Chapter 23 Jacob
Jacob
“Where the hell are you going so early?” Hughie’s voice stops me dead like I’ve just been caught sneaking out of a crime scene.
Fucking hell.
I’m trying to hustle out without questions, because Griffin’s already outside waiting for me. For what is technically a date, even if I haven’t said that word out loud yet.
“Uh… out?” I answer, and the sound that comes out of my mouth is so embarrassingly high I want to punch myself in the throat.
Hugh squints at me. “Why are you being so weird?”
“I’m not,” I snap, way too fast and defensive. Okay, I’m definitely weird.
“Yes, you are. Where are you going?”
“Hiking,” I say, slow and stiff.
He watches me and I can feel his bullshit radar is pinging hard. And yeah, I get it. I’m acting twitchy. I don’t want to tell him I’m going to meet Griffin. Because then I’d have to explain what the fuck this thing is, and I don’t even know myself.
We talk and we flirt. We’re into each other. At least, I know that I am definitely into him.
But dating? That’s a stretch. I keep telling myself this is casual, even though my brain’s spinning and my dick’s been half-hard since I woke up.
“Okay, be safe,” Hugh says finally with a loaded look. “You gonna be home for dinner, or should I throw leftovers in the fridge?”
I shrug. “I’ll text you.”
He hums, but doesn’t say anything else. I wait a minute before I wave, then bolt before he changes his mind and grills me harder.
On the stairs, I try to shake it off. Part of me thinks I should just tell him.
He already knows I’ve been into Griffin for a while.
I’m not subtle. And Hugh’s my roommate, not my dad.
But I don’t want to jinx this before it even gets started.
I don’t want to open my mouth and ruin something I don’t even fully understand yet.
At the bottom of the stairs, I look up and fuck.
Griffin is leaning against the front of his Jeep, arms crossed over his ridiculously broad chest. And I swear, everything in me locks up.
He’s in these black running shorts that are basically underwear, showing off thick, toned legs that look carved from stone.
His shirt’s tight across his chest and pulled snug against his stomach.
I can see his abs through it. The outline is clear, defined, and sharp.
His skin’s got that sun-warmed look, golden and smooth.
His arms are solid muscle with those ridiculous veins that nurses weep over.
And then there’s the hat. Backwards baseball cap. Hair messy underneath. No one should look this good in a fucking hat, but he does. It makes him look cocky and so fucking hot.
He glances up when he sees me, and that grin. That grin alone could wreck me. Lips full, teeth white. My whole body reacts.
He’s not just hot. He’s infuriatingly hot. Unfairly hot. Every single thing about him makes me want to drag him into the backseat and forget the hiking part of today entirely.
Griffin smirks when he sees me coming. It’s that cocky, slow, self-assured curve of his mouth like he already knows exactly what he does to me.
“Hey there,” he says, voice low, eyes raking over me like he’s checking inventory.
Before I can even think of something to say back, he steps forward and grabs the front of my jacket, pulling me in.
Then he kisses me.
Right there. In broad fucking daylight. On the goddamn sidewalk in front of our apartment complex.
His lips hit mine like he’s been waiting all morning. It’s not some gentle peck either, he kisses me like he’s starving and I’m the only food he will ever need. My stomach drops straight into my shoes and my brain short-circuits.
All I can think is: More, more, more, more.
I pull back after a second, not because I want to, but because I panic. I glance over my shoulder with my heart hammering, half-expecting to see Hughie standing in the window or behind the door, jaw dropped and eyes wide.
But he’s not there.
I must look like a damn idiot, blushing like this. I try to play it cool, but I know my face is heating up like a sunburn.
Griffin just watches me, still smirking, clearly pleased with himself.
I huff out a breath and roll my eyes like I’m annoyed even though I’m anything but, and follow him around to the passenger side.
I climb into the Jeep, still trying to calm the fuck down.
Griffin hops into the driver’s seat and throws me a quick glance as he starts the Jeep. “You always look this cute in the morning?”
I snort and buckle in. “Shut up.”
He laughs, easy and smug, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the gearshift like it’s made for showing off his veins and knuckles. “What did you tell Hugh?”
“That I’m going hiking,” I mumble, refusing to look at his stupid perfect face.
He snorts and reverses out of the spot.
“Yeah, well, I panicked,” I mutter, slouching into the seat like it’ll hide the stupid grin on my face. I don’t know why I keep talking but here I am. “You ambushed me with a kiss in full view of the neighborhood.”
