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“Yeah.” Jaime slipped his hand out of Sean’s grip to hold the side of his face.

“He’s just a friend. We’ve never even dated. I’m kind of hoping you can get that, because we’ve been friends a long time. When Lexi told him about you, he was really pissed he was even involved in hurting you. I’m pretty sure he will never kiss me in a club again, even if you dump me right now. I had to beg Lexi not to tell him your last name or what company you were with, because he threatened to show up at one of your shows to explain it wasn’t his fault.”

“He probably wouldn’t have gotten past Travis anyway.” Sean felt his own smile as he gave in to the urge to move closer so they were pressed against each other with his face against Jaime’s neck, where he could breathe in the scent he’d been missing.

Jaime wrapped his arms around him and threaded his fingers through Sean’s hair.

“
Te eché mucho de menos y no voy a dejar que te vayas
.” Jaime breathed more than spoke the words into his ear.

“Will you translate this time?” Sean wasn’t sure why he whispered back, only to feel Jaime shake his head. “Why do you do that? Say things to me I can’t understand and not translate—besides because it turns me on. I don’t think that’s what you were going for this time.”

“Does it bother you? I can stop doing it.”

“If it bothered me, it probably wouldn’t get the reaction you’re going for when we’re having sex. I don’t think you’re actually insulting me. I’m just curious.” Sean pressed his lips to Jaime’s neck before looking up at him with the expression that could even get Travis to give him what he wanted most of the time. It had worked on Jaime before, but this time he looked away like that was the only way to avoid giving in, so Sean looked back down.

“Sometimes it’s just easier to say what I want to say to you if you can’t understand me.”

“That doesn’t make sense, but I’m used to people with logic that doesn’t make sense, so I understand.” Sean let himself relax with the light laugh he felt where he was pressed against Jaime’s chest. “Whenever you’re ready to translate, you can just tell me.”

“It’s late. I think I’m supposed to be letting you sleep.” Jaime’s fingers leaving soft trails over his back made him want to agree, but it still wasn’t what he was expecting. Out of all the nights he’d spent at Jaime’s apartment, they’d never gone to sleep without having sex.

“Did Travis actually scare you out of trying to have sex tonight? I’m never leaving him alone with you again if that’s going to keep happening.”

“No. You just seem worn out, but if you want to, I’m not turning you down,” Jaime said, but he pressed a kiss to the top of Sean’s head and didn’t change the calming strokes on Sean’s back. “So you’re admitting you took a long shower and left me to get attacked by Travis on purpose?”

“Are you mad?”

“No. I deserved it. You had every right to be mad. I just wanted to know for sure if you did it on purpose.” Jaime hugged him tighter for a second.

“I didn’t do it because I was mad,” Sean said. Part of him regretted inviting more questions when Jaime stilled before pulling away to try and study his face.

“Then why?” Jaime asked.

Sean ducked his head back down to Jaime’s chest before he answered.

“I really wanted you back, and I’m not always great at saying what I need to say. If you’d come in and just tried to skip talking and get me in bed, I probably would have let you without making you promise anything. I knew Travis would say everything important if I couldn’t.” When Jaime didn’t answer right away, Sean added, “Sorry if that came with threats about how he can hide your body.”

“It was more of a threat about letting Alana claw my eyes out if I made you cry again, but that’s okay. I deserved that one.”

“He told you I cried? I’m going to kill him.”

“Babe, I heard you on the phone. If it happened more than that, I really deserved the threat.” Jaime pulled back so he could run the back of his hand down Sean’s cheek and tilt Sean’s head up so Sean had to look at him. “Don’t let me hurt you because you don’t want to tell me I’m doing it. I’ll let Travis corner me on purpose if I think you’re doing that.”

“You’re a masochist.”

“I’m not pretending that’s preferred. I’d really like it better if you told me yourself.” He leaned down to press their lips together and Sean couldn’t help pressing closer, but Jaime kept the kiss soft and pulled back as Sean tried to follow his lips. “Let me get the lights and get in bed. Then if you don’t want to sleep, I’m not going to fight you.”

