Page 16 of Rescued
Jasper
It’sbeenalmostaweek since the last time Arlo showed up at my house in the middle of the night. I wasn’t expecting him to go ghost. I know we aren’t in a relationship, but I guess I’ve gotten used to him being here multiple times a week.
We’re supposed to be going to Austin and Luca’s house for game night tonight, and the last couple of times we’ve gone together. Mostly because Arlo wanted to come back here with me afterward. Now that he hasn’t been here all week, I’m not sure what to expect.
I take my phone out and shoot him a text.
Me
Are you going to game night?
Arlo
Yeah.
Well, he responded quickly enough that it’s probably a good sign.
Me
Do you still want to ride with me?
I frown when he doesn’t respond right away, but I’m not waiting long.
Arlo
I’m in your driveway.
My heart skips a beat. Rushing from my bedroom, I dart into the living room, opening the door just in time for him to walk straight in.
He doesn’t stop. He keeps walking until he all but slams into me, pressing his face into my chest and taking a deep breath. My hands come up on instinct, and I rub his back. “You okay, baby boy?”
He shakes his head.
“Do you wanna talk about it?”
Another head shake.
“Do you wanna cancel tonight and stay in? I could run you a bubble bath and dress you in my clothes and cuddle you to sleep.” I snap my mouth shut when Arlo tenses.
“No,” he murmurs against my chest. “Just needed a hug for a second.”
Wrapping my arms fully around him, I haul him closer, burying my nose in his hair and breathing him in. My heart’s pounding. I’m thirty-seven years old. I shouldn’t be acting like this.
But with Arlo in my arms and his scent filling my nostrils, I can’t seem to help it.
He doesn’t pull away for a long time, and I’m certainly in no rush to let him go, but all good things come to an end, and he breaks away. He wipes his eyes, and it’s clear he’s trying to do it without being noticed.
This is torture. Knowing he’s upset and knowing there’s nothing he’ll let me do to fix it. Not even knowing if there’s anything Icando to fix it.
“Are you ready to go?” he asks.
Grabbing my keys off the entry table, I nod. “Yep.”
Thesecondwewalkinto Austin and Luca’s house, something comes over Arlo. It’s almost like he pulls a mask on. He straightens his spine and plasters a smile on his face. He laughs in all the right places and teases everyone around us. It’s… something else.
Not only is it strange to witness given how he was acting at my house, it’s also telling—and honestly heartwarming—that he doesn’t feel the need to wear that mask around me.
It also fucking sucks, because no matter how open he is with me about himself, he’s not fully open. Sure, he’ll sink into me for a hug, and he’ll allow himself to break down a little and show emotion. But he still holds me at arm’s length.
