A half hour later, Shai found Jared in his room, lying on his childhood bed. “You okay?” he asked, peeking in through the doorway.
“I’m fine. I just needed to lay down a bit. I’ve been so tired lately.”
“Mind if I join you?”
“Of course not, come in.” Jared swung his legs over the edge of the bed and leaned upward.
“No, no, don’t move,” said Shai. “Stay right where you are.”
Jared lay back down.
“Okay, move over a little,” said Shai, pushing Jared toward the wall.
Jared felt Shai lie next to him, sliding the full length of his basketball-player body against his own, smaller self. Crouching closer, Shai wrapped his right arm around him.
“Hello there,” whispered Shai.
Jared loved the feeling of the man’s breath on the back of his neck. “That tickles,” he said with a giggle. “But I li
