Page 24 of Men in Shorts

Holding him close now, Duncan vowed that if he ever got a second chance, he’d erase the memory of the night Brodie wanted to forget. He’d replace it with a night to remember. A night to repeat again and again.

* * *

Duncan woke to the-click!-of a door shutting softly. Without opening his eyes, he reached out to find the bed beside him empty but still warm. Though ninety percent of his body begged him to stay put, he heeded the call of his fitness routine—not to mention his bladder.

He left Brodie a note, written on an unused Starbucks napkin.

Away for a run, then our Taco Bell breakfast! - D

Duncan returned ninety minutes later to find Brodie sitting at the desk, clear-eyed, fresh-faced…and proper cute in that long-sleeved, pine-green shirt. It hugged his figure, accentuating his slimness without making him look scrawny. Instead of pajama trousers, he was wearing a clean pair of jeans. If it weren’t for his bare feet, Duncan would have thought he was ready for an outing.

Even the room was tidier. The dirty laundry in the corner had been picked up, and the books strewn beside his bed had been reshelved—all but the statistics textbook in front of him on the desk.

Brodie squinted at the cardboard tray and plain brown bag in Duncan’s hands. “That’s not Taco Bell.”

“The ones here don’t serve breakfast. I’m pure sad you won’t get to experience a Waffle Taco.” Duncan set the bag and tray on the desk. “So I went to the North Star Café.”

Brodie seized the bag. “I love that place! Thank you!” As the scent of bacon sandwich on crusty bread wafted up, he closed his eyes and lifted his chin in a look of pure bliss, a look Duncan wanted to evoke as often as possible.

“Nae bother. So if you’re well enough to take the desk, does that mean I’m relegated to the bed?”

“It’s not a relegation, it’s a promotion.”

Duncan raised his coffee cup at him. “Nice football reference there.” He took off his shoes, then sat cross-legged on the bed, his breakfast spread before him on the brown-paper wrapper. “You ready to review Psych 1B, or are you still arse-deep in statistics?”

“Either. But first”—Brodie leapt from his chair—“I’ve got something for you.” He rushed out the door.

Duncan struggled to eat his own bacon sandwich, his stomach in knots. Last night, the way they’d—well,cuddledwas the only word to describe it—it felt like they were more than mates. But yet, not quite lovers. Being something in between was dangerous and exciting and also really fucking confusing.

Brodie returned pronto, carrying the oversized “Tea-Rex” mug with a dinosaur on it, which he presented with nervous pride. “I made this for you.”

Duncan took the cup carefully, expecting it to be hot, but it was the opposite. He sniffed the brown liquid. “Cold tea?”

“You said iced tea was what you missed most about America. We’d no ice, so I put a cup of hot tea in the fridge. Is it all right?”

Touched by Brodie’s thoughtfulness, Duncan took a sip. He tried not to grimace at the bitter taste. “It’s…robust.”

“I found a recipe on the Internet. It said to use two bags for one cup.”

“Because the ice waters it down and makes it weaker.”

“Right.” Brodie’s face fell. “Oh. Is it gads?”

“No, it’s great. See?” He took a massive gulp, then coughed.

“Maybe these’ll help.” Brodie dug a trio of sugar packets from his front pocket.

As Duncan poured the sugars into the mug, Brodie stood there shifting his weight from foot to foot. Then he said, “I got good news this morning in my email. I’ve been approved for student summer accommodation. I’ll stay in a single room at one of the older halls near uni.”

“That’s fantastic.” It would be cool to spend the summer together—though not so cool to do it as mere pals. “Are you okay?” he asked, noticing Brodie was pacing the floor instead of eating.

“Yeah, I—I don’t know why I thought the tea, and then the—saying I’d be here for the summer would somehow magically lead to what I’m on about.”

“Which is what?”

“Which is this.” Brodie sat before him on the bed, curling one leg up so they were eye to eye. Then he reached out, took Duncan’s face in both hands, and kissed him.

Duncan froze in shock, eyes open wide. An inch away, Brodie’s lids twitched, clamped shut in concentration. His lips quivered, transmitting a current of energy that zinged up and down Duncan’s spine.

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