Page 43 of Blue Gold

Elliot pulled back to look at me, and I was struck by the rawness in his eyes.

“Are you sure?” His brows knitted close, making him look too vulnerable.

Without tearing my eyes from him to look at the wound again, I nodded.

“Absolutely. A simple bandage will do the work,” I promised him with a smile.

Biting down on his bottom lip, he nodded. “T-there’s a first aid kit on the shelves.”

“I’ll go grab it, okay?”

Now holding the towel himself, Elliot nodded and stepped back. Once he did, I walked over to the shelves to look for said kit. I found it, but unfortunately, it was lacking in everything.

“There’s no bandages or any antiseptic here, but we have a first aid kit in our bathroom, too,” I said, putting the useless kit back in place. “Let’s go treat you there.”

With Elliot walking behind me, I led the way to Claudia’s and my master bedroom on the second floor of the house. He turned quiet, and I hurried up, worrying he was in pain.

“Here,” I said, opening the door for him to walk in first.

Elliot passed by me and strolled inside the room, all while looking around.

“You’ve got a good taste,” he said as he studied the cream-colored walls and beige furniture.

“Claudia has great taste,” I kindly corrected him. “I, on the other hand… not so much.”

He gave me a dirty look over his sassy shoulder. “I actually think you have good taste. And not just for ice cream.”

Seems like someone has recovered fast.

Deciding to ignore his flirting, I pointed over to the en suite bathroom. “Let’s go there.”

Being obedient for a change, Elliot did as I asked and walked in there. As he did, I noticed the way he scanned the room, like he was searching for something. For what? I wasn’t sure. Neither was I about to ask. Once inside the bathroom, I went to grab the first aid kit while he walked over to Claudia’s side of the sink and scanned her perfumes and creams. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he looked charmed, like a kid in a candy shop. His eyes went big as he went over the jewelry and perfume, and it was only after I called him to come and sit on the edge of the bath that he did.

“Now, let me see that cut again,” I said after crouching on the floor in front of him.

Elliot reached his arm forward, and I grabbed his wrist before taking off the towel. Carefully, I examined his thumb up close, glad to see the bleeding had stopped.

“It might sting a little,” I warned before applying antiseptic on the fresh cut. Elliot winced after I sanitized the wound, and to help him ease the pain, I gently caressed his skin. He relaxed at my touch, and I smiled at him.

His skin was soft like velvet, and I wondered what touching his body in other places would feel like. Was his chest as smooth? His abs, his legs… his other parts. I swallowed hard, heat pooling in my lower stomach at the thought of smoothing the pads of my fingers along his skin, discovering him through my touch. Thankfully, I snapped out of it fast enough and reached for the Band-Aids.

“Does she know?” Elliot asked while I peeled the backing paper off the bandage.

“Who?” I innocently asked, clueless as to what he meant.

“Claudia. Does she know you like men, too?”

Elliot’s question sucked all the air out of the room, and shocked, I paused with the Band-Aid in hand. The way he added the word “too,” as if to soften the blow of his immense question, was thoughtful, but it did little to ease my growing panic. Aside from myself, no one had ever questioned my sexuality, and until I met Elliot, I hoped no one ever would. And yet, here we were: I was crouching on the bathroom floor while he sat on the edge of the tub, eyes locked on me, as he patiently waited for my answer. He also didn’t ask if I was gay, as if already knowing the answer to that question. He asked if my wife knew, and for a moment, I considered brushing the whole thing off, but I didn’t. For a change, I didn’t feel like I needed to lie.

Not meeting his eyes, I brought the Band-Aid to his thumb, pressed my lips together, and shook my head as I covered the cut.

“Is it something new?” he went on asking while I kept my eyes down. “Am I the first man you⁠—”

“No,” I admitted out loud, the word barely leaving my mouth.

My heart rate escalated immediately, and I felt as if the room was closing around me when Elliot took my hand in his and held it close.

“I’m the same. I’ve known ever since I was little.”