Sean heard Jaime shucking off his jeans after he’d flicked off the light, and when he joined Sean under the blankets, he’d taken off his shirt as well. Sean couldn’t resist running his hands over the light hair on Jaime’s chest, but he couldn’t pretend his eyes weren’t drooping as he settled into his favorite spot in Jaime’s arms with his head pillowed on Jaime’s shoulder. He felt the light pressure of a kiss on the top of his head as he started to drift off.

S
EAN
WOKE
up to the calming sensation of Jaime’s fingers running through his hair and down his back. He resisted waking up and curled closer, pressing his face into Jaime’s neck to block out the light.

“Come on. Wake up.” Jaime’s voice was soft, but not enough for Sean to ignore him and drift back to sleep. “It’s almost eight thirty, and I don’t think you remembered to set an alarm.”

Sean turned away from him in an attempt to get more sleep, but he still pulled on Jaime’s arm to make him turn on his side so he was spooned behind Sean like a warm, heavy blanket. He felt the hot puff of a laugh on the back of his neck.

“Babe, I can’t bribe you with breakfast. I’m not even sure you have food and pans I could work with. If you do, you have to get up with me and show them to me.” Jaime pulled him onto his back and pressed kisses up his neck before nipping at his earlobe. “Next time you ask me why I got up without you, I’m going to point out how much work this is. Now that I’ve tried waking you up, I have an excuse to let you sleep late.”

Sean decided a shrug was enough of a response. He’d only half complained once, and that was before he’d realized that if Jaime got up without him, breakfast would already be finished when he stumbled out of the bedroom.

“I’m about to take this as a sign that I should start trying to wake you up earlier than ten minutes before you’re supposed to be up.”

Sean was pretty sure he could hear the teasing in Jaime’s voice, but he cracked his eyes open anyway.

“Hey,” Jaime whispered when their eyes met.

Sean was still trying to wake up to answer when Travis knocked hard enough to shake the door.

“It’s eight thirty! You’ve got five minutes to show some signs of life, because Alana is on her way over. I’m not pulling you out of bed myself if you’re naked,” Travis called through the door.

“I’m already awake!” Sean yelled back as he groaned and shuffled closer to Jaime under the covers.

“You don’t even own an alarm, do you?” Jaime asked after a few seconds.

“I’ve had to use my phone a couple times when he was out of town.” Sean turned on his side and backed away enough that his morning breath wouldn’t be in Jaime’s face.

“I’m not sure if that makes him overbearing or you completely spoiled,” Jaime said.

“Depends on who you ask.”

“Right. So in the future, I should just yell at you?”

“I’d rather you stick with your method, or just let me sleep and move to breakfast in bed.” Sean would really rather sleep until two, but if he had to get up, Jaime kissing up his neck as he woke up made it suck a lot less.

“You’re losing your argument against being completely spoiled.” Jaime smiled and shook his head as he started to pull back the blankets.

“It’s way too early in this relationship for you to start siding with Travis.”

Jaime froze in his movements just long enough for Sean to notice something was off. He started to push back the blankets the rest of the way, but Sean caught his wrist before he could climb out of bed.

“Hey,” Sean said to make Jaime look back at him. Jaime only met his eyes for a second before looking away, but it was enough for Sean to see some panic. “Are you freaking out on me?”

“Maybe a little.” Jaime took a deep breath, but he caught Sean’s hand when he started to pull back. “Just a little. Not a lot. It’s okay. It just hasn’t all sunk in yet.”

“Are you sure? I know I kind of rushed you.” Sean wasn’t sure what he’d do if Jaime said he needed more time.

“I’m sure.” Jaime looked at him. His eyes still held some fear, but it didn’t seem to be coupled with doubt. “I don’t want anyone else. I just need to get used to all the labels and extra stuff, but it’s fine.”

