Turning and leaning his butt against the counter, Cole lifted his good arm, concentrating on breathing evenly as Daniel stood close and peeled off his hoodie and tee, then undid his jeans. They pooled at Cole’s feet, and he kicked them free before Daniel could kneel. Because if Daniel kneeled in front of him, Cole would spontaneously come in his underwear.
While Daniel went to grab Cole’s PJs, Cole reached down with his right hand and stripped off his socks. Daniel returned with the plaid red and blue flannel and said, “Easier if you go shirtless, right?”
“Uh-huh.” Cole’s nipples were tight peaks even though the bathroom was warm, the floors heated beneath his bare feet. He stepped into the plaid flannel pajama bottoms, holding his breath as Daniel tied the drawstrings into a loose bow. “Thanks.”
Cole turned back to the sink, unsurprised to glimpse in the mirror that his blush crept all the way down to his sternum. He managed to unzip his bag, but after a few attempts at uncapping the toothpaste with the tube wedged against his hip for leverage, he gratefully handed it to Daniel, who’d been waiting and watching.
Cole tried to laugh. “I really am helpless.”
“Anyone would be. I’m sure you’ll get the hang of stuff in the next few days.” Daniel took out Cole’s toothbrush and turned on the cold water to wet it before neatly squeezing a line of paste onto the bristles.
The next few days.
Pulse skittering, Cole shoved the toothbrush in his mouth, trying to hide a burst of giddiness that temporarily eclipsed the pain. In the morning, Justin and the others would leave, and it would be Cole and Daniel alone for a whole week.
A whole week when absolutely nothing romantic will happen, so slow your roll.
Cole rinsed, spitting into the sink and talking himself out of getting carried away. Surely nothing would ever happen between them, but still. Just being friends would be amazing.
While Daniel disappeared back into the bedroom, Cole managed to tug down his PJs and undies enough to piss on his own. Victory! He left the bathroom light on for Daniel, stopping short as he reentered the bedroom. Naked, Daniel faced the other direction as he bent over and stepped into black pajama bottoms that looked like they might be silk.
Thighs and buttocks flexing, he straightened, pulling up the pajamas, which sat low on his lean hips. A lamp on the bedside table sent warm light over Daniel’s golden-brown skin, and Cole swallowed thickly, his throat gone dry.
As Daniel pulled on a white tee and turned, Cole hurried around to the far side of the bed closest to the door. He pulled back the duvet and carefully climbed in, praying his twitching dick would at least stay soft until he was hidden. It was so inappropriate to want him this badly when Daniel was only being kind, but he couldn’t stop the desire heating his blood.
Daniel walked around the bed and put a tall glass of water on the side table. “Drink some of this. You’ll note it’s not in a plastic bottle.”
Cole smiled. “Thanks.”
“I’ll wake you up in two hours and make sure you’re okay.”
He drank, then gingerly lay down and got settled on his back, trying to find just the right position so his hand didn’t ache too much. The mattress was so wide he barely felt the dip when Daniel got under the covers and switched off the lamp. There was about a foot gap between the dark curtains, casting just a little bit of light from outside.
The odd whoop and burst of laughter and chatter echoed up from the hot tub, but it was distant, the walls of the chalet clearly solidly built. From what Cole could glimpse through the window, it was still snowing and the moon had peeked through as midnight neared.
So. Here he was. In bed with Daniel Diaz. No big.
Amid the physical pain, his heart raced, skin tingling. He peeked at Daniel from the corner of his eye. Daniel was on his back too, staring at the ceiling. There were so many questions Cole wanted to ask, but now that he was in a big, fluffy bed—the mattress one of the awesome soft kinds like at hotels—he couldn’t resist the undertow of sleep, his eyes closing as he gave up the fight.
“Cole. Wake up.”
“Mmm.” Cole groaned. He ached, and he just wanted to sleep. Why was there light? Who was he dreaming about? That deep voice was so familiar…
“Cole. Open your eyes.”
