Page 40 of The Price of Ice

Kallen had got him a set of professional knives and cutting boards, all magnetic so they could be attached to the wall and not take up counter space. He’d left it on Levy’s bed while his friend had been out picking up his family at the airport and he’d forgotten about it until this very moment.

“Oh.” He managed a wobbly smile, genuinely pleased. He’d never been the best at picking presents for his family, and he’d never had a chance to buy anything for a friend since he’d started having disposable income. “I’m glad.”

“We gotta install them and test them, though. You ever make bread?”

“Bread?” Kallen echoed. “Is that on our new nutritional plan?”

Levy shrugged, holding the door open for him. Kallen reached out and took one of the bags hanging from his left forearm.

“I’m fine,” Levy insisted with a sigh, but allowed it.

“Great to hear,” Kallen replied with a sunny smile he knew made him look like a psychopath—Levy had told him so several times.

“Anyway, homemade bread is better, we can add seeds to it, that’s on the nutritional plan. Plus yeast has probiotics.”

Kallen laughed at him. “Yeah, when it’s alive!”

Levy hip checked him away from the fridge so he could start unloading the cold food.

The bread was apparently necessary to test the bread knife that came in the set, but Kallen managed to argue they should do it later in the season when they’d all have started losing weight.

“Are you worried about your waistband?” Levy teased, right into his ear, front plastered to Kallen’s back and squeezing him around the middle. He wanted to lean back into the solid warmth of Levy’s body, but he shoved an elbow back instead. Not too hard, just with enough intent to mark his words, “Fuck off, you wish you had my abs.”

Levy sidestepped his blow, one of his hands slipping under Kallen’s shirt in a teasing caress. “That I do,” he admitted cheerily.

They’d made dinner together, Levy directing as usual, but by now Kallen felt confident in sorting out his part of the meal—the vegetables—without explicit instructions. And when Levy stepped close to adjust the angle of the knife, thumb careful onhis wrist and cheek brushing against his own, it felt more like an excuse than a real correction.

Maybe it was both. Either way, he didn’t resist the urge to turn his face into the touch.

It was good to be home.

AFTER HASTILY EXCHANGINGhand jobs the previous night, Levy had curled up behind him and Kallen had fallen asleep with a smile on his lips, but he’d woken up alone the next morning. It wasn’t the greatest.

It was Levy’s bed, so it wasn’t like he’d been abandoned, but... He’d forced himself not to rush to the common areas to find him, instead dragging himself to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth.

When he did make it to the kitchen, he found Levy nursing a half cup of tea he’d clearly just reheated.

“Hey.” He smiled as soon as he saw Kallen, just like always.

“Hey,” Kallen said back, a little stunned by the way his chest seized at just that look. He took a couple steps closer before taking a sudden turn and going for the fridge. He had to eat, it was all.

“There’s bacon,” he was reminded, which did help a little with his mood. They’d also got mangoes, which over the years had become a treat the way sweets had been when he’d been younger. He added a few extra slices just in case Levy wanted to steal them.

He sat down across the table and Levy set down his mobile, full attention on him like he’d just been passing the time while he waited for Kallen.

It was both a little heady and a lot intimidating.

“Did you sleep well?”

Kallen stole a glance. “Yeah.” He had, truly, even if the wake up could have used some work. A kiss might have been a fine addition, for one.

Levy smiled and reached out and took a piece of mango from his plate, not even trying to be quick about it. Like he knew he was welcome.

It wasn’t a big deal, but Kallen’s face felt hot and his chest felt tight.

“So... My sister’s just got engaged,” Levy revealed.

“Oh,” Kallen swallowed the half-chewed bit of mango he’d put in his mouth. “She did?”

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