“Okay. That stuff isn’t important. We can give that time,” Sean said, although part of him just wanted to hear Jaime introduce him to anyone as his boyfriend. “Just try to call me if you go home and freak out completely.”

“Lexi will probably call you for me.” Jaime squeezed his hand just as Travis yelled through the door again that Alana would be there with bagels any minute.

“You seriously don’t have a lock on your door?” Jaime reached for his jeans to pull them on.

“Alana figured out how to pick it a long time ago.” Sean gave him time to throw on his shirt and went out to the living room just as Travis opened the door for Alana.

“You want the bathroom?” Sean asked Jaime as Travis took the bags of food to the breakfast bar.

“You should say yes, or you’ll never get a chance,” Alana interrupted before Jaime could answer. “He’ll try to rush through his hair and his eight million products, and he’ll be at least twenty minutes.”

Jaime looked at him like he wasn’t sure if he should argue that Sean hadn’t done that at his apartment, but maybe he knew Sean had enough sense not to take over his bathroom before he’d officially heard the word
boyfriend
.

“I can manage fifteen.” It was possible if he rushed, and his hair liked him this morning.

“Right.” Jaime turned toward the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

“Can you please just not freak him out this morning?” Sean kept his voice down. “We talked. He’s not seeing anyone else, and he’s not going to, so can you both just pretend you’re nice people?”

“You think he’s going to freak out in twenty minutes?” Only Travis could look judgmental with a bagel half in his mouth.

“No, but it’s early, and he needs coffee. And I already let you give him the third degree for over fifteen minutes last night, and he stayed, so you can give him a break,” Sean said to Travis as he got a mug and poured some coffee before turning to Alana. “And Travis threatened to let you claw his eyes out, and you already threatened to break his kneecaps Friday night. You can be nice for fifteen minutes.”

Jaime looked nervous as he stepped out of the bathroom, but he smiled when Sean met him with the mug of coffee.

“Technically, you could stand in the bathroom to drink this while I do my hair if you want.”

“Thanks.” Jaime smiled around the cup as he took a drink. “But I can handle it.”

“I’ll try to hurry.”

Sean was pretty sure he’d set a record, but he still found an awkward silence at the breakfast bar when he came out. At least Jaime had a bagel, so they’d decided not to make him starve.

“I don’t know how to not freak him out. I just told him about that movie we were watching on Lifetime the other day. I thought movies were safe,” Alana said.

“I’m fine. I’m not freaked out,” Jaime said, but he didn’t sound so sure.

“Also, I stole twenty bucks out of your wallet to pay for breakfast.”

Chapter 10

S
EAN
WOULD
have liked to have more time with Jaime the next week. Instead he had a full week of classes and Jaime had two projects due, so he had to make do with texts, short calls, and Travis rolling his eyes when Jaime tried to spy on his Tuesday class.

When his phone rang with a number he didn’t recognize Wednesday night, he answered only because Alana was using Travis as her own personal cook, and if he didn’t answer, she’d take his phone to see who it was.

“Your boyfriend is an idiot,” Aleksandra said after he answered. She skipped pleasantries faster than Jaime, but her slight Russian accent was unmistakable. “I need you to fix him tomorrow before I move back to Russia to get away from him.”

“What’s wrong?” Sean hadn’t heard from Jaime all day, but between his morning classes at the studio and Jaime’s night class at school, it hadn’t worried him.

“He’s—” Aleksandra paused as she tried to think of the right words for what she wanted to say. Her English was almost perfect, but sometimes she seemed to get stuck on stringing the right words together for descriptions. “He’s thinking too much. All the time.”

“Thinking about what?”

“Everything.” Aleksandra sighed. “I can’t even keep track. One minute he’s trying to figure out exactly how to make you happy, the next he starts going on about how he can’t be everything you want him to be. I’d blame you for making crazy demands, but as he doesn’t seem to know what they are, I believe he’s making these things up. If he is not fixed after you see him tomorrow, I’m driving him right back to the city and leaving him at your door.”