The heavy bag swung wildly as he landed punches and tried to clear his mind. His life had changed so much since he’d met Poe and still it was the same. The man was so beautiful and all he wanted to do was touch him every time he saw Poe. His cock hardened when he was with the small man. Sex always ruined everything. No matter how much he wanted to love on Poe, he resisted so that he could just spend time.

“What did that bag do to you?” Lily’s voice amused as she asked.

“I met my person.”

“I know, you called me remember?”

“I told him I was wrong and we were just friends.” He hugged the bag and rested his forehead on it.

“Why the fuck would you do that, Harmon?”

Lily wrapped her small hands around his sides and turned him to face her. He avoided meeting her gaze because he didn’t want to see her disappointment.

“Because sex ruins everything and I don’t want him to get tired of me.”

“Harmon, you look at me, and you don’t lie to me. You know the Trenton rules.”

“I’m not a Trenton.”

He grunted as a small fist connected with his stomach.

“I’m sorry.”

“You never say that to me again, Harmon. I may not have birthed your oversized ass, but you’re my son. Just like with the rest of my fucked-up kids. I ain’t like Peaches, and I ain’t all eloquent and shit like her. I know bad things happened to you before you came to be mine. You were used and discarded.”

He let her lead him to his chair and push him into it; then she sat on his lap.

“Fucking is amazing, visceral and nasty, but what you lack, my son, is intimacy. You’ve never had intimacy.”

“What’s the difference?”

He was always someone’s one-night stand. He knew he wasn’t handsome. He tended to say and do the wrong thing, and he fell so easily for a moment of affection.

“Lucky and Priest had a lot of intimacy before they began a sexual relationship. Intimacy is about touch. Kisses. Allowing yourself to be naked not only physically, but emotionally with someone else. You don’t have to touch someone’s pussy or cock to be physical with someone. It’s embraces, kisses, and touching. Anyone can fuck, Harmon.”

“He’s beautiful, Lily. He’s soft and sweet. Poe wears these cute little bow ties and glasses. I just want to touch him when I see him.”

“Why don’t you ask your young man on a date?”

He thought about lying but knew it wouldn’t fly with Lily. She had a radical honesty philosophy. “I don’t want him to know how much of a fuck up I am.”

“You’re not a fuck up, Harmon. You know I can’t lie, not even to save your feelings.”

“The last man I fucked used me to get to one of my best friend’s boys. He was disgusted by me. Thought I was the weakest link in the team. I was always just the fuck, never the boyfriend. I was thirteen when I lost my virginity, and someone paid me for it.”

Lily’s soft hands took his face and forced him to look at her. “You did things to survive. There’s not a lot of ways to make your way on the streets. You have to eat. Put a roof over your head. Those men and women who paid you for your body were wrong in what they did. You were a child. I don’t care how tall you were or how old you looked. They committed a crime.”

“I just wanted to be allowed to touch, Lily. Just hold someone and pretend they were mine. The tricks weren’t always at fault.”

She kissed his right cheek then the other—brushed her lips to his lashes.

“Your biological mother left you. From what you’ve told me about what you can remember you weren’t even allowed the most basic affection.” Lily brushed a kiss to his forehead. “You were sent to overfilled foster homes and group homes with overwhelmed staff. You weren’t taught appropriate touch.” She hugged him tightly around his neck and pressed her lips to his temple. “When your person comes along, they will understand what you need, and you’ll have to let them know your limits. A date doesn’t need to end in the bedroom or wherever. It’s a kiss or hug outside the restaurant or at your date’s door.”

“I’ve never done that before.”

“Hey, I’ve never fucked on a space station before, but we all need goals.”

He leaned in to sniff her breath for alcohol and arched his brow. “Space station?”

“I know, I know, I think I read an article that men can’t get it up in zero gravity, but nothing wrong with my man’s tongue.”

There was banging on his door, and he shot a panicked look toward it.

“Did anyone follow you?”

“Dude, you know I’m carrying. I made like three U-turns at different turnarounds. Do you think I’m stupid?” He eased her off his lap and stood.

