“I don’t moon over him.”
“It takes one to know one, and you’re definitely mooning. What is it? And don’t tell me it's more of your nerd lore. I thought Than was the only one who could get boners over books.”
He had his eyes pinned to the ground, away from the sight of Eli doing pull-ups. He’d already seared his retinas once by accident and his heart still hadn’t recovered.
“I guess I just wish I was a little more like him, that’s all.”
Eli pumped out a few more and let himself down with a hard exhale that had Samuel’s dick twitching. “How do you mean?”
He really wished the man wouldn’t speak when he was out of breath. It would only be incorporated into his fantasies, and he really couldn’t afford to let those get any more realistic.
“I just feel so stupid around him. Immature, like a whiny brat. He’s only a few years older than me, but it’s like a whole lifetime separates us. And I’m not even talking about the family shit. Husband, father, brother, I know I fail at all of those, but in everything he’s just—he’s so grown up, and I just feel like another brat clamoring for his attention.”
A hand found his hair, even warmer than usual thanks to the exercise. “That’s a lot of brooding, even for you. What brought this on?”
He’d been trying to keep away from Eli’s touch. He may have had Nathaniel’s permission, but that didn’t stop the guilt. Still, this time he didn’t pull away. He needed it too much.
“I don’t know. Just him talking about—about after we getout. I’ve been trying to figure out what I have to offer, but I can’t think of anything. My entire skillset is prison related.”
The hand slid down to tug at his ear. “I can think of a couple of things.”
He pushed the hand away when the fingers brushed his neck. He couldn’t think when Eli did things like that. He stepped away and hefted himself up onto the bar. His body was improving lately. Even with all the distractions he’d noticed, or rather, it had been pointed out to him.
“You’re getting to be bigger than I was pre-prison,” Eli had said about a week back. The initial reaction to that had been denial. He well remembered Eli’s size that first fateful day. The man had lost about fifteen pounds since then, maybe a little more, but he remembered, and no way did he look like that. But then Eli had steered him in front of the nearest reflective surface, and he’d been forced to admit that yes, he was about that size now. The growth had snuck up on him, a combination of better food and Eli’s workout regimen.
He was still doing pull-ups when he felt the eyes on his back. He finished his set and eased himself down. He wanted to jerk his head around, but he forced himself to play it casual and took the water Eli held out to him. It was the sound of the man’s feet that gave him away. By the time the shadow showed up in his peripherals, he had long since identified him. “Tom,” he said, smooth and expressionless.
Big Tom came so close Samuel was sure he was about to be touched and couldn’t help the way his body stiffened in preparation. But the man stopped just short, looming over him. “You done with the equipment?”
They weren’t done, but he wasn’t about to say so. The last thing he wanted was to give Big Tom the opportunity to hang around and make comments. “Yeah, we’re just going to wipe it down.”
A hand touched his back, but he relaxed into it. Eli, not Big Tom. He thought he would be led away, but instead the hand curled around his waist. “Actually, we have one more set. Would you mind waiting a couple of minutes?”
Surprise made him twist his head to look at Eli, so he missed whatever expression crossed Big Tom’s face.
“Of course. Take your time.”
That could have been the end of it, but of course it wasn't. After all, Big Tom had a reason for approaching them in the first place. He always did. “How’s that new food treating you, doc? Looks like you’ve stopped losing weight.”
Eli didn’t pull himself up onto the bar. He stayed with his hand resting on Samuel’s waist. Usually the weight of that hand was warm and welcome, but he couldn’t help but feel queasy now. He wanted to ask Eli why he was being difficult but couldn’t until they were alone.
“It’s treating me just fine.”
“What about that husband of yours? Not Fuller, of course. I mean your real husband. The one waiting for you on the outside.”
The hand on his waist tightened, almost painful, but that wasn’t the reason he couldn’t breathe. A threat? Was that a threat?
“I don’t see how my husband is any of your business.”
No, he wanted to say,wrong. You didn’t antagonize a predator. Not unless you had a much bigger plan to trap them with it. “Eli,” he said, unable to stop himself.
Big Tom laughed, the sound like the slap of a drum. “Careful, doctor, or you’ll stress your boyfriend, or I should say, stress him more. You don’t make his job easy, do you?”
Eli wasn't intimidated. “Speaking of jobs, where’s your bouncer? Don’t you usually have a couple of those hangingaround?”
It was too much. Far too much. And he didn’t have to see the flash in Big Tom’s eyes to know it.
“You’re either a slow student, or Fuller is a bad mentor. Didn’t he teach you any manners?”
