WANTING

by Piper Vaughn

CHAPTER 1

“I want you to take my virginity.”

Laurie paused with the cheeseburger halfway to his mouth. When he realized that Jonah wasn’t going to say anything else, he set the burger on his plate with as much careful precision as he would’ve used when handling a bomb. Assuming he’d ever touched a bomb…which, of course, he hadn’t.

He grabbed a napkin from the table and wiped his hands clean with equal care. Only after that did he lean back in his seat and meet Jonah’s eyes, which were regarding him with a hesitant, earnest expression. There was no levity in them, no glint of their normal humor. Jonah appeared to be one hundred percent serious. And that fact made Laurie one hundred percent terrified. He had a feeling he was going to be taking that cheeseburger to go.

“Come again?” he finally said, for lack of anything better. Because he must have misheard. There was no way in hell his best friend’s eighteen-year-old brother had just said those words. Over lunch. In the middle of a diner. With an old, white-haired couple sitting right behind them.

When Jonah had approached him and said he needed some advice, Laurie had been perfectly willing to lend an ear. He figured as a gay teenager, the kid probably didn’t have very many people to talk to about safe sex or boyfriends or relationships in general. And since he and Jonah’s older brother, Marcus, had been friends practically since birth, it made sense that Jonah would come to him. Jonah had been trailing after them since he was old enough to walk, always underfoot and wanting to be involved in whatever he and Marc were doing. Over the years Laurie had started to think of him as just another pesky little brother to add to the brood that constantly annoyed him when he was at home.
Until Jonah’s seventeenth birthday party when Laurie had caught Jonah making out with one his classmates in the basement. One of his male classmates.

That day, Laurie had learned he and Jonah had one very big thing in common. And he would’ve been lying if he said his perception of Jonah hadn’t changed after that. He started to notice things, like how Jonah’s skin was the perfect shade of pale gold, and his smile sort of took Laurie’s breath away, and how his tight little body was the type wet dreams were made of. But the more he’d noticed the harder Laurie had fought to keep Jonah locked away in the platonic, no-sexual-feelings-allowed section of his mind. If sometimes he failed and his thoughts wandered into fantasy territory at the sight of Jonah without a shirt, well, that was between him and his traitorous brain. No one else would ever have to know.

So, Laurie had listened to Jonah’s story about the guy he’d been dating toward the end of his senior year. The guy who had cheated on Jonah and then broken up with him because he wasn’t willing to waste his time on a “frigid little shit who wouldn’t put out.” Jonah’s eyes were shining with tears as he told that part and Laurie’s stomach had clenched with anger and sympathy. But Jonah didn’t need a guy like that and Laurie had told him so. There would be other guys. Better guys. Someone like that wasn’t worth tears. Might as well save the waterworks for when it really counted, and being dumped by some high school douchebag with an overinflated sense of self-importance so didn’t make that cut.

Jonah had nodded and agreed. Then, not five minutes later, those words had come out of his mouth. Words that Laurie still wasn’t sure he’d heard right. People didn’t just burst out with things like that over French fries and milkshakes in crowded, greasy spoon diners. Not when the bubblegumchomping waitress could swing by at any second to ask if they wanted some apple pie for dessert. Talk about awkward.

“I want you to take my virginity,” Jonah repeated.

Laurie blinked at him. Okay. So those words hadn’t actually been some sort of warped, sugar-induced auditory hallucination. “I thought that’s what you said.”

“Just…just hear me out before you answer, okay, Laurie?”

“Look, I don’t think this is the best place for this conversation.” Laurie inclined his head toward the family of five seated at a round table a few feet away from them. One of the three towheaded boys was staring their way, his eyes magnified to double their size by thick-lensed glasses.

Jonah glanced over at the table and nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. But can we talk about it on the ride back?”

Laurie sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. Jonah’s virginity was not a topic he wanted to discuss, especially when it pertained to him being the one to divest Jonah of said virginity. But he and Jonah had a twenty minute drive back to Beckett’s Adventure Company and it wasn’t like he could gag Jonah to keep him from talking on the way there. “Fine. We’ll talk about it in the car.”

“Great,” Jonah said with a grin. And then he calmly went back to his food as if he hadn’t dropped a bombshell on Laurie’s head a few minutes before.

Laurie, however, found that his appetite was gone. Looked like he would be taking that burger home after all.

Once they were in the car—and his takeout container had been dumped unceremoniously onto the backseat—Laurie started up the engine and sent up a quick prayer that Jonah had forgotten about the conversation they were supposed to be having in the time it had taken him to finish his meal and pay the bill.

No such luck. Laurie no sooner turned out of the parking lot than Jonah was shifting nervously in his seat and clearing his throat. “So…”
Laurie wasn’t about to make it easy for him. “So?” he said idly as he pulled to a stop at a red light. He could feel Jonah’s gaze on the side of his face, but he kept his eyes straight ahead.

Jonah sighed. “You’re going to make me say it again?”

“No. But I am going to make you explain why you said it in the first place.”

“Well, ever since Dirk broke up with me, I’ve been—”

“Dirk?” Laurie gave him a skeptical look. “Seriously?”

“Yes, Laurie. Seriously.”

Laurie rolled his eyes and turned back to the steering wheel. The kid had a point there, but who could blame him for using a nickname when his parents had saddled him with a name like George Laurence? No one born after 1950 should be stuck with such a stodgy old name.

“So, anyway, ever since he broke up with me, I’ve been thinking, and…well, I don’t want to go to college a virgin. The guys there, they’re going to be experienced and I’m not going to know what I’m doing, and I’m probably going to make a fool of myself or something. I don’t want to be embarrassed. I—”

“That’s part of the whole process,” Laurie interrupted, keeping his eyes on the road as he merged onto the highway that would take them back to Jonah’s grandfather’s shop. “Sometimes sex is awkward. You find the right person, and there won’t be any need to be embarrassed.”

“Yeah, and I want you to be that person. I want to learn about it from someone I trust. Someone I know won’t laugh at me, or dump me if there are certain things I’m not comfortable doing.”

Laurie’s eyes narrowed and he risked a quick glance at Jonah. “Is that what happened? Did he try to force you into something?”

Jonah shook his head. “No.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I said no. He didn’t try to force me. He just wasn’t happy about it.”

Laurie sighed. “Jonah, look, there’s no need to be impatient about these things. There is no shame, absolutely no shame, in waiting until you find the right person. I know that sounds trite, but eventually someone worthy will come along. Trust me.”

“You’re the right person, Laurie. You.”

“No.” Laurie shook his head, his fingers tightening on the wheel. “I can’t agree to this. You’re asking for all the wrong reasons, and, besides, what do you think Marc would have to say about this? You think he’d be cool with us having sex?”

“Why does it matter what he thinks?”

“It matters because he’s been my best friend for almost twenty years. And you are his baby brother. It’s like a rule in the best friend handbook or something.”

“Are you not attracted to me?” Jonah asked, his voice edged with hurt. “Is that why you won’t do it?”

Laurie bit back another sigh. “Did you really miss the point of everything I just said, or are you deliberately being obtuse?”

“So that’s it? That’s your answer?”

“That’s my answer.”

Jonah huffed. Out of the corner of his eye, Laurie saw him cross his arms over his chest. “Fine. I’ll ask someone else then.”
That time Laurie couldn’t hold back the sigh, but he gritted his teeth to stop himself from saying anything more. Unless it was “yes, I’ll pop your cherry” (and, God, there was a big part of him that would love to say just that), he knew Jonah probably wouldn’t want to hear it. Did that make him feel a little bitter? Yes, sir. But he couldn’t do what Jonah had asked. He just couldn’t. So he held his tongue.

By the time they arrived at Beckett’s Adventure Company, his jaw ached.

****

Jonah sighed, flipped his book closed, and glanced around the shop. Two more hours before his shift ended, and he’d already swept, mopped, and straightened everything he could. The aisles of fishing poles, reels, and other related outdoor gear were in pristine order. There was nothing for him to do but be bored out of his skull, when all he really wanted was to go back to the lake house and curl up in bed so he could lick his wounds and try to stop feeling so pathetic and miserable.

He’d thought it would be easy. He’d never even contemplated the idea that Laurie might say no to his request. But Laurie was, well, Laurie. Always considerate. Always calm and rational and kind. Everything Laurie said made sense. Perfect sense. He’d said and done what any respectable guy would. And that was exactly the reason why Jonah wanted him so badly. Laurie wasn’t the type of guy who would take advantage. But Jonah had thought his sob story about Dirk would have been enough to sway Laurie over into his way of thinking.

Dirk. Snort. Why couldn’t I come up with something more believable? He’d reached for a name and the first to come to mind was Dirk Nowitzki, player for the Dallas Mavericks. Why, he couldn’t even say since basketball season was still months away. He was surprised Laurie hadn’t called bullshit on him right then and there. Well, Laurie might have, if he’d been the type to assume the worst about people. He wasn’t, though, and he had no reason to suspect Jonah was lying. The thought that Jonah made the entire story up from start to finish would never even cross Laurie’s mind. But there was no ex-boyfriend named Dirk. There were no exes at all. Jonah had saved himself all throughout high school…for Laurie. He just didn’t know how to get Laurie to stop looking at him like some irritating little tagalong and start seeing him as a man instead.

Jonah glanced up when the chime above the door went off. It swung open, letting in a gust of muggy air and Travis, the dark-haired hottie who worked at the mechanic shop next door. He was wearing dirty coveralls and there was grease smudged on one of his high cheekbones, but somehow it worked for him. And he knew it, too. He gave Jonah a cocky grin as he crossed the linoleum to the counter and leaned into Jonah’s personal space.

“Hey, gorgeous. Your grandpa in?”

Jonah shook his head. “Nope. He and MawMaw took a ride into the city. What did you need, Trav?”

Travis’s smile widened. “Nothing at all. I just wanted to know if we were alone.”

“And why would you want to be alone with me?” Jonah asked with a soft laugh. Travis always laid it on extra thick, but he was fun to flirt with and he stopped in periodically to help Jonah pass the time while everyone else was out of the shop. Without Travis’s occasional visits, Jonah was sure he would’ve gone stircrazy already. He’d decided that when he came down to work for his grandpa next summer, he was going to insist on being allowed to lead some of the kayak tours or at least act as a fly-fishing guide. He was tired of being stuck behind the counter ringing up people’s bait and tackle and answering phone calls all day.

Travis reached out to trail one long finger along the back of Jonah’s hand. “Oh, I could think of a few reasons…”

Jonah smirked. “Could you now? Care to share some of those with me?” Travis licked his lips and crooked a finger to gesture Jonah closer. “C’mere.”

Jonah played along, leaning forward until he could feel the rasp of Travis’s stubble on his cheek and the wash of warm breath over his ear. He expected Travis to whisper something suggestive, but instead Travis nipped at the lobe, just hard enough to sting. Jonah shuddered slightly and started to pull away, but Travis’s hand came up to grip the back of his head and hold him in place.

“I could suck you off,” Travis murmured, his fingertips playing over the buzzed hair at Jonah’s nape. “We could go into the backroom. I’d get down on my knees, take you in my mouth…”

Jonah trembled. He’d never even gone as far as a handjob with anyone. The idea of Travis kneeling in front of him with that arrogant mouth wrapped around his dick was sexy as hell, especially when he envisioned it happening in the back of the shop as the threat of discovery loomed near. Still, it was nothing when compared to all of the extravagant fantasies he’d dreamed up about Laurie over the years. He had enough of those to fill a book the size of War and Peace. And if he took that mental picture of Travis and replaced it with Laurie—holy shit. Now that was so beyond hot he wasn’t even sure there was a word for it.

“I’d suck you so hard,” Travis went on, nuzzling the tender skin just behind Jonah’s ear. “Blow your fucking mind.”

“As good as that sounds,” Jonah said as he started to draw back, his voice a little rougher than usual, “I—”

He broke off when the door chime rang again. The door flew open with enough force to send it slamming back against the wall. Laurie stood on the threshold, and the expression on his face was one Jonah had never seen before—angry but with something darker underneath, something Jonah didn’t recognize, though the sight of it sent his stomach careening down toward his toes.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Laurie said frostily. “But your grandfather just pulled into the parking lot. Wouldn’t want him to walk in on…whatever you two were doing.”

“Oh, we weren’t—” Jonah started, but Laurie apparently didn’t want to hear, or didn’t care about, what he had to say. He turned and stalked away, fury radiating from the rigid set of his shoulders to the ramrod stiffness of his spine.

Jonah swallowed thickly, torn between going after Laurie and saying something to ease the sudden tension he’d left behind. He opened his mouth and glanced at Travis, but the smile on the other man’s face made his breath catch in surprise. It was twisted and cold and detracted from his looks in a way that a little grease and dirt never could. The shock of seeing it made Jonah take an involuntary step back.

