Page 11 of Chance Encounter

Walking into the living room, Maddox is lying on the couch with his foot propped up on the arm. I lay the ice over his sock, happy I can’t see the bruising because I know it probably is all kinds of black and blue. It’s still swollen all to hell. In fact, I think it’s bigger than it was yesterday. I don’t dare tell him, though.

“Fuck, that’s cold,” Mad shivers.

“I thought you weren’t a pussy,” I chuckle, moving over to sit in my recliner.

“Do you want to watch a movie?” I ask, since he passed out last night watching my favorite show.

“Sure, it really doesn’t matter to me. I don’t watch much TV at home. Hell, I can’t even remember the last time I turned on my TV.”

“What do you do if you don’t watch TV?” I ask in shock. The nights can get pretty long around here, especially when you’re alone.

He lets out a sigh. “Usually, I have to deal with my little brother, but when I’m not doing that, I read.”

“Read?”

He rolls his head to look over at me, his brows drawn down as he looks me over. “Yes, read. Are you illiterate or something? Why are you so offended?”

I scoff. “I’m not offended. I just didn’t takeyoufor a reader. If you want something to read, I’ve got some books in my bedroom.”

“That’s okay. I’m not going to be here long enough to get through a book.” My eyes narrow at him. Yet again, he finds the need to remind me how much he wants to get the hell out of here. “It’s just that I hate not finishing a book I’ve started,” he adds hastily.

Wanting to fix the situation, I decided to try and make things better. Sitting forward, I put my elbows on my knees and clasp my hands together.

“You know, I didn’t mean to make you feel like the town hated you back when I outed you. Which was unintentional, by the way.” I don’t think anyone hated him, but Maddox feels that way, and that’s what matters. “I freaked out when you kissed me at the party after the game. I was confused and didn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea about me.”

His blue eyes darken like a turbulent storm as he stares at me. “But it’s okay that they act like they’ll get a disease if they look, or, hell, even touch me?”

“No, it’s not okay. I was young and dumb, and I can admit now that what I did was wrong. I shouldn’t have yelled and alerted everyone, but I freaked out.” I hang my head, unable to look at him as I say the next part. “I did to you what I didn’t want to be done to me. But I don’t think anyone feels that way about you. Not then and definitely not now.”

“I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree,” he mumbles.

“Listen, Mad. This is a small town, and they’re not used to change, but I think they see you as any other resident.”

He sits up and starts to turn to me until his injured leg starts to move. Maddox grits his teeth and puts his clenched fists at his sides. “Is that why you stay away because they see gay men just like everyone else?”

I huff, unsure if I want to tell him why I keep my distance. “I stay away because no one in town interests me. If I want company, I go to Fairbanks, not that I make a habit of doing that.”

Maddox shakes his head. “You’re not the only one. There’s no one in Polar Bear that I’m attracted to.” His cobalt eyes cut to me, and he bites the inside part of his bottom lip. “Why is everyone even remotely our age here so…”

“Unattractive?”

He laughs. “Pretty much.”

Turning to the TV, I turn it on and admit. “I mean, if you weren’t such an asshole, I’d do you.”

“I have heard hate sex is good.”

Say what?

Maddox throws his head back and lets out a booming laugh. “Oh, my God, your face was priceless. If you think I haven’t thought of pushing you up against a wall and fucking you, you’d be wrong.”

Well, that changes things.

5

MADDOX

Why did I say that?I just can’t keep my big mouth shut.

---