Chapter 73

The storm was moving closer, but Chris wasn’t ready to go inside yet. There were so many thoughts swirling in him that the house felt too confining for.

He turned his thoughts to James and the tight, but cautious hug they’d shared after James arrived at the house earlier that night. The fallout from how a cop could have gotten away with such crimes had left James exhausted, but he managed an extra moment of strength to visit with Chris’s parents and Dylan. They hadn’t stayed long after James arrived, but Chris felt like his parents were impressed with James. Even Dylan seemed to be warming up to James a bit.

Chris smiled as he let the memory fade.

In the bedroom behind him, he heard James leave the bed, then slide the screen door open and closed. From behind, James slid his hands over Chris’s shoulders as he leaned down to lightly kiss his head. “Can’t sleep?” he asked as he stood before Chris, dressed only in his boxer briefs.

Chris smiled. “Everything hurts too much.”