Love, Like Ghosts: A Bay City Paranormal Investigations Story

lips.
Greg let out an almost soundless gasp. The bags thudded to the floor. Adrian could practically taste Greg’s shock, and no wonder. Public affection still made Adrian uncomfortable. Until now, the most he’d done in front of his family was hold Greg’s hand. This kiss must be as big a surprise as a public groping would be to anyone else.
When he drew back a few long, glorious seconds later, Greg stared up at him with glazed eyes. “Wow. What was that for?”
“Because I wanted to.” Adrian glanced over his shoulder, where his father and Sam were busy setting the food out on the table and ignoring Adrian and Greg so pointedly that the attempt at giving them a little privacy was obvious. “Because if I can’t be affectionate with my boyfriend in front of my own family, then I’m a completely hopeless case, and I don’t want to be a hopeless case.”
Greg’s mouth curved into the sweet, open smile that always made Adrian ache inside. “C’mon, let’s go eat. Whatever Sam had in those bags, it smelled absolutely out of this world.”
They linked hands and walked into the dining room together. Adrian didn’t mind Greg’s lack of effusive thanks for what was, for Adrian, a tremendous public expression of his feelings. Greg might not have Adrian’s directness with words, but Adrian had learned long ago to read even the subtlest nuances of Greg’s moods in his expressive eyes. Right now, there was nothing subtle about the grateful joy shining there.
Adrian hoped a discussion about where their relationship was headed wouldn’t quench that light. If he even had the balls to start it.
~ * ~
    That night, Greg clamped his legs tight around Adrian’s waist and stifled his soft cry in the curve of Adrian’s neck when he came. The rhythmic clenching of his ass wrenched Adrian’s release from him a moment later. He screwed his eyes shut and whimpered into Greg’s hair as the orgasm tore through him. The window rattled faintly in its frame, and the tiny still-rational corner of Adrian’s brain hoped that if Greg noticed, he’d think it was the wind.
    When his tremors subsided and Greg’s feet slid off his back, Adrian reached between them and held onto the condom while he eased his limp cock carefully out of Greg’s hole. He reached up to drop the used rubber into the plastic bag on his headboard, then collapsed onto his side and hauled Greg into his arms. “Wow.”
    Greg laughed, his breath soft and warm against Adrian’s lips. “You said it.” He slung a leg over Adrian’s hips, buried a hand in his hair and planted a kiss on his mouth. “I kind of wish we didn’t have to go back tomorrow. This bed is way better than the one in your apartment.”
“And let’s not even talk about the bed in your dorm room.”
    “Oh, my God.” Greg snuggled closer, grinning. “I think the only reason those damn things exist is to discourage students from having sex in the dorms.”
“I think you’re right.” Adrian brushed the damp hair from Greg’s brow. “I’m really glad you got to come home with me, Greg.”
“So am I. Your family’s terrific.” Greg ran his fingertips over the line of Adrian’s jaw. “Besides, I would’ve missed you too damn much if we’d been apart for a whole month.”
The tender shine in Greg’s eyes made Adrian’s throat feel raw and tight. Resting their foreheads together, he wound both arms around Greg’s waist and splayed his open palms flat on Greg’s bare back. “Me too,” he whispered, his voice rough with all the things he didn’t quite know how to express.
Frowning, Greg drew back enough to look into Adrian’s eyes. “Adrian, is something wrong?”
Adrian’s pulse tripped, stumbled and resumed its rhythm in double time. He licked his lips. “Wrong?”
“Yeah. You’ve been a little off ever since I got home tonight. Like something was bothering you.” Greg stroked a hand through Adrian’s hair in what Adrian suspected was an entirely subconscious gesture of comfort. “Look, I know I’m not very good at talking about stuff, but if there’s ever anything you want to talk to me about, you know you can. Right?”
And there’s your perfect segue. Adrian’s heart slammed against his sternum. Confronted with the opportunity to actually talk to Greg about their relationship, Adrian wasn’t sure he could do it.
“It’s just something my dad said earlier.” Adrian drew Greg closer and kissed a droplet of sweat from his forehead. This would be so