By the Numbers by Chris Owen and Tory Temple Page A

pulling his clothes with one hand and carrying one of the smaller boxes under his other arm. "Is it okay with you if I use your bed and mattress for a while? I mean, I know I'm taking over your guest room and all, but I do intend to buy my own stuff. Eventually."
    The box of stuff landed on the dining room table with a thud. "Well, yeah." Trey laughed. "I didn't even think about that, I guess. You can use it as long as you're here. Why buy your own stuff until you're ready to move out?"
    "Thanks." Deuce put his box on the table and headed to his room with his suitcase. "If you're sure, I really do appreciate it. Beer with the burgers." He laughed as he said it -- and hoped Trey didn't think that Deuce was all about getting him drunk and taking advantage. He was only a little about that.
    He went into the room and scoped out the furniture he had to work with. He thought maybe he'd take advantage of the offer of the flat screen TV -- he might get used to it and make himself upgrade when he moved out. If. Whatever.
    It was probably bad to think about it in terms of ‘if’.
    "Hey, Trey?" he called, opening the door to his bathroom. "How's the water pressure?"
    "Good," Trey called back, "unless the washer's going, or the other shower is running, or the sprinklers are on. So maybe not so good." He appeared in the hallway with another box. "Just don't shower at the same time I am and you'll be fine. These look like books; you want them in here?"
    "No showering together, got it." Deuce nodded and took the box. "That came out wrong. I think."
    Trey twinkled at him, showing white teeth. "I shower with guys all the time. The showers at work aren't that private."
    "Now you're just teasing me." Deuce grinned and bit his lip. "We need to move more stuff now, or I'll start trying to charm you into a kissing break. Probably not a good start." A great start, but not a wise one, perhaps.
    Trey appeared to be considering it. Those blue eyes turned serious as he wiped his arm over the sweat on his forehead. "It wouldn't be a bad start. But maybe we should actually get your stuff in here first and pretend you're just my roommate for the first night."
    "No kissing until tomorrow?" Deuce was going to make supper really, really good. And then try to get Trey drunk. "I can probably live with that, and I'll try not to whine."
    If Trey had more comments about kissing, he didn't make them. Instead, he nodded and moved toward the door again. "Tomorrow. At least tomorrow."
    "At least." Deuce sighed and followed. At least he had only enough stuff for about four trips back and forth, total. Then he'd go food shopping, make supper for the two of them, and spend the evening unpacking and finding homes for his things. "I don't suppose you know how well sound carries from room to room, huh?"
    "I can hear Lacey talking in her sleep sometimes, but she and I share a wall. The couple of times I've had people sleep in the guest room, I never heard anything. Why, are you noisy?" Trey grinned and dragged another box out of the back seat. "I'm used to hearing people make noise at night."
    "Okay, I won't be self-conscious, then." He gathered a few bags and couple of boxes, then put one of the heavy boxes back. "Feel free to ignore any and all moans and groans. Or come and investigate, your call."
    Trey's head snapped around, and it was obvious he hadn't even considered what Deuce was hinting at. "Oh. That! Um." He looked as if he was struggling for an appropriate response. "Have fun?" he finally said, the familiar pink creeping back into his cheeks. Trey was definitely an interesting combination of bold and shy at the same time.
    "I will." Deuce laughed softly and shook his head, then headed back to the house. "I like you, Trey. You keep me thinking."
     
    ***
     
    Lacey was, as promised, a mostly quiet little girl who liked to read a lot. She was in love with all three dogs and wasn't at all shy about asking Deuce about them and how to take care of them, which was