Page 19 of The Lost Art of Woodworking and Taking Risks
“Well, then, I guess we’d have to sit down and talk about it. But it’s how you interact with the world, and it’s how the world interacts with you. I really like that you’re confident in yourself and open about what you like. Like I said, I won’t know for sure until it happens, but when I think about it, I mostly just think that of course other people are going to admire you because there is so much to admire, and of course you’re going to like that they admire you, because you always have, and I’m totally used to that. And now that I know that you’re pulling off your tunic in slowmotionespecially for me, I’m going to look even more closely and not just out of the corner of my eye.”
Bennan groaned, but he was grinning. “I suppose Perian told you that?”
Chamis nodded, smiling back, because he’d basically carved an entire ode to that action, but if Bennan had been doing itforhim, it kind of made it reciprocal, didn’t it? And a lot less pathetic on Chamis’s side?
Happily, Bennan said, “Well, I can definitely commit to taking off my tunic as slowly as possible for the foreseeable future. But is there something else I can do to ensure you’re comfortable?”
Chamis bit his lip and hesitated.
With a smile, Bennan coaxed, “Oh, you should definitely ask if it’s made you look like this. Come on, out with it.”
There were still anxious butterflies in his stomach, fluttering disconcertingly, but buoyed by Bennan’s words, Chamis made himself ask, “Is it ever more than flirting?”
He snapped his mouth shut, sort of amazed the words had actually emerged. And now they were out there, just sitting between the two of them.
Bennan looked… a little bit stunned. “Are you asking if I’ve had sex before?”
Chamis couldn’t help but laugh, a bit too explosively, but it helped with his tension. “No, I’m confident you’ve done that. Grateful that you’ve done that, because if we get to a point where we’re going to do it, I’m certain I’ll benefit from your expertise.”
The other’s man’s face softened a little, but he still looked confused. “I don’t understand what you’re asking.”
Chamis could practically feel his throat wanting to close up, but he’d made it this far.
“I don’t usually pay much attention to the rumors, and I have no idea if it’s true or not, but you’ve heard the one about Perian and Molun and Arvus being together?”
Bennan blinked, still looking confused, but he nodded.
“At the same time he’s together with Summus,” Chamis prompted.
Bennan nodded again, still looking puzzled—and then an expression of understanding washed over his features.
“Is it going to be more than flirting with anyone elsenow,” he exclaimed. “We’re together, and you want to know what I’ll be doing with other people.”
Chamis actually sagged with relief, sinking back into his chair.
“Yes,” he said. “That.”
Oh, thank goodness the other man had figured it out. Now that Bennan had said the words, Chamis could see there had been a much simpler way to approach this, but he hadn’t been able to find those words.
Bennan smiled at him. “Thank you for asking. I should have thought to bring it up. Like I said, I’m not actually a relationship expert.”
If rumor were to be believed, Bennan was more likely to fall into people’s beds and then hop out again and move on to the next person. Always with entirely consenting parties, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, but that wasn’t what Chamis wanted.
“Would you like to be exclusive?” Bennan asked. “Just the two of us while we’re together?”
He swallowed thickly, making a face. “I know it might not be what you’re used to, especially if I’m not ready for anything moreright now…”
It didn’t seem quite reasonable, when he thought about it, to tell the man that he wasn’t ready to have sex with him but didn’t want him to have sex with anyone else, either.
Bennan reached out and laid a finger across Chamis’s lips. Chamis froze in surprise, and then, not knowing what else to do, he gently pressed a kiss to it, like Bennan did with him. Smiling, Bennan pulled his finger back.
“I think I put you on the spot when you didn’t expect it,” he said ruefully. “I didn’t want to tell you what I wanted because I worried you might just agree. But forcing you to state your preference first with no context wasn’t good, either. Please allow me to clarify: I’d like to be exclusive. I’d like for it to be just the two of us while we’re together.”
Chamis pressed his lips together, felt the sting of tears that he blinked away, the voice in his head clamoring that this was just Bennan telling him what he wanted to hear. But did he really think Bennan was going to lie to him? And what, go behind his back and sleep with other people?
Chamis didn’t believethatfor a second, and that meant he was telling the truth.
So he sniffed and said, “I’d like to be exclusive. You can flirt with every single person in the castle. You can even try flirting with Summus if you think you’d survive. Although, I’ll warn you that Perian seemed to have some strong opinions about what people did with ‘his man’ even though he tried to qualify them after.”
