After dinner they crashed on the sofa, snuggled together watching something mindless on TV, then decidedly not watching it.
“Okay, however much I’d like to stay here and make out with you all night, I’ve got a study session with Dylan.”
Adam pouted and tugged on Jared’s wrist when he rolled to his feet. “Stay here. I’ll tutor you.”
“You need to study yourself,” Jared told him.
“Don’t turn into my mother, for God’s sake.”
Jared smiled, leaned in, and kissed Adam’s nose. “I’ll see you in the morning. You can even pick me up, if you like.”
“Jared.”
“Hmm?”
Sitting up suddenly, Adam twisted around and braced his feet on the floor.
“I don’t know if I like you seeing Dylan.”
Jared laughed. “Why? He’s been tutoring me for months.”
“I know. I just….”
“And he’s your friend.”
“Ryder said she thought you two were dating,” Adam said in a rush, then looked guilty about it.
With a big exhalation, Jared sat down on the coffee table. “Did she,” he said grimly.
“Yeah. Look, I don’t want to be a jealous boyfriend because I know we’re good. But… was there something between you?”
Jared thought about the night with the curry and the kiss, the sweetness and possibility that neither of them had spoken about since. Their tutoring arrangement and friendship had survived that one night when things had looked like they were on the brink of change. Whether Jared’s relationship would, was another question.
“We went on one date,” Jared said, unable to lie. The foundation of this relationship was too rocky for him to add lie onto lies. “It was great, we didn’t have sex, and he’s still helping me with my classes.”
“I don’t want you to see him anymore,” Adam said stubbornly. Jared reached forward and took Adam’s hands in his, bringing them to his lips for a soft, careful kiss.
“Dylan is one of the few friends I have outside of school. No, he’s the only friend I have outside of school. I’m not going to give him up, baby. And he’s your friend too.”
Adam sniffed.
Heart aching, Jared leaned in and kissed him, taking the plump bottom lip between both of his and cupping Adam’s cheek in his hand. This was a kiss of solid reassurance, a silent, physical “I love you.”
“I’m going to go to my study session now,” Jared said when they broke apart. “I’m going to call you before I go to bed, and you’re going to come pick me up in the morning and give me a ride to school. I really need you to trust me.”
For a moment, Adam squirmed, then all the air left him in a whoosh, and he nodded.
“Yeah. Okay.”
“Thank you.”
As he drove to Seattle, Jared wondered if “thank you” was a weird thing to say. Strange things were happening between them now; the intense emotions were starting to mellow and mature, leaving the passion intact and something a little more worldly holding it all together.
Chapter 19
As promised, when he got back from his study session with Dylan, he called Adam. If nothing else it was to prove he could be trusted.
“Did you know Dylan had a boyfriend?”
Adam laughed. They had connected via Skype so they could see each other. Adam was already in bed. Jared would recognize those sheets anywhere.
“Why, Mr. Rawell. You’re turning into a gossip hag.”
“His name is Eli, and he’s part of the LGBTQ society on campus. Did you know Dylan was gay?”
“Only because Ryder told everyone. I think she was trying to set me up with him at one point.”
“Straight people logic?”
What Jared meant was the assumption two gay people would be instantly compatible on the basis of their sexuality alone. Adam’s responsive grin told him he was right.
“Yeah. Exactly.”
“Adam?”
“Yeah?
“I’m really glad you didn’t decide to date Dylan.”
“Jared?”
“Yeah?” he answered with a laugh.
“I’m glad you didn’t date Dylan too.”
Being apart like this, even for one night, seemed weird now they were used to spending so much time with each other. It wasn’t that Jared couldn’t sleep alone; he didn’t want to.
“Hang on,” Adam said. “I just got a message.”
He was using his iPad rather than his phone for this conversation, leaving the latter free for text conversations. When his face reappeared, Jared couldn’t quite read his expression. It was happy, sort of, and… excited?
“What?” Jared asked, then smiled unconsciously as a slow, broad smile spread across Adam’s face. “What’s going on?”
Adam turned back, full of childlike enthusiasm. “My mom’s coming home.”
Since Adam already knew Hadley, or knew her in the way everyone in this town seemed to know each other, they hadn’t yet dealt with the meeting-the-parent/guardian situation. Jared was fine with that. They both lived pretty independently anyway, so it wasn’t like he felt he needed Adam’s mom’s approval.
She had been home for a short visit over Thanksgiving, Jared knew that much, but it was a long trip from Paris, and she didn’t make it often. They were too close to finals for Adam to be able to go to France, too.
Apparently Ms. Hemlock had sent her son a text just before leaving Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, letting Adam know she’d get a taxi to the house. It would be late at night when she got home, and Jared assumed there would be some emotional reunion.
“I’ll go home,” he said, wriggling out from under Adam’s legs.
“Don’t.” Adam’s hand shot out and wrapped around his wrist. “Please stay.”
“You’re going to want to spend time with your mom,” he said gently. “Neither of you are going to want me in the way.”
“I want her to meet you,” Adam said stubbornly. His face softened, and he leaned in to kiss Jared carefully on the lips. “I talk to her about you all the time. She really wants to get to know