He groaned. That voice sent a tingle to his balls. Almost sounded like Daniel. Where was that light coming from? Groaning again, he forced his eyes open, blinking up at someone who looked exactly like Daniel and—oh! It all flooded back with a jolt of adrenaline. They were sharing a bed at the chalet, and currently Daniel was right beside Cole on the mattress, leaning over him.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Cole Smith. You’re Daniel Diaz.”
A smile tugged on Daniel’s lips. “Yes, I am. I’m supposed to ask the questions before you answer. Where do you go to school?”
“Carleton, but my program is a joint thing with U of O. Can I have more water?”
Daniel leaned over him to get the glass, then helped Cole lift his head to sip. It was nuts to think that less than twenty-four hours ago, Cole had woken alone in his tiny apartment, ready for another day of research in the library.
Aunt Judy had invited him to spend the holidays with her family, but he hadn’t wanted to blow his money on the flight to Winnipeg. So he’d opted to spend Christmas alone with his books and Netflix, and it was just fine.
But Cole had to admit it was a hell of a lot better waking up to his teenage fantasy in bed with him. He took another swig and shook his head when Daniel offered more water.
Daniel asked, “What are you studying?”
“Environmental Engineering. Specializing in water and wastewater treatment.”
“Huh. That sounds really cool. You’ll have to tell me about it when you’re not concussed. How do you feel? Any dizziness or new symptoms?”
“I don’t think so. Can I go back to sleep now?”
“Yep.” Daniel rolled away and switched off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness.
“Wake up, Cole.”
This time, Cole remembered where he was and why Daniel was there, a squiggly burst of excitement fluttering in his belly. He hurt, but it was wonderful to know he was safe and protected before he even opened his eyes.
Daniel’s here. I’m okay.
Maybe it was crazy to feel that way when it had been ten years since he’d seen the guy, but he trusted Daniel. He wished he could burrow close and feel Daniel’s arms around him.
That wasn’t in the cards, so he pried his eyes open, blinking in the lamp’s glare. Daniel helped him take two Tylenol and finish the glass of water, then drilled him on the basic facts of his life.
After, Daniel nodded and flicked off the light. “I’ll set the alarm for three hours this time.”
Exhaustion tugged dully at Cole along with the thudding pain, but he felt strangely awake. As his eyes became accustomed to the dark, he watched snow hit the narrow strip of visible window pane. Before he could talk himself out of it, he asked, “What did you mean before? About ‘see why’ something?”
In the hush, he wasn’t sure Daniel would answer. Then Daniel replied, “Go back to sleep.”
“I can’t. Talk to me for a bit?”
Again, silence. Then after a few heartbeats, a sigh. Daniel rolled onto his back from where he’d been curled facing the window. He murmured, “It’s an acronym. CYC. Change your cadence. I went to a stupid self-help seminar with my friend Pam. This ex-Marine wrote a book on it. Change your cadence—you know, change it up, do things differently. I figured I had nothing to lose by trying.” He laughed scornfully. “Nothing but my dignity.”
“Justin’s the one with no dignity. You rented this amazing place for him and he takes advantage of that? Screw him.”
Daniel was silent a few moments. “I just feel so stupid. I ignored all my instincts. Because of a self-help seminar.”
“It could be worse. You could have joined a cult.” Daniel’s chuckle warmed him. I made him
laugh! Cole added, “You could be wearing a toga right now or be preparing for the coming of our alien overlords.”
Daniel laughed again. “I guess that’s true.”
“I’ve been told they’ll be merciful. Mark me down as dubious, but willing to be convinced if the aliens look like Han Solo.” He pondered it. “I guess all the humans in Star Wars are actually aliens, aren’t they?”
“Of course. Anyone not from Earth is technically an alien. And I’m with you. Hot Han Solo aliens can stay.” He was quiet for a few long moments. “Thanks, Cole. You grew up pretty cool.”
I’m cool! Daniel Diaz thinks I’M COOL!
Cole cleared his throat. He wasn’t thirteen anymore. He needed to rein it in. “Yeah. You too.” He shifted to stretch the crick in his neck, wincing as pain shot up his arm, then back down again like a pinball machine of ouch.
