Page 52 of Seasons of Love
"I need you to come home, Uncle Ted is in the hospital… Slade, it's not good."
20
AIDEN
"So…you and Slade, huh?"
"Don't give yourself a stitch, breathe."
Wren slowed down and laughed.
"I've lost count of the times we’ve talked through a five-mile run stitch free, and now you're claiming amateur status? No way."
I smiled. When he'd texted asking if we were running, I knew he just wanted some time alone to talk. It didn't mean I was going to make it easy on him.
"I think you're just finding an excuse to cut the run short. Is Tom tiring you more than usual?"
"I could ask the same of you." He looked at his wristwatch. "You do realize in the old days we'd be on the way back, right?"
Yeah, I was aware of that, as much as I was aware of how much my thighs ached from fucking Slade this morning. I'd have asked him to stay in bed until I got back, for a repeat, but I needed to get back to the apartment to pick up my notes and my laptop.
Slade had asked me to spend the night with him again and there was as much a chance of me saying no as there was of me avoiding this conversation with Wren. But I did need my stuff, so we’d agreed I’d get back to his place in time for a late lunch.
“What do you want to know?” I asked.
“Length, width, and thrusting power.”
I coughed. “What?”
“Jesus, man, your face just now,” he laughed, and I hoped he got a stitch. It would serve him right. “I was joking. I can see by your blissed-out face that there are no issues in that area. Way to go, Aid.”
“Um, thanks?”
He slowed his pace down to a fast walk.
“How did you guys go from him helping you out with research to…whatever it is you’re doing? I mean, I knew you had a thing for older guys, but since you’ve been with The Tiny Dick for so long…”
I snorted. Wren had been calling Richard “The Tiny Dick” since I had told him about one of our first arguments. It stuck, but it was just between us. I guessed Richard had been downgraded now.
Wren slowed his pace to a stroll, which meant things were about to get serious.
“I’m going straight to the point, Aid. What’s going to happen to you when you go back home?”
“We agreed this is casual while I’m here. That’s all. There’s no point denying ourselves when we know we’re attracted to each other. It’s been a while since Richard, so I think I’ve earned some fun, haven’t I?” There was a slight bite to my voice, and I didn’t know if it was as a response to Wren’s question, or if what I’d said sounded a lot like bullshit to me.
“That’s not what I meant, Aid. What’s going to happen to you when it’s over.”
“Why?”
He sighed. “Aid, I’ve known you a long time, but I’ve only known you after Tiny Dick. The Aiden I saw two days ago was a different person. You were carefree, happy, and I dare to say, in love.”
“Don’t be silly.” I laughed, but it sounded wrong even to me.
Wren stopped completely and put his hands on my shoulders. “Look at you. You’re wearing his clothes for goodness sake. Have you even been home since Friday?”
I shook my head.
“I can see you have feelings for him and, based on his behavior on Friday, he feels the same way.”
