Gravity (Greenford #2) - Romeo Alexander Page 0,44

lost trying to find help. It was open all day and night, with a fully trained medic on staff at all times and a doctor or two for regular visits during the day.

Caleb frowned when he spotted the dark mark on the side of the other man’s neck. “Hey, what’s that from?”

Cid’s head snapped to him, which was something else Caleb had been forced to get used to. Everything Cid did was quick and sharp as if his body worked at only one speed. Which by itself wasn’t suspicious, but the flash of guilt on his face and the way his hand came up to slap over his neck was.

“Uh, just a little dust-up I got involved in this weekend, nothing big,” Cid said, light features going red.

“You,” Caleb said doubtfully. “Got into a fight?”

“Yes?”

“Was that an answer or a question?”

“An answer?”

“That’s not really an improvement, Cid.”

“Sorry?”

Caleb resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose and sigh. “Let’s try a different tactic. You’re clearly not telling me the truth.”

“Uh,” Cid said nervously, shifting from one foot to the other.

“Are you in danger?”

“No.”

“Okay, that was an answer, good. So you’re not in a...dangerous or violent situation at home?”

Cid winced. “No, uh, no.”

“Okay, less sure.”

“No! I’m not being abused, sir.”

“And you weren’t assaulted?”

“No.”

It was near impossible to read the man’s nervous body language and figure out what was genuine and what could possibly be lying. Caleb honestly didn’t know where to start to parse through it all and he gave a heavy sigh of resignation.

“Then I’m forced to conclude that it was from wild, aggressive sex,” Caleb said with a disbelieving snort.

At least, he didn’t believe, until he saw the other man go as red as a tomato. It was at that moment he realized that the dark mark on the man’s neck was down close to his shoulder, exactly where someone might be able to grip him safely but still use a great deal of strength.

“Oh. So your…” Caleb began, feeling his own face warm. “Right. Congrats on the...girl...boy...friend.”

Cid averted his eyes, elbow jiggling. “His name’s Alex.”

“Okay, congratulations on your boyfriend named Alex,” Caleb said, trying to get himself under control. “And sorry for the joke, that was in bad taste.”

“It’s okay,” Cid said, still cringing. “I don’t care if you know about, like...know about him. I’m pretty much out. I just didn’t want you thinking bad about him, is all.”

“Ah,” Caleb drew out, thinking of a few of things he’d got up to in his private life. Sam still attested there was a small scar under his left pectoral from that tree in Portland. “I’m not going to judge someone based on their preferences in the bedroom. So long as you’re both being careful and taking the necessary precautions to prevent injury, I have nothing to say except congratulations on your relationship.”

Cid grinned sheepishly at him. “Thanks. But I’m going to head out. I told Alex I’d meet him after work and he gets a little...nervous if I’m late.”

Caleb waved him off, hoping to spare them both anymore awkward conversation. “By all means, I have to get out of here myself. I have a date of my own to deal with.”

“Really?” Cid asked brightly. “Well, congrats to you, seriously, congrats.”

And he was gone before Caleb could correct him in that he was being facetious. Then again, even as the thought passed through his mind, he wasn’t completely sure if that explanation would have felt right. There was something between him and Samuel, though neither of them had given it a name or even done anything about it. Once again, it went back to his comparison to gravity, which both of them seemed to feel. Yet neither had been willing to completely resist its pull or give into it either.

Once more he glanced up at the clock, wondering quietly to himself which way they might end up.

A handful of hours later, he collapsed on his couch, using his shirt to wipe at his forehead. As much as Samuel liked to tease that Caleb was a slave driver, there were few people who could keep up with Sam when he got into the mood to accomplish something. It had only taken that first Wednesday for Caleb to realize what he’d been getting wrong for years when it came to the other man. There was nothing inherently random about his motivation or energy levels, for the most part. It was that he thrived on task fulfillment. Give him something specific to