42. Kyle
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
KYLE
I climb out of Warren’s truck, slowly walking to the front of the grill, staring up at my parents’ house— my house —as if it might somehow swallow me whole.
Sensing my nerves, Ren joins me and reaches his hand out. I grab hold, threading our fingers together and accepting my boyfriend’s support.
God, it sounds so weird to say that—weird but comforting.
“We got this, Ky. It’ll be fine.”
Ren tries to reassure me, but he doesn’t know if it’ll be okay. No one does. Dinner with our families could be an absolute disaster.
“I’ll take the lead, okay?”
I nod quickly, my breathing becoming a little shallow as I let Ren tug me toward my own house.
My feet are heavy, like the driveway is made of quicksand.
Why did I want to do this so soon?
“ Warren! Kyle! ” my mom exclaims in an excited greeting, opening the front door before we even make it up the porch steps. “ Come in, come in. The meatloaf’s almost ready.”
I give my mom a big hug on autopilot and stumble into the living room as if I’m a guest and I haven’t lived here my whole life.
“Warren, honey. Your dad and Valentina aren’t here yet if you want to give them a ring.”
“Sure thing, Mama Carol.”
Ren slips his phone out of his back pocket and plops onto the couch. I choose a seat across from him, and finally take a moment to appreciate just how good he looks tonight while he shoots off a quick text to his sister.
He’s wearing a tight black T-shirt, loose-fitting jeans that are ripped to hell, and his favorite black Converse. His thick hair is pulled up into a tight bun on top of his head, and holy shit does he look good.
“They’ll be here any minute!” Warren yells into the kitchen, suddenly breaking me out of my perusal.
He gives me a knowing grin as my mom shouts her thanks back.
Soon enough, Warren’s dad and sister arrive, and Nelson comes downstairs.
We all take a seat, and my mom sets the food on the table.
“Thank you everyone for being here tonight. It’s great to have us all under one roof again, enjoying a meal together. So, thank you.”
“Cheers, Carol.” My dad holds his wine glass up, followed by Mom and Mr. Moretti.
Quiet conversations fill the table as Nelson tries to chat up Val, and my dad attempts to talk business with Mr. Moretti.
I nudge Ren’s leg because we need to tell everyone before dinner goes on too long and things get weird.
“Kyle and I are dating. He’s moving in with me,” Ren blurts out as my mom cuts the last piece of meatloaf.
Goddammit, Ren.
That is not how you were supposed to do that!
I take a deep breath, preparing for the aftermath of that poor delivery.
“You . . . I’m sorry? ” Mom says, tilting her head like she’s not exactly sure if she heard him correctly.
“Warren’s my boyfriend now, Mom. I love him.”
My mom gasps, setting the knife down and clutching her heart. “Oh, honey.”
Moisture starts to gather in her eyes, but I think they’re happy tears.
I glance over at Val, and she nods, smiling encouragingly while she dishes up a slice of meatloaf onto her plate. She’s always been on our side, rooting for us in everything we’ve done, and this is no different.
Warren slips his hand under the table, squeezing my thigh reassuringly.
“You both look so happy, and that makes me happy,” she says with a sniffle, and I release a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “I suppose it’s not too surprising, really. You two have such chemistry and a rich history.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I mumble, a little choked up by her easy acceptance.
“It would never matter to me or your father that you’re gay. Right, Randall?”
Before my dad can even answer, I interrupt. “I’m not gay, though.”
My parents glance at each other out of the corner of their eyes, and I know what they’re thinking.
“I’ve questioned that statement many, many times recently. Trust me, ” I admit honestly. “But the simple fact of it all is, I fell in love with my best friend, and it doesn’t matter that he’s a man because he’s mine.”
Warren turns to stare at me, his stormy eyes intense and full of promises.
I know that look all too well.
“ Aww! ” Val squeals, clasping her hands in front of her chin like she’s about to cry. “That is so sweet. I truly believe you two were made for each other.”
She reaches across the table, holding her palm out for me. I place my hand in hers, and she gives it a squeeze. “Don’t let anyone make you feel like you need a label. If you feel comfortable with one, great. But if you don’t want one, you don’t need one. I personally don’t. I mean, sometimes I like to kiss girls, but I don’t need to define that.”
Nelson chokes on his water, nearly spitting it across the table, and the rest of the dining room goes silent.
Valentina giggles, while Mr. Moretti just shakes his head and takes another bite of meatloaf, neither surprised nor fazed by any of this.
I’m choosing not to tell them I’m demi right now because it’s all so new, and it would invite too many questions that they may not understand the answers to.