Daniel was suddenly close, saying, “Are you okay?” In the darkness, Cole could just make out the gleam of his eyes and the concern clear in them. His belly flip-flopped. He’s only being nice. Don’t read anything into it.
Cole managed to smile. “I keep forgetting about my hand. Not sure how, since my whole arm throbs. On the bright side, I think my head hurts a little less. Or it’s numb. Whichever.”
“Right. Cool.” Daniel scooted back to his side, and Cole told himself he was imagining that he was cold now. Still, he tugged up the duvet with his good hand.
Daniel said, “We should sleep.”
“Mmm.” Cole had so many more questions to ask, but his eyes were heavy, and he knew Daniel would be there in the morning.
Chapter Five
The weirdest thing about waking up in bed with his former stepbrother was how it didn’t actually feel that weird.
Through the gap in the blackout curtains, pale light flowed into the room. On his side with his back to the windows, Daniel could make out Cole’s slack face a couple of feet away on the huge bed. Cole had tried to roll onto his side a few times, hissing in pain before resettling on his back and falling asleep again. His head faced Daniel, and every so often he whimpered in his sleep.
The duvet had slipped down to his waist, but it was warm in the room. Cole’s chest was smooth and surprisingly toned. His nipples were pinkish more than reddish—not that it mattered. Daniel didn’t even know why he was thinking about it. He shook his head and reached over to gently tug up the duvet.
It was definitely surreal to be there with Cole. But not unpleasant. Daniel hadn’t shared a bed with anyone since Trevor, platonically or otherwise. Cole was virtually a stranger, yet there was a level of comfort between them that must have been a product of living together years before.
He didn’t remember much about Cole from the short period their parents were married. Daniel had known it wouldn’t last, and he’d been eager to finish high school and get away. He didn’t recall thinking much about Cole one way or the other.
But adult Cole was a good listener, and being holed up with him was a refuge from Justin’s assholery. Something about whispering in the dark during the night had dislodged a memory that kept playing through Daniel’s head now.
The bathroom he and Cole had shared was sandwiched between their rooms with a door on each end. They’d kept the doors ajar, usually closing them when the bathroom was in use.
He got up to piss in the night, not needing to turn on the light as he padded to the toilet, and not bothering to close the doors. When he finished and tucked himself back into his boxers, a little voice called out.
“Daniel?”
He went to Cole’s door and stuck his head through the gap. “Uh, yeah? You sick or something?”
In his twin bed under the Leafs posters plastering the walls, Cole sat up. “No. I just wanted to say I think you and Trevor are awesome. You’re so brave.”
Daniel blinked. “Oh.” Shame burned his cheeks. He’d pretty much ignored the kid since their parents got together. “Um, thanks.” He tried to think of something else to say, and went with, “You should go back to sleep.”
It had been the night after Daniel had brought Trevor home for dinner and they’d announced they were gay and in love. Daniel could admit now that, deep down, he’d been hoping his mom and Cole’s dad would freak out. It hadn’t been about bravery at all, but a petulant desire to cause trouble.
Ugh. I was such an asshole.
His phone buzzed, and he reached over to touch Cole’s good shoulder, barely grazing his skin. “Cole. Wake up.” Cole murmured, and Daniel wriggled closer, reaching across to wrap his hand fully around Cole’s shoulder. “Hey.” He squeezed.
Cole opened his eyes with a start, tensing. “Huh?”
“Shh. It’s okay.” Daniel squeezed gently again, Cole’s shoulder warm beneath his palm. “Time for your quiz. What’s your name?”
He relaxed, yawning widely. “Cole Smith.”
“Who’s prime minister?”
“It better still be Justin Trudeau, or else I might welcome slipping into a coma.”
Daniel chuckled. “How are you feeling?”
Cole groaned. “Okay, I guess. Can I have more Tylenol?”
“Sure.” Daniel sat up and reached for the bottle and water he’d left on the nightstand. “What hurts? Still your head?”
“Yeah. It’s a bit better, though. My hand is throbbing.”
Daniel slipped his hand under Cole’s neck and helped him swallow the tablets. Then he put a note in his phone of the time and dosage, adding in the dose from the middle of the night too. “One last question: How much of a douche was I to you when our parents were married?”
