Page 45 of The Locker Room

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real. And it"s not taking advantage of my parents" hospitality, it"s having

a relationship with someone in a home.”

Suddenly he couldn"t meet Chris"s eyes anymore. A relationship.

They"d been practicing a relationship, but now they were really going to

have one. The romantic kind. The kind you couldn"t take back. “Lovers

go away,” he said, rawly. Maybe it was because they"d just come in each

other"s arms, and maybe it was because Chris was expecting them to

take it even further. Maybe it was because he"d seen his mother with

man after man, and none of them kind, or the fact that every tabloid in

the grocery store was full of people bouncing off each other like rubber

dodge balls, but the thought that once Chris became a lover, he could go

away?

Terrifying. Simply terrifying.

Chris"s hand came up, cupped his jaw, pulled his face around.

“Look at me, Xander. Please?”

The Locker Room

39

Their eyes collided and caught, and Chris nodded, as though to

make sure he had Xander"s complete attention.You have had my

complete attention since we met, Christian. You will always have my

complete attention.

“I"m not going anywhere, okay, Xan? You and me. We"re it. We"re

forever, okay? Like my folks. They met in high school and put each

other through college and finish each other"s sentences. It happens

sometimes. It"s real. Just believe it, okay? Believe in it, and it will be

real.”

Xander nodded, and then hugged Chris compulsively to him again.

They separated reluctantly—they had to work that night, and they had to

shower, and it was just time, but Chris gave him a quick brush of the lips

before turning and trotting upstairs to wash. Xander used the downstairs

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