A Thin Line Between Love & Hate (Love Conquers All series) ORIGINAL VERSION

Chapter 39: "You Can't Hurry Love"

"With each word your tenderness grows
Tearing my fears apart
And that laugh
That wrinkles your nose
Touches my foolish heart."

- The Way You Look Tonight, Tony Bennett

I dream about you, too.

Brandon was shocked to silence by Josh's admission. He was convinced his heart literally stopped for a few seconds before bursting into a wild frenzy. His voice escaped him as he just sat there, trying to breathe. He didn't want to leave Josh hanging and give him second thoughts about having told Brandon, but his words were stuck at the base of his throat. This was a huge thing for Josh to admit out loud directly to Brandon and he didn't want to ruin this golden moment.

"I'm sorry," Josh mumbled and twisted away a little, absently shining the flashlight off into another part of the cave. "I-I shouldn't have said that."

"No." Brandon's voice came back in an instant and he sat up on his knees. "No, I'm glad you did. I was just..." he laughed unsteadily. "...speechless for a minute."

Josh stared at the ground and laughed nervously. "Why?"

"I don't know," Brandon smiled. "I mean, it's kind of a big thing to tell someone you've been dreaming about them."

Josh cleared his throat and murmured, "You said it to me."

"I know," Brandon chuckled. "But I'm a talker. It probably wasn't as much of a shock for you to hear me say it."

Lips pursed in a smile, Josh shrugged. "It kind of was."

"That I dream about you?" Brandon asked. "Or that I admitted it to you?"

"Both."

Brandon grinned and scooted up on the rock next to Josh. He bumped his shoulder. "Why would it shock you that I dream about you?"

Josh ducked his head and smiled. "I don't know. If you're gonna dream about someone, then why not someone really great?"

"Well, you dream about me."

"Yeah. But..."

"But what?" Brandon laughed softly.

Josh glanced at him without raising his head. "But...you are someone really great."

I'm dead, Brandon whimpered silently. He just killed me. The huge grin plastered across his face and refused to go away. "Uh...wow...thank you." He lightly tapped his head to Josh's. "And you're not really great?"

Josh shook his head with a tight smile. "Nope."

"Well, I think that's for the dreamer to decide—not the dream-ee."

"Huh-uh," Josh laughed quietly.

"Yeah huh." Brandon tickled him and Josh screeched, tumbling off the rock. Brandon laughed and caught hold of him, dragging him back. Josh bumped against his body, short laughs puffing out of him. Brandon kept hold of his arm. "I think I like it that you're so ticklish." He feigned another attempt at tickling and Josh yelped, grabbing his hand.

"No," he grinned. "No tickling."

The closeness of Josh's body sent shivers through Brandon. Josh's grasp on Brandon's hand eased, softened, and he swore he could hear the beat of his heart as it drummed in time with Brandon's own. "But why?" Brandon murmured with a smile. "I like to tickle and you like being tickled."