In the next second, it was gone, replaced by Travis’s familiar, cocky smirk. But Jonah knew he hadn’t imagined it. He also knew that he didn’t want anything to do with someone who could go from looking so malicious one second to happy and teasing the next. Especially since, judging by Laurie’s reaction to Travis, there was some bad blood there. Given how laidback Laurie normally was, something had to have gone down between the two of them. Laurie didn’t dislike people without a good reason.

As the sound of voices approached the entrance of the shop, Travis’s smile turned regretful. “Maybe next time, huh?”

Before Jonah could answer, Travis winked and faced the doorway, greeting Jonah’s grandparents as they entered. A few minutes later he said his goodbyes and left.

Jonah moved to the glass windows that lined the front of the shop and watched Travis cross the gravel parking lot, only halfway listening to the conversation his grandparents were having behind him. He wondered what had happened between Travis and Laurie. Jonah’s brother was the one with the temper. Laurie was much more even-keeled. Jonah had only seen him angry a handful of times, but never as furious as he’d just been. And it couldn’t be anything like jealousy, not after how thoroughly he’d shot Jonah down that afternoon. No, something major had happened with those two, and Jonah was willing to bet that Marc knew what it was. One way or another, he was going to find out.

CHAPTER 2

Laurie was gritting his teeth again. It’d become a habit over the last few days, starting with the moment he’d approached the door to Beckett’s and seen Travis—Travis, of all goddamn people—with his mouth on Jonah’s throat. In that instant, his vision had gone red. He didn’t want Travis in the same state as Jonah, let alone in the same shop. Kissing him. Touching him. Christ. The very idea was enough to give Laurie an ulcer. Was Travis who Jonah had meant when he said he’d ask someone else?

Over my dead body. Travis was the biggest sleazeball Laurie had ever met. He didn’t deserve someone like Jonah. And Jonah certainly didn’t deserve the treatment he’d get once Travis had gotten what he wanted. Laurie had learned that painful lesson during his last summer in Kentucky two years before. There was no way he’d let that happen to Jonah, especially not when Jonah was still raw and vulnerable from his recent breakup. Absolutely no way.

Of course, he didn’t really have any right to say who Jonah could or couldn’t sleep with. He couldn’t even pull the big brother card since they weren’t actually related by blood, and thank God for that. He’d been having some very unbrotherly-like thoughts ever since Jonah had asked him to take his virginity. And, if he was being honest, a long time before then, too.

Though, technically, there was one option that would allow him to have a say in who Jonah was having sex with, and that was if he himself fulfilled that role. Laurie would make it good for Jonah. He would make sure it was slow and gentle and pain-free, or at least as close to it as possible, since a bit of discomfort was part of it all. But Laurie had promised himself. He’d sworn that he wouldn’t.
“Okay, Laurie. Out with it.”

“Huh?” Laurie glanced sideways at Marcus. They’d brought the last kayak tour in about fifteen minutes prior and were stacking the kayaks back onto the racks before they locked up the boathouse for the night. They’d been working in companionable silence, which unfortunately allowed Laurie’s mind to wander to the very last place he’d wanted it to go.

“You’re acting all skittish,” Marc said as they hefted the last kayak and shoved it into place on the highest rack. “The way you did when we were fifteen and you were scared to tell me you were gay.” Marc crossed his arms over his chest and gave Laurie an appraising look. “Not that I didn’t already know.”

Laurie sighed. “I wish you didn’t know me so well,” he muttered, wiping the sweat off his brow with the back of his sleeve.

Marc smirked. “But I do. And you should be thankful. If I didn’t know you so well, you’d probably still be trying to break the news.”

“Ha. Not likely.”

“Keep telling yourself that.” Marc snickered. “So, come on. Out with it so we can get back to the house and I can whip you at Madden.”

“Says the guy who lost the last two games.”

“Third time’s the charm.” Marc grinned.

Laurie shook his head, helpless to prevent himself from returning the smile. “We’ll see.”

“What is it?” Marc asked, suddenly serious. “You haven’t been yourself the last few days.”

“You know, I really don’t want to talk about it.” “Don’t want to talk about it?” Marc looked surprised, then a little hurt. “But it’s me, man. We talk about everything.”

Laurie shrugged and dropped his gaze. He was grateful that Marc and Jonah didn’t really look anything alike. It would’ve been outright torture to deal with physical similarities between the object of his desire and his best friend since the days he’d spent crawling around in diapers. Marc was taller than Jonah; broader. His hair was soft black and kept just short enough to tame its natural curl, while Jonah’s was light brown and spiky, and shone with hints of gold in the sun. Marc’s eyes were such a deep blue they were almost navy, but Jonah’s were brown.

Plain old, ordinary, run-of-the-mill brown. Except they weren’t. Ordinary. Not if Laurie’s reaction to them was any indication. Because those eyes, they made him feel like he was drowning—breathless, overpowered, chest tight—and lately he hadn’t been able to meet them for very long without feeling as if somehow, impossibly, he was already in over his head.

“You’ve never not told me something when I asked.”

Laurie glanced up at the wounded sound in Marc’s voice. “Marc, it’s complicated, okay? I…you’re going to be pissed off, and I don’t want—”

“It has something to do with Jonah, right?” Marc shook his head. “Don’t bother denying it. You two, neither of you can get anything past me. So, tell me. If it concerns my brother, I have a right to know.”

“You’re gonna be mad.”

“Try me.”

Laurie sighed again. “Fine. The other day…”

“Yeah?” Marc prodded. “Your brother asked me to take his virginity,” Laurie finished in a rush. It came out more like one long word than a sentence, but he could tell Marc had understood him by the way Marc started blinking and opening and closing his mouth like he’d always done when he was shocked or couldn’t think of something to say.

Marc blinked some more. “He…he asked you…”

“Yeah. But don’t worry, I said no.”

“But, why? Why would he…?” Marc trailed off, looking totally gobsmacked.

“He said his ex-boyfriend broke up with him because he wouldn’t have sex. He says he wants to learn about it from someone he trusts before school starts.”

Marc’s brow furrowed. “Boyfriend? I hadn’t known he was seeing anyone.”

“Weird.” Laurie shrugged. “Maybe he didn’t feel comfortable talking to you about it. But he said the guy broke up with him right before graduation.”

Marc’s expression turned thoughtful. “Hmm. And what did he say when you told him no?”

Laurie gritted his teeth. Again. “That he would ask someone else,” he answered when he got his emotions under control. “Then that same day I saw him talking to Travis.”

“Travis?” Marc repeated in outrage. “He lays a finger on Jonah and I’ll break his fucking face.”

“And I’d hold him down while you did it.”

Marc cursed and raked his fingers through his hair, mussing the dark waves. “So…you think he actually asked Travis already?”
“I don’t know. I sure as hell hope not. But they looked kind of cozy when I walked in on them in the shop the other day.”

Marc’s eyes widened. “What were they doing?”

“It looked like Travis was kissing his neck.” He couldn’t quite hide the tremor of anger in his voice as he said those words, but if Marc noticed, he didn’t give any indication.

“Shit. I don’t even know what to say.” Marc started pacing up and down the walkway between the racks. “Why doesn’t he just, I don’t know, start dating someone and do it like a normal person? How do you just ask someone to do that?”

“I told him there isn’t any shame in waiting. He’s worried about being embarrassed because he doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

“That’s what Google is for! And I’m sure there are vast quantities of gay porn available for, um, research and such.”

Laurie bit his lower lip to keep from laughing at how uncomfortable Marc looked at that moment. His best friend had never been anything but completely accepting when Laurie told him he was gay. And he had, in fact, guessed long before Laurie built up the courage to confess. But while he was always there if Laurie needed to talk, he’d never been interested in hearing any of the nitty-gritty details. Laurie didn’t blame him—it wasn’t as if he wanted to listen to Marc’s hetero exploits either—and he was more than a little surprised by how well Marc was handling the whole Jonah situation. Marc was notoriously short-tempered, and Laurie hadn’t really known how he would react to the entire thing. Right then, he just seemed more shocked than anything. Shocked, Laurie could at least work with.

Marc stopped pacing and stared at Laurie in bemusement. “Should I…talk to him or something?”

“Do you want to talk to him?”

“About him asking you to fuck him? Um, no.”

“See, this is why I didn’t want to tell you.”

Marc shook his head. “No,” he said then paused to clear his throat. “No, I’m glad that you did. I wouldn’t have wanted you to keep it from me.”

“So, we’re cool then?” Laurie asked, nervous in spite of himself.

Marc looked startled. “Of course we’re cool, man. Why wouldn’t we be?”

“It’s just…well, he’s your brother, and I thought you might think I had done something to encourage—”

“No, dude. No worries. I just…fucking Travis, you know? I mean, after what happened with you guys…”

“Yeah.” Laurie knew his face was as grim as his voice.

Marc’s mouth twisted ruefully. “Come on. Let’s lock up and go home.”

Laurie nodded and followed Marc out of the boathouse, pausing long enough for Marc to turn off the lights and secure the doors. The shop was already dark and Marc’s was the only car left in the gravel parking lot. They got inside and made the drive to Marc’s grandparents’ two-story lake house in silence.

As they walked the path to the back entrance where their rooms were situated on the lower level, Marc stopped Laurie with a hand on his arm. “Look, dude, I’m just gonna crash right now. We’ll talk more in the morning, okay?”

Laurie gave Marc a hesitant smile. “Sure.”

Once they were in the house, Laurie watched Marc wander down the hall toward his bedroom. He slumped onto one of the couches in the area that had become their videogame haven over the last couple of weeks. He was tempted to fire up the massive, wall-mounted LED television and play something mindnumbing just to distract himself, but all he could do was think about Marc…and Jonah.

CHAPTER 3

The next morning, Laurie woke to the feel of a hand shaking his shoulder. It was pitch black in the room and he could see from the glaring red numbers on his alarm clock that it was just after five.

“Wha’?” he said groggily. “What is it?”

“Get up, Laur. Let’s go get some breakfast.”

It took Laurie a moment to recognize Marc’s voice and another to process what he’d said. “Breakfast?” he repeated, incredulous. “It’s five in the morning.”

“Can’t sleep.”

Laurie made a sound of protest as his blankets were yanked away. He buried his face in his pillow and grumbled into the material, “Dude, give me another hour at least.”

“Nope. Come on, Laurie. We need to talk.”

That brought Laurie’s head up. Marc’s tone was serious, and there could only be one thing he wanted to discuss. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll meet you at the car in ten.”

They were sitting in the same diner that Jonah and Laurie had gone to for lunch a few days before. The sky had lightened considerably since they’d left the lake house, but the diner was nearly empty. As far as Laurie was concerned, it was a bit too early in the day for a full-fledged breakfast. He’d settled on toast and coffee and Marc had ordered orange juice and a bowl of cornflakes.

Laurie was in the middle of taking a sip of coffee when Marc abruptly put his spoon down and met his eyes across the table.

“I want you to do it,” Marc said without any preamble. “I want you to do what Jonah asked.”

Laurie choked and spluttered into his cup. There was a minute or two of coughing and chest pounding before he’d collected himself enough to speak. “You what?”

“Look, you and I both know how stubborn Jonah is. If he said he’d find someone else, then you know he eventually will. I thought about it a lot last night, and, frankly, if he’s determined to do it this way, I’d rather it be with you than anyone else. I mean, can you imagine if he lets that douchebag Travis…” Marc paused and drew in a deep breath through his nostrils. “You said he wants someone he can trust. Well, he trusts you. I trust you.”

“But…” Laurie trailed off somewhat helplessly, dropping his gaze to his halfeaten toast. “But I thought that you wouldn’t want—”

“I’m not going to say that it won’t be weird,” Marc interrupted. “And I definitely don’t want to see or hear about any of it. But if Jonah wants you, and if you’re cool with it, then I’m willing to turn a blind eye to the whole thing. I know you would never do wrong by my brother.”

“Of course I wouldn’t,” Laurie said, shaking his head. “But I can’t have this be something that wrecks our friendship, Marc. We’ve known each other too damn long.”

“This is not going to affect us,” Marc said firmly. “You and me, we’re solid.” Laurie looked up. Both Marc’s face and eyes were solemn, and they didn’t waver as Laurie met his gaze.

Marc nodded. “We’ll be fine.”

Laurie didn’t feel as certain as Marc appeared to be. The whole conversation was almost too surreal to be believed. “You’re sure, man?”

“Absolutely.” Marc hesitated for a moment then continued, “And you want him, too, don’t you? Jonah.”

Laurie felt his eyes widen and his stomach drop. “I…”

Marc reached across the table and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “I could hear it in your voice yesterday. Don’t worry about it, okay? I don’t mind.”

“You don’t?” Laurie said in surprise.

