“Thanks for having me,” Toma said.
“You’re welcome any time,” Silas said.
Felix muttered a quick farewell and was out of there, and Owen and Toma were the next to go. Out on the sidewalk in front of Bittersweets, they paused.
“That was fun,” Toma said.
“Yeah,” Owen said. His stomach was clenching again. He wasn’t sure what to do, and that never boded well. He could say something, right? He should say something. His brain supplied nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Well, nothing appropriate. It had a lot to say about Superman curls and soft-looking beards and the lips that were visible in said soft-looking beards…
He was staring. Toma slid his hands into his pockets. “Well.”
“Thank you,” Owen said. “For that. I know it wasn’t the plan, but it was nice.”
“We should do it again,” Toma said.
“Yeah,” Owen said. “We get together every two weeks.”
Toma smiled and rubbed his beard. “Okay, then.” He aimed a thumb over his shoulder. “I’m this way.”
“I live on Cooper.” Owen pointed behind him.
“See you at the gym,” Toma said. He turned and started walking away.
Owen bit his bottom lip. Gah. He’d practically just told Toma he’d see him again in two weeks. What the hell was that? He opened his mouth but had no idea what to say. God, was he cursed to only know how to talk to Toma via accidental texts?
He blinked.
Accidental texts.
He pulled out his phone.
Update the fifth: I just had the best worst day ever. I’d say you wouldn’t believe it, but I bet you would. Upside? It was followed by a great night. Downside? I’m still tongue-tied, so I totally let the nicest, kindest, and funniest cubcake walk away when what I really wanted to do was find out if his beard is as soft as it looks. He bit his lip, considering, then shook his head. No. No more considering. He typed a bit more. That said, the view of said cubcake walking away is fantastic.
Owen hit send, then looked up.
Toma had only made it as far as NiceTeas. Owen watched him pull out his phone, looking at the screen. Then Toma stopped to type.
Owen’s phone pinged.
Come here.
Owen took a shaky breath, a flush of warmth spreading through his chest despite the cool spring air. Then he was trying not to break into a jog, and before he knew it they were side by side again.
“I didn’t want to ruin your view by turning around,” Toma said.
“Well, as I said, you’re very kind,” Owen said. His voice barely wobbled.
“So,” Toma said. “I had a great night, too, but I can’t help point out it’s only eight.”
“Yeah, we usually end up playing longer, but I think Felix wanted to go as soon as possible. Not press his luck,” Owen said.
“No doubt,” Toma said. “I don’t think he made eye contact with me once.”
“You’re a scary guy.”
“I am not.”
“Intimidating, then.”
Toma rubbed his beard with one hand. “I think I’m okay with intimidating him. At least for a while.”
“Thing is?” Owen said. “I didn’t want to, but I think I forgive him. Like, completely. I mean, I’m not gonna tell him, but…” He waved his hand between the two of them. “This. Is…nice.”
“Yeah,” Toma said. “It is. As far as being the butt of a joke goes, this worked out.”
“It’s because it’s such an amazing butt.” Owen stopped. Holy shit. He’d said that out loud. It had just…come out.
“Owen?”
“Yes?”
“The beard’s pretty soft. But you don’t have to take my word for it.”
Owen bit his lip, glanced around the street to make sure they were safe, then leaned forward.
Toma met him halfway, and the beard was, as reported, pretty soft. The lips were, too, at least at first, until Toma’s hand slid behind Owen’s neck and tugged him in. Then soft became the last word on Owen’s mind. He pressed against the warm solid heat of the total cubcake who was kissing the hell out of him, a small groan rising up from his chest as the kiss deepened, their mouths opening.
When they came up for air, Toma’s brown eyes flicked back and forth for a moment, looking at him.
“You don’t seem tongue-tied to me. Your tongue was definitely untied,” Toma said.
“I still might have to text you,” Owen said. “It’s probably going to be a thing.”
“I can live with that.”
Owen grinned. “So. You mentioned it was only eight.”
“I did.”
“Bittersweets?” Owen said.
Toma rubbed his beard. “We could. Or…”
“Or?”
“I’m this way,” he said, nodding down the street again. “I can make us something to eat. I didn’t get any dinner, thanks to everything, and I don’t think you did, either. And I would like more kissing, if I’m being honest.”
“Honest is good,” Owen said.
“So, eating. Talking, too,” Toma said. “But definitely kissing. Just kissing. I don’t want to be presumptuous. I’ll wait for the appropriate permissions via update.” He lifted his phone, as well as one eyebrow. “Sound good?”
“Sounds great,” Owen said.
They started walking together. Toma took his right hand, and Owen squeezed.
With his left hand, he pulled out his phone as surreptitiously as he could. There were benefits to being a leftie.
