Where The Heart Is: A Bay City Paranormal Investigations story

changed things. He knew he couldn’t see Sommer again, not unless there was a chance for them to be together. And he knew there was no chance.
    Beside him, Sommer drummed his fingers against the steering wheel and stared moodily out the windshield. “Sorry you couldn’t stay tonight.”
“Yeah. I hate it, but my flight’s at seven a.m., so I’ll need to get up about four thirty.” That, at least, was true. Not that such a thing would normally have stopped him from spending one more night with Sommer. But he couldn’t face the pain of being with Sommer, knowing he was in love with the man and would never see him again. Best to end it now. “Sorry.”
Sommer shrugged. “It’s okay.”
Dean bit his lip. “I’ll call you,” he said, and instantly wished he hadn’t. He wasn’t going to call, and he knew it.
Judging by the bitter smile curving Sommer’s mouth, he knew it too. “Yeah.”
“So. I guess I should go.”
“Yeah.”
They stared at each other. Dean wished he could read Sommer’s mind, to know what the man felt right now. Was he feeling as torn apart as Dean, or was he glad he was leaving? Dean couldn’t tell , and he hated that. Even more, he hated that he didn’t have the balls to just ask, because he didn’t want to see that careful, “I-don’t-want-to-hurt-youbut…” look in Sommer’s eyes.
    You’re overthinking again, stupid. It doesn’t matter anymore. Kiss him, say goodbye and get out of the fucking car.
With an impatient growl, Dean reached over and yanked Sommer’s face to his. He grabbed a handful of Sommer’s hair, still damp from the shower they’d taken together, and kissed him hard. Sommer opened to him with a sigh, one hand sliding behind his head.
The kiss was deep and languid, warm and wet and brimming with all the things Dean was too afraid to say, and too afraid to believe Sommer might feel as well. It was a kiss Dean could take with him, keep in his heart and draw out for comfort on cold nights alone in his bed.
He wished it could go on forever, that time could halt right here and just let him keep this feeling. But life didn’t work that way. Eventually, the kiss broke. Dean closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Sommer’s.
“What are you thinking?” Sommer asked, lifting Dean’s face with a finger under his chin.
“I was thinking I wish I could stay.” Dean opened his eyes again, his gaze meeting Sommer’s. “But I can’t.”
Sommer’s eyes darkened with a loneliness so deep it tore at Dean’s soul. Then he smiled his crooked smile, and the loneliness was masked once more. “I know. I wish you could stay too.”
Something in his voice told Dean that Sommer didn’t mean he wished he could stay just for a day.
For one blazing second, Dean trembled on the razor’s edge, caught between what he already had and what he desperately wanted. But in the end, he didn’t have the courage to throw away everything he knew and loved for something that might not even exist.
With one final kiss, light and chaste, he pulled away, got out of the SUV and walked up to Ron and Kerry’s door. He didn’t look back.
    ~ * ~ “Call me when you get home.”
“I will.”
“And be sure to email me your pictures. I’ll send you mine too.”
“Sure thing.”
Grabbing Dean’s arm, Kerry stopped them halfway between the ticket counter and
    the security checkpoint of the Raleigh-Durham airport, where Dean had just checked in for his flight home. “Dean, I know I keep asking this, but are you okay?” Dean forced a smile. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Uh-huh. Sure you are.” Planting her free hand on her hip, she gave him a stern look. “Ever since you left Sommer’s place yesterday, you’ve been acting like your favorite uncle died or something. You think you’re hiding it, and you’ve successfully avoided talking about it until now, but you can’t fool me. Now tell me what happened.”
Sighing, Dean shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me.”
“It doesn’t to me.”
“Liar.” Kerry shook his arm, her blue eyes full of worry. “Dean, talk to me. What did he do to you?”
Dean stared at the red duct tape holding the handle of his ancient carry-on bag together. “He didn’t do anything. I just…” I fell in love without meaning to, even though it was a stupid thing to do, then I left because I was fucking scared. “I don’t know. I can’t explain, Kerry. I’m sorry.”
Kerry’s eyes narrowed, and Dean’s stomach rolled.