Marc shook his head. “It’s like I just said, I know you wouldn’t do wrong by him. And, honestly, Laurie? If I had to pick someone for him, I can’t think of anyone better than you.” He smiled and gave a slight shrug. “It’ll be a little odd, yeah. But you’re my best friend. I’ve kept you around for a reason, you know? You’re a good guy.”

Laurie returned the smile as the tension in his stomach eased. “So this is why you’ve kept me around all these years?” he teased. “And here I thought I was just your token gay friend so you could score sensitivity points with the ladies.”

Marc’s smile evolved into a full-out grin. “That too.”

****

A soft knock interrupted Jonah while he was in the middle of getting dressed. He dropped the towel he’d been using to dry his hair and crossed the room to answer the door without bothering to ask who it was. Only when it was halfway open did it occur to him that he probably should have put a shirt on first, or in the very least finished buttoning his jeans in case it was his grandmother standing out in the hallway.

But it wasn’t his grandmother. It was Laurie. And Laurie’s eyes, a striking mix of green, brown, and gold, trailed a slow path down Jonah’s bare chest right to the open fly of his jeans and the gray and blue Batman briefs that could be seen underneath.

Jonah’s face went up in flames. He thought he might die right there on the spot. As a kid he’d loved comics, and when he’d spotted superhero undies available in adult sizes, he’d compiled quite a stash—everything from Superman to The Hulk and, most embarrassingly, Captain America. But he’d never expected anyone to actually see them. Especially not Laurie. He’d packed special underwear just in case an opportunity to strip in front of Laurie ever arose, and those most certainly didn’t have a picture of Batman’s face on the crotch.

Laurie didn’t comment, though. Just smirked and met Jonah’s gaze. “Can I come in for a sec?”

“Sure,” Jonah said, moving aside so Laurie could enter the room. “Let me just, uh, grab a shirt.” He snagged the one he’d laid out on the bed earlier, tugged it over his head, and then quickly finished doing up his fly while his back was turned. When he faced Laurie again, the heat in his cheeks had faded a bit. “So, what’s up?” he asked, striving for a casual tone, even though his ego was still suffering and he wanted nothing more than to crawl under his bed and hide for a week.

Laurie walked over to Jonah’s desk and pulled out the chair, spinning it around so he could straddle it. “Sit down, Jonah. We need to talk, okay?”

Jonah nodded and perched nervously on the edge of the bed. “What is it?”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said over the past few days, and…”

Laurie paused, brushing his brown bangs off of his forehead as he let out a long, slow breath. “I’ll do it,” he finally finished, just when Jonah was starting to feel like he might jump out of his skin. “But I have a couple conditions.”

Jonah swallowed, his hands fisting into the material of the comforter at his sides. “Okay. Tell me.”

“If we’re going to do this, I want it to be exclusive. I don’t play around.” Laurie’s eyes were completely serious. “If you want to start having sex with other people, it’s done.”

Jonah nodded again. He didn’t have any problem with that, and he didn’t like the idea of Laurie with someone else anyway. Exclusivity was a perk, as far as he was concerned, not a stipulation that might put him off. But he stayed silent and waited for Laurie to continue.

“The other thing is, we’re going to have to find somewhere else to do it. Your grandparents are letting me stay here all summer. I don’t want to disrespect them.”

“Okay. I understand that.” Jonah hesitated briefly, giving Laurie a chance to speak again. When Laurie didn’t say anything, he asked, “And that’s all?”

“Yeah.”

Jonah worried at his lower lip for a moment. “How soon can we start?”

Laurie’s head tilted to the side as he considered. After a few seconds, he shrugged. “I guess that’s your call.”

“Tonight?” Jonah knew his eagerness was coming through loud and clear, but he was beyond caring at that point. Laurie had agreed, and Jonah didn’t want to give him too much time to dwell on it and change his mind again.

Laurie look surprised, but he nodded. “Sure, if that’s what you want.” Jonah grinned. “It is. And don’t worry. I know the perfect place we can—”

“Laurie, you up there, darlin’?”

Jonah’s gaze jerked to the door at the sound of his grandmother’s voice. It was coming from far away, possibly the bottom of the staircase, but she might as well have been standing in the doorway for how guilty he felt. Yeah, he could definitely see Laurie’s reasoning for not wanting to have sex in the house with his grandparents around. He was already feeling kind of embarrassed and all they were doing was talking about it.

“Coming, MawMaw!” Laurie called back. He stood and added in an undertone, “Meet me in the gazebo at nine. We’ll go from there.”

He left the room before Jonah could respond. A moment later, Jonah heard his grandmother speak again. “There you are, Laurie. I need your muscles to help me put these boxes in the truck. I can’t lift them with these scrawny old lady arms.”

“Old?” Laurie replied, his voice fading as he moved farther away. “Lady, you don’t look a day over thirty-five!”

“Boy, flattery will get you everywhere.” Jonah’s grandmother laughed. “Keep going…”

Jonah smirked at their banter, but the expression vanished as quickly as it had come. Laurie had said yes. He’d said yes.

Oh, my God. This is really going to happen. The idea was all good and well in theory. But in practice it would be a whole different story. Would Laurie be able to tell just how clueless Jonah really was? He hoped not. I’m going to have sex tonight. With Laurie. Sweat broke out on Jonah’s forehead. Holy shit. The walk to the gazebo never felt longer than it did that night as Jonah followed the trail leading away from his grandparents’ house toward the lake. If he believed in things like destiny or kismet, he would have thought the fates had conspired to give him the perfect night. Everything from the grass to the trees was tinged silver by the light of the full moon overhead. A cool breeze came off the water, a welcome contrast to the muggy, oppressive feel that had lingered in the air all day. It was serene. Beautiful. But with every step Jonah took, his nerves coiled tighter and tighter so that when the shingled roof of the gazebo finally came into view, he thought he might snap from the strain.

Yeah, maybe the setting was perfect. Jonah, however, was not. Inside, he was totally petrified. It wasn’t that he was afraid of Laurie. Or of the sex, really. It was more the idea of disappointing Laurie that had him nervous. He knew Laurie would never tease him, not about something like that, and it wasn’t as if Laurie didn’t know that Jonah was a virgin. But when he thought of all of the possible ways he could mess up or make a fool of himself in front of Laurie during the next few hours…well, that was scary. Above all, he didn’t want Laurie to think of him as some ridiculous kid who was too wet behind the ears to make any kind of relationship worthwhile.

Jonah knew about the mechanics, of course. Insert tab A into slot B and all that. But how to touch, how to stroke, how much pressure to apply, when to back off or when to push, when to dominate and when to surrender—that wasn’t something he could learn by online research alone. And he wanted it to be great for Laurie. Beyond great. He wanted it to be mind-blowingly, eyes-rollinginto-the-back-of-your-head fucking amazing. Hell, square that. Multiple it times infinity. He wanted it to be that good. There-are-no-words-to-describe-it kind of good.

Then when Laurie wanted him, craved him, couldn’t go five minutes without thinking about him, maybe he’d finally have just a small, infinitesimal clue how Jonah had been feeling for the last five years. Ever since that moment a week before Jonah turned fourteen when Laurie stepped through his parents’ front door after being away for the entire summer and brought all of the sunshine and warmth in the world right along with him.
That was the moment Jonah’s body came out of its prepubescent haze and snapped to attention. He knew that godlike vision of Laurie probably had a lot more to do with his rampant teenage hormones than any actual truth, but he wasn’t able to rid himself of it in all of the years that followed. Laurie was still Jonah’s number one crush, ultimate fantasy, dream come to life. You name it, that’s what Laurie was to Jonah. The attraction was unshakable. And maybe there was even a part of him—a little, tiny, miniscule part—that was already in love with Laurie. Just a smidge. Really.

So, was it any wonder that he was nervous? Not actually.

Sucking in a deep, fortifying breath, Jonah closed the remaining distance between the gravel walkway and the gazebo. Laurie was leaning against the railing, facing the dark expanse of the lake, but he straightened and turned as Jonah made his way up the steps.

Jonah’s heart ka-thumped at the sight of him. Laurie was wearing loose-fitting jeans and a skintight tank top that showed off his toned arms and lightly muscled chest to perfection. As he drew nearer, Jonah could see that Laurie’s hair was still damp from a recent shower and smell the dark spice of the bath gel Laurie used. Jonah was well-acquainted with the scent. He’d done some snooping to find out the brand name the last time he visited Laurie and Marc up at school, and he’d made sure to buy himself a bottle when he got back home. He used it in the shower, though rarely for any actual washing. It really wasn’t his particular style. But the smell of it on Laurie? Yeah, that drove him a little crazy.

Jonah fought back the appreciative sigh that threatened to break free of his throat. What was up with that? Clearly his inner teenage girl was trying to claw her way to the surface. But, damn, a part of him kind of wished he could prop his chin on his hand and just let that dreamy little sigh out. Of course, another part of him had entirely different ideas. And those ideas had more to do with things going in. And then out. And then—no, best not to think of that just yet. He was trying to calm himself down, not rile himself up. Focus, Jonah. “Hey,” he said, grateful that none of the anxiety he was feeling could be heard in his voice.

Laurie smiled slightly. “Hey. So, where is this place you know of?”

Jonah grinned. “The guesthouse. My grandma always keeps it ready for visitors in the summer, and the bedroom is in the back of the house, facing the woods. Even if we turn the light on, no one will be able to see. It’s perfect.” When Laurie didn’t respond right away, Jonah’s grin started to waver. “Is that…are you still not comfortable with—”

“No, it’s fine,” Laurie interrupted with a shake of his head. “Sorry, I was just…never mind. Yeah, that’s good.”

“Okay.”

“Well, let’s go then.”

While the walk to the gazebo had seemed long, the walk to the guesthouse seemed excessively short. Before Jonah knew it, they were upstairs in the master bedroom. He tossed the spare key he’d snagged from the mudroom at the main house onto the dresser and then leaned back against it, feeling awkward. Laurie was looking around the room with a weird expression on his face, but it faded the moment he noticed that Jonah was watching him, replaced instead by a tight little smile.

“If we’re going to do this,” he said, “you should probably come closer.”

Jonah’s entire body went hot and cold. He swallowed hard and nodded, then crossed the room to stand beside the bed. He sat on the edge, still a few feet away from Laurie, and immediately started fidgeting with the floral-patterned comforter.

Laurie’s smile went from strained to amused. “Nervous?” he asked as he started to dig into his right pocket.
Jonah’s mouth went dry at the sight of a small tube of lube and handful of condoms. He stared as Laurie placed the stash on the bedside table. “D-Do we need those? Not the lube, but the…I mean, you’re clean, right? And you know I’ve never…”

Laurie hesitated for a few seconds. “Yeah, I’m clean. But, Jonah, you can’t trust just any guy who says that to you.”

“I know. I’m not stupid. But you’re not just any guy, Laurie. I know you’d never put me at risk.”

“No,” Laurie said with a soft sigh. “I wouldn’t.” He stepped closer and sat on the bed next to Jonah, leaving only a few inches between them. “Look, I haven’t been with anyone since I broke up with my ex in December, and I’ve been tested a couple times since then. So, yeah, I know for a fact that I’m clean. But you have to promise me something before we do this, Jonah.”

“Okay. Anything you want.”

“Promise me that you won’t just take any guy who says that to you at his word. Don’t ever let anyone do you bare unless you’re monogamous and you know he’s committed to you.”

Jonah nodded. That would be an easy enough promise. He didn’t ever want to be with anyone else, but even if he and Laurie never actually got together as a couple, he’d never allow such a thing without a solid foundation of trust. “Okay. I swear.” He paused and nervously licked his lips. “Have you ever…?”

Laurie shook his head. “No.”

“But you will? With me?”

Laurie turned to face him. In the dim bedroom light his eyes were more greenygold than brown. They reminded Jonah of autumn when the leaves first began to change. “If that’s what you want.”

Jonah searched those eyes, but he couldn’t read their expression. Looking into them sent his anxiety from a low simmer into a rolling boil. What if he doesn’t want this? he thought abruptly. What if he’s just doing this as a favor? What if he sees it as a chore? Jonah didn’t want that. Any of that. He didn’t want Laurie to feel forced.

Unable to hold those eyes any longer, Jonah dropped his gaze to his hands, which had started wringing in his lap at some point during the conversation. “We don’t have to do this,” he said, and even to his own ears his voice sounded thin. He was going to cry. He was going to cry at the thought of what he’d almost pressured Laurie into, and Laurie was going to see him break down. Laurie was going to think he was a complete idiot. But that was okay. Jonah would rather have Laurie think he was ridiculous than ever look back at this moment and feel like he’d been used. “If you don’t want this…if you don’t want me…then we can just go back to the way things were. You can pretend I never asked, okay? I won’t ever ment—”

“Jonah.” Both Laurie’s voice and the gentle grip on his chin made Jonah look up. He turned his head and met Laurie’s gaze, and those eyes weren’t unreadable anymore. They were filled with heat, and the sight of them made a sudden surge of lust unfurl in Jonah’s belly. “I want you,” Laurie said, and those three words were even hotter than that look. “Don’t ever doubt it.” And then Laurie kissed him.