“Yeah, Ky,” Warren whispers, continuing to stroke my leg under the table. “And it’s no one’s business if you don’t want it to be. Okay? ”
“Okay,” I murmur, trying not to get choked up in front of our entire family.
Warren leans back in his chair, threading his fingers together and resting them on top of his head, distracting the table and successfully pulling the attention away from me.
God, I love him.
“I, however, have come to a very important conclusion,” he announces.
“Pops. Everyone. I’m bisexual, and I’m comfortable enough with labeling that,” Warren says nonchalantly. “So, yep. It’s out there now. Ya boy loves everyone! ” he shouts in a laugh, giving the room a casual shrug and leaving everyone speechless.
His self-acceptance is a beautiful thing, and his carefree confidence is so sexy.
Suppose it always has been.
“Well, it don’t matter to me if you date a boy or a girl,” Mr. Moretti finally says. “And that applies to both of ya.” He nods toward his daughter before continuing to eat his dinner, not letting a good meal go cold. “As long as they treat ya right,” he adds.
“Aw, Daddy !” Val coos. “You big softie. We love you.”
Mr. Moretti mumbles a love you too under his breath, clearly uncomfortable with the show of affection in front of a table full of people.
“Okay, well, let’s all eat before things get cold,” my mom says, recognizing that I don’t want the conversation lingering on my sexuality or relationship any longer. “I’ve got a warm peach cobbler in the oven to celebrate.”
My head whips up, and she winks at me, mouthing an I love you .
Smiling softly, I mouth the words back to her before taking a bite of the melt-in-your-mouth meatloaf.
Throughout dinner, I keep stealing covert glances at my brother, waiting for him to say something. I can’t help it. I know he won’t be an asshole in front of our parents or Val, but I want some sort of reaction from him.
Anything at this point.
Watching him attempt to scoop his peas off his plate with a fork—scraping the metal against the ceramic over and over—irritates the hell out of me.
I can’t take it anymore.
“Are you going to say anything, Nelson?”
He glances up, bored eyes dismissing me and turning to our mom. “This meatloaf is excellent, Mom. Thanks for cooking for everyone.”
Of course, he starts a chorus of echoes because when one person compliments the chef, everyone else compliments the chef.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it, Nelson. If you’ve got something to say about Ren and I being together, I think you should just say it in front of everyone.”
I can’t help but feel antagonistic vibes radiating from him.
He laughs as if our announcement was of no consequence to him.
“Kyle, buddy. I really don’t care if you want to be a little gay or whatever . We’re cool, and I seriously support you guys.”
What?
I’m taken aback, not going to lie.
Offended, too, but that’s par for the course with Nelson.
“If you wanna go to any parades, I’d be down.” Nelson glances at Warren’s sister with hope shining in his eyes. “Val? How ’bout you?”
“Um . . . absolutely! ” She does her excited, clapping dance. “This is going to be so fun.”
“I don’t know about that, dude,” I say, not really into the idea. Nelson’s an asshole, not an ally, and he clearly has an ulterior motive when it comes to Val.
“It could be fun,” Ren says with a mischievous grin. “Rainbow tutus?”
“ Absolutely not! ” I shout, way too loudly for the dinner table, and everyone laughs, even my dad.
“ Fiiine. We can decide later,” Ren concedes, sweeping everything under the rug with a joke, and everyone digs into the peach cobbler that my mom just served.
We enjoy dessert, granted, my dad is a little quieter than his normal level of mute, but all in all, I think it was a success.
And the peach cobbler is delicious.
When everyone finishes, we help my mom clean up and say our goodbyes.
She squeezes me extra tight for a far different reason than usual. “It’s so good to see you happy again, honey. You know I adore Warren,” she whispers into my ear.
My mom pulls back, cupping my cheek, with tears in her bright blue eyes and an overjoyed smile on her kind face. “Your dad’s just an introverted man, and he needs time to process things. He’ll come around; I know it. Have a good night, honey. I love you so much.”
“Thanks for being there for me, Mom. For us. I love you too.”
She gives me a kiss on the forehead. “Now, go spend the rest of your evening with that lovely boyfriend of yours.”
I’ve really got the best mom in the world.
I chuckle, giving her an extra hug before I slip out of the front door with Ren, Val, and their dad.
“That actually went better than I hoped for,” I whisper to Ren.
“Completely agreed,” Ren echoes.
“You still comin’ into work at six on Monday morning?” Mr. Moretti asks Ren while we walk to our trucks like nothing’s changed. “I need you there early ’cause Raymond can’t make it in until eight.”