Griffin shrugs, eyes on the road. “Don’t hear you complaining.”
I don’t respond. I’m still buzzing from it. My lips feel warm. My chest tight in that annoying, good way.
The drive is quiet, but not awkward. He taps his fingers on the steering wheel in rhythm with the music. I catch him glancing at me once or twice and not bothering to look away when I catch him.
“So,” he says eventually, like he’s been waiting for the right moment. “What’s your hike skill level, exactly? Should I be ready to carry you back down?”
I scoff. “I’m not some delicate little flower. I’ve hiked before.”
“Yeah? Urban dictionary definition of hiking, or actual trails?”
I grin. “Actual trails. With rocks and trees and shit. You’ll see, I’ll leave you in the dust.”
Griffin laughs, shaking his head. “If you trip and fall, I’m gonna say ‘I told you so’ before I help you up.”
Ten minutes later, he pulls into a small dirt parking lot surrounded by trees.
“This isn’t the trail I thought we were going to,” I say, peering out the windshield. He has mentioned a few different places when we were texting but we hadn’t settled on one. He had wanted to surprise me.
“It’s better,” he says, cutting the engine. “Less people and more privacy.”
Something about the way he says that makes my throat dry out a little, but I don’t let it show. The idea of him taking me against a tree or in the dirt, rolling around and getting filthy, while he ruts into me has my cock thickening obscenely.
I shake off my thoughts and we climb out. He grabs a small backpack from the back seat, slings it over his shoulder, and walks over to me like it’s the most natural thing in the world. I fall in beside him as we head toward the trailhead.
It’s peaceful and quiet here. The trees start to close in as we walk, tall and close-knit. The trail winds up ahead, a little steep but manageable.
Griffin walks close, arms brushing every so often, and it’s.
.. nice. Too nice. I don’t do this kind of shit.
I mean, I always liked the idea of going on a real date with someone I have feelings for.
I haven’t done it though. I never really wanted to spend much time with someone.
I like being home with Hugh or just alone in my room studying.
I never craved the presence of another person but…
being with Griffin feels so fucking right.
It feels domestic. Like we’re not just messing around or flirting. Like we’ve done this a dozen times before. Like he’s mine, and I’m his, and we’re out for some normal Sunday hike.
And that fucks me up a little.
I try not to stare. I fail. Miserably.
Every now and then, he glances at me like he knows I’m watching then he smirks and continues on his way.
“This is definitely not beginner-level,” I mutter after a bit, hopping over a thick root that’s trying to murder my ankles.
He laughs. “You said you could handle rocks and trees. I’m giving you the full experience.”
“Oh yeah. Thanks for the authentic wilderness vibe. Very ‘National Geographic,’” I say, wiping sweat off my brow even though we’ve barely been walking fifteen minutes.
“You’ll thank me when we get to the top.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Is there a prize? Snacks? A blowjob?”
He doesn’t even blink. “I packed granola bars. The other thing’s negotiable.”
I snort, shaking my head. “God, you’re ridiculous.”
He just grins, and it’s so damn bright I almost trip over my own feet.
We hit a flatter part of the trail, just wide enough to walk side by side without jostling. He brushes against me again, shoulder to arm, and then, suddenly, his fingers slide into mine.
Just like that. He laces our fingers like he’s done it before. Like it’s no big deal.
And I forget how to breathe.
I glance down at our hands, then up at him. He’s looking straight ahead, lips twitching like he’s holding back a smile.
“You’re holding my hand,” I say, because my brain is clearly running on half-power.
“Good observation,” he says without missing a beat. “Next, I might kiss you again. Watch out.”
I should say something cocky back, but my mouth goes dry. My chest’s doing that annoying fluttery thing again, and I hate how good it feels.
We walk like that for a while. Just hand in hand through the trees like we’re not two dumbasses figuring this out in real time.
“This is weird,” I say finally.
Griffin tilts his head toward me. “Weird good or weird bad?”
“Weird like... I don’t know. I don’t usually do this. With guys. Or girls. With anyone.”
He’s quiet for a second before he squeezes my hand once. “Yeah. Me neither.”
And somehow that makes it better. Knowing that this is new to him too. Or at least that I’m special and not another notch in his belt. I mean I know that he was with Sabrina for a few years but before that he was pretty well known on campus for getting around. With girls, obviously.
We keep walking.
And it’s really fucking cute.
