Chapter 31

“No, but there are times…” He kissed Ellis’s temple. “Maybe next weekend, if I can farm him out to stay at his friend’s house?”

“Perhaps,” Ellis replied hesitantly.

Martin put his arm around Ellis, saying quietly, “I’m pushing again, aren’t I?”

“A bit. It’s not that I don’t want to…”

“But it’s still too soon for you. I understand. You’re different than me. I’m the kind of person grabs ahold of life. You on the other hand want to deal with it one moment at a time to make certain it’s not going to turn around and bite you in the ass.”

“Doesn’t say much for me that I’m so afraid,” Ellis said sadly.

“Not afraid. Just cautious. Given what you’ve told me about yourself I’m not at all surprised.” Martin hugged him tightly. “So we’ll stick to kissing and—” he grinned wickedly, running his hand along Ellis’s thigh, “—maybe a bit of groping, until you’re ready to take it farther.”

Amused, Ellis shook his head. “Isn’t groping what teens do under the bleachers or in a movie theater?”