“Doesn’t make it easy.”
“Not at all. I just wish I knew what’s holding me back.”
“Hey, don’t beat yourself up. You’ll figure it out when the time is right. Maybe you just haven’t met the right person yet.”
“Yeah.”
Aldis peeks his head around the corner. “Okay if I come back in?”
“Of course,” Bowen says, grinning at him and causing that weird feeling in my stomach again. I definitely need to burn off some energy climbing today.
“Let’s get you two fed,” Bowen says.
“Mm,” Aldis moans.
Bowen grins, shoving Aldis to the table. “Behave.”
While we eat, the conversation shifts to climbing. I’m happy to learn that Aldis has tons of experience, possibly even more than I do, which means I won’t be slowed down. Bowen listens happily, just like he does when I go on about it. I think that’s one of his best qualities—making you feel like every word you speak matters to him even when I know he couldn’t care less about climbing.
Aldis is clearly enamored with my roomie. He gazes at him like a priceless work of art. Some of the uneasy feelings I’ve been dealing with settles watching them interact. But I need to be prepared to lose Bowen to a relationship after all this time. Fuck knows, he’s sat by and waited for me to figure out how to split my time when a new girl got under my skin. He’s always been there for me when it was over too. Hopefully, I won’t have to pick him up after Aldis. Maybe there won’t be an after.
“What’s on your mind, Thorne?” Bowen’s voice interrupts my thoughts.
“Nothing.” I shrug. “We should probably get going though.”
“I’m ready,” Aldis stands, pulling Bowen up with him. They kiss, and I watch, unable to tear my eyes away. I guess if either wanted privacy, they wouldn’t kiss in front of me, but even I can admit it’s fucking hot watching my friend make out with his man. Huh, that’s a new one.
“Have fun, guys,” Bowen says as we load our gear in my truck.
“We will,” I say, glancing at Aldis.
At least, I hope that’s what happens.
* * *
ALDIS
Well, this should be an interesting day. It sounded like an amazing idea in the middle of the night, but now I’m wondering if we’ll have anything in common besides Bowen and a love of climbing. Hawthorne buckles in, smiling.
“The big friendship test. Music.”
I chuckle. “I like to climb to Paramour and Panic! At the Disco, but I listen to pretty much anything except country.”
“Perfect.”
We don’t talk much on the drive over, just taking in the scenery and letting the music fill the silence. I’m thankful I’m not being forced to come up with small talk, but at some point, we’ll probably have to have a conversation.
We arrive at the destination, just a park with some decent rocks for climbing. My face lights up. “This looks awesome.”
“I like it. Doesn’t get too crowded either.”
“Sweet. Let’s do this.”
While we get our gear on, I glance at Hawthorne, unable to tear my eyes off his body. Damn. The dude is ripped. All sinewy muscles and tattoos. Fuck me. I’m not shabby, but he clearly works on his body.
“Would you be up for climbing indoors?” I ask, finding my initial footing on the rock. “It’s nice in the winter.
“Yeah. Sometimes I use the same gym Bowen goes to.”
“Sweet.”
We spend the next several hours climbing. It’s a slow climb, requiring a lot of concentration, so there’s not much talking. Hawthorne wasn’t joking though. He’s very competitive, keeping his eyes on my progress. Once we get close to the top, he seems to get a second wind and finishes just seconds before me.
Shaking my head, I sit down next to him. “Nice climb. I see now why Bowen laughed when I said I was competitive.”
Smiling, he pulls his water bottle out of his pack. “I actually like having someone to push me. Normally, I’m just alone in my thoughts.”
“Bowen is right though. You shouldn’t climb alone.”
He nods. “I know, but it’s hard to find clubs that aren’t full.”
“Now you have.”
“Yeah.”
I pull my shirt off, using it to wipe the sweat from my forehead. “So, what’s your deal, man? I know you work with Bowen and you like climbing. What else lights you up?”
Hawthorne shrugs, gazing out at the horizon. The sun is beating down on us, but a cool breeze keeps it pleasant. Hawthorne moves his hair off his neck, and if I wasn’t already wrapped up in Bowen, I would love to drag my tongue over his skin and taste his sweat.
“Maybe I’m still figuring that out,” Hawthorne answers.
“Nothing wrong with that.”
“No? I feel like a late bloomer. I’m always playing catch up with life. Maybe that’s why I stayed with Jess.”
“Jess?”
“My girlfriend. Ex.” He clears his throat. “She seemed like the one on paper. The kind of woman all men want.”
“Straight men,” I correct.
“Right.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing. That’s what was wrong. I liked being around her enough, but something just wasn’t there. I had to cut her loose.”
I grip his knee. “Sucks.”
His eyes shoot to my hand, and I remove it quickly. “Sorry.”
“Oh. No, it’s fine. I don’t have any hang-ups like that.”
“You seemed shocked that I touched you.”
“It wasn’t that.” He studies the rocks in front of us. “I guess it’s weird that I feel so chill with you already. It normally takes me a little while to warm up to new people.”
“Well, you have seen my dick, to be fair.”
Hawthorne bursts into laughter. “That must be it.”
“Haven’t seen yours though. Hardly fair.”
He shifts his eyes to me, but the laughter is gone. “Are you flirting with me?”
Am I? “Nah, it’s just my natural disposition. I’m into Bowen. Besides, I don’t flirt with straight guys.”
I watch his face for a reaction and am rewarded with a pinched brow. His eyes move from my face down my body and back up again, and I’m positive there’s curiosity in them. The furtive glances while we climbed are starting to translate to something else.
“Is there anything you want to tell me, Hawthorne?”
“No.”
I can’t help but push. “Okay, cool. Cuz you can. I know Bowen is your best friend, but maybe there are things you don’t want to tell him.” I take a swig of my water. “Yet.”
“I tell him everything.”
“Sure.”
“Plus, I don’t really know you.”
“True. I guess it would be hard to trust that I wouldn’t tell Bowen during pillow talk.”
I can actually see his shoulders tense. There’s no way this guy doesn’t feel something for his roommate.
“You said you think you’re a late bloomer. In what way? You guys own a house and a company, right?”