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“Then enough about Mangle, okay?”
He nodded again, and when he spoke, his voice was low and rough. “I’m sorry I doubted you, Ben. I knew it wasn’t about you, but I just—” Then Leo stopped and shook his head. “Enough about Mangle,” he repeated.
“Forget the word even exists.” Leo’s arms wrapped around me, and I groaned as I pulled Leo closer, deepening the kiss. I wanted to pull Leo into my bedroom and show every inch of his body how much I’d missed him this week.
But that voice in the back of my head reminded me of that pesky detail that I had neglected to share with my Leo. “So, babe,” I began, pulling back from those kisses. “There’s something else I need to tell you.”
Leo glanced up at me, quirking a brow. “Yeah?”
I nodded, suddenly nervous. I shifted again and sat on the sofa next to him. “I applied for a new job recently. Today was the interview.”
A smile spread across Leo’s face, happiness radiating from him. “That’s great news, Benny! I’m proud of you.” But as I hesitated, the smile faltered. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“The job... it’s in Phoenix.”
“Phoenix?” Leo’s tone was tinged with a mix of hurt and confusion. He took a deep breath and let it out slow. “Okay. Phoenix. Alright." Leo's shoulders slumped as he leaned back against the sofa. "Why didn’t you tell me about this?” he asked, pressing our fingertips together.
A pang of guilt shot through my chest, followed by a wave of vulnerability. “It all happened so fast, Leo,” I explained, my voice tinged with regret. I ran a hand through my hair, tugging at the ends as if to ground myself. “And... I think I was afraid of scaring you, or maybe seeing your face when I told you I wanted to leave Austin.” I leaned back against the sofa too, turning my face toward his. “On some level, I might have worried that you’d try to talk me out of it.”
Leo’s brows furrowed. “Would you have talked to me about this if we were still just best friends, just Leo and Ben?” Leo asked, his voice tinged with genuine curiosity and a hint of sadness.
I hesitated. “Yes, Absolutely, I know I would have talked to you and gotten your opinion before I even interviewed. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before today. Things are different now, and it’s new, uncharted territory. And then you weren’t talking to me, and I thought maybe—” I shook my head again. No excuses. “I fucked up. I should’ve said something, even if it was just that I was thinking about it.”
Leo’s gaze remained unwavering, his warm brown eyes reflecting a kaleidoscope of emotions—curiosity, concern, and something else I couldn’t quite decipher. “Ben, I’ve always been your biggest cheerleader. Nothing has changed for me. I’ll support whatever choice you make—even if it means a long-distance relationship for a while.”
The sincerity in Leo’s voice enveloped me like a warm embrace, easing the tension that had coiled within me. As we sat side by side on the couch, our knees touching, a surge of gratitude rose inside me for the man who had always been by my side. “Thank you, Leo.” Every place where our bodies touched felt hot, those small connection points igniting a familiar spark. “I just... I don’t want to lose you.”
“Ben.” Leo’s lips curved into a gentle smile, his thumb caressing the back of my hand. “I’m sorry that my whining about Mang—that word, you know what I mean. My nerves got the better of me and I wasn’t there for you.” Leo kissed my forehead. “But you’re not going to lose me. We’ll figure this out together, whatever it takes. That’s what we do.”
Whatever it takes.
A smile spread across my face, my heart swelling with love for the man in my arms. I leaned in, capturing Leo’s lips in a tender kiss—a promise of more to come. Our mouths moved together in a slow dance, every touch and taste igniting a passion that burned deep within.
“You mean the world to me, Leo.” One kiss led to another, the two of us curled against each other on my sofa. “I’m in this for the long game.” Our foreheads touched, our eyes searching each other’s for any hint of doubt or hesitation. But all I saw was unwavering love and commitment reflected at me.
In that moment, a newfound certainty settled within me—whatever the future held, we would face it together. “Leo,” I murmured, my fingers tracing the outline of Leo’s collarbone, feeling the steady thrum of his pulse beneath the skin. “Were you hungry now, or maybe we could...”
A mischievous smile lit up Leo’s face, casting a warm glow across his features. His finger grazed my thigh, causing a shudder to ripple through me. “We can eat later.” As Leo pressed himself against me, the urgency of our desire left no room for doubt or hesitation.
Our hands roamed, exploring the now familiar landscape of each other’s bodies, every touch reigniting sparks that had been quieted, temporarily, by our recent struggles.
At this moment, the world outside ceased to exist.
All that mattered was the man next to me on the sofa.
twenty-six
Leo
Shoulder to shoulder with my father, brother, and Sasha, I let the charged atmosphere soak into my bones. Early September brought the hint of a crispness to the night air, the tang of hot dogs and popcorn, the nervous energy of fans perched at the edge of their seats. It was halftime at the Friday night football game against Belton, one of the school’s biggest football rivals, and the home team held a commanding lead.
My younger brother, Alex, had made several important tackles throughout the game, and I couldn’t be prouder of him. The crowd roared each time he brought down an opponent. I lived vicariously through each of his plays, memories of my own time on the team flooding back.
“Quite the game, eh?” My father’s gruff voice cut through the din. A swell of pride rose in my chest at the sight of Alex darting across the field, his jersey streaked with grass stains from a spectacular tackle.
“He’s really come into his own this season,” Max said, his arm slipped around Sasha’s waist, pulling her close.
“Natural talent. That kid’s got heart,” I added, unable to keep the admiration out of my tone. “Did you see that last sack?”