Such a simple word, kiss. It really didn’t sound all that special. And it was nowhere near good enough to describe what was happening between Laurie and Jonah just then. Not unless you tacked on a few extra words, like momentous, or earth-shattering, or maybe even life-altering. Because, yeah, it felt like he’d been waiting for it that long, and that kiss had just changed his entire fucking world. Laurie’s lips on his were somehow both soft and firm at once. His tongue was sneaking in little tastes, just barely there flicks that made Jonah want to scream in frustration, if he could bear to pull his mouth away long enough to do so. But he couldn’t, and eventually his patience was rewarded with the slow sweep of Laurie’s tongue over his.

That was all it took, that slow, sensuous glide, to set them off like a powder keg. Somehow, Laurie slid further back on the bed and Jonah was straddling his lap. Their mouths fused together, locked in a desperate kiss that showed no signs of ending. Jonah pushed down, and Laurie thrust up, and they were grinding. Oh, hell yes, grinding, and it was hot and frantic and a whole other list of adjectives that Jonah’s mind was too fogged by lust to process. All he could hear in his head was a litany of more more more.

After one particularly intense kiss that had Jonah’s cock begging to be released from the confines of his jeans, Laurie pulled away. Jonah whined and tried to capture his mouth again, but Laurie laughed and shook his head. That was okay, though, because from the sound of it, and the feel of Laurie’s arousal beneath him, Jonah knew Laurie wasn’t laughing at him. And Laurie didn’t stay away very long, only for the time it took him to strip off Jonah’s T-shirt and yank his own tank top over his head. Then they were kissing again, bare chest to bare chest, and the press of warm skin and hard muscle made Jonah’s entire body shudder with want.

When Laurie pushed at his shoulders, Jonah gave in to his urgings and laid flat on the mattress. He spread his thighs just wide enough to accommodate Laurie’s narrow hips and his hands settled on Laurie’s ass to jerk him closer, the lengths of their cocks straining against the layers of denim and cotton that separated them. As Laurie moved above him, rocking their pelvises together, Jonah kissed any part of Laurie he could reach—the line of his jaw, the shell of his ear, the hollow at the base of his throat—before finally making his way back to Laurie’s mouth.

They started up another one of those devastating kisses, their tongues intertwining, hot and slow and seductive. Laurie’s fingers were on his chest, trailing down, and then they were nimbly undoing the fly of his jeans. Before Jonah could even prepare himself for it, they slipped past the waistband of his briefs—black and skimpy with no superhero emblems in sight—and curled around his aching erection.
In contrast to that molasses kiss, the stroke Laurie started on Jonah’s cock was quick and almost rough. Laurie paused long enough to lick at his hand, and then resumed both the kiss and the stroke, occasionally rubbing his spit-slick palm across the head in a smooth back-and-forth motion that made Jonah moan and writhe senselessly beneath him. Somehow it tickled and made his toes curl with pleasure at the same time, the sensation sending a thrill through his body, a sharp buzz that started in his balls and shot up and down his spine.

Jonah couldn’t have prevented what happened next if he’d tried. Laurie’s touch, his kiss, his taste, the things he whispered into Jonah’s ear whenever they stopped kissing long enough to catch their breath. All of those things, they morphed together, built and expanded, overwhelming and impossible to resist.

It was too much, too fast, too soon, and then, holy shit, it was happening. Jonah jerked into the tight circle of Laurie’s fist, his back arching up off the mattress as he came and came, spilling warm and slippery over Laurie’s fingers. Only afterward did embarrassment descend, swift and crushing. God, where was his self-control? There he was, living out his biggest fantasy, and he’d come undone after a couple of kisses and a few strokes of his cock. He’d already humiliated himself in front of Laurie and they hadn’t even been together for half an hour. How ridiculous was he?

Jonah groaned and pulled away from Laurie. He grabbed one of the pillows and used it to cover his face. His cheeks were hot and his nose burned with the threat of tears. That was all he needed, to get weepy on top of everything else. How mortifying.

“What is it?” Laurie asked, and he sounded alarmed enough that Jonah had to fight back a sniffle. “Did I hurt you?”

Jonah shook his head, but kept his face hidden. “No.”

“Then what is it?” He felt Laurie’s fingers lock around his wrist and gently tug his arm down and the pillow along with it. “Hey, look at me.”
After a few seconds, Jonah calmed down enough to risk a glance at Laurie. He met Laurie’s gaze and the concern he saw there eased a bit of the mortified tension in his stomach. “I’m sorry, I…I didn’t mean to…” Jonah trailed off. No matter how worried Laurie looked, he couldn’t bring himself to say it. But it turned out he didn’t have to.

“Oh.” Apprehension dawned on Laurie’s face and he smiled fondly. He dropped a kiss on the tip of Jonah’s nose and shook his head. “Don’t even worry about it. It happens to everyone.”

“Really?” Jonah blinked. “You, too?”

Laurie smirked. “Yeah, sometimes. If I’m really excited.” He lifted the hand he’d used to jerk Jonah off to his mouth and sucked on one of his fingers. “You taste good. And you’re beautiful when you come.”

Jonah trembled, both from the compliment and the visual. “Can I suck you? I wanna know what you taste like, too.”

Laurie laughed and kissed Jonah again, fast and hard. “You don’t have to ask me twice.”

“’Kay.” Jonah sat up and licked his lips. He was a little, well, not scared exactly—anxious would probably be a better fit—but the way Laurie’s eyes followed the action of his tongue made him feel a bit more confident. He leaned down and brushed a kiss over the tattoo on Laurie’s left pec. It was the Japanese kanji for justice, chosen because Laurie planned on going into criminal law after college. Jonah traced the lines of black ink with his tongue and moved on to the light pink nipple beneath. He paused there to lick and suck then continued his downward path across the muscled ridges of Laurie’s abdomen until he reached the shallow indent of his navel and the trail of dark brown hair that started underneath.

Jonah froze when the tip of Laurie’s erection nudged his chin, his eyes fixed on Laurie’s face. Laurie gave him a small smile, sweet and encouraging, and Jonah felt his nerves ease a bit more. He really was curious about how Laurie would taste, what the flavor of his come would be like, how Laurie’s cock would feel on his tongue. Only one way to find out. Jonah took that thick length in hand and tentatively licked the head.

He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting. Aside from the bitter tang of precome, it tasted like any other part of Laurie’s warm, soft skin. Jonah drew the tip into his mouth and sucked lightly. Laurie’s hips jerked and he made a quiet sound that Jonah took to be a good thing. He slid down a bit further and stopped, unsure how far back he could take Laurie’s cock without gagging.

“You can use your hand, too,” Laurie said, his voice drawing Jonah’s gaze back up to his face. “You don’t have to try to take it all.”

Jonah nodded slightly and refocused his attention. It was a bit tricky, but eventually he figured things out and set up a nice rhythm. He alternated between licking and sucking on the tip and used his hand to stroke the rest, occasionally slowing so he could look at Laurie for reassurance.

Laurie reached out and touched his cheek. “That’s awesome, Jo. Keep going just like that.”

Jonah closed his eyes and hummed, encouraged by the praise and the shudder that racked Laurie’s body. He liked knowing he could affect Laurie as strongly as Laurie did him. And he knew one day he’d be good enough to drive Laurie absolutely insane. It was only a matter of time…and practice. Yeah, I could get used to this.

****

It wasn’t the best blowjob he’d ever received. Far from it, actually. It’d been obvious right from the start that Jonah only had the vaguest idea what he was doing. But what he lacked in skill he more than made up for in enthusiasm. He acted on each one of Laurie’s instructions with an eagerness to please that was a turn on in and of itself. And, of course, there was the whole fact that it was Jonah with his mouth on Laurie’s dick. Jonah licking, sucking, flicking that pink tongue across the tip and tasting Laurie’s pre-come and moaning as if he was enjoying every second. That took the blowjob from so-so to awesome, and when Jonah grew a bit bolder and gripped Laurie’s cock at the base and slapped it against his tongue with a naughty little look on his face, well…it was game over. Done deal. Finito.

By then Jonah’s erection was already primed and ready to go again. So, Laurie rolled Jonah onto his back and showed him just what kind of tricks a few years of experience had taught him. But when he felt Jonah tensing under his ministrations, he pulled back, slowed it down, drew it out. As Jonah panted and whined for release, Laurie snagged the tube of lubricant from the bedside table and squeezed a small amount into his palm. They weren’t going to have full-out sex, not right then, but he had a feeling Jonah had never done this part either, and he wanted to make it memorable. He lubed up his fingers, and while Jonah was pleasantly distracted by the feel of Laurie tonguing and sucking at the skin around his balls, he carefully pressed one inside. Jonah trembled and gave a strangled cry, the muscles of his abdomen clenching as he pushed down into Laurie’s touch.

It wasn’t long before Laurie added another finger, spreading them apart, stretching, seeking out Jonah’s prostate and touching it just so. The tremors that started in Jonah’s thighs told Laurie he wouldn’t last much longer. He pulled his ace in the hole then, and slid his mouth down to the root of Jonah’s cock, relaxing his throat enough to take in Jonah’s entire—and not inconsiderable—length. He swallowed around the head, applying steady pressure against Jonah’s sweet spot all the while. Jonah made a sound that was part-scream, part-sob, and came so hard he seemed to stop breathing for a few seconds.

Laurie waited for Jonah’s body to relax before he withdrew his fingers. Jonah immediately turned and snuggled into Laurie’s embrace, offering his mouth up for another kiss. Laurie was more than happy to oblige. He liked Jonah’s kisses. He thought he could maybe even get addicted to them. And quite possibly already was. But Laurie didn’t want to think about that too much. He covered Jonah’s mouth with his and just kissed him until the kisses went from sultry to sleepy and slow. Then, with one last nibbly kiss to Jonah’s lower lip, Laurie pulled back and Jonah nestled his face into the crook of his shoulder and fell asleep within the span of a breath.

For a while Laurie was too wired to sleep, his body still thrumming with restless energy. He reached over to turn off the lamp with his free arm and just lay there, caressing the silky skin of Jonah’s back and enjoying the sound of his even breathing in the darkness. The night hadn’t gone anything like he’d imagined it would. Not only had Jonah seemed inexperienced, it was almost as if he were entirely untouched. It was enough to make Laurie suspect there probably hadn’t been an ex-boyfriend at all. But that was okay. More than okay. Laurie didn’t exactly relish the idea of anyone having touched Jonah before him.

It surprised Laurie how at ease he felt with everything that’d happened. Maybe it was because Jonah hadn’t wanted to rush into the actual sex. Laurie was grateful for that. He’d spent a good portion of the day worried he might be swamped with guilt afterward, even if Marc had given his approval. What surprised him even more, though, was that he hadn’t jumped on the out Jonah had given him earlier, when he’d said they could stop and just forget about everything.

For one second, Laurie had honestly been tempted. But seeing Jonah all flustered and insecure, he hadn’t been able to stop himself from acting. So he’d told Jonah he wanted him, partially to take that anxiety away, yes, but also because it was the honest to God truth. Then he’d kissed Jonah, and he could’ve sworn the earth had tilted on its axis because suddenly his head was spinning and he’d fallen into that kiss with a sort of wild hunger that bordered on desperation. And he’d thought that kiss was the crème de la crème of kisses, but, no, they’d just gotten better, one after the other. It shouldn’t have been possible, and if the trend continued, he wasn’t sure that one of those kisses wouldn’t someday stop his heart. But, man, that would be a hell of a way to go.
CHAPTER 4

Jonah stepped back and eyed the contents of the picnic basket he’d just packed. He’d included peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips, a container of fruit, and a few bottles of water. Had he been any type of a cook, he would have made something heartier, like fried chicken and potato salad with apple pie for dessert, but he was clueless in the kitchen and he didn’t want to risk accidentally burning the house down while his grandparents were at work. He shrugged, added some napkins to the basket, and closed it up. PB&J would have to do.

It’d been a few days since that night in the guesthouse. He and Laurie hadn’t been able to go back again. The following day had been crazy busy for Beckett’s Adventure Company. There hadn’t been time to exchange more than a few words, and that had been in company. The night after that, Laurie and Marc made plans to go to a local bar with a couple of the other guides and Jonah didn’t have any idea what time they finally stumbled in. All he knew was that they were both in bad shape the next day, and since Laurie looked so utterly exhausted by the end of his shift, Jonah figured nothing would be happening that night either. But he’d noticed that both he and Laurie had Wednesday off, so he brought up the idea of a picnic before Laurie went to bed. Laurie’s nod and sleepy smile had set Jonah’s stomach to fluttering.

