Page 110 of The Gaybor War

"Good." His tone is dry. "I was worried I’d lost my edge."

"I’m serious." I shift closer without really deciding to. "You see things. You notice. You pay attention. And somehow, that makes me want to take the armor off, which is deeply inconvenient."

His mouth curves. "Sorry."

"No, you’re not."

"You’re right. Not even a little."

We sit there with our shoulders brushing, the quiet stretching comfortably between us. The room feels softer now. Warmer. As if we’ve exhaled into it.

"I saw you," I add quietly.

"At the table?"

I nod. "Watching."

His ears pink. It’s subtle. Delicious.

"You looked…" I search for the word. "Proud."

He swallows. "I was."

Something in my chest tilts.

"I’m glad you were there," I admit. "I like knowing someone I care about saw that part of me."

His gaze flicks to mine and holds.

"I care about you, too," he says simply. No drama. No bravado. No jokes. Just truth.

My heart stumbles. We shift closer, knees touching, shoulders leaning.

"Benji?" he murmurs.

"Yeah?"

"You know this isn’t temporary, right?"

The question lands gently. The answer hits hard.

I think of Morningwood. Of HOA nonsense. Of cider tastings and flamingo wars and standing in kitchens arguing about inflatable regulations. I think of the way he looks at me when he thinks I’m not watching. Of clearing out a dresser drawer of my funkiest t-shirts to make room for his boring ones. I think of how easily my life is rearranging itself around his presence.

And I realize, with startling clarity, that he’s right. This thing between us isn’t a fling. It’s a shift.

"Yeah," I say quietly. "I know."

"And that scares you."

I huff a breath. "More than any audience ever has."

His warm hand finds mine. "Me too."

Somehow, that makes it easier. We lie back together, side by side, staring at the ceiling with our fingers loosely tangled. There’s no urgency, no pressure. Just a quiet connection that stirs hope in my chest, leaving me a bit unsettled.

Because somewhere between the signing table and this hotel bed, I have crossed a line I swore I wouldn’t.

I’m falling hard for him. Ugh. Gross. Unexpected character development.