Chapter 35
After the sweet, but over the top gratitude Mom and Cherry laid on James, it’s surprising he’s still speaking to me. Giving me a rim job in the backseat of his car feels like a minor miracle.
Determined to keep his word to Faith, all of our hook-ups, and there’s been a lot of them, have taken place either in a car, at his apartment as we prepare it to be moved into, and once in a stairway on campus—poor judgment but oh so hot.
As is this. It’s dark out, convenient since we’re parked in the empty parking lot of a Home Depot.
It’s a ridiculously tight space for a full grown man and a giant, but by God are we making it work.
My face is buried into the faux leather seat, and James’ face is between my cheeks.
That damn mustache brings me to the breaking point.
Taylor Swift is blasting through the speakers, the car vibrating with the heavy bass of I Did Something Bad, while James does the very same to me.
“Don’t you ever shave that thing, Jimmy. I’m going to paint your back seat.”
Thrusting his tongue deeper inside me, he tightens his grip on my ass cheeks and moans. He loves me calling him Jimmy. And eating my ass. “So good, Jimmy. So good.” When he growls this time, the vibration does me in.
I buckle beneath him, almost convulsing and spilling all over his seat.
“James, fuck you’re going to be the death of me.
” He doesn’t stop, just laughs and delves deeper and deeper before sliding his finger in to abuse the gland his tongue can’t reach.
I feel him jerking himself as he does, and it’s that mental image plus the renewed stimulation in my ass that sees me come again.
“Cory, fuck I’m coming too.” The hottest back shot ever splashes on my sweat-soaked skin and I collapse, James falling on top of me. The weight of him delicious.
“Holy shit, that’s never happened before,” I pant. “Actually I didn’t even know it was possible.”
“Ne meither.” He huffs a laugh, lips peppering me with kisses. “I mean me neither. Fuck, I think my brain just blew out my dick.” Suddenly his laughter stops and his stills. “Next time, I think we should go for three.”
“I agree.”
“Can you even breathe right now?”
“Nope. It’s the best.” James laughs again, his body jiggling as he lifts off me and sits on his haunches as much as he can, and for the fiftieth time this week, I count my blessings.
“You know, when I first met you, I would never have expected you to write filthy fan fiction, say things like, I think my brain just blew out my dick, and laugh because your cum-soaked body was suffocating me. You’re quite the dirty old bastard once you drop the snooty Frasier act. ”
“I’m surprised you even watched Frasier.”
“Why, because I’m just a kid?”
“No, because it’s too high brow. You seem like more of a Dumb and Dumber guy.”
“Hey!” I sit up and slap his sticky chest. “None of the dumb jock stereotypes, please. You know I’m smart as fuck. After a rough start I’ve worked my way up to the highest grades in your sister’s class. And she hates me, so that’s even more incredible.”
The joyfulness in James’ expression melts away. “She doesn’t hate you, Cub.”
“Pitt. I think she does. Even Brady thinks so.”
“Brady said that?”
“He did. And don’t worry. I haven’t spoken to him, or anyone about us. He’s just picking up the vibe your big sis is laying down.”
James’ face falls further as he reaches for one of the wet wipes he’s started keeping in the car since we started fucking in it.
“Sorry,” he says, as he effortlessly flips me over and starts cleaning.
“She’s stressed with all this insurance crap, pissed with me because of the position I’ve put her in, and I get it.
She shouldn’t be taking it out on you, though. ”
“Did you do what I suggested? Tell her we weren’t seeing each other anymore?”
“I tried but she called me out straight away. I’m smiling too much to not be having sex, apparently.”
I should probably feel bad that James is having a hard time with his sister because of me. But it’s hard to focus on that when I hear he’s smiling all the time because of me, too.
“I make you smile?” I coo.
“Shut up.” He snorts, then tosses the dirty wipe in my face. “You know you do.”
“You make me smile too. Even when you toss cum rags at me.”
“Never say that again, Cory.”
“I will if you ever stop smiling.”
“Deal.”
I’m contemplating round two when my phone rings. It’s in the pocket of my jeans, buried somewhere on the floor, and by the time I find it, it’s stopped. It starts again immediately and worry sets in as James finds then hands it to me. “It’s Coach.”
“Shit.” I take a breath and answer while trying not to laugh. James has slapped his hand over his mouth to keep quiet and it’s so freaking cute it’s not funny.
“Hey Coach. How you doing this fine evening?”
“Fine, Cory. Thanks for asking so formally. You sound like a fucking butler.”
“Yeah, sorry. I always get a bit nervous when you call.”
“Good to know. Listen, I was talking to your mother today, had an idea to run by her.” I sit up so straight, so fast, my head spins.
“You talked to my mom?”
“I did. I knew it must be close to the time you have to move out of your home, and I wanted to lend a hand. I have one last Sunday of slave labor up my sleeve and I’ve decided to use it to help your family.
Come Sunday morning, the team will be at your place seven sharp.
If you have any … private items you don’t want your teammates to see, I suggest you pack them securely before we arrive. ”
Several private items only me and my prostate have been introduced to recently, spring to mind. “Thanks for the heads up, Coach. And for helping us move. It’s unexpected and so appreciated.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m a Goddamn saint. See you at practice, Captain.”
