The Bookseller's Boyfriend by Heidi Cullinan

Author:Heidi Cullinan [Cullinan, Heidi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance
ISBN: 978-1-64405-856-5
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2020-11-19T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

THE SOUND of someone on the stairs had shaken Rasul out of a deep trance, but a glance at the clock drew him back to reality. Ten thirty? It was ten thirty? He’d known Jacob was going out, so he allowed himself some leeway to stay later, but he hadn’t realized it had gone this long. He’d been focused all afternoon ever since his phone call with Elizabeth, which for the first time in years wasn’t full of tension and threats but problem-solving and plans. Even the Adina news had been good: she was back online and singing the praises of Korean skin care products, never mentioning Rasul at all. He was close to the midpoint of his story, trying to weave everything to the big reveal where Adam finds out Milo has been consciously jumping universes with him, so he kept pushing himself a little more and a little more, until the sounds on the stairs.

Then he opened the door, smelled the alcohol coming off Jacob, and nearly lost him over the edge of the railing.

“Easy, babe,” he cooed, his tone belying the panic he knew at the thought of Jacob careening to his death before his eyes. “I got you. Come on inside.”

“I’m not your babe.” Jacob said this, but he clung to Rasul’s shirt front and put his head on his shoulder. “Why are you here?”

“I’m sorry. I got caught up writing and lost track of time. I’ll go, but let me make sure you’re okay first.”

“I’m fine. Just drunk.” Jacob righted himself and glanced blearily around the room. “There aren’t any dishes in the drainer. You didn’t eat. Why didn’t you eat?”

“I was really on a roll. I’ll eat now, if it’ll make you happy.” He led Jacob to the table and sat him down. “Would you like to eat with me?”

Jacob made a noncommittal noise but sat obediently where Rasul planted him. Rasul hadn’t even finished indexing the fridge, though, before Jacob spoke. “I can’t believe Rasul Youssef’s half-finished novel is sitting here on my kitchen table.”

“Rasul Youssef’s novel is half-finished only because of your kitchen table. And you.” He grabbed a few vegetables from the crisper and a brick of fried tofu. “What about some stir fry over noodles?”

“Are they right? Are you actually interested in me? If I asked you to take me to bed, would you do it?”

Whoa. Rasul set the vegetables on the counter and came back to the table, sitting in the seat nearest Jacob. “This is a conversation I would like to have, but perhaps we should have it when you’re not drunk.”

Jacob blew a raspberry and tipped his head back to stare at the ceiling. “If I were sober, I wouldn’t have it.”

“True.” Crossing his arms over his chest in a vain attempt to slow his galloping heartbeat, Rasul considered Jacob carefully. “I am interested in you. Very much. I’d go to bed with you if you crooked your finger at me.”

Jacob looked Rasul dead in the eye, his gaze hot and intense.

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