Jonah glanced at the clock. They hadn’t discussed times, but it wasn’t even noon yet and they’d have the entire day to themselves. He’d let Laurie sleep for another hour. If he wasn’t up by then, Jonah was sure he could come up with an interesting way to wake him. Jonah wasn’t willing to wait any longer than that, though. His patience had already started to wear thin.

As it turned out, he needn’t have worried. A soft sound drew his attention to the door, and he looked over his shoulder to see Laurie fully dressed, lounging against the frame. Sudden shyness made his cheeks warm. It was stupid, really. Laurie’s fingers had been inside him. What point was there in being shy just because they were alone together for the first time in days? The feeling was there, though, and it showed in his timid greeting.
Laurie outright grinned. “Did you cook?”

Jonah’s blush deepened. “Not as such.”

Laurie chuckled at that. “So where are we off to for this picnic?”

“I thought we could go to the meadow,” Jonah said. “You know the one near that old barn?” As soon as the words left his mouth, Jonah started to worry that maybe the idea was a little too chick-flick for a guy’s guy like Laurie. He bit his lip, wishing he could take them back, but Laurie just smiled again and nodded.

“You ready to go?” Laurie asked, glancing around the kitchen. “Do you have a blanket and everything?”

“Yeah. I already put it in the truck.”

“Cool. Let’s go then.”

Since it was the middle of the day, traffic was light and they made it to the meadow in a little under twenty minutes. Laurie parked the old truck Jonah’s grandparents left behind for their use next to the faded barn Jonah had mentioned earlier. The sun was at its apex in the sky, the temperature probably somewhere in the low eighties if Jonah had to guess. Hot, but not unbearably so.

They found a spot in the shade of a nearby tree and spread the blanket out. Simple as the meal was, Laurie didn’t complain. He ate the sandwiches Jonah gave him and idly munched on chips and chunks of honeydew and cantaloupe from the container Jonah brought. They talked about the classes Jonah had registered for and the dorm he’d been assigned. He’d be starting at the University of Wisconsin – Madison in the fall, the same school both Laurie and Marc attended. It was close enough to their home in Eau Claire to easily drive back for weekends and holidays, but far enough that they had to live on campus. Jonah would never tell Laurie that a huge part of his reason for picking Madison was that he and Marc were there. Granted that wasn’t the only reason—it was a good school and Jonah’s parents had met and fallen in love as students there in the ’80s—but would he have been as keen on the idea of going there if Laurie had gone somewhere else? Not so much.

Somewhere in the middle of their conversation, Jonah was struck by the sudden urge to kiss Laurie. It wasn’t a new feeling by any means, but it occurred to Jonah that right then he actually could. Out there in that meadow with no one else around, there was nothing to stop him. Laurie lay on his back with his arms behind his head. At some point he’d removed the shirt he’d been wearing, and the pale gold skin of his smooth chest was on full display. His jeans rode low enough on his hips that Jonah could see the waistband of his boxers. Jonah’s fingers itched to reach over and tug them all the way down, spring that cock free and put his mouth on it, suck and tease until Laurie came, right there in broad daylight with only the lemon yellow sun as a witness.

Laurie was halfway into relating a story his professor had told during a lecture the previous semester about his time working as a profiler for the FBI when Jonah leaned down and stopped the flow of words with his lips. To Laurie’s credit, he didn’t miss a beat. Maybe he’d even been waiting for it. He opened for Jonah at the first touch, letting Jonah’s tongue probe and explore and slide against his. Laurie tasted like melon and peanut butter and Jonah thought that might be his new favorite flavor combination. He felt Laurie’s calloused fingertips skim across his nape and trail down the center of his back. Then, without being sure exactly how it’d happened, he was lying on top of Laurie, cradled between lean thighs, with those same fingers buried in his hair as the kiss went from honey-slow to blazing hot and out of control.

Jonah whimpered into Laurie’s mouth and ground down against him. He’d forgotten to pack one essential item (lube), but, hell, they could improvise, and he had to admit there was something incredibly romantic about the idea of losing his virginity in a sunlit field of flowers and sweet-smelling grass. But Laurie seemed to have plans of his own. His hands left Jonah’s hair and moved to the hem of his shirt. He tugged until Jonah was forced to break the kiss so that Laurie could pull it over his head and toss it aside. Their mouths reconnected, heat and need in every nibble and brush of lips, as one of Laurie’s arms slipped between their bodies and his fingers went to work on Jonah’s jeans.

Jonah kissed him until Laurie had bared both of their cocks, but the moment Laurie fisted them together in one hand and started up a leisurely stroke, Jonah ripped his mouth away and buried his face in the curve where Laurie’s neck met his shoulder. “Oh, God.” His hips jerked forward and he shamelessly rubbed himself against the velvety hardness of Laurie’s dick, a ragged, gutpunched groan tearing from his throat. Good. So fucking good. Jonah had never felt anything like it.

When Laurie picked up the pace and added a little twist to the downward stroke, Jonah sank his teeth into Laurie’s shoulder to muffle his cries. Yes. Oh, hell fucking yes. He liked that right there, maybe better than anything else they’d done so far. Except for the kisses. Those kisses made him lose his mind. Speaking of which…

Jonah lifted his head and crushed Laurie’s mouth under his. Laurie made a sound Jonah couldn’t even attempt to describe—a moan, a plea, a prayer—and suddenly the quick, jerking pulls got a whole lot smoother as the evidence of Laurie’s orgasm eased the way. Jonah lost it then, at the feel of Laurie’s come on his cock and the slickness of that firm grip as it moved steadily over his rigid flesh. He came, kissing Laurie so hard he’d be surprised if their lips weren’t bruised later, and it was like he hadn’t come in months. It went on and on, and the kiss kept going, too, until it was either pull apart or suffocate, and even then Jonah only paused long enough to draw in a few deep breaths before he kissed Laurie again.

After a few more minutes of deep, lazy kisses, they finally broke apart. They cleaned up with the napkins Jonah had packed and settled on the blanket again. Jonah curled against Laurie’s side, content to just lay there in silence. He wasn’t aware of closing his eyes, but he must have dozed off because the next thing he knew the play of Laurie’s fingertips along the length of his spine brought him slowly back to wakefulness.

Jonah blinked at Laurie, groggy and half-dazed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

Laurie smiled. “No worries. You were only out for a few minutes.”

“Really?” Jonah asked around a yawn. “It felt longer.” He stretched and sat up. “What time is it?”

“Three.”

Jonah glanced over at Laurie, who was still reclining on the blanket, loose and relaxed. “You want to see a movie?”

“Sure.”

“Cool. But I think we should play a game first.”

Laurie’s lips quirked. “What kind of game?”

Jonah grinned mischievously. “Hide-and-seek.”

Laurie laughed. “What are we, ten?”

“Oh, no, this isn’t your ordinary hide-and-seek. We play best two out of three.”

“Yeah?” Laurie said with a smirk. “And what are the stakes?”

“Winner claims a boon from the loser.”

“Keep talking.”

“A sexual favor,” Jonah went on, his body stirring at the expression on Laurie’s face. “The loser has to comply, no matter what it is.”

Laurie’s smile took on a decidedly wicked cast. “You sure you’re brave enough for that?”

Jonah returned that smile with an impish grin. “I’m brave enough for anything you can dish out.”

“We’ll see,” Laurie murmured as he sat up. “I hide first. Give me to the count of fifty.”

Before Jonah could reply Laurie grabbed his shoulders and yanked him close for a quick and dirty kiss that ended with a playful nip to Jonah’s lower lip. “For luck,” he whispered, and then he took off.

For a moment Jonah was too stunned to move, his mouth stinging, his cock once again on red alert. The sound of Laurie’s laughter in the distance snapped him out of it. He closed his eyes and started counting from ten, figuring he’d wasted at least that long sitting there like an idiot.

When Jonah finished counting, he searched for almost ten minutes before he finally admitted defeat. He called out to Laurie and was surprised by a rustle from the trees a few feet behind him. He turned and watched as Laurie dropped to the ground with bits of leaves in his brown hair and a smug smile on his face.

“My point,” Laurie said, his hazel eyes sparkling with humor. “Wanna try again?”

Jonah lifted his chin. “Damn straight I do.”

Laurie’s smile broadened. “See if you can actually find me this time.”

Jonah rolled his eyes and turned away to start counting again. That time he did find Laurie, and he was proud when it took him less than five minutes. Laurie still seemed happy, despite his loss, and Jonah couldn’t resist sneaking in a good luck kiss of his own.

He went off to find a hiding place as Laurie began to call out numbers from his position near their picnic blanket. Eventually he decided on the old barn. It might have been an obvious choice—and that explained why Laurie had avoided it—but Jonah had never said that he didn’t want to be found. In fact, he was more than a little excited by the thought of what Laurie might ask of him when he lost. Smirking to himself, he walked to the farthest stall from the door and settled down to wait. Come and find me.

****

It took Laurie all of five seconds to figure out where Jonah had gone. He shook his head and crouched to grab one of the water bottles from the picnic basket. Let the kid sweat it out for a few minutes, he thought as he drained half the contents in one long gulp. Jonah was so transparent. It was kind of cute, really, and Laurie was totally willing to play along. Between work and school, he didn’t have very much time for fun. Jonah was undeniably that. Not to mention sexy as hell. Laurie couldn’t remember ever having reacted to anyone so strongly and they hadn’t even had full-on sex yet. At the rate they were going, Laurie wondered if he’d survive it when they did. Damn if it wouldn’t be worth the sacrifice one way or another.

Laurie tossed the water bottle back into the basket, and made his way to the barn. He tried to keep his steps light as he checked the stalls, but by the time he neared the last one, he knew that if Jonah was there, he’d probably heard him coming. His suspicions were confirmed when he paused a couple of feet away and Jonah suddenly shot out of the stall and ran past him. Laurie burst out laughing and spun around to give chase.

He caught Jonah just outside the barn door. Jonah feinted left and then tried to bolt in the opposite direction, but Laurie was ready for him. He blocked Jonah’s escape and crowded him until he’d backed Jonah against one of the barn’s exterior walls.
Jonah’s face was flushed. He grinned as Laurie braced an arm on either side of his shoulders. “Guess you found me,” he said, reaching out to set his hands on Laurie’s hips. “So what are you going to do with me now?”

Laurie made a valiant effort at resisting as Jonah tried to pull him closer, but the sight of Jonah’s tongue slicking across his lower lip had him caving faster than a house of cards in a monsoon. He traced the same path it had taken and then nibbled at the corner of Jonah’s mouth. “You’re a little cheat. Running is against the rules, didn’t you know?”

Jonah’s soft, breathy laugh made Laurie’s cock twitch. “Maybe you should punish me then.”

Laurie slipped one of his thighs between Jonah’s legs and had to bite back a groan when Jonah immediately started to rub against him. “Yeah? Would you like that?”

Jonah shuddered, his eyelids drooping shut. “Yeah. I think I would.”

“So maybe I shouldn’t then,” Laurie said, even as he reached down to cup Jonah’s ass and drag him even closer. “Wouldn’t be much of a punishment if you enjoyed it, would it?”

Jonah’s grip on his hips tightened, urging Laurie to move faster. “Do whatever you like. Later.”

“Yeah.” Laurie gave in to him, loving the way Jonah trembled and moaned as the speed of their movements increased. “Later.”

CHAPTER 5

“So who all is going to be at this thing?”

“It’s a rave, Jo. You never know who’s gonna show up.” Laurie glanced over his shoulder at Jonah, who sat alone in the backseat of Marc’s Intrepid as Marc navigated the unnamed country roads that led deeper into the hilly forest at the edge of town. Jonah gave him a tiny, suggestive smile as Marc kept talking. Laurie shook his head, but couldn’t help smiling back. He and Jonah together at a party in the woods where alcohol and Lord only knew what other mind-altering substances would be available probably wasn’t the best idea, but when one of the fly-fishing guides had told them about the rave, he never once considered leaving Jonah behind. Outside of work, they hadn’t spent much time apart since their picnic last week. Jonah was still in possession of his V-card, as he liked to call it, but that was a mere technicality in Laurie’s opinion since they’d done just about everything else.

As hot as all of the fooling around was, Laurie knew this thing they’d started had already gone beyond that. He wasn’t sure exactly when it’d happened, but there’d been a moment the day before when Laurie looked at Jonah and realized he wasn’t just some friend with benefits anymore, if he ever had been in the first place. They were in a relationship. Without either one of them really acknowledging it, they’d become a couple. Because people in sex-only arrangements didn’t spend hours and hours just talking, didn’t hold hands and snuggle at the movies, didn’t fall asleep wrapped in each other’s arms after nothing more than a few kisses. And they definitely didn’t look at each other the way that Jonah looked at him.

