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you about my ex.” Joe shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. I’m over it. Just annoyed I have to go watch him get married while I’m limping like an idiot.”
    â€œHmmm. That’s too bad.” Elias wasn’t sure there was anything to say to help the situation, so he settled into eating. Even with Joe’s grumpy mood, his apartment was comfortable and warm. Elias would be sad when he had to go in to work.
    â€œYou wouldn’t happen to want to come along, would you?”
    Elias pressed his lips together. To the wedding? With gay men all around? It was bound to be uncomfortable. If Elias didn’t understand Joe half the time, he was sure to be confused by Joe’s friends.
    And yet…
    He smiled, turning back to his food to hide his excitement. “When is it?”
    â€œNext Sunday at three. I owe you a free meal, since I’m too laid up to do anything else right now.”
    Something about that statement made Elias feel sad even though he wasn’t sure why. “I’d love to go.” He wished he could say Joe didn’t owe him anything. Elias just enjoyed being around Joe. But there was no way Elias could be so honest to a man he’d only met yesterday.
    â€œMmmm… This is so good.” Joe’s eyes closed as he popped another bite in his mouth. With his face relaxed, he looked years younger. And very handsome.
    Elias wanted to kiss him again and wondered if Joe would object.
    â€œSo…” Joe’s eyes were still closed, and his voice had taken on a cheeky tone. “When do I get my sponge bath?”
    The images those words called to mind were so vivid and arousing that Elias struggled to form words.
    â€œHeh, I’m just kidding.” Joe opened his eyes, but only to a sleepy gaze. “Maybe tomorrow. By then I’ll really need it.”
    Elias licked his lips and forced himself to speak. “Um, yes. I can…” He looked at his watch. “I have to be at work in an hour, but if you need…” Please say yes.
    â€œAw. You’re too sweet. But even that’d be too much today. Wouldn’t want to tear my stitches.” He gave Elias a wink so full of promise Elias felt like Joe had reached right inside his chest and stolen Elias’s breath.
    Joe hooked the back of Elias’s neck, drawing him in close. As Elias closed his eyes, “Magic” played in his head—the Selena Gomez version, then sliding into the older and more sultry Olivia Newton John one.
    â€œI could get you, though.” Joe rubbed Elias’s shoulder. “Think I could handle that.”
    Elias wanted to put his arms around Joe’s shoulders but worried about hurting him, so Elias held still, perched forward. He opened when he felt the brush of Joe’s tongue.
    Joe’s hand roamed to Elias’s chest, feeling—for what, Elias didn’t know. But it was good, so good to have a warm palm there, over his shirt and over his sternum, like Joe could touch his heart.
    Then Joe’s hand was on Elias’s belly, and he only had a second to tense before Joe reached lower.
    â€œOh.” Elias pulled away before he was aware of having done so. Where before he’d been barely breathing, now he sucked air in gulps.
    â€œOh.” Joe’s hands dropped to his sides. “I thought you were up for it.” He frowned. “Didn’t mean to presume…”
    Elias would have opened his skin to show Joe what was inside if he could have. His groin ached and his throat was dry. He wished so badly he could give Joe what he wanted, but he couldn’t let Joe touch him like that. Not yet. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” Elias stood, because he couldn’t bear for Joe to see him shaking. “But I need to go to work.”
    â€œYeah. I know.”
    Elias hoped that Joe wasn’t mad at him. “Do you need me to get you anything else? Medicine?”
    â€œNo,