Page 54 of Refraction

“You’re so sweet.” Calvin circled him. “Don’t work tonight. Come to my place.”

“I can do that.” No question. Tucker wanted to stay in this bubble of happiness.

“Thank you.” Calvin skated around behind him and took hold of his belt, slowly pulling close until he could feel Calvin against his back.

“Oh.” His entire body lit up, bright and hot. “Damn, honey. I love that.”

Hands snaked slowly around his waist, and Calvin propelled them forward, adding speed. “Just move with me, we’ve got this.”

Okay. Okay, just move. Just let Calvin take him.

They glided together, Calvin’s feet on either side of one of his own and Calvin’s hip against his tailbone, for just one wide loop around the rink. He didn’t do much himself except follow Calvin’s rhythm, almost like they were dancing.

When they came back around to where they started, Calvin let him go and came up beside him, quietly taking his hand again.

God, if all the demons have to be a real thing, let this be real too. I’ll take all of it, if this can be real.

“That was amazing, tiger. You did great!” Calvin looked over at him. “Are you okay?”

“I am exceptional, honey, balls to bones.”

“That sounds so much more like you mean it than ‘head to toe.’” Calvin laughed. “Okay, your thighs and your butt are going to be screaming at you tomorrow. One last lap.”

“You’ll have to rub them for me,” he teased.

Calvin dropped his voice so low it was a wonder Tucker heard him over the skates and the music. “All you have to do say is please, lover.”

“I can do that.” He didn’t have a bit of trouble asking for what he wanted.

They skated together around one last time, Calvin zooming away and back, spinning, and showing off for him a couple of times. The flush in Calvin’s cheeks and the childlike antics made him grin. Lord have mercy, that was pretty as all get-out. He could watch that forever and never get bored.

He felt Calvin’s hands on his backside, and Calvin steered them toward the boards, slowing and stopping them both without either of them having to grab the rail. “Climb on out, cowboy. Let’s head home.”

“Sounds like heaven, honey. Lead the way.” Calvin’s apartment would be warm and cozy, the bed perfect for everything from gymnastics to snuggling.

“You’re going to need some dinner. We can stop and grab something on the way. Let’s get your boots.”

* * *

Calvin watchedTucker stomp into his boots. The man really was incredible; it seemed like he was having such a good time. That fearless thing he had going on really worked for him, something about just being willing to try making all kinds of new things easier.

It was getting simpler to coax Tucker out of his head and away from his work lately. It wasn’t always for a long day or overnight, but they’d had a handful of real dates in the past couple of weeks and they’d gone remarkably well. This one, though, was the best of all so far.

He probably shouldn’t have asked Tucker not to work, he realized. That wasn’t really fair. It did seem like Tucker dropped everything for him when he asked, and while that was wonderful, he worried a little that he was just another distraction. Not that he asked that often. He’d be careful, right?

“You okay with the subway?”

“Sure, honey.” The words were confident, the look in the bright blue eyes less so.

It wasn’t snowing. Other than money, there was no reason they couldn’t grab a cab. He debated whether he thought it would be better for Tucker to get used to the subway, but he was pretty sure Tucker could ride it a hundred times and still not ever get comfortable. It had been such a great afternoon, why stress him out now? “Actually, you know what? If we walk across town one block, we’ll be able to get a cab no problem.”

He slid his fingers against the back of Tucker’s hand, and Tucker took hold of him, the grip firm. He loved that it was so simple. It felt so natural that he’d bet Tucker didn’t even think about it anymore.

“Sounds good to me.” Tucker hummed a little, pulled his cap out of his back pocket, and popped it on his head. “I’m fixin’ to need a haircut. My hat don’t fit.”

The dark hair was on the shaggy side, and Tucker didn’t have stubble anymore. It was a full beard, the same color as dark chocolate.

“Maybe hanging out with me has made your head swell.” He laughed. “I have a guy. You thinking you’ll trim the whiskers too?” Kissing all that fuzzy was fun, but he liked that “I’m just too cool to care if I’ve shaved in the last four days” look better. It was way hotter. And scratchier. And now he was blushing. Oops.

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