Laurie was surprised their co-workers or Jonah’s grandparents hadn’t caught on. For him, the affection in Jonah’s face whenever their eyes met was blindingly obvious. If Marc hadn’t known what was going on, though he was still pretending otherwise to spare Jonah any embarrassment, Laurie knew he would’ve been able to guess. It was a good thing that he’d come clean to Marc before it even started because Laurie thought they were both probably doing a piss-poor job of hiding the fact that they were involved. That was okay, though. Laurie and Jonah were both out to their families, so it wasn’t as if that part would come as a shock to anyone. And maybe their relationship wouldn’t either. But if Laurie had anything to say about it, Marc was the only person who would ever know the particulars about how they’d gotten together in the first place.
Half an hour later they parked the car alongside dozens of others and made their way toward the massive bonfire they could see through the trees ahead. Laurie and Jonah settled on one of the huge logs that surrounded it while Marc went off in search of beer. It was really too hot for the bonfire still, but the woods would be pitch black without it, even if everyone had brought lanterns along. And the heat did nothing to prevent Jonah from pressing close to Laurie’s side.

Jonah put his mouth right up to Laurie’s ear to be heard above the frenetic techno music that pulsed from the giant speakers on either side of the makeshift DJ booth across the clearing. “So are you ever going to claim your prize?”

Laurie grinned. “Only when you least expect it.”

“I think tonight would be a good time.”

“Oh, yeah? Well, see, that’s the thing about being the loser.” Laurie leaned into Jonah and nipped at his earlobe. “You don’t have any say.”

Jonah shivered as Laurie’s tongue soothed away the sting from the bite, but in the next second he stiffened and subtly shifted a few inches away.

Laurie looked around and spotted Marc coming around the bonfire with a trio of beer bottles in hand. Luckily, Marc seemed to be totally engrossed in whatever the tall, tight-bodied blonde at his side was saying and hadn’t noticed Laurie’s minor slip up. Knowing about it was one thing, but seeing it would be quite another and that was one thing Marc had specifically mentioned during their talk. He had enough respect for his friend to try to honor his wishes, though it sure would be easier if Jonah was a little less hard to resist.

The song changed to one Laurie recognized and Jonah turned toward him, face alight with excitement. “Wanna dance?”

Laurie shook his head sheepishly. “I don’t dance.”

“Too bad.” Jonah stood when his brother arrived sans the blonde from before. He snagged one of the beers from Marc’s hand and drained it with a speed that had even Laurie blinking. He handed the empty bottle back and grinned. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Marc laughed and dropped onto the log beside Laurie. He handed Laurie one of the beer bottles and tossed the one Jonah had finished behind them. “You’re not going with him?” he asked in a casual tone as Jonah disappeared into the crowd of writhing bodies just outside the sitting area that surrounded the bonfire.

Laurie shrugged. “Let him do his thing. You know I can’t dance worth a damn.”

Marc snorted. “True.”

“What about you and that blonde?”

Marc took a long pull from his bottle and gave an appreciative sigh. “Oh, I’ll be seeing her later.”

That time Laurie snorted. “I’m sure you will.”

****

Jonah had no idea how long he’d been dancing. Song after song passed by in a blur. He sucked down another couple of beers and grooved with anyone who happened to be nearby. Male, female, it didn’t matter. He loved to dance and he was going to live it up while he had the chance. At that moment his partner was a guy with inky black hair and a multitude of piercings. His eyes were wild and Jonah knew he had to be on something, but Jonah didn’t mind until the guy crowded him and pressed something to his lips.

Jonah jerked back and shook his head. “No.” “Come on, baby.” The guy lifted his hand again. “It’s just a sugar cube.”

“I said no.”

“Don’t be like that. It’ll make you feel really—”

“You heard him, Rick.”

Jonah stilled at the familiar voice. Travis stepped up beside him and suddenly “Rick” was all apologies. The guy took off through a gap in the crowd and Jonah turned to face Travis. He hadn’t seen much of him since the incident with Laurie at Beckett’s. Travis still popped into the shop occasionally, but he didn’t linger as he had before and he wasn’t anywhere near as flirty. Right then, though, his arrogant smirk was at its highest wattage. He looked good; Jonah couldn’t deny it. Even in his grease-covered mechanic coveralls, Travis was still gorgeous. Out of them and wearing a clingy T-shirt and even clingier jeans, he was downright devastating.

Jonah crossed his arms across his chest, appreciative of Travis’s looks, but not affected by them as he might have been before. “Hey, Trav.”

“Jonah. Long time no talk.”

“Yeah.”

Travis made a production of glancing around. “Who are you here with?”

“Marc and Laurie.”

“Ah.” Travis’s smile twisted with amusement. “You up for a walk?”

Jonah bit his lip. He had no real interest in taking a walk with Travis, and he didn’t think Laurie would like it if he did. But he was still wondering what the deal was between Travis and Laurie, and there would be no better source than the proverbial horse himself. Finally, he shrugged. “Sure.”

Travis inclined his head. “Follow me.”

Jonah obeyed, trailing behind as Travis wove his way around the dancing couples and the other people who appeared to be doing some approximation that consisted mainly of uncoordinated flailing and jumping.

They moved deeper into the woods, away from the light of the bonfire. Travis stopped when it was just bright enough for them to make out each other’s features in the near-darkness.

Jonah leaned back against one of the trees, the roughness of the bark digging into his skin through the thin material of his shirt. “Since we’re not walking anymore, I assume you have something to say.”

“More like do,” Travis murmured. He approached until he was close enough for Jonah to feel his body heat. “I seem to recall making you an offer the other week. I’m still up for it if you are.”

Jonah clucked his tongue and gave Travis a considering look. “Well, as I was about to tell you that day before we got interrupted, I’m not interested.”

Travis shifted a bit closer. “Oh, really?”

“Not at all,” Jonah said, keeping his eyes on Travis’s. “But what I am interested in is why Laurie seems to hate you.”

“Yeah, he does, doesn’t he?”

“Mmm-hmm. And what’s the story there?”

Travis shrugged and dragged one long finger down the center of Jonah’s chest. “Why don’t you ask him?”

“I already did.”

Travis laughed. “And he wouldn’t tell you?”

No, he wouldn’t. Jonah had asked one of the nights they stayed at the guesthouse. Laurie’s immediate reaction had been to shut down and brush the question aside. It’d hurt, but the look in his eyes prevented Jonah from pressing the issue at the time. Of course, Laurie’s refusal to answer served only to make him even more curious.

When Jonah stayed silent, Travis’s fingers started toying with the hem of his shirt. “What are you gonna give me if I tell you?”

Jonah smirked and tried to make it as cocky as the ones Travis normally gave him. “Good, old-fashioned gratitude.”

“That’s not enough. I’d prefer a good, old-fashioned blowjob.”

Jonah rolled his eyes. “So not happening.”

Travis shrugged again and backed off a few steps. “Well, you can just go on wondering then.”

“Okay. If that’s how you wanna be.” Jonah turned on his heel and started walking away.

“You and Laurie, huh?” Travis called out after him. “You know I had that ass first, right? Yeah, I tore that little boy pussy up, and I made it really memorable. He ain’t never gonna forget me.”

Jonah meant to keep walking. Honestly, he did. But before the idea even registered in his brain, he was already halfway back to where Travis stood. He kept going until they were less than a foot apart, and that arrogant grin goaded him into throwing a punch that Travis never saw coming.
He felt the crunch of bone under his knuckles with almost unholy satisfaction.

Travis stumbled back a few steps and fell to his knees, his hands flying up to clutch at his nose. “Fucking asshole!” he yelled. “I think you broke my nose!”

Or at least that’s what it sounded like, though Jonah couldn’t be sure because Travis’s voice was nasally and muffled by his palms.

“Yeah,” Jonah growled, halfway tempted to kick the bastard while he was down. “And you won’t be forgetting that anytime soon, will you? Fucker.”

Jonah turned to head back to the bonfire, but froze before he could take a step. Laurie and Marc were standing a few feet from where he stood, both wearing similar expressions of shock. Jonah smiled at them, not bothering to look back at Travis, who was cursing and muttering behind him. “Ready to go?” he asked with false cheer. “I think it’s about that time, don’t you?”

He didn’t stay to see if Marc and Laurie agreed. By the time they made it out of the woods, he was already waiting for them at the car.

CHAPTER 6

Aside from when Marc asked Jonah what had happened between him and Travis, and Jonah refused to answer, the drive back to the lake house was made in absolute silence. Laurie was still buzzed from the beer and Jell-O shots he’d had, but what he’d overheard of the confrontation between Jonah and Travis sobered him considerably. He’d only caught the tail end, and Marc had too, though he was playing dumb because he knew how humiliated Laurie had been by the entire thing with Travis the summer before last. Laurie hadn’t wanted Jonah to hear it like that. Hell, he hadn’t wanted him to know about it at all. Too late for that.

God, when he’d spotted Jonah following Travis into the woods, it was impossible to say which was the stronger emotion—fury at Travis, or the sense of betrayal from the idea that Jonah was sneaking around behind his back. It was lucky Marc had been beside him right then. Nothing good would have come from Laurie tearing off after them in a mindless rage. Instead he and Marc had gone together and kept their distance just to see what would happen. The last thing Laurie expected was to show up as Jonah was planting his fist in Travis’s face. Not that it hadn’t filled him with a perverse sense of pleasure to see it. Of course, that still didn’t answer the question of why Jonah had gone with Travis in the first place. Laurie had every intention of asking once they were alone again.

Marc dropped them off in front of the house with a “see ya later,” and turned the car around to go back the way they’d come. Laurie knew he’d made plans with that blonde from the rave, but Jonah looked a bit lost as he watched Marc’s taillights disappear.

Laurie reached out and grabbed Jonah’s upper arm. “Come with me to the guesthouse.”

“But what if Marc comes back and realizes we’re both gone?” Jonah asked, but he didn’t put up any resistance as Laurie started to tug him along.

“I don’t care. We need to talk.”

“Yeah.”

Laurie released Jonah’s arm, and Jonah fell into step beside him. When they got to the guesthouse Jonah withdrew the key from his pocket and unlocked the door. After the third time they’d spent the night there, he’d stopped putting it back and just kept it on him at all times. Right at that moment, Laurie was immensely grateful for that fact. His patience was gone. He needed his hands on Jonah and he needed it as soon as possible. But there were other things they had to get out of the way first.

The second they were in the bedroom, Jonah turned on him. “So…you and Travis.”

It wasn’t a question. Laurie answered anyway. “Yeah.” Jonah crossed his arms. Normally his expressive face showed everything he was feeling, but Laurie couldn’t get a read on him in the semi-darkness of the room. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why were you going into the woods with him?” Laurie returned.

“I asked you first.”

Laurie sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. “It was a long time ago.”

“It happened here, right? In the guesthouse. That’s why you got weird when I suggested it that night.”

Laurie hesitated then nodded. “Yes.”

Jonah was silent for a few moments. “I went with him because I knew something had happened between you guys. I was hoping he would tell me what.”

“It’s in the past, Jonah. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Did he rape you?”

The raw tone in Jonah’s voice made Laurie flinch, rather than the question itself. “Not exactly.”

“But he hurt you.”

“Yes.”

Laurie watched Jonah’s throat work as he swallowed convulsively.

“I don’t understand why you didn’t tell me,” Jonah said, the words thick with emotion.
Laurie was glad then that if he couldn’t see Jonah’s expression clearly, it meant Jonah probably couldn’t see his either. He was pretty sure the look on his face would be some combination of pain and remorse. Yeah, maybe he should have told Jonah given the circumstances. But it wasn’t a story he was proud of. “I’m sorry.”

“Fuck, don’t be sorry! I just…I wish I could go hit that stupid shithead again.”

Laurie shrugged. “He’s not worth it.”

“But you are! You’re worth it to me. He hurt you and it makes me want to hurt him back.”

“Don’t waste your anger on him. Believe me, I’ve wasted enough of my own.”

Suddenly Jonah was in front of him, his hands gripping Laurie’s shoulders. “I hate that you were hurt.”

Laurie wrapped his arms around Jonah’s waist and pulled him close. “It could’ve been a lot worse. It was my fault, too. I should’ve been more careful. This is why I told you that it’s okay to wait for the right person instead of rushing into things.”

“That’s why I waited for you,” Jonah whispered. Then his lips were on Laurie’s, soft and gentle as the brush of butterfly wings, and all thoughts of Travis were lost in the warmth that spread through Laurie’s body at that simple touch.

For a while that’s all it was, softness and comfort, slow touches that were meant to soothe not arouse. Laurie couldn’t say exactly when the touches grew bolder and the kisses evolved into something more. Jonah’s hands seemed to be everywhere—on his ass, pulling his shirt off, yanking his belt free and shoving his pants down.

