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"Um... Anthony? You said you had two boxes of copies of your book in your garage?"
Lying on the couch, Anthony tilted his head back to watch Asa put a copy of his book—the one he’d signed for Anthony on the first day they met—back on the bookshelf.
It had been the pretext for inviting him to dinner.
The moment when Asa had caught Anthony off guard.
****
"What’s your name?"
The bookseller rubbed his hands together and replied, "Erm, Fell. Asa Fell. With an S."
Anthony wanted to write something down but realized he didn’t have a pen when he felt around his pockets.
"Um, do you have a—"
"Oh! Yes, sorry. Yes."
Asa rummaged through his inside pocket and immediately pulled out a pen. He handed it to Anthony, who began writing in the book.
He knew exactly what he was going to write.
This was his chance.
He began to write.
Asa, I’d like to take you out to dinner somet-
"I need you to write your number down too, for me."
Wait, what?
Surprised, Anthony looked up as Asa continued, "So I can ask you to dinner."
***
Asa had beaten him to it that day.
"Anthony?"
His lover's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
Asa was now standing next to him, looking at him with a confused expression.
"Sorry, sorry. I was just remembering when we first met."
Asa nodded and sat down next to Anthony as he straightened up.
"Six months already, and yet it feels like it was just yesterday."
Anthony’s hand rested on Asa’s hand, which was on his lap, and their fingers intertwined.
"Yes, I feel like it was just yesterday, too."
He brought Asa’s hand to his lips and pressed a kiss on his knuckles.
Asa laughed softly.
"If it feels like time is flying by, that just means we’re not bored together, right?"
Anthony replied with a little chuckle, then said, "Oh no, I’m not bored with you, my angel."
Then, furrowing his brow, he continued, "By the way, why did you ask me about my books?"
He saw his lover start to fidget, a sign that he was too embarrassed to speak up, so he gave him time to respond.
After a moment, Asa mumbled, "Just to see if I could have a second copy."
"Why? You already have the one I signed, don't you?"
Asa blushed slightly and replied, "I want to read it again, and I don't want to use the one you signed for me."
"Seriously, you're just too cute for words."
Asa retorted, a little annoyed, "It's precious, you know, and I—"
Anthony couldn’t resist, so he wrapped his arm around his lover’s neck, pulling him close and capturing his lips in a kiss that lasted so long that the astrophysics books were far from their minds when they caught their breath much later.
**********
"Hey, Asa, do you have the copy that I brought back from the garage the other day?"
Asa turned his head toward his lover as he approached the armchair where Asa was reading. His heart leapt in his chest. He asked in a voice he hoped sounded calm, "Yes, why?"
"One of my students suggested a second edition. I’d just like to see what I could improve." Anthony winked and added in a playful tone, "Since I don’t want to use the one I signed..."
Asa grumbled, "Are you making fun of me?"
Anthony shook his head. "Just a little, but I’m serious about the second edition. I could change the photo and the biography and revise the whole thing."
Asa could tell from the look in Anthony’s eyes and his enthusiasm that his nerdy lover was serious about it. After all, that was one of the reasons he loved him so much.
Anthony asked again, "Do you have the book?"
Asa swallowed, got up from the couch, and walked over to his small desk. He opened the drawer, took out the book, and handed it to Anthony.
He wouldn't be able to hide what he'd done.
Asa watched his lover open the book, bracing himself for his reaction.
"Huh?"
Here we go.
Confused, Anthony looked at him. "Why is my photo cut out?"
"Iwantedthispictureofyou."
"You what?"
"I wanted this picture of you!!"
Anthony narrowed his eyes and asked, "What for?"
Asa reached into the back pocket of his pants, took out his wallet, rummaged through it, and pulled out the photo.
Anthony took it and exclaimed, "Wow! You even laminated it?"
Asa rubbed the back of his neck and looked down, mortified.
"I know. It's ridiculously sappy, isn't it? But I love this photo of you. It shows a side of an Anthony that I don’t know."
Anthony chuckled softly. "Now I’m the one who’s going to blush."
He handed the photo to Asa, who put it back in his wallet.
After putting his wallet back in his pocket, Asa walked closer to Anthony and teased, "Honestly, Professor Crowley, I wonder how the students ever managed to learn anything with a teacher like you. You must have been a walking distraction."
Asa raised his hand and caressed his lover’s neck before continuing. "Especially if you were wearing that turtleneck. I would have paid a fortune to be able to see that in person."
Anthony grabbed Asa's hand and pulled his lover close. He leaned over until their lips were only a few millimeters apart. Asa could feel Anthony’s breath on his face as he whispered, "How about some private lessons?"
Asa placed his hand on his lover’s chest and replied, "I’m not sure I’ll learn much from you, Professor."
Anthony lightly brushed his tongue against the corner of Asa’s mouth.
"That's okay. I’ll give you all the time you need to understand gravitational interaction."
Asa’s hand slid up to the nape of Anthony’s neck. He buried his fingers in Anthony’s hair and pulled him closer.
"I seem to recall some vague concepts," he murmured, his eyes fixed on Anthony's and burning with desire. "It’s when two bodies exert a force of attraction on each other, isn’t it?"
Anthony lightly bit his lover's lips before answering, "Perfect. I see you’ve got the theory down, so we can move on to the practice."
He wrapped his arms around Asa’s waist, pressed his hips against his, and captured his lips, finally closing the distance between them.
The kiss quickly became heated and demanding. Any thoughts of learning or teaching vanished, swept away by the urgency of their passion.
Their clothes, suddenly superfluous, seemed to succumb to a new gravity as they made their way toward the bedroom, barely parting their lips.
Once there, they fell onto the mattress, never stopping to touch and kiss each other.
Anthony explored Asa’s body with his hands and lips, not as a teacher but as a student learning what gives his lover pleasure. He explored every spot and reaction, revelling in every sigh and moan that escaped Asa's mouth. Asa, far from being passive, returned touch for touch, kiss for kiss, instinctively and eagerly.
Together, they reached the peak of their passion, leaving them completely motionless for a moment.
Much later, as their breathing returned to a steady rhythm, Asa nestled against Anthony’s shoulder and traced random curves as daylight faded and gave way to a soft twilight.
"So?" Anthony asked in a low, playful voice. "Was the lesson fruitful?"
Asa let out a stifled laugh.
"I think I’ve finally grasped the basics. But, to be completely honest, I think that part of your lesson needs regular review."
Anthony tightened his embrace and gave his lover a light kiss on the hair.
"In that case, I'm quite willing to extend the lesson indefinitely," he said, closing his eyes.
Asa replied in an amused tone, "You'll see that I can be a very diligent student."
He waited for a response, a joke or a caress, but only a muffled hum reached him in return. Anthony was no longer resisting, having been swept away by sleep, which was gently carrying him toward peaceful shores.
Asa gave Anthony a light kiss on his bare chest, snuggled closer to him, and adjusted his position against his lover’s warm body.
In the stillness of the room, their breathing eventually synchronized, lulling Asa into a restful sleep.