Page 65 of Winning You
Lucas had no idea what to say, so he rolled over and pressed his fingers to Frankie’s jaw. His beard was a little longer than it had been yesterday. Not enough that a sighted person would know it, but he could feel it. His fingers moved through it a bit easier tonight.
“This might only make sense to me because I’m autistic, and I enjoy certain sensations and smells that other people don’t,” he said very quietly. “But to me, you’re a forest floor.” He took a beat, but he didn’t feel Frankie tense up like he was being fucking weird. “Rich, earthy, soft in places, unforgiving in others. A little wild.” He leaned forward until his nose touched Frankie’s pec. “I feel surrounded by trees—by shadows with flecks of warm sun. Your breath is the stream in the background. Your heartbeat is the wind through leaves.”
Frankie brushed a touch down the back of Lucas’s neck.
“I feel safe with you.”
After a beat, Frankie tipped Lucas’s chin up and kissed him. “I think I understand.”
Lucas bit his lip until it hurt, and then he let go. “Do you?”
“You’re a sunset. A soft brightness—like you don’t mind being seen, but you’re not trying to outshine anyone. Your beauty just…exists. No pomp, no circumstance. You ask the world to accept you exactly as you are. I would watch a sunset for hours if I had the chance to, but I don’t.”
“So you watch me?”
Frankie let his lips rest against Lucas’s jaw, and he smiled. “So I watch you. I hope that’s okay.”
Lucas pulled him even closer, until their chests were touching. He knew he’d regret it if he moved the sheet away because he couldn’t handle the sticky sensation of body fluids and cold lube, but he wished in that moment he could feel his skin.
“It’s okay,” he said, probably after too long. But Frankie didn’t seem annoyed. He just sighed very softly and kissed him one more time.
“Fenton will be here soon.”
“You want me to leave?” Lucas asked. He knew it was only fair, but his throat went a little thick anyway.
Frankie sighed against him, then held him tighter. “You can say no, but…I’d like you to stay and meet him. Only if you want.”
Lucas felt himself unable to hide his smile. “Yeah. I want.”
He was kissed for that answer too.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
FRANKIE
It wasby sheer luck alone that Frankie and Lucas had composed themselves and settled in the living room by the time Fenton arrived. He had Fallon in tow, carrying a sleeping Elodie on her shoulder, and they both froze halfway into the living room at the sight of Lucas on the sofa.
Fallon’s gaze locked on Frankie, who had half his ass propped up on the arm of the couch, ordering pizza on his phone. “Why is he here?”
Lucas stiffened, and Frankie immediately knew he had taken offense. It became very clear that while they were both autistic, they didn’t necessarily speak each other’s language fully.
“Lucas is staying for dinner,” Frankie said. Fallon was a man of few words and always had been. If he could complete his sentence with a one-syllable word, he would.
“Okay.” He walked off toward Elodie’s bedroom.
Lucas cleared his throat. “Should I…go?”
“Nope,” Fenton answered. He walked over and flopped down one cushion away from Lucas, who tensed up even more. “You and your friend are responsible for teaching that little fuck-face ex of his a lesson. You’re welcome to literally move in.”
“Please don’t invite people to move into my home without asking me first,” Frankie said dryly. He nudged Lucas lightly, hoping he understood he was making a joke.
Lucas snorted. “The only reason Frankie would want me here is to cook for him anyway, and I do enough of that at my job.”
Fenton raised a brow. “Maybe you can teach him a few things. If I can come over for something that isn’t pizza or some sort of internet casserole…”
Lucas burst into laughter, shaking his head. “Just come over next time.”
Fenton grinned at him. “Dangerous invite, bruh.” He leaned back and kicked his feet up on the foam cover of the coffee table. “So anyway…blind, huh?”
