...Maybe in some attempt to get comfortable—or maybe because God was offering a two-for-one deal and decided to add tormenting Aaron to his local deeds for the night—Xander had stripped out of his clothes. All he wore was a pair of black boxer briefs that outlined not only his cock but also his heavy balls, the molded fabric drawing attention to the line of hair that disappeared beneath the waistband. The man was also wide awake, his intense eyes jumping immediately to Aaron to pin him in place at the entrance.

“Looks like somebody else couldn’t sleep, either,” Xander commented.

“Honey, heel.” He wrapped his fingers around her collar and pulled her back. “I’m sorry. I thought she wanted to go out. I didn’t think she was going to come in here and…attack you. Well, I guess lick you to death would be a better description.”

Xander’s mouth slanted. “Well, if it makes a difference, as far as ways to go, I have to say licking to death is probably the best. I wasn’t asleep anyway.”

“Oh, that’s good. I mean, it’s not good you weren’t asleep. Is something keeping you awake?”

“No.” He folded his arm over his head, stretching the muscle so that Aaron had no choice but to look at it. “I’m just wound up.”

Aaron couldn’t tear his gaze away from Xander’s body. He didn’t want to. He just wanted to hoard all the details he could so he could return to them later. “Why? Is there anything I can do?”

Xander sighed. It wasn’t a deep sigh, nor a loud one, but Aaron saw every flex of muscle, heard every whisper of air, as if Xander was standing right next to him and breathed directly in his ear.

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to,” he warned softly. “Because I’m just about to the point where I’ll say exactly what I’m thinking, and I’d really rather not lose you as a friend, too.”

For as long as Aaron had known Xander, he wanted to know Xander. He had always been too young, just an awkward kid all elbows and knees. And for a moment, he almost felt like that kid again. But he wasn’t too young to know Xander now. He wasn’t a kid out of his depth. He didn’t want to be pushed out anymore.

“I do want to know the answer. It won’t change our friendship.”

“That’s what Eddie said.” Xander’s eyes drifted shut. “Then he saw me actually kissing my boyfriend and everything went all to hell.”

Aaron almost fell down. Instead of hitting the floor, he made it to the arm of the couch and sat heavily. Honey pressed her nose under his hand, seeking attention, but he barely noticed her.

“Your boyfriend? You have a boyfriend?”

His arm shifted, covering the top half of his face. “Well, I did. At the time. Not currently, which is probably good considering the kinds of thoughts I’ve been having all week.”

Keep it together. Keep it together. He felt lightheaded and flushed. Just because he once had a boyfriend doesn’t mean he’d want you. But that logic didn’t seem to matter. Aaron was trembling, and not just from arousal. For the first time in his life, he knew somebody who would understand. Just saying the words aloud would relieve the weight on his shoulders.

“I…Xander, I don’t even know where to start. I mean, I had no idea. None at all. Maybe I should have. But…what kinds of thoughts have you been having?”

“Bad ones.” His nostrils flared. As Aaron watched, Xander’s abs twitched. He was tense, as tense as Aaron was rubbery. “Thoughts that mean I really should’ve gotten laid before I left New York so I wouldn’t be nearly as horny as I’ve been.” The hand stretched out at his side rubbed over his leg, drawing attention to the thick line of his cock. The waistband bulged from the hard tip nearly poking free, and this close, Aaron could see a small wet spot where Xander had leaked. “Told you, you wouldn’t want to know.”

Aaron wanted to open his mouth and tell Xander everything. But years of silence had programmed him to hold his tongue, and now he wasn’t sure what to say. Could he blurt I’m gay, too? He had no way of knowing that Xander’s so-called bad thoughts had anything to do with him, but they were both there. Aaron’s fingers felt numb. Actions would speak louder than words. One simple gesture would convey to Xander what he wanted, and would give Xander the chance to accept that or rebuff him.

One simple gesture.