Page 83 of Something Like Summer
“I’m so sorry,” Bensputtered once they were alone. “It just sort of happened. I don’tknow--”
“It’s allright.”
Ben couldn’t believe hisears. “What?”
“I said it’s all right,”Jace repeated, sitting on the rocky shelf next to the entrance. “Iknew something like this would happen eventually, if it hadn’talready.”
“I didn’t do anything withhim before!” Ben said. “Just now, I promise.”
Jace shrugged, seeminglyunconcerned.
“Aren’t youangry?”
“Not really. Old feelingsdon’t just disappear overnight. It’s normal that you and Tim stillfind each other attractive.”
“That’s it?” Maybe it wasthe hormones still coursing through his system, but Ben wasstarting to feel angry enough for the both of them. He would havebeen furious if he had caught Jace making out with someone. Benwanted Jace to tell him off—he had it coming. Ben had donesomething wrong and now it was time for him to pay the price. Orwere Jace’s feelings for Ben not as strong as his own?
“I wish you were pissed,”Ben blurted. “At least then I could tell that you care.”
Jace looked confused. “Icare,” he said, his irritation rising as he stood. “I just thoughtI’d give you the benefit of the doubt.”
“What’s there to doubt?”Ben demanded. “You saw everything. I did something stupid, and youshould hate me for it.”
“I’d never hate you,” Jacesaid solemnly.
Ben bit back tears. Anangry Jace would have been so much easier to deal with. InsteadJace was hurt. Normally when he was unhappy, Ben would hold him andkiss away his pain, a gesture that would now be tacky consideringwhere his lips had just been.
A shadow moved behind thewaterfall before Tim pushed through again.
“Hey,” he said to Jace.“It’s my fault. I grabbed him and started kissing him. He wasn’teven kissing back. Really. Please don’t blame him.”
The apology might have beeneffective if Tim wasn’t grinning while delivering it.
With the lightning fastreflexes of a cobra, Jace decked Tim. The smacking noise was stillechoing throughout the cave when Tim fell back into the water. Jacegrabbed him after his head submerged and leaned him against a walluntil he recovered enough to stand on his own.
“How’s that for angry?”Jace said to Ben. “Come on, we’re going home.”
Ben risked only thesmallest glance at Tim as he followed Jace out of the cave. Heexpected to see shame, humiliation, maybe even anger. Instead Tim’sjaw was set with determination.
* * * * *
Hormones could impairjudgment, sometimes even more potently than drugs or alcohol. Benfelt he was living proof of this. One act of impulse that hadlasted seconds now threatened to destroy years worth of love withJace. Who knew that a single kiss could be so expensive?
The rental car they werecruising along in wasn’t free either, but Ben felt lucky to be apassenger in it. Jace had insisted on walking to the dealershipalone, which was only down the road from Splashtown, but as hebegan his hike Ben honestly thought that would be the last he’dever see of him. Alone in a near empty parking lot, he had littleelse to do but replay the mistake he’d made over and over again.When the rental car pulled up he had almost wept withrelief.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbledfor what felt like the thousandth time. For once Jace didn’trespond with his standard “It’s all right.” Maybe he had finallydecided that it wasn’t.
Jace shifted in his seatand sighed. “I had a close call once.”
“Close call?”
“About six months ago. Ona flight to Boston. We had a real nervous flyer, a youngerguy. I’m notsure he was even eighteen,but he was attractive. Very attractive.” Jace glanced over at Benwith no malice in his eyes. “Anyway, he was one of those rarepeople who have a genuine phobia of flying. He had never flownbefore and had no idea of his own fear until we were in the air. Ihad to sit with him the entire flight and talk him through it whileholding his hand.”
“That’s not quite thesame,” Ben pointed out.
“Let me finish. Once welanded he suggested we have a drink together. I suspected he onlywanted someone old enough to buy him alcohol from the bar, but Ifigured he had earned it and I was off work for the day,so--”
“Did something happen?”Ben asked, wanting to hear the end of the story. The anticipationwas torture.
