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I allow myself to hold that compliment the way he’s holding me now, all curled around my back, one leg hitched over my hip. He rocks himself against me, like he’s chasing the last vestiges of pleasure, and then he slips from my ass.

His hand darts between us, and I hear a very faint, slick sound as he takes off the condom and ties it in a knot. Bending over the side of the bed, I hold up the little bin, and he drops it in, and I make a mental note to take it out before Elio gets here. I doubt the kid goes through everyone’s trash, but I’m not taking that risk.

I do not feel like having that conversation.

“What time is it?” Rune asks, still mouthing at my shoulder.

I pick up my phone with shaky hands and tap the screen. “Almost two.”

“Fuck. I have to go get Elio.” He hums and rubs his face against my skin. “Want to come with?”

“Oh, uh⁠—”

“I mean, you don’t have to. I know family time probably isn’t your thing, and⁠—”

Rolling in his arms to face him, I slam my finger over his mouth. “If I have to accept compliments without argument, you have to accept that I’m in this with you—kid and all—without assuming I want only small pieces of your life.”

His eyes widen a fraction, and the corners of his mouth go soft. “We won’t have time for a shower.”

“I’m great at sponge baths.”

He stares at me, then bursts into laughter before leaning in and kissing me breathless.

“I love not driving,” I say as Rune speeds down the street. His SUV is ridiculously comfortable, with huge bucket seats in the front. The back is mostly empty to make room for the ramp and Elio’s chair. “This would be a great road trip car.”

Rune glances at me out of the corner of his eye. “I’ve never really done a road trip.”

“Seriously? Not even for camping?”

He snorts. “I wasn’t much of a camping guy when I was younger. And by the time I got interested, I had Elio.”

“I bet that kid would love camping!”

At the stoplight, Rune gives me a funny look. “He…he can’t really go camping, East. It’s…it would be too complicated.”

“Right.” I hadn’t forgotten. I just…hadn’t entirely considered. “Well, we could go glamping.”

Rune blinks at me. “What the fuck is that?”

I laugh as he takes off at the green light, and off in the distance, I can see cars lining up at the school. “You know, like, fancy cabins with big skylights that let you see all the stars.”

He bites his lip as he pulls into the car line and puts his car in park. “I don’t know…”

“Look, if I’m overstepping, just say the word. But I want to do stuff with you. And Elio,” I add, in case he didn’t get that. “He’s fun, and he’s funny, and he would probably make a good road trip navigator.”

Rune’s smile is small and a little sad. “He would. But it’s…it’s more complicated than that.”

I huff and turn toward him, snagging his hand so I can kiss his wrist. His eyes close as my lips linger on his flushed skin. “I really do get it. And we don’t need to do a two-week adventure across the US or anything, you know? We can do small things. And there are options. There’s a train that goes all the way from Chicago to Seattle. You get a room to sleep in, and we’d be able to bring his chair and all his supplies.”

Rune stares at me with a look like he’s afraid to be hopeful. He swallows. “Can we talk about it later? When, uh…well.” He shakes his head. “Never mind.”

I squeeze his fingers. “When what?”

Letting out a short breath, he shrugs. “When we’re sure that this is going to work? When you’re sure that everything difficult in my life isn’t too much for you?”

It stings that he doesn’t trust me to know what I want, but it’s fair. I’m the one being a dipshit because I’ve never really had a long-term relationship before. Jumping in with both feet like that is a good way to get my fucking legs broken if I don’t know whether or not the water beneath me is shallow.

And I don’t.