Page 122 of If the World Was Ending

“Holy shit.”

Hunter turned to the voice that echoed him. The melodious, familiar, perfect voice. Colby’s silver-blue eyes were wide, and that plump mouth was slightly opened in shock before it spread into a smile. “You’re here.”

“You’re here,” Hunter repeated.

“Hunter!” Bob said, his voice slurred from the afternoon beers he obviously still consumed. “Book any roles lately?”

“Umm… a couple…” Hunter didn’t move his eyes from Colby.

“Well, keep plugging away, kid.” Bob stumbled by him, clapping him on the shoulder. “Gotta go call the owner…”

The other tenants chatted amongst themselves as Colby crossed the distance to stand in front of Hunter. God, he looked so good. Hunter couldn’t stop staring. Maybe he looked the same, but it was just the ability to drink him in that made it feel so good.

“You said use the key if the world was ending, and it kind of felt like it might,” he said softly.

“It’s been feeling like that for a long time,” Hunter whispered, his voice rough with the need he’d been bottling up for far too long. “Before the fucking earth moved. Since we said goodbye in Montreal.”

“Guess you boys can’t have midnight pool parties anymore.” Mrs. Yoon’s snarky voice brought them back to reality. And the reality was, they were holding onto each other in front of every single one of their neighbors—former neighbors.

“Dude, you look like that singer in that band. Tidal?” a guy in pajama pants and a ribbed tank said, his blurry eyes on Colby. “The dude who dated Hannah Wolfe and won an Oscar with her.”

“Let’s go upstairs,” Colby suggested to Hunter and turned to face the guy with a shrug. “I get that a lot.”

He followed Hunter up the staircase to their former home. Once the door was closed, they stood face-to-face again, this time not touching. Hunter cleared his throat and gathered his courage. “I know it’s a lot to ask. I know why we can’t. I know, but… what if we did it anyway?”

Colby grabbed Hunter and pulled him into his arms. He ran his hand into Hunter’s hair as Hunter wrapped his arms around his back and pressed a kiss to the curve of his neck.

Colby blinked and then smiled. “None of this feels worth it without you.”

“I think it’s because you love me.” Hunter brushed their lips together softly, briefly. “And that’s pretty fucking convenient because I love you too.”

Colby’s mouth crashed down on Hunter’s in a deep, sweet, heart-stopping kiss. When he finally pulled back, Hunter was terrified, but at peace. This was exactly where he was supposed to be, who he was supposed to be with, even if the world didn’t end. Especially if it didn’t.

Chapter 41

Tree-huggin’ hippie at heart

The apartment smelled like dust and stale, warm air, but it didn’t bother Colby because he had his nose buried in Hunter’s neck, inhaling his familiar spicy-sweet cologne and Vanilla-based shampoo. The ends of his hair at the base of Hunter’s neck behind his ear tickled the bridge of Colby’s nose as he tongued behind his earlobe, making Hunter arch his back off the bed. “Come to my house.”

“Now?’ Hunter whispered back.

They’d been curled up on the old bed in the older apartment for maybe an hour. They hadn’t gotten naked, or anything, just curled up together and lay there enjoying the heat of each other’s embrace. They could hear the neighbors and the emergency workers in the courtyard, past the living room windows. There were swirling lights seeping through the dining room window overlooking the street. The same window where Hunter had seen a tree limb lying on top of a van way back when. The police must be here too.

“My garage kind of got destroyed, and my equipment is in there. I think I should go make sure I’m not getting looted,” Colby replied softly. “Plus, I want you to see the place and sleep in my bed. And christen my house.”

“Christen it? Like throw a bottle of champagne against it?”

Colby pressed his body tighter into Hunter’s, kissing him along the column of his neck. “Like throw a bottle of lube on your dick. I haven’t had sex there yet.”

“Have you had sex with anyone anywhere?” Hunter asked, and Colby’s stomach swirled uncomfortably. Hunter’s wide hand pressed into the small of Colby’s back, holding him tighter. “I’m not asking because it will change a thing about this. I love you, and I didn’t expect you to be celibate. I’m asking because I want to ditch condoms. I’m on prep now too, and I’m clean. I get a full panel every new movie as part of the insurance physical.”

“I’ve had some wank sessions on an app. Exchanging faceless videos jerking it, but that’s it,” Colby confessed. “Briar and Kenner broke up, and he drunkenly hit on me. Like nothing romantic. Just a let’s fuck away each other’s sorrows thing, but I declined. He’d keep it secret, but like the band is messy enough, you know?”

“Yeah. I know.”

“You?”

Hunter’s pregnant pause told Colby everything he needed to know. It was easier for Hunter because he was bisexual. He could have a fling that would take away the loneliness and look outwardly permissible. “It was Mikayla, and it meant absolutely nothing. I was just so fucking sad and lonely, and I gave up before I came. She actually offered to stick her dildo in my ass if it would help.”