Page 117 of Common Goal
Eric was falling hard for all sides of Kyle, and he didn’t know how to stop it.
“Did you get some good pictures today?” Kyle asked.
“Hm? Oh. Yes, I think so.” He thought of the image he’d captured of Kyle, cheeks pink and smiling up at a squirrel he’d spotted in a tree, and was glad he’d lugged his camera along on this hike. “Some really nice ones, actually.”
“Good. Maybe that’s what you should do after you retire: travel and take photos.”
“It might be lonely,” Eric said without meaning to. He’d considered doing exactly what Kyle had proposed—it was how Eric had spent a few of his summers. He’d enjoyed traveling alone, but he’d hoped his retirement would be shared with another person. Someone who loved being outdoors and was knowledgeable about history and art. Someone with a gift for languages, and a passion for learning. Someone who made Eric laugh and relax and...want. When was the last time Eric had wanted anything as much as he wanted Kyle?
This was bad. This was really fucking bad.
“Where would you go?” Eric asked, hoping to derail this dangerous line of thinking. “If you could travel anywhere?”
“Anywhere. Everywhere. I want to see it all, but I’ve been looking at Greece lately. Maybe do a language course there.”
“Sounds nice.”
“I want to hike on the Pelion Peninsula.”
“And follow in the footsteps of Achilles?”
Kyle grinned. “Exactly. Maybe find a handsome centaur who wants to teach me a few things.”
“Is that what you’re into? Horses?”
“Nope. Just intelligent older men with thick cocks.”
Eric was sure the hike down the mountain wouldn’t be improved by having an erection. “Behave,” he scolded.
Eric silently told himself to behave too. Last night, when he’d gone to the Kingfisher, he hadn’t wanted to make plans for an outing today. He’d wanted Kyle to go home with him, but this unexpected day together was worth so much more than sex.
“Should we keep going?” Kyle asked.
“Sure.”
They didn’t speak for a while. Kyle walked in front of Eric and kept glancing up at the trees. It was wonderfully quiet on the trail, the silence only interrupted by birds, squirrels, and the occasional gust of wind rattling the tree branches. It was perfect and peaceful and made it far too easy for Eric to think as they walked.
Even just walking behind him, Eric’s heart would swell every time Kyle turned his head to look at something, giving him a view of his profile. His pink cheeks, his glasses, his content half smile. He could imagine walking behind him like this in Greece, in Italy. Anywhere Kyle wanted to go.
Or he could imagine quiet nights at home in Manhattan. Maybe reading together on a couch, Kyle’s toes tucked under Eric’s thighs. Then falling into bed together, laughing and kissing and—
Eric nearly crashed into Kyle, who had stopped abruptly.
“Wh—?”
“Shh,” Kyle whispered. “Look.”
Eric looked where he was pointing and saw two deer standing in a clearing. He went perfectly still, not wanting to do anything to spook them. The deer stayed for a while, calmly eating something that grew close to the ground. When they finally disappeared into the forest, Eric let out a whoosh of breath. “Wow.”
Kyle beamed at him, eyes bright under his glasses. “You don’t see that in the city.”
“No.” Eric’s heart was thudding against his ribs. He was filled with a strange adrenaline after being so close to wild animals, even ones as serene as those deer had been. In that moment, Kyle looked achingly beautiful.
Kyle eyed him curiously. “What?”
Eric shook his head. “Nothing.”
Kyle stared at him for another beat, then grinned and said, “You know what I could go for after this? Pancakes.”
