No
Brennan
He doesn’t really know me yet.
Nellie
Maybe
But shouldn’t you give him the chance to?
Brennan
I want to.
Nellie
Then kiss his really nice face.
You’re allowed to want things.
Brennan
Ugh.
It was cold, so by the time they reached the Dolson Center and stopped in front of the big glass doors, Cole’s cheeks were flushed, hands shoved in the pockets of his coat.
“The rec center?” Brennan asked. “It’s a little late for a workout.”
Brennan wasn’t a big gym rat—he loved running outside, with a route and scenery and sunlight. But, absently, he thought about returning to test his vampiric strength and speed with more accuracy.
“I used to smoke with the night janitor,” Cole said. “He keeps a spare key hidden.”
Brennan still wasn’t sure why they were there, but he kind of liked not knowing. He’d never been big on surprises but something about Cole’s smile made him want to go with it.
Cole produced a key from somewhere and unlocked the door, both of them giggling into the cold air. The Dolson Center was vast, open, and modern. A smoothie joint was at one end and gym equipment sprawledacross the first floor, with a balcony that overlooked everything else. The walls were windows, looking out into the grassy quad.
Cole beelined across the gym toward a door on the far side, and when he opened it, the smell of chlorine assaulted Brennan’s nose.
An Olympic-sized swimming pool stretched out in the middle of gray tile floors, light filtering through the water and making the whole room glow blue even though the overhead lights were off.
Cole’s sneakers squeaked and echoed against the tile floor, and he held the door open for Brennan to walk through. He grinned. “Care for a late-night swim?”
Thatsmile.What else could Brennan do but follow?
But before he could, Cole was turning, grin wavering, fiddling his fingers together.
“I mean, we don’thaveto swim,” he said. “We can just put our feet in, or not at all. I just—the vibes here are pretty awesome, right?”
It hadn’t occurred to Brennan that Cole could be as nervous about this unspoken thing between them as Brennan was. And that seemed wrong, as wrong as Cole crying in the library had been, and Brennan couldn’t have it.
So he dropped his backpack, dropped his coat, and said, “Oh, we’re swimming.”
They stripped down to their underwear and Brennan kept his eyes to himself, except for when he didn’t, and both of them were laughing like children. Cole reached for his hand as they jumped into the pool together.
The water was cool but not cold, and Brennan broke through the surface, Cole’s fingers entwined with his. Cole had freckles on his back, Brennan noted. He was all lean muscles and delicate skin and he laughed as he pushed his hair back from his eyes.
Cole splashed Brennan, and Brennan splashed him back, and they went back and forth splashing until Cole started trying to dunk him, which devolved into Cole clinging to Brennan from behind, arms wrapped around Brennan’s shoulders, somewhere between a piggyback ride and an intimate embrace, Cole’s chest against his back. Brennan had mercy on his poor gay heart and gave in, dunking them both in the water instead of reveling in it.
