I don’t think I was pretending.
The next morning, those words came back to Nate in a rush as he lay watching Rusty sleep. He brushed his fingers across Rusty’s cheek. Rusty didn’t wake but mumbled something in his sleep and leaned into Nate’s touch.
He feels safe with me.
Whatever dream Rusty’d had on the beach the day before, he’d slept well that night. They both had. Nate had slipped into sleep easier than he had in months. Having Rusty by his side felt right.
Nate smiled. He propped himself up on one elbow, content for now. What they’d done last night hadn’t been just s*x, or just anything. He and Rusty had made love, and they’d wanted each other, not only physically but on another level Nate had never glimpsed with anyone else.
It figured, didn’t it? He’d finally met someone he wa
