Dreaming in Color by Cameron Dane (mobi reader .TXT) 📗

Colin turned his head and lifted a brow in Marek's direction. “I know, right? But today, I don't feel all of that.” He shifted to face Marek and folded one leg on the bed, letting the other dangle off the side. Looking around the room, he added, “There's a buzz I can sense if I touch the walls and concentrate really hard, but it's like it's resting or something. I think you were incredibly upset and emotional last night, and the house took it all inside itself. I think it maybe thought I was leaving when I got up, and it was trying to keep me here. I don't know any other way to explain what I felt. What I have been feeling for two years.”

Marek narrowed his gaze and studied the room, searching for life. He dug his feet into the floor, and it just felt…hard. Shrugging, he looked at Colin. “I don't feel it. I never have. I don't know what else to say.”

“You don't have to; that's not why I told you. Shit, I'm still trying to put it all together myself. If I believe everything I told you to be true, and I do, that still doesn't explain why this house reached halfway across the globe and sent your pain and its sadness to me.” Colin offered a little smile and put his hand on Marek's knee, pausing as he watched himself draw circles with his index finger. “I haven't seen you in such a long time, and let's face it”—he glanced up—“we didn't really hang out together very much when we were younger. But at the same time, I definitely don't have any connection to the other people who owned this place to explain why the dreams would come to me, so that leaves complete random happenstance—which I do not believe in—or our brief contact as teenagers as the reason they found their way to me. There has to be something, Marek. There has to be.”

Marek ground his teeth against one another, but the guilt clawed in his throat, choking him where he sat. He looked into Colin's eyes, and words just wanted to spill out of his mouth. “I—” No no no. Marek clamped his jaw shut, trapping the confession inside. If I stay here five seconds more, I'm going to tell you everything, and I can't bear to lose you. Not yet.

“You what?” Colin squeezed his knee.

“I liked you a little bit in high school,” Marek confessed in a rush. He shot up and moved to the window, needing fresh air. He braced his hand on the frame and looked to the calming blue of the Pacific. “I thought about kissing you and getting my hand down your pants once or twice.” Totally true. It was just that Marek had fantasized about a lot of other boys in addition to Colin. Colin's was actually based on the person, though, not just a male body, and that was rare. “Maybe it's that.” Mixed with a heaping shitload of “forgive me” for inadvertently instigating the most awful event in your life.

“I thought you were cute too.” Colin moved in behind Marek, and Marek's pulse started jumping out of control. Wrapping his arms around Marek's chest, Colin settled his cheek on Marek's shoulder and kissed his ear. “But I hadn't filled out quite yet, and you were all big and mysterious and sexy, and you always intimidated me with how quiet and watchful you were.”

“I was just covering my ass and trying to stay off everyone's radar.”

“Yeah.” Colin nodded; Marek could feel the motion against his shoulder. “Being a teenager and gay and terrified to tell anyone will do that to a person.”

It'll do a lot worse than that.

Exhaling the chaos, Marek let the familiar smell of damp earth outside calm him as he breathed back in. Although he couldn't see it from his bedroom window, he knew from living here that some of that ground was already cracking as it dried under the beating of the early sun. Other island treasures lived hidden in the tropical mountain foliage, and right then one of the most special flitted across Marek's mind.

“You want to go for a hike?” he asked. “I'll show you something you won't see in Texas.” Marek reluctantly untangled from Colin's hold, but clasped his hands before he stepped away. “We have to go today; it might not be there tomorrow.”

“I see you're still a little bit mysterious. You have me intrigued.” Colin dipped his head and sniffed himself, scrunching his face afterward. “Okay, I know we're going to sweat, but I still need a shower first. I also want to call my friends and assure them I'm all right.”

“I'll jump in first while you make your calls.” Marek smacked Colin's ass, and Colin mock yelped. “Get moving. Grab those jeans you were wearing last night, unless you brought another pair of long pants. Wait a second.” He grabbed Colin before he stepped two feet away. “Get everything but your shoes; I'll give you a proper pair of hiking boots to wear.” He lined his bare foot up next to Colin's. “Close enough fit.”

Colin reached down and stroked his palm right down the length of Marek's penis. “It's more than close. It's a damn fine fit.”

Marek groaned as his dick twitched. “Geez, you're a cock-tease.” He didn't fight the touch though. In fact, he pushed into it a little bit.

A seductive-as-hell smile lit Colin's face and turned his eyes downright sultry. “If only we'd known it in Henderson. Think of the fun we could have had.” He rubbed Marek's prick with a firm touch, certainly felt it respond under his hand, and winked. Then he let go. “Be right back.”

Marek openly stared as Colin walked away, craving every line of the man's sleekly muscular back, tight ass, and long legs. Just as Colin surely wanted.

Let the man tease. Lighthearted was good.

It was when they got serious that Marek risked everything.

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