Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 8

the knowledge that Michael's refusal to try for a relationship was the right move. It sucked that it took another person to point it out to him.
    "No, you let your teammates suffer in potentially unsafe conditions without a break because you were too busy being mad at me and Mike to think about what you were doing," Sam said. He quickly followed Devin's chess move with one of his own.
    "You guys were fine."
    "And if someone had passed out or worse, would you have been the one to explain why to the EMTs or their family?"
    Devin looked down to avoid Sam's glare.
    "Fine. I should've been paying more attention to the weather. Happy?"
    "No." Sam watched Devin move another piece and then quickly moved his knight, taking it. "I want to know what part of this you have a bigger problem with. Call it curiosity on my part."
    "What do you mean?"
    "I mean," Sam began, "is your issue that Mike and I have talked about you a few times?"
    Now it was a few times? Devin frowned.
    "Are you bothered because he says he could see us together? Or is there something else?"
    Sam's voice had grown quieter with that last question. Devin looked up from the board to see something he'd never thought he'd see from Sam. An expression that, on anyone else, would've been more than curious. It was open, vulnerable. A naked longing that disappeared as soon as Devin was sure he knew what it was, to be replaced by Sam pressing his lips together and looking down at the board again.
    Wow. Okay. That made this conversation a hell of a lot more interesting. Maybe Sam had spent so much time analyzing Devin because he wanted to know if he had a chance. Devin wasn't sure how he felt about that.
    "I'm not in love with the idea that you guys have talked about me," Devin said. "It's strange."
    "I'm sorry our conversation made you feel that way," Sam said. "I honestly wouldn't have said anything if you didn't want to know."
    "I know, I asked for it," Devin responded. "About... us." Dev looked up in time to see Sam's expression change before the mask slid back into place. "You don't think it's weird?"
    Sam's lips trembled as he fought down a smile. "I think," he began, reaching across the table, "life is full of possibilities." He touched the back of Devin's hand with the tips of his fingers, gently stroking the skin. "If this isn't one you want to take advantage of, then you shouldn't feel pressured to do so."
    It wasn't Devin's imagination that the temperature in the room had risen. It was one thing when Sam was getting into his head on a purely academic level. It was another thing when Sam looked at him from beneath thick lashes as if he could unravel Devin from the inside out if given half the chance. And he so wanted that chance. Holy hell. The little nerd was trying to seduce him.
    "I don't feel pressured. I feel..." Confused. Surprised. A little horny. More confused. To distract himself from the dirty direction his thoughts were taking, Devin turned his attention back to the chess board. Somewhere between needling him about taking off and getting all touchy-feely, Sam had started to win this game. Devin frowned and moved his knight to block Sam's path to his queen. Several moves later and Devin had the advantage again. Until Sam's leg moved against his.
    "What are you doing?"
    "Stretching my legs. There's not much room under the table. Maybe we should play on the floor. Or upstairs," Sam suggested.
    Devin wasn't sure what Sam wanted to play, but the look on his face said it had nothing to do with a chess board. Time for a subject change.
    "How come I haven't seen you play with Mike lately?"
    Sam shrugged. "He's given up trying to challenge me," he said. "I suppose he realizes some things are inevitable."
    Another small stroke on the back of Devin's hand. This time, he swore he felt a corresponding ache in the small of his back and up the inside of his thigh, the sensitive parts of his body that always responded the most when a lover gave them the right kind of attention. His mind might be reeling at the idea, but his body wasn't opposed to getting to know Sam a lot better. Dev had to refocus on the game. The chess game. The little figurines on the board in front of him that could've been army action figures for all the concentration he had now. Devin reached towards the board, letting his hand hover over the back row of pieces.
    "What are you thinking about?" Sam asked.
    "Beating you."
    "Kinky. Be careful if you decide to try it. I've got sensitive