Cole blinked at him blearily, then rubbed his eyes with his right hand. “You were fine. Don’t worry about it.”
“Ugh. That means I was a total douche, doesn’t it? Was I ever nice to you?” He curled on his side under the duvet.
After a few moments of silence, Cole said, “It’s not like you were mean. You just ignored me most of the time. I get it. You were pissed you had to move into our house and change schools. But after you and Trevor got together and came out, you were less angry.”
That sounded about right. The thought of Trevor’s bright smile and shaggy blond hair were a dull knife between his ribs even after so many years. Especially when he remembered how thrilling it had been when they’d first kissed and made out in the locker room after one-on-one practice on the rink. Trevor had seemed perfect for him. It had been four years before Daniel realized how wrong he’d been.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t nicer. And I’m sorry I didn’t help you. You know, about being queer.”
“But you did. It’s because of you I figured it out.” In the pale dawn light, Cole’s cheeks flushed. “I mean because you came out and were so bold. So brave.”
Daniel snorted. “Trust me, I wasn’t as brave as I seemed.”
“It took guts to come out in high school. You and Trevor were so out and proud and all that. Once you decided to do something, you did it all the way.”
“I guess. I was terrified at first when we walked down the hall at school holding hands. But aside from a few jerks, everyone took it in stride. Even our parents did. My mom joined PFLAG, like, the next day.”
Cole smiled. “That’s Claudia for you. And yeah, my dad’s been cool. My mom was great.” His eyes took on a faraway, pensive look, but before Daniel could offer any clumsy sympathy, Cole rubbed his face and said, “Anyway. Don’t worry about the past. You’re more than making up for any douchiness now since I’m crashing your getaway. Although I guess I’ve got lots of company in the crashing department.”
Daniel grimaced. “Indeed.”
“I think you might have to schedule some term meetings in the new year,” Cole teased.
“Now there’s a tempting thought.” The house was still and silent, but soon enough he could wake up Justin and the others and send them packing. “I’ll let them sleep a little while longer, and then they’re out of here.”
“Yeah? I wasn’t sure if you’d have sec
ond thoughts once you cooled off.” He quickly added, “Not that you shouldn’t be mad. Or that you should have second thoughts.”
“Like you said, once I make a decision, I don’t back down. They can go party somewhere else. Melanie, Paul, and Jean-Luc seem cool, but I still want them all gone.”
“Uh-huh. Totally. So it’ll just be you and me, I guess.”
Daniel hadn’t really thought about it. “I guess so.” Strangely enough, the thought of spending the week with Cole sent a bloom of warmth through his chest. “Is that okay with you?”
“Of course!” Cole’s voice was doing that squeaky thing. He cleared his throat. “I mean, yeah. Sure. This place is amazing. I can’t wait to see it in the daylight.”
“Speaking of which…” Daniel threw back the duvet and went to the window, tugging up his silk pajama bottoms where they’d slipped down to his hips and scratching his chest under his T-shirt. He pulled the curtains open, blinking into the light. For a moment, he stared in puzzlement at the unending wall of whiteness. Then his stomach dropped.
“Oh, fuck me.”
Arms crossed, Daniel stood by the massive windows on the side of the chalet facing the driveway. Beside him, Justin shifted nervously and said, “I don’t think the minivan will even make it to the road until the plow comes. Jean-Luc’s mom only has all-seasons on it, not snow tires. Crazy, I know, but she hardly drives in winter, apparently.”
At least Justin seemed a little remorseful in the light of day—and now that he was sober. He peered up at the sky, which still unleashed a steady snowfall. “It doesn’t look like it’s stopping any time soon.”
Behind them, Melanie said, “My weather app says snow all day. A hundred percent chance. We might have to stay with you and your brother if we can’t get out of here.”
“He’s not my brother,” Daniel and Cole said in unison.
Cole joined them at the windows, still in his flannel PJ bottoms but with a green sweatshirt on now. It was roomy enough for his cast, the orange and white sticking out, his fingertips barely showing.
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