Among the Echoes(18)

It only takes a few seconds before he reaches his door, but I watch his every step. This has been a night filled with drama after drama, but I can’t seem to stop my eyes from raking over his body. His sweats ride low on his hips, and the fitted T-shirt clings to his back.

"You need a napkin? You’re drooling a little," Dave asks the moment Adam disappears into his apartment.

"What?" I spin around to face him.

"You know, in all our years together, I have never seen you check out a man," he says with a chuckle.

"I wasn’t checking him out."

"Sorry. You’re right. You were straight-up undressing him."

"I was not!" I yell, but my reaction only makes him laugh. I push past him and head back inside while he continues laughing in the doorway. "Would you shut up and sit down so I can try to get that cut closed? I think your nose is broken too." I snap, walking to the kitchen to grab my stolen tape.

"Well, there go my good looks."

"Oh, please. You would need to have them in order to lose them. Now, sit."

"Damn, you’re feisty tonight," he says with a painful groan as he limps over to the couch.

I watch Leo with a soothing feeling of peace, but it’s quickly replaced with anger. "Where the hell did you disappear to tonight? I was scared to death! You couldn’t call and let me know you were okay?"

"Jesus, stop yelling. My head is killing me. I didn’t know you would be looking for me. Last I heard, you were going to bed."

"I was until someone tried to break in."

"What?" He jumps to his feet. "Who?"

"Apparently it was just some kids. At least that’s what Adam said, but it scared the shit out of me. Then I couldn’t get in touch with you. I thought…" I trail off.

"So that’s why he was here." He nods as the picture becomes clearer.

"I had no idea what else to do."

"It’s okay, babe. He’s a good guy."

"Do you know who he is?"

"Oh yeah. And don’t worry. He won’t give us any trouble. I bet he’ll be gone in the morning."

"What? Why?" I ask, surprised, and a knowing smile curves his lips.

"What’s wrong, Riley?"

"Nothing. I just… I don’t know. He helped me out tonight."

"Was this before or after he beat me unconscious?"

"You held a gun to his head! I can’t exactly blame him."

"I came home to find you curled into a ball and a unknown man sleeping across from you. You will have to excuse the assumption," he snaps.

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh," he says, rubbing his head with a wince.

"Where the hell did you disappear to? I was worried sick counting down the hours," I repeat.

His shoulders fall, and I immediately feel bad for blaming him. "I was flying home. I had to turn my phone off in the air," he explains, and it makes my heartbreak.

Home.

This isn’t home, but it's all we have.

I spend the next fifteen minutes replaying my night to him. I started at the very beginning and finished with Vision Quest. Dave didn’t say much while I explained the afternoon, but at certain points, he couldn’t hide the anger and regret from his face. I know it killed him to hear how Adam ended up on our sofa, but only because he feels he should have been there instead.

"So you’re positive Adam isn’t an issue?" I ask when I finish patching up his cuts the best I can with limited medical supplies.

"Why do you keep asking about him?" He smiles the biggest shit-eating grin I have ever seen in my life.

"I’m just worried. That’s all."

"No, you’re not. You are surprisingly calm as a f*cking cucumber right now. You’re curious about him," he says, and if possible, his smile grows even wider.

My cheeks heat to pink as I stumble over my words. "It’s just… I mean… He was really nice tonight, and I don’t know. He didn’t have to be."

"Well why don’t you go over there and say thank you." He pulls the ice from my hand and holds it to his own head.

"What? No! I can’t just prance over there and bother him yet again. He probably—okay, he definitely—thinks I’m crazy as hell. But now he probably thinks we are some sort of criminal duo too."