Ren gives him a big smile. “Yeah, Pops. You can count on me.” He pulls his dad in for an unexpected hug, and Valentina joins in next, wrapping her arms around both of them as best she can.
“ Family hug! ” she sing-songs, making her dad grumble, even though we all know he loves it.
Laughing, I grab Warren’s hand and pull him from the dog pile, racing for his truck.
I’m ready to spend some one-on-one time together in our new apartment.
“Mmm, you taste like peaches,” Ren moans against my lips while we make out on the king-sized air mattress in our new bedroom.
“You do too,” I chuckle, nipping at his bottom lip.
The overhead light is off, leaving only the twinkle lights on the wall above us. It’s romantic and the mood feels right, so I reluctantly pull away and reach into my back pocket for something I’m a little nervous to give him.
“Here,” I say, my heart skipping a beat as I hand him the friendship bracelet.
The one with my initial on it.
The one he threw at me before he stormed out of my house and out of my life.
“ Ky . . . ” he whispers, clearly choked up.
“Take it,” I beg. “I need to see it on your wrist. Please. ”
I need to see that he’s actually mine again.
“Okay,” Ren whispers, accepting the gift and strapping it back on his wrist. “Thank you.”
His eyes darken as he watches me put on the matching leather cuff with a W engraved into it.
Ren’s lips are back on mine, tempting me to devour his body yet again.
I can’t get enough of him.
Grabbing the lube, I prep him quickly, sliding into his tight heat with a familiar squeeze that has my eyes rolling into the back of my head.
Ren clings to me, wrapping his arms and legs around my body and holding on for dear life while I pound into him.
But I want to see the cuff on his wrist marking him as mine.
Pulling out carefully, I flip Ren onto his stomach, manhandling him and spreading his legs before I slide right back in.
We both groan at the stretch as our bodies fit together perfectly.
I grab his wrists, pinning his arms above his head with one hand, so he has no choice but to lie there and take a pounding. He’s at my mercy—his tight, delicate hole squeezing my cock like a vise.
Staring down at the K on his wrist, a surge of possessiveness rolls through me and I pick up speed, fucking him harder than I ever have before.
I need to show him this hole is mine.
Forever.
A strangled cry tears from Ren’s throat, and he turns his head, muffling his screams with the pillow.
Holy shit.
He’s coming hands-free.
I growl savagely, something terrible taking over as I pump my hips until his spasming body milks every last drop out of me.
Collapsing on top of Ren, I leave my twitching cock inside him for a minute.
He groans, half in pain, half in pleasure, so I pull out.
Ren hisses when I spread his cheeks, watching in fascination as his hole pulses, pushing my load out slowly.
That’s hot.
I scoop it up with two fingers, holding it out to Ren’s parted lips.
His sleepy, dopey eyes look up at me, and he smiles wide before I feed him the spunk out of his own ass.
He sucks my fingers clean, releasing them with a pop.
Holy fucking shit.
I think I just died.
“The county fair is in town. Wanna go this weekend?” Ren asks, tracing invisible circles around my stomach.
After the mind-blowing sex, we showered together, and then I applied a special cream I picked up at the drugstore to Ren’s sore hole. If I’m going to fuck him that hard, I’m going to take care of him after. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.
“Are you asking me out on our first official date?” I tease.
“Bet your ass I am,” he says with a grin. “You better win me something too.”
“Deal.” I smile wide, excited to win him whatever stupid prize his heart desires. “I’m a beast with a hammer,” I say with a cocky wink.
Warren laughs heartily. “Trust me. I know you are, baby.” His eyes twinkle with mischief, and I lunge for him, both of us falling to the air mattress, laughing.
“I’ll show you my hammer alright,” I tease, peppering kisses all over his face before sealing my lips to his until we have no choice but to come up for air.
“ No! Please. I can’t take another pounding!” he shouts, crying with laughter at his own terrible hammer pun.
I steal another quick kiss. “I love you, Warren. So fucking much, ” I confess with every fiber of my being.
“I love you too,” Ren whispers, reaching out to cup my cheek. “No one’s ever had my heart. Not like you, Ky.” We kiss again, savoring each other’s presence and making up for lost time.
We finally get tired, and Ren settles onto my chest where he’s quickly lulled to sleep by my heartbeat, a soft snore slipping from his lips.
Closing my eyes, I drift off to sleep with a goofy smile on my face, lying on an air mattress in our empty apartment above the car shop.
And I couldn’t be happier.
I’ve come to learn that the deepest love can grow from the best friendship.
I can still have my future and my dreams. I can still have a family. And I can have it all with my best friend.
With Warren.