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where Jonah sat. I know you re upset, and I don t blame you. I should ve told you that I talked to
Marc. But it didn t happen the way you think it did.
Jonah made a scornful noise.
Look, I have too much respect for your brother and you to try to keep this a secret from him. He
could tell something was on my mind, and when he asked me about it, I couldn t lie to him.
And, so, what? He asked you to do me a favor?
He did tell me he wanted me to do what you asked, Laurie admitted. But because he trusts me, and
he loves you. I know we were wrong not to tell you, but
So that s the only reason you did it? Jonah asked thickly. Just because he asked you to?
No, Jonah, I
And did you lie when you said you loved me, too? Or did you just mean you love me as a friend?
Jonah s voice rose with every word. Did you say it back because you felt sorry for me?
Jonah! Laurie gripped Jonah s bare shoulders and shook him lightly. Stop. You have to let me
finish, okay? Don t keep jumping to conclusions.
Jonah s eyes gleamed with moisture, and he looked like he wanted to say more. After a moment,
though, he bit his lip and nodded.
Laurie kept their gazes locked as he said, Your brother didn t ask me to have sex with you as a favor
to him. He asked because he could tell I wanted you too.
Jonah blinked. You did?
Laurie nodded. I did. I do. I told you not to doubt it.
How could I not doubt it, Laurie? Jonah reached up and grabbed his wrists. The way Marc said
it& well, what was I supposed to think?
I know. It sounded bad. Laurie sighed softly. It was my fault for not telling you. We thought you d
be embarrassed if you knew, but that s no excuse.
Jonah seemed to consider his words for a moment. Yeah, I& I probably would have been. I get your
reasons, I just& Jonah trailed off and released Laurie s wrists. His arms wrapped around Laurie s
waist and he leaned in to rest his head on Laurie s shoulder. We both should ve been more honest
with each other.
Yeah. Laurie ran his hands down Jonah s back and drew him closer. I do love you, Jo. As a
friend, yes, but more than that, too. I was thinking, when we get back to Wisconsin, maybe you can
move in with me and Marc. You could share my room.
Jonah lifted his head and looked at Laurie, surprise clearly written on his features. You want me to
move in with you? You want to be with me even when we get to school?
Laurie laughed quietly. Yes to both. Don t look so shocked. Isn t that what you want, too?
Of course!
So then move in with me. We ll save your parents some money on room and board.
Jonah grinned. I bet they ll love that.
It s not going to be free, though, Laurie said, keeping both his tone and expression serious.
Oh, no? Jonah s eyebrows went up. You re gonna charge me?
Yep.
And what s it gonna cost me?
I have an entire list of acceptable forms of payment, Laurie answered with a smirk. We ll go over
it when we get up there.
Jonah burst out laughing. You know, you still haven t claimed your prize. Are you adding that to the
list?
Laurie grinned. Oh, no. I m claiming that right now.
Jonah gave him a smile that was both nervous and excited. Yeah? What are you going to make me
do?
First, I m going to make you swim back to shore because I m freezing out here.
Jonah nodded. Me, too. It was kind of an impulsive decision.
Laurie snorted. No kidding.
Hey, I m allowed a little teenage angst, right?
Laurie rolled his eyes, but he was still smiling. Guess so.
So, what are you going to make me do after we get to shore?
Laurie leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Jonah s mouth. How about I tell you when we get there?
Jonah was out of his arms and in the water in a flash. For a second, all Laurie could do was sit there
and blink. Until Jonah splashed a handful of cold water in his direction and laughed.
Well, what are you waiting for? Jonah called before vanishing under the surface.
Laurie shook his head and got to his feet. What, indeed? he murmured. And then he dove off the
platform and went to claim his prize.
.: Epilogue :.
Three months later&
You almost done with those carrots over there?
Jonah stared down at the orange pile on the cutting board. He was supposed to be chopping the
carrots into one-inch, diagonal chunks. When he d watched Ina Garten make the recipe on Food
Network, her carrots had come out in perfectly symmetrical pieces. His looked like they d been
massacred. Um& I m getting there.
He and Laurie were in the kitchen of the two-bedroom apartment they shared with Marc on the
outskirts of the University of Wisconsin campus. Ever since their peanut butter and jelly picnic in
Kentucky that past summer, Jonah had been determined to learn how to cook. He d gotten fried
chicken down pat, but man couldn t live on fried chicken alone, so he d started to experiment with
more intermediate recipes. The one they were currently working on was Ina Garten s version of beef
bourguignon.
Laurie, who had a natural ease in the kitchen Jonah knew he would never possess, stood at stove
searing cubes of beef in the Dutch oven Jonah had purchased specifically for this recipe. Jonah had
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