Page 8 of With the Stars

“Not really. We both know I’m going to put out later, but you can explain the dynamics of this to me.”

“How so?”

“Will you be the…what do you call it? Top?”

Minho’s eyes widened. “I hope not.”

“You prefer to, er, bottom?” Here he was, a man who was almost fifty, and he had no idea what terminology to use. He needed to catch up.

“I switch, so I like to both bottom and top.”

“We’ll do both, then.” Peter fidgeted in his chair and tried to remember the last time he’d felt this level of arousal. Probably when he and Diane first met. They’d had a lot of sex back then. They still had, right up until she became too ill, but it had changed over the course of the years. Familiarity and love had changed the burning passion to something long lasting. Smiling softly, he remembered their last anniversary before the cancer took over, Diane in her red dress. That had been a good night.

“You seem distracted.”

“Not distracted as such. Just memories.”

Minho leaned forward, his eyes focused on Peter. “Will you tell me?”

“I was thinking about my last anniversary with Diane.”

“I wish you’d had more of them.”

“Even though it means we wouldn’t be here now?” How could someone like Minho exist? Wishing Peter happiness, even if it meant he never experienced it with him.

“As long as you were happy and loved, then yes. I made that decision when I first saw you two together, and it isn’t one I regret. There was nothing stopping me from having relationships during your marriage and I have slept with people during that time. I haven’t been celibate, pining away. It hurt, I’ll admit, but I would never break up your marriage.”

“You’re one of those good men.”

“I wouldn’t say that. I’ve done things you may not agree with.”

Peter glanced around the room, seeing the customers either eating or talking. “Like?”

“I’m part of the team that protects our kind. I’ve killed to do that.”

“Were they necessary deaths?” Peter had a strong sense of right and wrong. If Minho had to kill to keep his kind safe…Peter didn’t really know enough about vampires and their politics to know how to react. He only understood the human world.

“They were, in that others would have died if I hadn’t intervened.”

Others. Did he mean humans? Peter pointed to his chest, and Minho nodded. “So you protect us, and you as well.”

“It’s necessary. I know I may be placed in a position that I might have to take lives if it means keeping others safe. One day we won’t be needed, but it seems that day is a long way from here.”

“This other group?”

“Yes. As I said, we have a difference of opinion when it comes to how others should be treated.” Minho ate the last few bites of his meal and pushed his plate away. “I can talk more about this in an area better suited for the discussion.”

“More private.”

“Yes.” Minho sipped his beer and sighed. “This is good beer.”

“It is.” Peter leaned back and patted his belly. Not flat like it had been when he was younger, but still solid. He worked hard at the cafe and still went to the gym, so he hadn’t let his body go like some his age had. He would never look as good as Minho, and he exhaled softly. He might not be older, but he certainly looked and felt it.

“I’ll pay then I’ll take us to your place. Is that okay with you?”

Peter nodded his body reacting to the thought of being alone with Minho. “Yeah, it is.”

Chapter Five

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