Prologue
Miles
“You ask him. You’re the one who’s curious.” Bryan’s whispered voice held an edge of panic, but since it was Kevin egging him on, I thought that was to be expected.
“But you’re the one who’s little, so you should ask.” Kevin seemed to be trying to convince Bryan that his logic was sound, but there was obviously some debate over that.
“This isn’t my idea. I don’t even know why I’m listening to you.” Bryan’s voice was clearly stressed but since he seemed more likely to hit Kevin than pass out, I didn’t step in. “You’re a nuisance, and I’m going to tell Jeremy you’re driving me crazy.”
Kevin just giggled. “Good, I haven’t been spanked in days.”
Bryan groaned. “I don’t need to know that.”
Kevin giggled again.
“Let’s just go.” Evidently whatever Kevin was trying to talk Bryan into wasn’t sounding like such a good idea anymore.
But Kevin was persistent.
“You’re going to feel ridiculous if you chicken out now.” There was a pause, and I knew more than likely Kevin had hugged his still-nervous friend. “Besides, it’s just a question, it’s not like you have to do anything.”
“But what if he thinks it’s stupid or too personal?” Bryan’s voice dipped quieter, but I heard his nerves even more clearly.
“Then he’ll politely tell us that, but the chances of that are slim. We’re not asking about him, just about it in general.”
Now they both had me curious.
Bryan sometimes stayed late at the end of the day and came in to talk to me about things because it generally took him a while to work up to it. He wasn’t technically my patient anymore, but he needed someone to talk to occasionally. Bryan was so much more confident about what he wanted and who he was than when I’d first met him, but sometimes his worries still got the best of him.
Kevin, on the other hand, loved dragging him out of his shell.
Sometimes they were an odd match for best friends, but they complemented each other perfectly. Each didn’t judge the other; they even helped bring out each other’s best qualities.
“This is stupid.” Bryan sighed.
Evidently Kevin had won.
I turned back to my desk, pretending to focus on the blank paperwork in front of me as a knock sounded and Kevin’s head popped around the door. He gave me an innocent smile that I’d very early on learned was completely fake. “Do you have a moment?”
“Of course.” Sometimes keeping a neutral expression around them was entirely too difficult.
“Great.” As he stepped into the room, I saw that he had a death grip on Bryan’s hand and was visibly dragging him into the room. But since I’d seen Bryan stand up to his overbearing best friend before, I wasn’t worried for him—Kevin’s health was clearly in jeopardy, however.
Bryan looked like he wanted to deck him.
Keep on reading!
