Chapter Six

As soon as Kendrick got home, he took the quickest shower in history and had never gotten dressed so fast, considering he was super nervous about wearing the right thing and changed his shirt twice. Mostly he hurried because he wanted to call Royce before Brad got there.

Unlike dialing Brad's phone number, he didn't hesitate or hang up twice before actually going through with the call. He leaned against his kitchen counter and waited for Royce to answer. It rang three times before he did.

Kendrick didn't give Royce time to say anything but a basic greeting. He plowed on with why he called. "I called Brad like you said. You know, about my roof. And now we're going on a date. Dinner at his house and we're getting the groceries together."

Royce made an unintelligible sound and then asked. "You and Brad?"

"Yes. Why? Do you think it's a bad idea?" Oh God, what if Royce did? What would he do? Call Brad and tell him he changed his mind. Kendrick valued Royce's opinion. Royce was cousin, protector, and best friend all rolled into one.

"No. Just never saw it coming is all."

"He has a terrible reputation. He told me he earned it."

"Maybe six years ago he did, but he doesn't deserve the gossip now. He's been back, what? Two years now. He works hard and takes care of Luis and Caden. I'm telling you, Kendrick. You can trust him."

"He went to prison." It wasn't a question. Kendrick had heard about Brad's drinking problem and the violent act against Jaron Heath. The entire town knew about it. But Jaron had made friends with Brad since getting out. They sat in the same group whenever they came to the bar. "He doesn't drink or come to the bar very often. He's only ever come when Greg and Neil do a set."

"I know. I've paid attention. It was hard on Luis when he left. The town wasn't nice to him or Caden, but Jaron's friendship went a long way with everyone, including me." Royce wasn't one to forgive too easily, especially with violence against an innocent or someone weaker. "I'm not saying Brad changed, so much as dealt with his problems. And also, he seems to solve his issues in more constructive ways. You have that in common."

Kendrick grinned. "So you're happy for me?"

"Happy you're finally moving past a fear. Absolutely. I bet you'll have fun."

"He's very sexy." Kendrick put a hand over his mouth after he said it.

Royce chuckled. "You think so?"

"Yeah. My body…um, did things. Like good things. For the first time in years, if you know what I mean." Kendrick couldn't believe he was having a conversation with Royce about getting hard around Brad. "I honestly thought Randall beat sexual attraction out of me, but I guess maybe I'm just super attracted to him."

"Don't sell all your hard work so short, Kendrick. Your mental health has improved by a lot in the last few years. I think this is proof of that. I'm proud of you." That last part was a lot coming from Royce.

"Thank you for saying that. Hopefully, you're right."

"It might mean your body will do good things around others too." Royce teasing him by using his words made Kendrick roll his eyes. They both chuckled, though.

"I doubt anyone can look as hot as Brad Flynn." As soon as Kendrick said it, someone knocked on the door. "And oh my God, he's here."

"Relax. You got this."

"God, Royce, I can't get so excited I'll pop a boner again. That's so embarrassing."

Royce's chuckle turned into a laugh. "A boner is a good thing."

"I know."

"Go get'em, cuz."

Kendrick chuckled. "Bye, Royce."

Kendrick hung up, putting the phone back on its base. He wiped his hands on his jeans as he made his way to the front door. When he pulled it open, Brad smiled. He kept his hands in his pants pockets. He had on a black T-shirt that stretched across his chest, showing off his muscles.

"Hi." Did Brad sound nervous? If he was, then they were in the same boat and something about that made Kendrick feel as if he'd made the right decision.

"Hi." Kendrick left the door open as he turned toward the mat where he always took off his shoes. "I'll only be a second."

"No hurry." Brad didn't move farther inside when he spoke the way Kendrick expected.

Kendrick made quick work of getting his shoes on and stepped out of the door. Brad took a step back, giving him room when Kendrick turned to lock the door behind him. He put his keys into his front pants pocket and patted his back one, making sure he had his wallet.

Brad stood in the sunshine. The shadows from the house didn't touch him. With his blond hair and tanned skin, he looked more as if he belonged in Olympus than ever before. If a Greek god and an angel had had a baby, it would have been Brad Flynn.

And Kendrick was doing it again. Not everything is about looks, Kendrick. He really had to remember the date was a way for them to get to know each other better.

The longer Kendrick stared the more nervous Brad seemed. The confusion was also loud and clear when he drew his eyebrows together.

Mr. Volk, Kendrick's nosy neighbor, watched from his garden not even twenty feet away. He was on his knees with gloves on, pretending to pull weeds.

Kendrick darted his gaze to Mr. Volk.

Mr. Volk took the gaze to mean Kendrick was open to a discussion, which didn't bode well because he talked endlessly about people Kendrick didn't know. Some older men would come into the bar and talk endlessly as well. In the bar, Kendrick could get away easier because of serving drinks to his other customers. Mr. Volk had never been in the bar, at least not while Kendrick was there and he worked five days a week, sometimes more. But they'd been neighbors since the day Kendrick had bought the house. While he thought Mr. Volk was a friendly person, he could be exhausting.

