Involved in separate accidents. Russel and Finn end up sharing a cubicle in the ER on a busy night. As the hours pass, separately and together, they face issues of life and death, human nature, addiction, perceived shortcomings, love, romance, and sexual arousal.<br><br>Both men are feeling flirty and friendly at first, until they end up in a heated argument about what feature in a man is more important, his face or his body. After some time alone to think, Russel is eager to apologize for losing his temper and to explain where he was coming from. Unfortunately, Finn never returns from surgery, leaving Russel both sorry and worried.<br><br>Is Russel’s chance to make amends really gone? What will happen if the two ever do come face to face again? Can Russel win Finn over or will the need to prove his point screw everything up again?

An Arm and a Leg

My apartment was everything a person needed and nothing they didn’t. The décor was non-existent. The walls were all off white. I had two and a half rooms with a couch, a table with two chairs, a refrigerator, stove, and sink, a bed, a dresser, and a TV. A toilet, sink, and the shower left very little space to move about in the half bath. There was also a mirror in there and a full-length one on the bedroom closet I used to check out my muscles and take pictures to show them off to strangers. I pointed out all but the mirrors from just inside the door and told Finn again to make himself comfortable.


“It’s nice and warm.” He unzipped his jacket right away.


I kept the heat on seventy-five. “I run cold,” I told him. “Thermostat is on that wall.” I nodded from the threshold, “Turn it down some, if you want,” when what I really wanted to do was take Finn in my arms and lead him to the bedroom to cuddle him to sleep.


Chapter 33