took. When they’d gotten to the point where it would have made sense to split up, Fess insisted on walking him home. “I don’t mind. I need the exercise.”
Fess bordered on being too thin, so the exercise comment was questionable. Steve supposed people needed exercise for stuff other than losing weight. “You really don’t have to. I’m fine on my own.”
“Sweetie, we’re both fine on our own. I enjoy your company. Don’t worry. I won’t ask to come in to see your etchings.”
“Wow. That’s an old chestnut of a line. I love it.”
And now, standing in front of Steve’s apartment complex, their time together morphed into something awkward. They were, after all, little more than strangers.What do we do now? Kiss? Make plans for another date?
But Fess had other ideas. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, and his smile was an embarrassed one.
“What?” Steve asked, simply to have something to say.
“I know I said I wouldn’t ask to come in, but God, I really have to pee.” He cocked his head. “Would you mind?”
Steve waved the remark away. “Don’t worry about it. Come on up.” He turned and started on the path leading to his front door while fishing out his keys from his pocket. He could feel Fess’s gaze on him, and it made him both happy and uncomfortably self-conscious.Does my ass look too big in these shorts?
Once they were inside, Steve pointed out the bathroom. Because of the size of the apartment, directions really weren’t necessary. But it was something to do, something to say.
But Fess didn’t move. He stood his ground, staring.
Steve felt the thin hairs on his neck rise. “Uh, right that way.” He gestured toward the open door opposite them. It was clear from the visible toilet and tub that itwasthe bathroom.
Fess still didn’t move.
“You okay?” Steve asked. His heart picked up a little faster pace. He felt warm, even though the temperature in the apartment, with the windows open, and the pine trees shading it, was cool, barely above seventy.
“I’m fine.” Fess moved into Steve’s studio, looking around, appraising.
Why did I let him in?
Fess lifted some magazines from the coffee table. “Entertainment Weekly?People? You’re a real scholar, aren’t you?”
In spite of the heat burning his face, a chill ran up Steve’s spine. “Excuse me?”
Fess turned. “No bookcases?”
Steve could have answered that this was a studio and he had to be mindful of what he brought into the 600 square foot unit. Besides, almost all of the books he read these days were on his Kindle. But Steve didn’t want to answer. He wanted the guy to leave. This felt too weird, too invasive.
Fess moved to the sliding glass doors and looked out. He then reached over and pulled the vertical blinds closed. For a beat, he stood there, back turned.
Steve had a weird thought—run. But that would be crazy, right? He couldn’t just run out of his own home? Aside from looking odd, he didn’t want to leave this guy alone with his stuff. Alarm bells were beginning to sound in his head. What he’d had for lunch roiled.
“You gonna use the bathroom?”
“Nah.” Fess smiled. But it was no longer a sweet smile. This expression was more on the predatory side. “I didn’t really have to go.”
Steve laughed, but there was no mirth in it. His face was slick with sweat. “Then why did you ask to come up?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I wanted to see if you had any, um, Alfred Knox books.”
Steve eyed him. “A few. They’re on my Kindle.”