By the time they passed the rainbow crosswalks, Owen had drafted an update, heavy on the permissions.
About the Author
’Nathan Burgoine grew up a reader and studied literature in university while making a living as a bookseller. His first novel, Light, was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award. Triad Blood and Triad Soul are also available from Bold Strokes Books, as is his YA novel Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks and his first collection, Of Echoes Born. A cat lover, 'Nathan managed to fall in love and marry Daniel, who is a confirmed dog person. Their ongoing cat-or-dog détente ended with the rescue of huskies. They live in Ottawa, Canada, where socialized health care and gay marriage have yet to cause the sky to cave in.
Books Available From Bold Strokes Books
Village Fool by ’Nathan Burgoine. Thanks to a prank involving Owen's contact list, Owen spends most of his morning on April Fools’ day inadvertently texting smooth and charming thoughts about his crush Toma... to Toma himself. (978-1-63555-982-8)
Coming to Life on South High by Lee Patton. Twenty-one-year-old gay virgin Gabe Rafferty’s first adult decade unfolds as an unpredictable journey into sex, love, and livelihood. (978-1-63555-906-4)
Death’s Prelude by David S. Pederson. In this prequel to the Detective Heath Barrington Mystery series, Heath discovers that first love changes you forever and drives you to become the person you’re destined to be. (978-1-63555-786-2)
His Brother’s Viscount by Stephanie Lake. Hector Somerville wants to rekindle his illicit love affair with Viscount Wentworth, but he must overcome one problem: Wentworth still loves Hector’s brother. (978-1-63555-805-0)
The Dubious Gift of Dragon Blood by J. Marshall Freeman. One day Crispin is a lonely high school student—the next he is fighting a war in a land ruled by dragons, his otherworldly boyfriend at his side. (978-1-63555-725-1)
Quake City by St John Karp. Can Andre find his best friend Amy before the night devolves into a nightmare of broken hearts, malevolent drag queens, and spontaneous human combustion? Or has it always happened this way, every night, at Aunty Bob’s Quake City Club? (978-1-63555-723-7)
Death Overdue by David S. Pederson. Did Heath turn to murder in an alcohol-induced haze to solve the problem of his blackmailer, or was it someone else who brought about a death overdue? (978-1-63555-711-4)
Every Summer Day by Lee Patton. Meant to celebrate every summer day, Luke’s journal instead chronicles a love affair as fast-moving and po
ssibly as fatal as his brother’s brain tumor. (978-1-63555-706-0)
Everyday People by Louis Barr. When film star Diana Danning hires private eye Clint Steele to find her son, Clint turns to his former West Point barracks mate, and ex-buddy with benefits, Mars Hauser to lend his cyber espionage and digital black ops skills to the case. (978-1-63555-698-8)
Cirque des Freaks and Other Tales of Horror by Julian Lopez. Explore the pleasure of horror in this compilation that delivers like the horror classics…good ole tales of terror. (978-1-63555-689-6)
Royal Street Reveillon by Greg Herren. In this Scotty Bradley mystery, someone is killing the stars of a reality show, and it’s up to Scotty Bradley and the boys to find out who. (978-1-63555-545-5)
Death Takes a Bow by David S. Pederson. Alan Keys takes part in a local stage production, but when the leading man is murdered, his partner Detective Heath Barrington is thrust into the limelight to find the killer. (978-1-63555-472-4)
Accidental Prophet by Bud Gundy. Days after his grandmother dies, Drew Morten learns his true identity and finds himself racing against time to save civilization from the apocalypse. (978-1-63555-452-6)
In Case You Forgot by Fredrick Smith and Chaz Lamar. Zaire and Kenny, two newly single, Black, queer, and socially aware men, start again—in love, career, and life—in the West Hollywood neighborhood of LA. (978-1-63555-493-9)
Counting for Thunder by Phillip Irwin Cooper. A struggling actor returns to the Deep South to manage a family crisis but finds love and ultimately his own voice as his mother is regaining hers for possibly the last time. (978-1-63555-450-2)
Survivor’s Guilt and Other Stories by Greg Herren. Award-winning author Greg Herren’s short stories are finally pulled together into a single collection, including the Macavity Award–nominated title story and the first-ever Chanse MacLeod short story. (978-1-63555-413-7)
Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks by ’Nathan Burgoine. Cole always has a plan—especially for escaping his small-town reputation as “that kid who was kidnapped when he was four”—but when he teleports to a museum, it’s time to face facts: it’s possible he’s a total freak after all. (978-1-163555-098-6)
Of Echoes Born by ’Nathan Burgoine. A collection of queer fantasy short stories set in Canada from Lambda Literary Award finalist ’Nathan Burgoine. (978-1-63555-096-2)
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