"You okay there?" Mr. Volk had come from farther north. So far up he had only been about a mile from the Canadian border and his slight accent told the tale better than anything.

Kendrick had heard the story about how he'd come to live in the southern part of the state three separate times. It was a pleasant story, but Mr. Volk could have told it with a little less attention to detail, and more excitement.

"I'm just fine. Thank you for asking." Kendrick averted his gaze to Brad again.

Brad's cheeks and neck were red, and it seemed as if he wanted to say something, but restrained himself.

Kendrick didn't understand Brad's reaction until Mr. Volk spoke again. "Is he bothering you, son?"

Kendrick was so shocked by the rudeness of the question and the way he talked about Brad as if he weren't standing there, Kendrick didn't answer right away.

Brad hadn't taken his hands out of his pockets the entire time. His body language expressed the exact opposite of violence, even though Mr. Volk's question clearly upset him.

The longer Kendrick watch Brad's demeanor change, the angrier Kendrick became. He forgot about his nerves and fearing the attraction and did a thing he wouldn't ever think he could do. He closed the distance between him and Brad.

Brad took a step back as if he thought Kendrick would hit him. Kendrick hadn't hit anyone a day in his life.

Kendrick had to raise himself up on his toes, but he pressed his lips to Brad's. He wanted it to be forceful enough for Mr. Volk to understand how angry Kendrick was, but their height difference killed the sentiment.

He kept the kiss brief, intending to speak, but the kiss did more than he had intended. It left him feeling things he should have expected but didn't. In his anger, he just reacted instead of thinking things through like he should have.

He felt as if a bolt of electricity had struck him, only there was no pain. He wanted another bolt to hit him just to make sure he had felt it the first time, so he lifted onto his toes again. The second time he held onto Brad's shoulders to steady himself.

Brad kissed him back, but he didn't take his hands out of his pockets—either time, and something about that seemed wrong because it meant he either didn't want to or was afraid. Kendrick knew what fear was and figured that was the most likely reason, but he didn't understand what scared Brad.

Kendrick closed his eyes, forgetting where he was. He didn't care about what was going on around them. He tightened his grip on Brad's shoulders as he tried to deepen the kiss.

Brad was the one who ended it, pulling back.

Kendrick chased him. He opened his eyes and all he saw was Brad. The smile softened the blow from the loss.

"I…" Slowly, the world came back into focus. His face heated. "I'm sorry."

Whenever Brad looked at him, he felt as if he were the only person in the universe. That little light sparkled just for him, softening Brad's expression until the attraction and maybe even affection came through. "The kiss was welcome, Kendrick."

"I didn't mean…I…it went further than I intended." Kendrick touched his lips as if the kiss was their idea.

Brad's focus changed to Kendrick's hand. He licked his lips as if he wanted another taste. "I didn't mind."

Kendrick couldn't help but smile. "I liked it."

He more than liked it, and that surprised him. He didn't know where to put the knowledge. Since he was overthinking everything that had to do with Brad, he let it go for now.

Maybe it would be okay if he liked Brad a lot. Maybe it wouldn't backfire like it did with Randall.

"Ready to go?"

Kendrick nodded. As much as he didn't want to, he let go of Brad's shoulders. They walked to Brad's truck together.

Brad let Kendrick open the passenger's door himself. The gesture said more than anything that Brad wasn't as much of an alpha type as he appeared. It was something Kendrick needed to know.

Kendrick pulled his seatbelt on and then folded his hands together in his lap as Brad settled behind the wheel. It wasn't until Brad backed out of the driveway onto the road that Kendrick asked the thing that worried him the most. "Why did you have your hands in your pockets?"

"I want you to be comfortable with me." Brad darted his gaze to Kendrick but focused on the road afterward.

Oh God, did Brad know that Kendrick popped a boner around him all the time? Did he think Kendrick would when he touched him? Instead of asking those very telling questions, Kendrick felt him out. "What do you mean?"

"I don't want to scare you. Didn't want you to think I'd ever do anything to hurt you." Brad's jaw muscles jumped as if saying the words bothered him. Maybe they told a bit of his insecurities.

Kendrick knew firsthand what it was like to hear something so often he believed it. Randall had always said how worthless Kendrick was, and a part of him had believed it long after he'd escaped the relationship. Maybe people like Mr. Volk made Brad feel a little like Randall had made Kendrick feel.

"I don't believe gossip and rumors."

"Some of it's true. Or was. Not so much anymore."

He wanted to say how he believed people could change given the right circumstances. It was absolutely true. But he had believed it every time Randall promised he wouldn't get violent again. He bought into his lies and his charming groveling until he had learned not to. And then he'd fought like hell to get out of the relationship. He'd had a four-day hospital stay and Randall earned himself jail time.

Somewhere along the way he had lost trust in his judgment. He had gained back a lot through therapy and hard work, but the self-doubt with dating still lived inside. So instead of saying what he really wanted, he said, "It's okay if you touch me. I'll like it."

"If you're sure."

Kendrick didn't have to think about his response. "I'm sure."