Chapter 18
Ian awoke to an emptiness beside him, a feeling of coldness despite the blankets covering him, and for a second his mind froze, numb. There you go, a tiny voice inside said, almost triumphant. He’s gone. You chased him away. There you f*****g go.
But then reason roused itself and he heard the faint splash of the shower, Corey’s voice audible as he sang in the bathroom. Releasing his breath in relief, Ian rolled over and looked at the time. It was after six—Corey must’ve turned off the alarm when he woke to let Ian sleep. But he hadn’t left, even though Ian had pushed him away last night. Maybe that says something. Maybe he’s really serious about this, like he says he is. Like I want him to be.
Ian didn’t know if he was reading what he wanted to into Corey’s actions. They had
