Breakfast in Brad House

Colin Stone woke up to the sound of his phone alarm. He reached out to turn it off and immediately grimaced as he caught the scent of amber and forest. His skin still carried the fragrance from last night's shower. It wasn't an unpleasant smell—quite the opposite—and that was precisely the problem. It brought to mind the sinful act he had indulged in there.

Sinful, yet so damn satisfying.

The physical relief he had given himself under the hot streams of water had now turned into guilt. There was something profoundly inappropriate about making a fantasy object out of a man who wasn't gay. Okay, he knew others did it, but to him, it felt unfair to the person in question. Maybe in the past, when he was younger it wasn't problem, but now it was simply, well, strange. As if he were forcing an unwanted feeling onto someone. As if he were using an oblivious man for his own selfish pleasure. And unwanted feelings could really make someone uncomfortable…

He wouldn't have had this problem if Brad Lipski were gay. Then it would have been a fantasy that could, in theory, come true. One that could reach deeper, into the realm of emotions. It could have given him a little push to try and build some kind of relationship, and as long as there was no rejection, that was fine. But fantasizing about a straight guy—it was like knowing that consent had already been denied.

Well, it happened, he thought with regret. Nothing I can do about it now. It was a one-time thing, he promised himself. And I only did it because yesterday had been so intense, emotionally. Brad had shielded him with his own body, taking the hit, then attacked their assailant… Colin shuddered, though not from fear. Then the whole police mess… And before that, right after arriving, the unfortunate bus accident…

He rolled onto his back and covered his eyes with his forearm.

He really hated losing patients.

For a moment, he just lay there, breathing deeply, trying not to think about anything distracting.

Today marked the beginning of his year-long adventure in White Shore, and he sincerely hoped it would be calmer than yesterday. A quiet, peaceful stay in a small, picturesque town—that was exactly what he needed right now.

He really didn't need any more complications in his life.

***

A few deep breaths and his morning routine managed to calm Colin's heart. Then a brief text—unexpected—sent it racing again.

"Wake up, breakfast."

The message came from the number saved as "Landlord," but now Stone knew perfectly well the name and surname of the man behind it. And his face.

Stay calm, he told himself. You'll be living like neighbors for a year. You can't freak out just because he sent you a text. Move on. Do you want a peaceful stay in this town or not? So what if Lipski is ridiculously hot if there's absolutely no chance between you?

A quiet morning in a small town. That's what you need. That's what you want.

He was already dressed and ready to go. His inner monologue had settled him a little. Unfortunately, just as he stepped into the Lipskis' kitchen, he was unexpectedly hit by a hurricane.

Angela and Olivia were rushing past, grabbing their backpacks in a hurry. One of them—he still hadn't learned to tell them apart—noticed him and waved cheerfully.

"Good morning, Doctor! See you this afternoon!"

Automatically, he raised his hand in a friendly greeting, but didn't manage to say anything in response.

"Are you sure you have everything?" their guardian called after them loudly. "Hey!"

"We have everything!" one of them shouted back, and the front door slammed, leaving the house in sudden, ringing silence.

If Colin had had any remnants of sleep left in him, that certainly would have shaken them off.

At that moment, Brad, who had his back turned, spun around with a charming, slightly mischievous smile.

"I forgot to ask yesterday how you like your breakfast," he said, only slightly apologetic, "so I'm going with sausage and eggs. There's cereal if you prefer something lighter, but honestly, nothing beats a proper sausage first thing in the morning. And some appetizing eggs."

Colin's heart reacted a little too nervously. He swallowed hard.

"Sausage and eggs sound perfect," he announced.

"Great!" Lipski beamed. "Here are the mugs," he pointed with his finger. "Here's the coffee, here's the juice. Help yourself as much as you want. And if you're a tea drinker..."

"Only coffee for breakfast."

"Same here. Nothing like a hearty breakfast and strong coffee to start the day right. How did you sleep, Doc?"

"Uh, thank you, well," Colin said, pouring himself some coffee. It was so close to the stove that he almost touched Brad's arm. "How's your arm?"

"Perfect. You weren't cold at night?"

Cold? More like too hot, he thought and quickly stepped away from Brad as his body temperature started to rise again. What the hell? Colin was no longer a teenager whose hormones were raging and who got aroused by just about anything. And yet, since yesterday, he hadn't been able to find peace around Brad Lipski. Was it because Lipski had shielded him with his own body and got hurt because of it? Or was there something in his body chemistry that affected Colin so strongly? Some kind of particularly intense pheromone?

Either way, it was better for him to keep a safe distance.

"No, it was fine. I come from the north, so I'm used to it."

"Right, I forgot. But if anything's wrong, let me know, okay?"

"Okay."

"Great! So, breakfast is ready! Dig in."

Brad placed two plates with aromatic food on the table but didn't sit down. He reached into the fridge and took out sliced cucumbers and a small bowl of pickles. Colin really didn't want to have any associations, but he couldn't help it.

"So, first day at work today?" Lipski asked, finally sitting down at the table. He placed his coffee mug next to his plate. "Mine too."

"Really?"

"I'm kind of a jack of all trades in this town, but even I need to put a steady job on my resume sometimes. You know, for the girls."

No, Colin didn't know. Was this about securing insurance for them?

"Where will you be working?" he asked, starting his breakfast.

"The boatyard," Brad replied. "I have a bit of a knack for mechanics."

"Seems like you have a knack for everything."

"Hey, jack of all trades."

"Master of none?" Colin finished instinctively. "Sorry."

"It's okay. You're right. I'm not a master of anything that would help me raise the girls, but being a handyman lets me stay flexible. And I don't have to call a specialist to change a lightbulb or unclog a pipe. Hey, are you okay? You choked."

Colin gestured that he was fine. He was still coughing, but there was no danger.

"Wrong pipe," he explained and would have blushed if his face hadn't already been red from coughing.

Pipes and holes? Oh God....