Their frantic strip got held up when they got to the shoes. Jonah was able to easily kick off his well-worn pair of Ed Hardy high-tops, but Laurie’s combat boots proved to be a bigger challenge. It took a minute, but then they were naked on the mattress, bodies flush together. Jonah was practically undulating beneath him and Laurie knew right then that just jerking or sucking each other off wouldn’t be enough.

Laurie grabbed the lube from the drawer of the bedside table and gave Jonah an inquiring look.

“Yeah.” Jonah nodded and jerked Laurie’s head down for a quick kiss. “Yeah. Right now. I’m ready.”

Laurie chuckled against his mouth. “Not yet. But you will be.”

****

Jonah quivered as Laurie lived up to the promise in those words. Laurie licked him and sucked him, pressed two slick fingers inside and twisted and stretched until Jonah didn’t know whether to cry or to beg. All he knew was that he’d passed ready about three exits back. Next stop: desperation.

“Now, Laurie.” Jonah moaned and rocked his hips, alternately grinding down into Laurie’s touch and thrusting up into his mouth. “Now.”

Laurie pulled off his cock with a messy, porno-quality pop that made Jonah’s entire body break into goose bumps. “Yeah.” He flexed his fingers one last time and Jonah shuddered. “On your side.”

Jonah followed Laurie’s instructions and adjusted the pillow under his head as Laurie settled onto the mattress behind him.

“Draw your legs up.”

Once again, Jonah obeyed. He pulled his knees up to his chest then trembled when he heard the click of the lube being opened. A few seconds later, the blunt tip of Laurie’s cock was at his entrance. Jonah tried to press down, but Laurie’s hand gripped his hip and held him still.

“You sure?” Laurie murmured, his lips brushing the sensitive skin below Jonah’s ear.

“Yes.”

“Try to relax. I’m gonna go nice and slow.”

Jonah nodded and closed his eyes. He tried to will the tension from his muscles, but he couldn’t help from clamping down the moment Laurie tried to breach that first tight ring of muscle. He felt Laurie’s groan as it rumbled from his chest.

“It’s okay.” Laurie’s hand moved soothingly over his hip, and the touch helped to calm Jonah somewhat. “Push out a little bit…yeah, just like that.”

Jonah whimpered as the head of Laurie’s cock finally slipped in. It hurt more than he’d thought it would, and he was abruptly glad for all the time Laurie had spent preparing him despite his impatience. After that, it wasn’t so bad, though. Not so much pain as discomfort and pressure, but Laurie took it slowly enough that Jonah’s body had adjusted to the feeling of being penetrated by the time he was all the way inside.

Laurie’s arm curled around Jonah’s waist and a soft kiss brushed across his nape. “Okay?”

“Mmm-hmm…”

“Tell me if it’s too much.”

“Just move. I wanna feel it.”

Laurie withdrew nearly all the way and slid back in. A few more of those careful thrusts, steadily increasing the pace each time, and then his hips snapped forward and the head of his cock hit Jonah’s prostate just right. Jonah cried out and arched his back. His erection, which had flagged due to the initial pain, hardened in a tingling rush.

“Y-Yeah,” Jonah said shakily as he reached down to take his dick in hand. “Harder.”

Laurie complied, and the depth and force of his thrusts increased. Jonah moaned long and low at the slick stretch, the aching pressure as Laurie pushed forward and the exquisite relief as he pulled back. And when the underside of Laurie’s cock brushed that sensitized bundle of nerves inside him, Jonah bit his lip and quaked at the agonizing, bone-melting pleasure. It started as a pinprick and spread up his spine and through his limbs, like dye moving over fabric, slow and drenching.

Jonah’s dick pulsed and he jerked it roughly as he shoved back against Laurie’s pelvis. He couldn’t believe how quickly the feeling had gone from discomfort to bliss, but Jonah’s mind was still screaming for something else, something more. “Laurie, I…I need…”

“What do you need, Jo?” Laurie’s voice was breathless and strained.

“I want…” Jonah trailed off, embarrassed to ask for what he wanted, even as his body begged for it.

“Tell me.”

“I want you on top of me. I want you to hold me down and just…take me.”

Laurie made a tormented sound. “Shit. But I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t. Please, Laurie.” Jonah turned his head and met Laurie’s mouth for a hot, tongue-tangling kiss. “Please.”
“Okay.” Laurie gave Jonah another fierce kiss and slowly withdrew. Jonah whimpered at the empty ache he left behind. “On your stomach.”

Jonah rolled over and shoved the pillows aside so he could rest his head directly on the mattress. He felt the bed shift as Laurie moved and then Laurie’s fingers gripped his hips, tilted them up, and his cock slid back inside in one slow, torturous glide.

Unlike the first time, Laurie didn’t pause to let Jonah’s body adjust. His hands settled on Jonah’s shoulders, pressed him down, held him immobile, and he set into a pounding that robbed Jonah of both breath and coherent thought.

Jonah gripped the sheets and squeezed his eyes shut. The change in position brought some of the pain back, but not enough for him to ask Laurie to stop. Never that. Laurie was giving him exactly what he’d wanted and he knew it wouldn’t be long before it got good again. And it wasn’t. Soon the feel of Laurie’s weight on him, those strong hands holding him still, that hard, steady tempo, sent him spiraling toward ecstasy once more.

Jonah groaned and spread his legs as wide as he could, tilted his hips even more so that thick cock rubbed his sweet spot at the perfect angle. And, oh, yeah, that was it. That was it right there. Jonah heard Laurie gasp, felt that relentless rhythm falter, and realized that Laurie was just as close as he was. One more deep thrust and Jonah came, almost sobbing from the intensity, the warmth of his release pooling on the sheets beneath him.

Laurie went still as Jonah’s muscles spasmed, and judging from the noise that escaped him, the moment was as amazing for him as it was for Jonah. His hips jerked once and Jonah felt a rush of heat as Laurie followed him over the edge. Laurie moaned as if something inside of him was breaking, his fingertips digging into the muscles of Jonah’s shoulders. After that, the harshness of their breathing was the only sound in the room.

When Laurie finally withdrew and collapsed beside him, Jonah shifted so they were face to face. He was sore and tired and a bit, well, soggy, but Jonah couldn’t remember ever being happier. And if Laurie’s blissed out expression was any indication, then Laurie was right there with him. Laurie’s eyelids were half-closed, his cheeks pink from exertion. His lips were dark and swollen from rough use, his hair damp and clinging to his forehead with sweat. But to Jonah, he’d never looked more beautiful.

“I love you.”

Laurie’s eyes snapped open. His lips parted, but Jonah shook his head and pressed a finger to Laurie’s mouth to keep him from speaking.

“You don’t have to say anything. Just…I wanted you to know.” Jonah laughed lightly. “I think I’ve been in love with you since I was thirteen years old.”

“Jo—”

“Don’t say anything, okay? Just hold me.”

Laurie’s arms wrapped around him and Jonah snuggled against his chest. With the sound of Laurie’s steady heartbeat in his ear, he felt safe. Warm and protected. Nothing could touch him. Nothing else mattered. He wished they could stay that way, just the two of them, forever.

He was drifting on the edge of sleep when the soft sound of Laurie’s voice made him stir. “Jonah?”

“Hmm?”

“Me, too.”

Jonah blinked and lifted his head. “Huh?”

“I love you, too.”

Jonah gave Laurie a drowsy smile. “Yeah?” Laurie’s lips quirked and he dropped a light kiss on Jonah’s chin. “Yeah.”

“Good.” Jonah laid his head on Laurie’s chest again, closed his eyes, and hoped he wasn’t dreaming.

CHAPTER 7

Jonah spent the next morning bouncing between guilt and euphoria. Laurie was his. Finally. Laurie loved him. Him. God, it felt so surreal. How long had he dreamed of hearing those words? A lifetime, it seemed. And Laurie had said them more than once. He’d whispered them again while they showered together before leaving the guesthouse. As his soap-slick hands moved over Jonah’s body, cleansing and rubbing away all of the little aches and pains, he’d said them, just loud enough to be heard above the water.

Jonah kissed him then. The kisses led to more touches, and the touches led to Laurie palming both of their cocks and jerking them off together under the warm, pulsing spray of the shower. All things considered, not a bad way to start the day.

Then the guilt came. For the first time since their relationship started, Jonah regretted inventing “Dirk.” Regretted the story he’d told to gain Laurie’s sympathy. What would have happened if he’d just been honest and laid his cards on the table instead? There was no way of knowing. But he owed it to Laurie to come clean. The idea of maintaining the lie didn’t sit right with him anymore. He knew he probably should’ve admitted the truth to Laurie at the very beginning, before they’d gotten sexually involved.

What will he think of me? Jonah hoped Laurie would be understanding, maybe even think it was funny. God, I hope so. I can’t lose him now. But he couldn’t just let it go either. It wouldn’t be right. On top of that, there was a fair chance Laurie would eventually find out anyway. If Laurie ever mentioned “Dirk” to Jonah’s parents, the jig would be up. Jonah had a close enough relationship with them that they would’ve known about any boyfriends…or lack thereof. And if Laurie found out the truth from someone else? Well, Jonah didn’t even want to think about that.

Jonah sighed and shifted in his chair, wincing slightly when some of his tender muscles protested the action. The shop had been dead so far, and the book he’d brought with couldn’t hold his attention. He’d woken up sore, and the shower had helped somewhat, but he could still feel it when he moved, a subtle ache that reminded him he’d been taken the night before. Maybe it was a bit sentimental, but the physical reminder made him happy. It was like a secret only he and Laurie shared.

The sound of his grandparents’ voices drew his attention to the back office. They were discussing sending a couple of the guides home early. It made sense—there weren’t very many kayak tours on the schedule—but Jonah figured they probably wouldn’t let him go any time soon, no matter how slow it’d been. Someone had to be around to ring up customers and answer phones. Normally, he didn’t mind much, but his body was hurting and all he really wanted to do was talk to Laurie. And maybe sneak in a few cuddles, too.

Jonah glanced at the clock. The next tour wasn’t set to start for another hour and a half, which meant Laurie would probably be free for nearly as long. Maybe they could head into town for lunch or something, and Jonah could bring the whole ex-boyfriend thing up sort of casually, in a “you’re gonna laugh when I tell you this” kind of way. They could have a good chuckle about it (hopefully), and then it would be over and done with.

“Hey, MawMaw?” Jonah called.

His grandmother, Eleanor, appeared in the doorway of the office and smiled at him. “What is it, sugar?”

“It’s a little early, but can I take my lunch right now?”

Eleanor looked over her shoulder when Jonah’s grandfather said something he didn’t quite catch. “Yes, I remember,” she murmured, then glanced back at Jonah. “We have to leave for an appointment in about fifteen minutes, love. You can go on a break if you want, but we’ll need you to cover the shop while we’re gone.”

Well, that was disappointing. But Jonah could work with fifteen minutes. Laurie had to be somewhere nearby. His last tour had come in only twenty minutes ago. The boathouse would be the best bet. “All right, MawMaw. I’ll be back.”

Jonah left the shop and headed toward the boathouse. He eyed the parking lot next door, searching for Travis’s car, but didn’t see it. Good. Maybe the guy was in the hospital having his nose readjusted. That or he was too embarrassed to show his face. Either way, Jonah didn’t care. He didn’t think he could stand to see Travis any time soon without hitting him again.

When he reached the entrance to the boathouse, both Laurie and Marc were just stepping out.

“Hey, kiddo,” Marc said. “What’s up?”

“Oh, um…MawMaw was asking for Laurie.”

Marc arched a brow and gave Laurie a look Jonah couldn’t read. “I see. Well, I’m going to get some food. Catch you guys later.”

As Marc wandered off, Laurie smiled slightly. “Very subtle, Jo.”

“Sorry.” Jonah laughed. “I should’ve guessed he’d be with you.”

“So, what’s really up?”

Nerves made Jonah’s stomach clench. “Can we go somewhere and talk?”

Laurie’s eyes searched his face for a moment. “Sure.”

“Come on.” Jonah started down the path that led toward the docks. He stopped a few feet out onto the first one and dropped down to sit on the edge. Laurie sat beside him, but didn’t speak, obviously waiting for Jonah to say something. When Jonah cleared his throat for the second time, Laurie glanced at him in amusement. “You got something stuck in there or what?”

That startled a laugh out of Jonah. “No, I…I’m a little nervous, but, you know, it’s actually kind of a funny story…”

“What’s kind of a funny story?” Laurie prodded, nudging Jonah with his shoulder. “How are you feeling, by the way?”

“I’m good.” Jonah smiled briefly. “I wish I could kiss you right now.”

Laurie reached out and squeezed his hand. “Later.”

“Yeah.” Jonah cleared his throat again, and tried to ignore Laurie’s chuckle. “But, anyway, you know when I told you about Dirk a couple of weeks ago?”

“Yeah?” Laurie said. The hesitancy in his voice made Jonah cringe.

