JAMIE COULDN’T sleep. Not that the house wasn’t quiet or anything, but he was hyperaware of others in his home, and he kept waking up just to make sure there wasn’t an issue. Finally, at well after one, he got out of bed and headed to the kitchen, where he made tea and then sat on the sofa, pulled his computer onto his lap, and got to work on final changes to his article before sending it to the editor. His exams had been developed, but he hadn’t uploaded them to the college system. There were more rumblings about exams being for sale and things like that. Not from the faculty, but snippets picked up from students in the halls. He didn’t want to put his materials out on the campus servers and have them compromised, so he was still holding on to them.
A floorboard creak pulled his attention away from the words. Jamie blinked and lifted his head and nearly swallowed his tongue. Todd stood a few feet away, his hair tousled from sleep, blinky, and in just a pair of boxers. Absently, he rubbed his flat belly, and Jamie couldn’t help staring.
“I didn’t mean to wake you. A lot of the time I don’t sleep well, so I often get up and work.”
“Kenny is a restless sleeper. Sometimes he kicks.” Todd scratched his butt, and Jamie tried to look away, but the view was too danged good.
“Do you want some tea? It’s herbal, so it won’t keep you up.” He set the computer aside and went to the kitchen. A noise of sorts reached his ears, and the floorboards squeaked once more. He made Todd a cup, and when he returned to the living room, Todd sat on the sofa in a T-shirt as well as the boxers. Jamie gave him the mug and then sat down, pulling the computer back into place.
Todd sipped and sighed while Jamie did his best to get his mind back on work, but he found it nearly impossible. He drank some of his tea and tried to keep his mind off Todd.
“I used to have a thing for you in high school,” Todd said softly.
“No way…,” Jamie countered, surprised.
“Yeah. You had the guts to come out at sixteen. When the other kids made fun, you held your head high, and when they called you names, you owned it and took away their power. It was so cool. I wish I’d had the guts to tell you how I felt back then.” He drank more of his tea. “Instead, I let fear and worry guide me all through those years and well afterward. It was part of how I had Kenny. Not that I regret having him and all….”
Not knowing what else to do, he takes them home and gives them dinner and a place to rest for a while.
Shelter of his Heart by Andrew Grey Blog Tour
Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then, he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation.
Andrew Grey