“Hey,” I say, keeping my eyes forward. “Can I ask you something?”
Griffin doesn’t hesitate. “Yeah. Shoot.”
I swallow, thumb brushing against the back of his hand. “Have you ever… been with a guy before? Like, before me?”
He’s quiet for so long I think that I may have asked a really delicate question.
I glance over at him, and he’s still looking forward, jaw tight but not in a bad way. Just like he’s thinking.
Then he shakes his head once. “No. Just you.”
Something about how calm he says it punches the air out of my lungs. I nod, not trusting my voice for a second.
He looks over at me. “You?”
I huff out a breath, eyes narrowing at the trail ahead. “I’ve… I don’t know. Made out with guys. At parties. Nothing serious.”
He arches a brow. “Like Danny?”
I nearly trip over a rock. “Oh my fucking god, can we not? I didn’t think anyone even noticed us.”
Griffin chuckles, smug as hell. “You weren’t exactly being subtle.”
“I was drunk,” I grumble.
“Not too drunk to grind against me while I kissed you against the house,” he says, giving me a look that is all satisfied male.
“Whatever. Point is, yeah, I’ve kissed guys. But this?” I motion between us, feeling awkward as hell. “This is… not the usual.”
He goes quiet again. Not in a weird way, just like he’s processing it. His grip on my hand doesn’t loosen. If anything, it tightens just a bit.
“Good,” he says finally.
We walk a little more, still quiet, trees rustling gently overhead like they’re trying not to interrupt. Griffin swings our joined hands slightly.
Then he glances at me. “Do your parents know? That you like guys?”
I pause, kicking a small rock down the trail. “Yeah. Kind of.”
He waits for me to speak more and doesn’t push.
I sigh. “My mom knows. Or, well, she found out in High School. But she’s got this amazing talent for pretending it’s not real. Like if we don’t talk about it, maybe it’ll go away.”
Griffin frowns a little but doesn’t say anything.
“I told Grant,” I add, softer. “Hughie’s dad. My mom’s ex-husband. I told him before the divorce, back when things still felt... I don’t know. Stable.”
Griffin squeezes my hand to let me know he is listening.
“He was cool about it,” I continue. “He didn’t even flinch when I blurted it out. Just nodded and said, ‘Okay.’ Treated it like I told him I liked peanut butter or some shit.”
Griffin hums, thoughtful. “That’s because there’s nothing wrong with it.”
I look at him. Really look. “Would your parents think so?”
His mouth pulls tight, just a little. “They wouldn’t care.”
I raise an eyebrow. “No?”
He shrugs. “I don’t talk to them.”
That stops me.
“At all?” I ask.
Griffin shakes his head. “Nah. They were never really parents, not in the way that matters. I left for college and that was it. No big fight, no dramatic scene. Just... silence. Like we were never anything to each other.”
The way he says it makes my chest squeeze anyway. I have my own issues with my mom but I couldn’t imagine just never speaking to her again.
I squeeze his hand.
He looks over at me, eyes a little softer now. “Didn’t miss the relationship when it ended. ’Cause it never felt like there was one.”
I nod, not knowing what to say that wouldn’t sound cheap. But he doesn’t seem to need me to fix it. Just being here…walking next to him, hearing him say it out loud feels like enough.
We finally hit the top of the trail, and I stop dead.
“Holy shit,” I breathe.
The trees open up into this wide, rocky ledge that drops off into the most ridiculous view I’ve ever seen.
The valley stretches out below us like something from a movie…
.gold and green and endless. You can see the river winding through the middle, glinting in the sunlight, little rooftops scattered like toy houses in the distance.
The air up here is clean and cool, and everything just feels bigger.
Griffin grins beside me. “Told you it’d be worth it.”
He walks forward and drops down onto a flat boulder with his legs stretched out in front of him, hands behind him to lean back. Then he pats the ground next to him.
“Come on,” he says.
I hesitate for half a second before I move to sit beside him. It feels... intimate. Being here in this silent space, just enjoying each others company, feels like more than hooking up or kissing or any of the physical shit that I have been craving.
Griffin looks over at me, and before I can settle into the awkward tension building in my spine, he chuckles and slings his arm around my shoulders.
“Relax,” he says, pulling me in like it’s the easiest thing in the world.
I let myself lean into him. His side is solid and warm, and the way his fingers rest against my shoulder makes my chest ache in a stupid, good way.
We sit like that. Not saying anything.
Just breathing in the view.