“So, the thing is…I sort of made him up.”

“Sort of?”

“I did make him up. I…there is no Dirk.” Jonah risked a glance at Laurie. The expression—or, rather, non-expression—on his face was worse than anger would have been. “I just…I wanted—”

“Jonah!”

Jonah jerked at the sound of his name being shouted from the direction of the shop. Shit. Has it been fifteen minutes already?

“You should go,” Laurie said flatly when Jonah’s name was called again. Jonah bit his lip as the nervousness in his belly changed to queasiness. “Are you mad?”

“We’ll talk about it later, Jo.”

Jonah stared at him for a moment, but Laurie didn’t say anything else. Laurie’s silence, and the sound of his name being yelled for a third time, prompted him into getting up.

“I’m sorry, Laurie.” He turned and made his way back to the shop. By the time he got there, Jonah had fought off the feeling of nausea. Mostly. He apologized to his grandparents, and watched them walk out the door with a sense of relief. Trying to talk to Laurie when he had so little time had probably been a mistake. He’d have the rest of the day to agonize about whether Laurie was actually pissed or just disappointed. Worrying about it was going to drive him crazy. But, then, he had no one to blame but himself.

Oh, God, where is he? Is he that mad at me? Jonah looked out the window again, searching for a glimpse of headlights in the distance. Marc and Laurie had gone somewhere directly from Beckett’s, but he had no idea where. Jonah hadn’t spoken to Laurie since the few minutes they’d spent on the docks earlier. He didn’t have a clue what Laurie thought about the entire situation, and the constant anxiety had started to make him feel sick.

At first he waited in his own bedroom, but three hours later he found himself in Laurie’s room without any real memory of how it’d happened. They needed to talk. As soon as Laurie got back. There was no way Jonah could withstand an entire night of this. The very thought made him want to puke.

The appearance of headlights at the end of the long driveway half an hour later was as much a stress as a comfort. What if he breaks up with me? Not that they’d ever actually put a label on their relationship. But they were together. It wasn’t just about the sex. Jonah knew it.
In the time it took for Marc and Laurie to enter the house, Jonah had worked himself into such a state he thought he might just fall to pieces when Laurie opened the door. It didn’t happen, though. Laurie stepped into the room, and he didn’t look at all surprised to see Jonah standing there. He shut the door behind him and crossed his arms over his chest. Neither his posture nor his expression was encouraging in the slightest, but Jonah moved to stand in front of him anyway.

“Please don’t be mad!” he blurted before Laurie could say anything. “I’m really sorry, Laurie. I just…I wanted you to notice me. It was like you never saw me. You saw Jonah, Marc’s little brother, but not me. I thought if I told you I’d had a boyfriend, maybe you would be jealous, and then maybe…” Jonah’s throat felt tight. He swallowed to try to alleviate the pressure, but it got even worse as Laurie stared at him in silence. “It was a bad idea, I know. Really, I know that now. Please forgive me. I—”

“Jo,” Laurie interrupted quietly, “I already knew.”

Jonah blinked, his mouth falling open in shock. “You…you did?”

“Well, I suspected at least,” Laurie amended. “But this morning, when you confirmed it…I was more upset than I thought I’d be to find out you actually had lied about it all. That was kind of shitty of you, Jonah.”

“I know. I know. It was a dick move, and I’m—”

“But I understand why you did it.”

Jonah’s very brain seemed to freeze at those words. Laurie understood. So did that mean…? “You’re not going to break up with me?”

Laurie looked surprised. “No, of course not.”

Jonah kissed him. He couldn’t help it. Laurie wasn’t angry. They were still going to be together. The relief was so intense it almost made him giddy. He trembled when Laurie’s arms uncrossed and curled around his waist.

“I love you,” he murmured against Laurie’s mouth. His hand slipped between their bodies and pressed to the hard length he could feel under Laurie’s fly. “Let me show you how much.”

Laurie groaned. “Jonah, not here. I told you—”

“Just this once.” Jonah’s fingers undid the button on Laurie’s jeans and started to tug the zipper down. “Just this one time…”

Jonah knew he’d get his way when Laurie dipped his head and pressed a kiss to his collarbone. “Once,” Laurie said, his lips brushing over the soft skin there.

The exasperation in Laurie’s voice made Jonah laugh. It was going to be okay. Everything was going to be okay.

Or so he thought. Until the door flew open behind Laurie and his brother walked in. Marc was in the middle of saying something about condoms, but broke off when he spotted Jonah and Laurie locked in an embrace.

“Oh.” Marc’s eyes were huge. As Jonah watched, a slow flush crept up his neck. “Shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t…fuck, Laurie, I thought you weren’t going to do this in the house!”

Jonah felt his own eyes widen. “You knew?” He glanced at Laurie for reassurance, but the obvious guilt on Laurie’s face spoke volumes. “You talked to him about it?”

“Jo—”

Jonah pulled out of Laurie’s arms and looked between him and his brother. “You guys…were you guys laughing at me?”

“No.” Laurie shook his head and reached for Jonah again. Jonah stepped back, putting more distance between them. “Did you tell him about everything we’ve done?”

“No.”

“But you guys talked about me. You—”

“Jonah,” Marc interrupted in what Jonah assumed he thought was a placating tone. “Yeah, Laurie and I did talk after you asked him to…well, you know. But it’s cool. I told him I was okay with it. I told him to give you what you wanted.”

“Give me what I wanted?” Jonah echoed blankly. “You mean, you told Laurie to fuck me?”

“Well, not in those—” Marc started, but Laurie’s voice overrode his.

“It wasn’t like that, Jonah!”

“Oh, I’m sure. You guys must have really laughed it up, huh?” Jonah met Laurie’s gaze. He couldn’t even attempt to hide the pain he was feeling. “What was all this then? Pity? And you even told me you lo—”

Jonah broke off and bit his lip so hard the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth. No, he wasn’t about to say that. It would be like throwing another stick on the fire of his humiliation, and how pathetic would that be?

“Jonah.” Laurie took a step toward him. His hazel eyes were pleading. “Don’t— ”

But Jonah didn’t wait around to hear what Laurie had to say. He spun on his heel and fled the room.

**** “Shit,” Marc muttered into the silence Jonah left behind. “I really fucked that up. I wasn’t even thinking.” He glanced over at Laurie. “I’ll go after him.”

Laurie shook his head in a quick, jerky movement. “No. I’ll go.”

Marc sighed. “Sorry, man.”

“God, we both handled that badly. I should’ve told him that you and I talked.” Laurie rubbed a hand over his face and groaned. “I’m gonna go.”

He was halfway down the hall when he realized his fly was still open. He paused to do it up quickly. “Christ.” Five minutes ago Jonah had been pressed against him, looking so blissfully happy Laurie had been willing to give him anything he wanted. But the expression on his face when he’d realized that Marc had known about them all along…God, that was going to stick with Laurie for a while.

It took him over half an hour to find Jonah. Laurie checked his bedroom first, then the guesthouse and the gazebo. He’d just started to get really worried when he saw the glow of Jonah’s white T-shirt down near the lakeshore. When he got closer he realized that what he’d seen from a distance was just a pile of Jonah’s discarded clothes.

Laurie looked out over the water, growing more and more alarmed as he searched for a sign of—there. Out on the floating swim platform in the middle of the lake, he could just barely make out Jonah’s silhouette. “Shit.” Jonah would pick the most inaccessible location on the property. Laurie sighed. The air was still warm, but he knew the water would be different story. Well, no sense in delaying the inevitable. He had two choices: go to Jonah or wait for him to come back—and Laurie wasn’t feeling patient enough for the latter.

He stripped down to his boxers and treaded into the lake without another thought. Gooseflesh broke out over his skin as the chilly water closed around him. He probably would’ve won some kind of medal for how fast he made that swim, but Jonah didn’t even look at him as he hauled himself up onto the platform.

“What do you want?” Jonah’s voice was raspy. From the sound of it, Laurie could tell he’d been crying, and it made his stomach twist with remorse.

“We have to talk, Jo.”

Jonah sighed softly and sat up. The moonlight was bright enough for Laurie to see that he wore a pair of skintight blue briefs with a red waistband and the Superman symbol on the crotch. Under different circumstances, Laurie would’ve thought it was adorable. Right then, he was too wet, too cold, and feeling too damn guilty. And the look on Jonah’s face wasn’t helping.

“I’m tired of talking,” Jonah said flatly.

“Well, just listen then.” Laurie brushed sopping bangs off of his forehead and scooted a bit closer to where Jonah sat. “I know you’re upset, and I don’t blame you. I should’ve told you that I talked to Marc. But it didn’t happen the way you think it did.”

Jonah made a scornful noise.

“Look, I have too much respect for your brother— and you—to try to keep this a secret from him. He could tell something was on my mind, and when he asked me about it, I couldn’t lie to him.”

“And, so, what? He asked you to do me a favor?”

“He did tell me he wanted me to do what you asked,” Laurie admitted. “But because he trusts me, and he loves you. I know we were wrong not to tell you, but—”

“So that’s the only reason you did it?” Jonah asked thickly. “Just because he asked you to?”

“No, Jonah, I—”

“And did you lie when you said you loved me, too? Or did you just mean you love me as a friend?” Jonah’s voice rose with every word. “Did you say it back because you felt sorry for me?”

“Jonah!” Laurie gripped Jonah’s bare shoulders and shook him lightly. “Stop. You have to let me finish, okay? Don’t keep jumping to conclusions.”

Jonah’s eyes gleamed with moisture, and he looked like he wanted to say more. After a moment, though, he bit his lip and nodded.

Laurie kept their gazes locked as he said, “Your brother didn’t ask me to have sex with you as a favor to him. He asked because he could tell I wanted you too.”

Jonah blinked. “You did?”

Laurie nodded. “I did. I do. I told you not to doubt it.”

“How could I not doubt it, Laurie?” Jonah reached up and grabbed his wrists. “The way Marc said it…well, what was I supposed to think?”

“I know. It sounded bad.” Laurie sighed softly. “It was my fault for not telling you. We thought you’d be embarrassed if you knew, but that’s no excuse.”

Jonah seemed to consider his words for a moment. “Yeah, I…I probably would have been. I get your reasons, I just…” Jonah trailed off and released Laurie’s wrists. His arms wrapped around Laurie’s waist and he leaned in to rest his head on Laurie’s shoulder. “We both should’ve been more honest with each other.”

“Yeah.” Laurie ran his hands down Jonah’s back and drew him closer. “I do love you, Jo. As a friend, yes, but more than that, too. I was thinking, when we get back to Wisconsin, maybe you can move in with me and Marc. You could share my room.”

Jonah lifted his head and looked at Laurie, surprise clearly written on his features. “You want me to move in with you? You want to be with me even when we get to school?”

Laurie laughed quietly. “Yes to both. Don’t look so shocked. Isn’t that what you want, too?”

“Of course!”

“So then move in with me. We’ll save your parents some money on room and board.”

Jonah grinned. “I bet they’ll love that.”

“It’s not going to be free, though,” Laurie said, keeping both his tone and expression serious.

“Oh, no?” Jonah’s eyebrows went up. “You’re gonna charge me?”

“Yep.”

“And what’s it gonna cost me?”

“I have an entire list of acceptable forms of payment,” Laurie answered with a smirk. “We’ll go over it when we get up there.”

Jonah burst out laughing. “You know, you still haven’t claimed your prize. Are you adding that to the list?”

Laurie grinned. “Oh, no. I’m claiming that right now.” Jonah gave him a smile that was both nervous and excited. “Yeah? What are you going to make me do?”

“First, I’m going to make you swim back to shore because I’m freezing out here.”

Jonah nodded. “Me, too. It was kind of an impulsive decision.”

Laurie snorted. “No kidding.”

“Hey, I’m allowed a little teenage angst, right?”

Laurie rolled his eyes, but he was still smiling. “Guess so.”

“So, what are you going to make me do after we get to shore?”

Laurie leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Jonah’s mouth. “How about I tell you when we get there?”

Jonah was out of his arms and in the water in a flash. For a second, all Laurie could do was sit there and blink. Until Jonah splashed a handful of cold water in his direction and laughed.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Jonah called before vanishing under the surface.

Laurie shook his head and got to his feet. “What, indeed?” he murmured. And then he dove off the platform and went to claim his prize.

THE END

Author bio: Piper Vaughn wrote her first love story at eleven and never looked back. Since then, she’s known that writing in some form was exactly what she wanted to do. A reader at the core, Piper loves nothing more than getting lost in a great book—Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, she loves them all (and has a thousand book library to prove it!). She grew up in Chicago, in an ethnically diverse neighborhood, and loves to put faces and characters of every ethnicity in her stories, so her fictional worlds are as colorful as the real one. Above all, she believes that everyone needs a little true love in their life…even if it’s only in a book.