Page 83 of The Way Home

“This is incredible. I can’t believe this.”

Jamie shrugged bashfully. It was such a striking image: Jamie here, in a dark basement, about to vibe to lo-fi Afrobeats.

After eating Nigerian food.

“J, I don’t even know what to say. This is fucking awesome. This whole night…”

A smile broke across Jamie’s face just as someone flipped on a disco ball, sending light pulsing across the room. The reflections danced over Jamie’s dimples, lighting them up in different colors.

The urge to kiss him was hard to resist. Caleb’s hands fisted at his sides to keep from pushing him against the closest wall and kissing him breathless.

He wanted to so badly. He wanted to tell Jamie that he lovedhim, that he had missedthisdesperately. This connection he’d felt with Jamie from day one.

Caleb’s deepest fear was that the accident had severed that connection. But here Jamie was, showing him that it was still there.

As the music picked up, people drifted to the dance floor, and Caleb felt his whole body start to move with the beat.

His mother would have loved this. But mostly, his mom would’ve loved Jamie.

“Do you, erm…” When Caleb turned, Jamie was eyeing the dance floor, scratching the back of his head. He looked up at Caleb. “Wanna dance?”

“Youwant to dance? You hate dancing.”

Jamie straightened his spine. “No, I want to.” His eyes darted nervously to the mass of bodies pressed against each other on the dance floor. “Well… I’llswaywith you. If you show me how.”

Fuck, it was cute how hard Jamie was trying. Caleb was completely obsessed with this man.

“Okay,” he said, pulling Jamie’s hand into his own. “Let’s do it.”

As Caleb searched for a good spot, he caught an extremely tall guy staring hard at him. The man’s dark eyes slid slowly down Caleb’s body and back up again. Ignoring the creep, he steered Jamie to the edge of the dancefloor near the bar. Easy to step off if Jamie got tired, but close enough for Caleb to keep an eye on the turntables.

He pulled Jamie in front of him and gently slid both arms around his waist. It felt so good, having Jamie wiggle back into his arms.

“This okay?” he asked into Jamie’s hair. After an eager nod from Jamie, he began to sway to the beat.

With his favorite music filling his ears and Jamie in his arms, no one else in the room existed.

Attempting to sway, Jamie stepped on Caleb’s foot. “Erm, sorry.”

Jamie, the sweetie, never had much rhythm.

With a chuckle, he replied, “You’re good, babe.”

What an amazing night. His belly was full of food that reminded him of his mom. Jamie’s hair smelled like the London rain. The Afrobeats music was working its way into every tense corner of hissoul, turning the anxiety of the past few months into something warm and soft.

And on top of all that, his crotch was up against Jamie’s tight, round ass.

He was practically in heaven as his favorite songs played over the speakers.

“Caleb?” Jamie turned his head as much as he could without unraveling Caleb’s arms.

“Yeah?”

Jamie’s lips were moving, but Caleb couldn’t hear him over the music. Leaning down, he asked, “Huh?”

“The loo!” Jamie said, twisting fully in his arms now. “I have to use the loo.”

Caleb smiled down at him. It would only take a few inches of leaning forward to kiss his cheek.