Page 59 of Hurricane Love

“I want to do a quick workout, then shower, then get ready for work.”

Diego loved his routines, as Wylie had discovered, and kept himself on a strict daily schedule. Wylie had joined him a few times during his workout session, but he didn’t have the stamina to match him, so he usually ended up spotting him or starting breakfast in the kitchen while Diego finished.

“Not yet.” Wylie laid a possessive hand on the man’s chest and took up the spot beside him on the bed. They both needed a few more minutes to recover—Wylie did at least. He grabbed his vape from the bedside table and took a few hits, since Diego said he didn’t mind the smell, liked it even. He and Nancy were goingto quit as soon as he went away. But for now, just like sex with Diego, he couldn’t get enough.

“What are you going to do while I’m at work?” Diego asked, turning onto his side to trace lines between the freckles on Wylie’s stomach.

“Nancy wants to get me fitted for a suit. Kind of like a graduation gift. I might need something like that in Gainesville.”

“Good idea.”

“When do you get off?”

“I’m closing, so late.”

“Who are you closing with?”

“Solo tonight.”

“I’ll come by and help you,” Wylie said, feeling bad that his departure had left gaps in the schedule that his coworkers had to fill.

“You shouldn’t be working unless you’re on the clock,” Diego said sternly.

“Whatever. I don’t care. This’ll be my last chance to close with you before I leave.”

Diego stared back at him with big, sad eyes. Wylie was breaking their tacit agreement not to talk about a time when the two of them wouldn’t be together. But his car was mostly packed, and he’d worked his last shift at the pit the day before. He was leaving tomorrow, for chrissakes. Diego didn’t choose to address it then–their impending separation–merely said, “I’ll make you a sandwich for when you come by. Send me a picture of the suit.”

Wylie climbed on top of him and took advantage of his position to lay a big, sloppy kiss on his lips. Diego caught his head and deepened the kiss into something more meaningful and tender. How could Wylie not get mixed signals when Diego did things like that? It totally contradicted his stance on keeping this “friendly” and “casual.” Every time Diego rolled over to show him his belly and beg for more, Wylie got deeper into his feelings for the man.

Wylie was leaving tomorrow, and no promises had been madebeyond friendship. He knew that deep down, Diego wanted the same thing as him, he was just too scared to pursue it. Trouble was, Wylie didn’t know how to fix that.

“Be good,” Wylie said, leaning back to trace the man’s mouth with his finger, getting lost in the impossible depths of those warm brown eyes.

“Always,” Diego said gruffly. He made no move to get up or remove Wylie from his warm embrace, and instead stared back at him with so many conflicting emotions and wrapped his big arms around his waist to hold him there.

That was perhaps the biggest tell of all.

“I just don’t understandwhy we can’t do long distance.”

Wylie was griping to Nancy from the fitting room of Men’s Wearhouse in between trying on various cuts and colors of suits. Blue, black, or charcoal gray seemed the standard first-suit palette. This one was royal blue with sharp, tailored lines and a jacket that hugged his broad shoulders and tapered to the waist. It wasn’t the most expensive suit or even a well-known brand, but it was the man who made the suit, right?

Wylie could imagine himself in the courtroom, convincing a jury of his client’s innocence, sowing the seeds of doubt that would ultimately cinch the case in his favor. He felt like Superman donning his costume and cape, ready to fight crime, or in this case, deliver justice.

He stepped out of the fitting room to show Nancy.

“Well, what did he say about it?” Nancy asked, inspecting the suit’s seams to make sure they were all intact.

“He won’t agree to anything more than friendship, says he’s only ever ruined things.” Of course Wylie felt compassion for the man, but you shouldn’t let your past mistakes define your future.Wasn’t that one of those inspirational sayings they put on posters in high schools across America?

“That’s a him-problem,” Nancy said.

“Yeah, well, it’s a me-problem now. I hooked him up with Bob for some counseling sessions. But do you know how frustrating that is on my end? I mean, I’m in love with this man. I want to build a life with him. White picket fence, two-point-five kids, golden retriever, the works, but he can’t even imagine bridging the distance of a two-hour drive.”

“Maybe that should tell you something,” Nancy said, turning him around so she could inspect the back of the suit.

Wylie gave her a look over his shoulder. “Why are you so against me and Diego being together? He’s a great guy.”

She sighed and rested her hand on her hip, preparing to give him the business. “Heisa great guy, but you’re starting a new chapter of your life. You’re going to meet many new and interesting people. There might be a man up there better suited to your future goals.”