The Sun Still Rises by Laura Bailo

Author:Laura Bailo [Bailo, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance
ISBN: 978-1-63533-494-4
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2017-05-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

ERIK WAS wide-awake at 5:00 a.m. As he’d thought, he hadn’t slept much, and when he did, he’d had some weird dreams: David was getting closer to him, just as he’d done the night before, but when their lips were about to touch, he transformed into a bull with sharp teeth that kept trying to eat Erik. He knew that wasn’t possible, but in the realm of dreams, everything felt real. He had different variations of that dream: sometimes David—the bull David—charged at him, sometimes he bit him, and once he walked over him. Every time he woke up in a cold sweat and with a cry lodged in his throat. Finally, at five he decided to give up and just get out of bed.

He dressed himself in loose jeans, comfortable to run in, and a black T-shirt. He made a quick stop in the bathroom to take care of business and make himself presentable, and then went to the kitchen to make coffee. There was a knot in his stomach that wouldn’t let him eat anything, but he needed the caffeine if he was supposed to stay awake during the race. He’d just put the coffeemaker on the stove when he heard David’s door and a few moments later, running water. He figured he had a few minutes to compose himself before seeing him. Last night, and his dreams after that, had him a bit off-balance.

David finally made it to the kitchen, and Erik had to look twice at him. He was completely sleep rumpled, wearing only some sweats and a threadbare shirt so thin that Erik could almost count the hairs on his chest. He was also barefoot, and Erik spent too much time looking at his feet while he rooted around in the fridge. He looked up in time not to be caught staring when David emerged from his perusal and smiled at him. “Oh! You’re already making coffee. Thank you! What do you want to eat? I can do eggs, or I think there’re cookies in the cupboard.”

He had to make an effort to keep looking at David’s face and not any other part of him, but he managed to do that and answer the question. “I don’t think I can eat anything. Nerves have settled on my stomach and it’s completely closed.”

“Oh, yes, performance anxiety. I got that every time I had to take a test. Coffee for you it is, then. I’ll have some cookies.” Just then, he seemed to become aware of Erik’s clothing, looking him up and down. In other circumstances, he wouldn’t have minded the attention, but he wasn’t sure of what lay behind David’s stare this time. “Um…. Don’t take this the wrong way, but why are you dressed like that?”

Erik wasn’t sure what David was trying to get at. “What do you mean? These are my most comfortable clothes to run in.”

“Yes, I can see that, but the colors are completely off. Didn’t you bring anything white?”

Erik looked down and rubbed his neck.

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