He grabbed the remote off his newly broken coffee table. Lily and him had a bit of an accident the other night. From what he remembered, there was some dancing and some questionable food choices.

He hit the button and listened to the creak of the heavy metal doors. He froze in place as Poe appeared. He was wearing a white dress shirt and a sunny yellow bow tie. He curled his fingers into his palms as the barely controlled urge to touch sent heat infusing his gut.

“You weren’t answering your phone, and I got worried.”

He didn’t know what to say, no one outside of his friends ever worried about him. It was…weird. He cleared his throat and tried to find his voice. “I’m fine.”

“Oh my fake baby Jesus, please say I can watch.”

He nudged Lily and then wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

“Poe, this is the sweet and always appropriate Lily.”

His adorable face brightened, and he stepped inside. “Oh, hi, Harmon has told me so much about you.”

“He’s so fucking cute. I’ll trade you.”

The almost maniacal edge to her voice made him nervous, and he held tighter to Lily to keep the woman beside him. Lily in attack mode was going to scare Poe off.

“Thank you, I think.”

“My son has told me so much about you. But he didn't say how adorable you were though. Do you smoke?”

“No, but I appreciate the offer.”

“They can't all be perfect I guess. I'm going to be headed out. I expect Poe and you for Sunday dinner. No excuses.”

He grinned as she grabbed his cheeks and pulled him down for a kiss. She hugged his neck tight and pressed her lips to his ear.

“I love you, Harmon, more than my own fucked-up biological spawn.”

“Love you too, Lily.”

“You did good, son.” She patted his face.

He rolled his eyes as she grabbed Poe in a tight hug and the man looked ready to panic. Then he noticed she was squeezing Poe’s ass.

“Time for you to go.”

He picked Lily up by the waist and rescued Poe from the handsy woman. Lily gave him the cutest pout and batted her long blonde lashes at him.

“But just a minute longer, he was starting to like…”

“Bye, Mama.”

He laughed as tears filled her eyes and he hit the button to close the doors.

“You called me…”

When the heavy metal doors slid into place blocking Lily, he turned to Poe. The man stood there with a sweet smile curving his mouth, and he wanted to taste the beautiful lines with his tongue. He drove the thoughts away with the memories of all the men and women who came before Poe. He’d finally found the only person he didn’t truly want to give up. Sex with Poe would end their time together too soon.

“Wasn't that a bit rude, Harmon?”

“I can open the door and let her rub on you some more.”

Poe stepped closer and looked up at him. Poe had his head tilted as if the little man were studying him. “That's quite all right. I made dinner. I left it in the car, would you like to eat with me?”

“I'm going to jump in the shower. Here's the remote.” He handed the remote to Poe and let his fingertips brush over Poe’s with the exchange.

The man’s skin was soft, and the sweetest scent wafted up to him. It was a hint of vanilla with the spiciness of ginger. He almost leaned down to place his nose to Poe’s neck just to inhale and memorize it.

“You trust me with the remote for the inner sanctum?”

He reached out to take the remote back, and Poe playfully jumped back, hiding the remote behind him.

“No, no, no, Harmon, go take your shower, and I’ll run outside and get dinner. Do you think she’s gone?”

“If I know Lily, she’s probably still out there with her ear pressed to the door hoping to hear the sounds of sex.”

“That’s a bit disturbing.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. She’s your mom.”

“She’s my friend. The best I ever had.”

Lily was like a present he’d never expected. Not only was she his best friend, but she’d also shown him what a mother should be—loving and present. A person without judgment who loved him despite his many failings.

“I can see that. Go get cleaned up.”

Poe’s soft hands pushed against his chest, and he wanted to lean in and arch his back. Feel Poe’s fingers running through the hair on his chest. He had quite a few dreams recently of Poe loving on him—filling him. He hadn’t bottomed since he was seventeen and got off the streets with the help of Linus.

The man stepped away too quickly, and he practically jogged to the second floor where his bedroom was. He stripped as his mind went to Poe and that the man would be downstairs waiting for him.