“Look at me.”
Luke spun around, his heart aching with something deeper than lust. “What?”
“I like you. I feel something for you, and it scares the hell out of me,” Bryan said.
Luke didn’t know how to deal with the words Bryan had said. “Fuck, I’m so jaded. All I can think is that now you know who I am and you want a piece of me.”
Bryan’s nostrils flared and pain flashed over his face. He stepped away. “That’s low.”
“I know.” Luke grabbed onto Bryan’s wrist so he couldn’t leave. “I’m fucked up. Part of me wants to piss you off and tell you to leave. The other part of me wants to hold you close and never let you out of my sight.”
Bryan stepped closer. His body relaxed and concern filled his eyes. Luke stepped into his embrace, craving the closeness. They held onto each other, neither of them willing to pull apart.
“I don’t care if you’re a model or a fry cook. Okay, if you were a fry cook I’d make you take a shower before you came to bed, but I would still feel the same about you. I don’t know why I feel this way. I should want Nichole more.”
“Why?”
“God, this is hard. I’m not supposed to be gay,” Bryan said.
“You ever want a guy before?” Luke asked.
“Yes, before my ex.”
“I want you. And not just your body. I like spending time with you. You’re special and… Hell, I’m afraid of having deep feelings for you,” Luke said.
“What are we going to do?”
Luke stepped away from Bryan and held up his hand, hoping that the guy wouldn’t touch him for a moment, while he got this out. “I don’t want you to walk away and leave me alone. I don’t want to be out in the cold because you are afraid. I feel something for you and as painful as it is for me to tell you this, I have to.”
“Why is it painful?” Bryan moved closer, but Luke spun away.
“If you touch me I’ll melt into your arms and not care if you’re only here to take advantage of me.”
“I’m not. Like I said, I like you. Quit modelling, become poor, gain weight—I don’t give a shit. I like you.” Bryan reached out and grabbed Luke, pulling him close.
The dam on his emotions broke, flooding him with pain and pleasure. Luke sagged into Bryan’s arms, letting him take control. Tears burned his eyes before they ran down his face, dampening his cheeks. Luke didn’t care if anyone saw him in this state. The paparazzi had grown bored with him because he never left his apartment. He was an emotional wreck and needy as hell, but he could make it work with Bryan.
“Hey, babe, I’m here for you.” Bryan kissed his forehead and his cheeks, then his lips.
Luke had never felt so good. Loving was something he’d never thought he would experience but here he was, falling hard for Bryan. He didn’t want to say anything yet, but soon he would. When the time was right, he’d tell Bryan that his feelings had grown deep.
* * * *
Nichole tromped up the stairs to her apartment, wishing she lived in a building with an elevator. Halfway up, a couch blocked her progress and it was the last thing she needed. She’d walked forty dogs today and it felt like it. Her arms were tired and her feet sore. All she wanted was to sink down into a hot bath and drink some wine.
A door slammed above her and she heard feet on the stairs. Great—maybe this was the jerk with the couch and she’d be able to make it up to her apartment.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know we were blocking anyone.” The woman Nichole had run into last week stood at the top of the stairs, her green eyes shining, a bright smile on her face. A man rounded the corner and wrapped his arm around the woman, and Nichole rolled her eyes.
“Get off me, Nick.” The girl pushed at the guy, then stared back at Nichole. “You have to ignore him, he’s a jerk. We’ll get this out of your way soon. By the way, I’m your new neighbour. Amy is my name.”
“Nichole.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m in number nineteen… Well, you know, right down the hall from you. We’re going to order pizza—you want to come over?”
“No, I’m sure you and your boyfriend would like some time alone in your new place.”
Amy and the guy behind her both laughed. “Oh, he’s not my boyfriend. This is Nick, just a pal from work. I don’t do men.”
The twinkle in Amy’s eye caught Nichole off guard. Yesterday, she’d stormed out of Luke’s place, vowing to never get involved with anyone again, but here she was, wanting to get to know Amy better. “Just pizza, nothing else, right?”