Chapter Fifteen

THE breeze through the open window caressed Jonah’s bare skin, and he stretched, catlike, then rolled onto his side and settled into the crook of Adam’s arm.

“You think anyone will notice if I never go back to the real world?” Adam asked with a sigh.

“Nope.” They’d dozed after the second round. The sky outside was still dark. Jonah didn’t care that he hadn’t slept. He would sleep another time. He wanted to spend all the time he could awake and aware of Adam’s presence.

Adam laughed. “I wish you were right.”

“I do too.”

“I’m going to pretend. At least for now.”

“Keep my spot warm for a minute?” Jonah asked and kissed Adam briefly. “There’s something I forgot.”

“I… sure.” Adam gazed up at him with a questioning expression.

Jonah smiled and padded across the room to where his jeans had fallen. He reached inside and pulled a small drawstring bag from the front pocket.

“Cell phone?” Adam asked and sat up.

“Don’t own one.” Jonah slipped back beneath the covers. “I meant to give you this last night,” he said. “But you looked so damn good, I totally forgot about it.” He handed Adam the ring. “It’s not much, but I wanted you to have it. Maybe when you look at it, you’ll remember this place.” And remember me.

Adam loosened the drawstring and looked inside. He pulled out the silver ring they had seen in town and slipped it on his finger. “You… you shouldn’t have,” he said with a slight quaver in his voice. “Thank you. It’s gorgeous.”

“You’re welcome.”

Adam pulled Jonah close and kissed him. Jonah sighed happily and wrapped his arms around Adam. When had it become so comfortable to hold Adam like this? They’d barely known each other a week.

The kiss broke and they settled back beneath the covers with Adam’s head resting on Jonah’s chest. For the longest time, Jonah ran his fingers through Adam’s hair. The silence stretched, but it felt good. Finally Jonah asked, “What are you thinking about?”

“That I’d nearly forgotten about Entech and Roger. That it’s easy to forget with you holding me like this.”

THEY woke a few hours later. Adam sat up and ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t get a gift for Roger,” he said and glanced at the ring. “I guess I’m angry with him. I know it’s not fair, but….”

“What you feel isn’t fair or unfair.” Jonah wreathed his arms around Adam and kissed his shoulder. “But I was thinking some more about what you said. About how your brother’s been so unwilling to listen. I think—”

“You never stop, do you?” Adam laughed and leaned back, pulling them both back onto the sheets. He kissed Jonah’s hair, a tender gesture that left Jonah feeling warm. Happy.

“Stop?”

“Analyzing people. Things.”

Jonah supposed this was true. “Is that a problem?” he asked playfully.

“Not for me. But you must get exhausted sometimes.”

Jonah closed his eyes and basked in the feel of smooth skin over hard muscle. “Maybe.” Sometimes thinking about other people helped him think less about himself.

“Maybe?” Adam gently stroked Jonah’s hair.

“I don’t remember being exhausted. I think I’m just wired this way.” He moaned, then added, “But if you keep doing that, I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to analyze anything.”

“Then I’ll just have to keep at it.”

“You do that,” Jonah said and sighed. “I’ll just let my brain turn to mush.”

“Why do you think Roger’s being so difficult?” Adam asked.

Jonah listened to the soft thumping of Adam’s heart. He could stay like this. Relaxed. Happy. In Adam’s arms. “I think he’s never really gotten over your father’s death either.”

“You’re probably right.” Adam sighed. “And I haven’t been as understanding as I could.”

“Because it hurts.”

“Yes.” Adam held Jonah a bit tighter. “It’s like one day we had a family, and then the next we didn’t. Mom in Florida. Roger avoiding all of us. Me working my ass off. Karen’s the only one who really gets that we need time. Sometimes I imagine what it would be like if my father was still around, guiding me through all the bullshit.”

“So maybe this Entech thing is a blessing in disguise,” Jonah mused. “Maybe it’ll help you put the pieces of your family back in their places.”

“I never thought of it that way. You have a great way of seeing through things.” Adam chuckled, then added, “But you still overanalyze.”

“I’ll take the compliment and we’ll leave it at that.”

“Fair enough.”

Jonah briefly closed his eyes.

“Jonah?”

“Hmm?”

“Have you ever thought about where you’re from?” Adam asked.

“You mean my family?”

“I guess. Or something simpler. Like what part of the States you grew up in.”

“I don’t even know if I’m from the US,” Jonah pointed out. “But I probably am.”

“So you don’t think about it.”

“Nope. Where do you think I’m from?” Jonah countered. He had no clue why he’d asked, but he suddenly felt unsettled. It’s just a game. Relax.

Adam laughed. “Turnabout?”

“Why not?”

“Hmm…. Your accent is tricky,” he said. “Midwest. You do that funny thing with your o’s.”

“I do?” Adam was right. Jonah had never noticed it until now. Why was it that he analyzed everyone but himself?

“Yes. It’s barely there, but I hear it.” Adam grinned and leaned on an elbow.

“Midwest is pretty general,” Jonah pointed out.

“Fair enough. Let me think. Maybe Minnesota. Maybe Chicago.”

“Okay.” Jonah didn’t have the slightest idea, and until now, he hadn’t cared.

“But which one?”

“Chicago.” Jonah’s answer came instinctively, and it made him shiver. He was sure it was true, but he didn’t understand how. This thought melted into a brief flash of a memory—riding the “L” and staring out the window as flakes of snow began to fall.

“…if we don’t get home soon,” a man’s voice said, “your mother’s going to worry.”

His stomach rumbled its approval as he imagined the smell of his mother’s sauerbraten. His friends thought it was gross, but it was his favorite. He loved Sunday night dinners.

The headache came quickly and along with it, a wave of nausea. Jonah rubbed the inner corners of his eyes with thumb and forefinger.

“You okay?” Adam asked.

“Headache.” Jonah’s stomach lurched. He quickly got up from the bed and made a beeline for the toilet before vomiting.

“You’re not okay,” Adam said after Jonah vomited a second time.

“Probably the grouper.” He wobbled out of the bathroom and began to retrieve his clothing from where it had landed. Shit. Such an amazing evening, and now he was sick? “I’m really sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.” Adam looked worried. “Let me help you back to your room?”

“Thanks, but I’ll be fine. Really.” He pulled on his pants, doing his best not to worry Adam any more than he already had.

“Are you sure you’ll be all right?”

“Sure,” Jonah lied. He needed to get the hell out of here now and back to his room before he couldn’t move. His head felt like it was going to explode, and he was starting to see dark spots, as though he’d stared at a light too long.

Adam frowned. “Call me if you need anything,” he said. “I mean it. Okay?”

“Okay. Thanks.” He just needed to keep it together another minute, and he’d be okay. “Breakfast later? I want to see you before the taxi comes.”

“Breakfast.” Adam pressed his lips together, the lightheartedness having vanished.

Jonah forced a smile and leaned in to kiss Adam. Short. Sweet. If he didn’t leave, he was going to pass out. “Good night.”

He was out the door before Adam could respond.