Sitting next to Brady, one of my favorite people, in my favorite class, sports psych, has been the highlight of this term.
At least it was. “Do you want me to talk to her? There’s got to be a reason why she’s so … um.” His face screws up as he searches for the right words.
“Why she hates me all of a sudden?”
Exhaling, he makes a sound similar to a horse and nods. “I was looking for a better way to say it, but yeah. She does seem to hate you.”
It would take all of five words, I slept with her brother, to explain her sudden dislike of my fave, but I promised Jamie that I wouldn’t talk to anyone about us and I have to keep my word.
I’m desperate for whatever this is between us to last. Even when I go to Canada, as hard as it will be, I need James in my life.
It feels like every second we spend together, I understand him better. Despite his grumpy, snooty outer shell, when he lets his guard down and shows who he really is, the guy’s a Goddamn delight. He’s so fucking funny, would do anything for those he loves, and he has a really big dick.
I lean over my desk to shield my face from the professor. “You know what it might be? I talked to James about the house stuff, and the coming out stuff. And the friend stuff too. Maybe she’s put out that I didn’t come to her.”
Brady shoves his hand in his pocket, and I know he’s rubbing the hair of that damn troll. It helps him think. “That doesn’t seem very Faith-like. She genuinely wants the best for the team and as long as you’ve reached out for help, I don’t think she would mind who you went to.”
“Mr. Malkovich, is my lecture interrupting your conversation?”
Wincing, I raise my head, and come face to stomach with Professor Plum.
“Actually I was talking,” Brady cuts in. “Sorry about that.”
“There’s no need for you to cover for him, Brady. After all, Mr. Malkovich will be twenty-one this week. I’m sure he’s big and brave enough to fight his own battles. I’ll see you in my office after class.”
“But I have practice.”
“Well, you better not drag your feet then.” Brady begins to speak, but is silenced by a remarkably similar death stare to the one I’ve received from her brother.
The rest of our lecture drags, and when Plum dismisses us, I rush to beat from the lecture theater to make sure I beat her to her office.
Even though I’m about to get my ass handed to me, I can’t stop smiling.
I haven’t been back here for weeks, not since I was stalking Jamie while eating alone.
It’s sad to look back and think how lonely I was then, but brilliant to compare it to now.
Lost in the daydream that relaxation provokes, I didn’t hear Faith approach. “Did you run here?”
“No, of course not.” I totally did. As though she sees my lie, she rolls her eyes and pulls open the door.
“Come with me, Cory.”
“Okay.”
The door to her office isn’t even closed before she starts. “I know you’re young, and that it can take years for people to come into themselves, but I don’t think you know yourself enough to be considering a relationship of the nature that James needs.”
Well, okay then. “Ah, no offense, Professor, but you don’t even know me.”
“Do you know you?” she counters immediately, her steely gaze fixed on the chair I think she wants me to drop into. I stay standing, though. It’s much easier to run that way.
“What the fuck does that mean? Of course I do.”
“Ah, okay. Sure thing, Ken.”
“Ken? What … what the hell is happening right now?” I glance around the room like someone’s coming to help me. There is no one of course. I’m in this alone.
“What’s happening is that I’m concerned about my family.
What’s happening is me calling you out for changing your personalities like Ken doll changes his outfits, hockey Ken, school Ken, Grindr Ken.
I could go on. My brother believes you’re this sweet, caring, dorky guy who’s amazing with and bonding with Dylan, something that happens rarely.
What I’m concerned about is that guy being just another costume and my brother’s being hurt when you tire of wearing it. ”
Wow. That stings. I take a minute, slow my breathing and try really damn hard not to become defensive.
“Faith, and yes, I am calling you Faith because what we’re talking about here has nothing to do with my education and everything to do with what happens in my personal time.
You’re one hundred percent right. I was like that.
I absolutely was and have no shame in admitting that.
” Moving to sit behind her desk, Faith scoffs and I can practically see the words, I knew it, written on her face.
“But you’re also way off. I did feel the need to be what people wanted or expected me to be.
I hid my glasses, my sexuality. I wore my hair different, was generally ashamed of being me, and trying to be everything I’m not.
But then I met James, who helped me see that I’m just a guy who wants nothing more, and deserves nothing less than to feel safe enough to come out.
Not only as gay, but as himself. Only a special man can provoke that kind of introspection, Faith, and that’s exactly what Jamie, the man I’ve fallen for, is. ”
Faith looks at me blankly, her right eye lid twitching.
I may have broken her.
“You’ve fallen for him?” she whispers. “It’s not just … fucking?”
“No. It’s not just fucking. I mean it started like that, and it is out of this world, but no. It’s not just that. I want to be with him, Faith. I wouldn’t be risking so much, if I felt any less.”
“Did you ever consider that it’s easy to take that risk, when you’re not the one in danger of losing everything.”
Bile rises in my throat. “What do you mean?”
“What I mean is, this relationship isn’t putting your career, and future livelihood at risk, but it does for James. I’m sure he’s told you about his past. If the truth comes out, he could lose everything all over again, Cory.”
“But it won’t,” I argue. “He won’t.”
“But he could. So I have to ask, if you care as much as you say you do. If you’re really falling for him, why would you put him in such a precarious position?”
“I … I …”
Fuck.