Page 64 of Say It Again
“You know how they say comedy is just tragedy plus time?” He risked a smile as he twisted to face Aaron. “Well, tonight is going to be one funny story someday.” All his levity efforts were landing on slumped shoulders and a crestfallen frown. “The sunset was beautiful, right? And the boat. Oh my goodness. So gorgeous. I might have to rethink my stance on boats.”
Aaron nodded, silent.
“Thank you for everything.” He pursed his lips. “I mean it. Thank you for getting my contract taken care of, and the parking tickets. Thank you for being an incredible human being. You are going to find the perfect person someday. I feel it.”
Aaron kept his gaze lowered. “I’m sure you are too.”
Daniel’s heart pricked as he pushed up to his toes and gripped Aaron to him. Aaron’s arms wrapped around him, and there they stood in the gray area between But I tried and Did I try hard enough? It was like he was as frightened to hold on as he was to let go.
“Okay, mister.” But he let go. “I’ll see you around?”
“See you around.”
“Just—” He snagged Aaron’s hand as he tried to leave. It felt wrong to let him leave quite yet. It was like something was missing. “One more hug?”
Aaron wrapped him up for the second time, and there it was. That would do the trick.
What was unfortunate was that he’d never get to smell this again. Never experience the potent combination that made his scent so unique. If this was the last time, then he was going to make it count. He buried his face in Aaron’s neck and inhaled orris butter and expensive suede, then released his breath. Out poured an accidental moan.
Aaron jerked back a touch to peer down at him, probably to make certain he was okay.
“Oh,” Daniel whispered, clearing his throat. “Sorry about that. Don’t know what that was.”
Aaron studied him, his beautiful face unfairly drenched in moonlight.
“Okay, then.” He pressed up to his toes and pecked Aaron’s cheek. “Good night.”
Aaron squeezed his hand. “Good night, kid. I’ll see you around—”
“Wait.” He yanked Aaron back. “Nothing. I just think it’d be fine to kiss. Don’t you?”
What the actual hell? Had he been possessed by the ghost of terrible decision-making past? How was it fine to kiss?
“Like, one last time,” he continued, just to make sure his logic was as ridiculous as it sounded, and it was. “A kiss goodbye, if you want. Europeans do it.”
Aaron angled his head to the side. It was dark, but the confusion was clearly scribbled across his face.
“But actually, if you don’t want to—”
Aaron held his hips and kissed him. How… cute. Cute and closed mouth. Cute and chaste. It wasn’t the type of kiss Daniel had grown accustomed to from Aaron, but that was perfectly fine. A good-night kiss was supposed to be as harmless as a baked potato without the butter and just as bland. They didn’t need to make it any deeper than that.
“How nice,” Daniel said, stepping back and offering a little wave. “Now that it’s out of our systems, we can finally get some sleep. Good night, mister.”
Aaron hesitated for a moment, all tall and noble like an armored knight in an oil painting, while the moonlight did that unwarranted glowy thing to his skin. “Good night, kid—”
Daniel jerked Aaron in and crushed their mouths together. He took liberties, too, snaking his hands over his chest, writhing in tight to his body, tasting his mouth in excess because this was spring break in Cancun and not a front-porch breakup.
“Accident,” Daniel suddenly said, flittering his hands about. “I obviously didn’t mean—nope. Accident. Go. Good night.”
A smirk lifted one corner of Aaron’s mouth.
“I’m serious.” Daniel pushed at his chest. “Go.” Then he fisted Aaron’s shirt and tugged him back to kiss him, because he was not a balanced human.
Aaron stumbled forth beautifully. A knight with a white flag of surrender.
“I can’t just stand here kissing you all night,” Daniel hissed against Aaron’s lips and kissed him deeper. “That is not what we’re doing.”
Aaron matched his crass amount of tongue.