Free Under His Skin by Sidney Bristol

ask you.”
    “We had this conversation.” The cheer leached out of his voice. “I can’t be your therapist and your friend.”
    Sighing, he leaned forward and scrubbed his face with his hand. “Okay, then think of it as me asking a friend with unique qualifiers for advice. I don’t know who else I can ask about this and not second-guess shit getting out.”
    “Hold on, I’m going to walk into my office.” There was some rustling of fabric, the sound of muted voices and at least one door was opened and closed. “Okay. Is this about the ED?”
    “I really hate that.”
    “What do you want me to say, man?” Brian could picture Adam throwing up a hand. “What’s the problem? I’m not going to write you a prescription.”
    “My primary care doctor tried that and it didn’t work. That’s not what I called about. Will you stop pacing and listen?”
    Adam paused a moment before answering. “How did you know I was pacing?”
    “I could hear it and you always pace when you’re pissed at me.” He twirled the cane with his fingertips, watching the painted flame motif flicker with the movement.
    “Guilty. Now that I’m sitting,” a chair squeaked in the background to punctuate his point, “what’s up?”
    “I met a woman—or really I met her a long time ago. I haven’t seen her in like, ten years.”
    “Okay.”
    Brian gritted his teeth. “Are you going to interrupt me?”
    “I’m not interrupting you, I’m listening.” Adam chuckled. “Cut me some slack, you called while I’m at the office.”
    “Sorry, my shrink did that. All the okays and yeahs and stuff irritated the hell out of me. Anyways. I had sex with her.” Heat crawled up his neck. He’d admitted a lot of stuff that was uncomfortable since the crash, but admitting that he couldn’t keep it up had been one of the worst.
    “That’s good. It’s healthy and, honestly, it means you’re coming to terms with what’s happening in your life. Do you want me to give you the full spiel?”
    “No, smart-ass.” Brian rolled his eyes and thumped the floor with his cane. “I’m wondering, will I be able to do it again? Or am I, I don’t know, cured? Is this one of those things girls want a guy to tell her?”
    Adam sighed into the phone. “It might happen again. You’re talking about erectile dysfunction that has no medical cause. It’s all you and when you’re in the mood. I’m reading between the lines here, but is this a girl you’re planning on seeing? Or was this a one-time deal?”
    It was Brian’s turn to sigh. He leaned his head against the cane and shuddered as the air conditioner kicked on, blowing cold air over his shoulders. “It’s complicated. I’m going to be on the road for a few weeks, but we agreed to talk. I’d like it to be more.”
    “I have to go in a few, but I’ll tell you that the key to any relationship is communication. You’ve been through a lot, man. You don’t need to tell her everything, but some of it she should know. What you tell her is up to you.”
    “That’s a copout answer,” Brian laughed, “but thanks.”
    “No problem. And Brian?”
    “What?”
    “Git-R-Done,” Adam said in his best Larry the Cable Guy impression.
    Laughing, he flopped back onto the bed. “Thanks, man. I’ll try to not call when you’re at work.”
    “Nah, you’re fine, but I’ve got to go.”
    Brian hung up and tossed the phone onto the mattress. He scooted back until he could rest his head on one set of pillows and used the other to elevate his leg. He’d go get ice later, maybe break out some of the wraps. He was on his own for a few days before he met up with his drummer’s family, and he planned on taking it easy, enjoying some of the spots he remembered.
    Pulling the laminated flower back out, he flipped it over and studied the curling signature that had been reduced to a faint pencil line on the paper. Grabbing the phone, he scrolled through the contacts, stopping on the most recent