Spinning Out: Romance in Iron Range #3 Small-Town MM Romance by Mal Trevino

Author:Mal Trevino [Trevino, Mal]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-02-10T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Levi woke to the slow creak of his bedroom door as it opened. He cracked open one eye to see his mom peering in through the slight open.

“Oh,” she said. She cast her eyes over the rumpled bed.

Charlie dozed lazily in Levi’s arms; his hair tickled Levi’s cheek. Levi tensed an arm around his shoulders.

His mom continued. “The bridge ladies wondered if you were coming to church tomorrow. You don’t have to, but everyone would love to see you.”

Levi forced a smile. “Maybe. I, uh, I have to see if Matti needs me for anything first.”

She nodded and bit her bottom lip. “I started a kettle downstairs if you would like any tea.”

“Okay, Mama,” he said.

Then she slipped the door shut behind her. As her footsteps receded down the stairs, Levi let out a long breath. Charlie scrambled up out of his arms.

“Holy shit,” he said, “oh my god, Levi. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep—”

“Hey,” Levi interrupted him, cupping his face with one hand, “hey, it’s gonna be all right. And if it’s not, I’m a grown man who gets to make my own decisions, okay?”

Charlie nodded but he didn’t look convinced. Levi leaned forward to kiss him.

“I’ll go talk with her.”

He slid out of bed and dressed reluctantly. His movements still felt languid and relaxed. Every place where Charlie had touched him, he felt annointed.

How long had he gone without touch, even his own?

Downstairs, familiar sounds drifted out of the kitchen. Levi watched from the doorway as his mother pulled her old set of porcelain teacups out of the cupboard. When he stepped into the room, she glanced over her shoulder at him, her thick black braid swaying.

“Two cups or three?” she asked.

“Just two.”

Her hand paused over them for half a beat. Then she slipped the third tea set back on the shelf and closed the cupboard door.

Levi sat at the table while his mother poured the water and brought the cups out to the dining room. The saucer clattered against the wood as she placed it in front of him. She lowered herself into a chair across the table, and they stared at their cups in silence for a long moment.

Finally his mother’s brows drew together and she glanced down at her tea.

“Is this...new?” she asked.

Levi held his tea cup between his palms. The translucent teabag bobbed up and down the green water. He thought about kissing Charlie in the lobby of the Ballard, and kissing him back in the cabin in Copperhead, and on top of Harlow Mountain almost a decade ago. He thought of Charlie upstairs right now. Maybe the bed was still warm where Levi had been only a few minutes before.

Levi owed his mother honesty. His mother and Charlie—they both deserved it.

“No,” he said after a moment, “no, it really isn’t.”

His mom nodded. She raised her cup to her mouth for a small sip.

“You know,” she said slowly, as if she were choosing her words very precisely. As if she might break something precious if she misspoke.

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