Chapter 29 #2
"Feels so good," Ethan groans, his free hand moving to stroke himself in time with my thrusts. "So much better than I remembered."
"You're everything," I manage between laboured breaths, driving deep, feeling the tension building at the base of my spine. "Everything I want. Everything I need."
His movements grow more desperate, his internal muscles clenching around me as he approaches his climax. "Tyler," he warns, "I'm close. So close."
"Yes," I encourage, hammering into him now, chasing our release. "Want to feel you come on my cock. Want to watch you."
His back arches, body tensing beneath me as he pushes himself over the edge. "Tyler!" he cries out, his release spurting between us, coating both our stomachs in hot streaks.
The sight of him coming, combined with the incredible pressure of his body clenching around me, is too much. I grasp his hips, pulling him as tight against me as physically possible, and follow him over with a few more deep, hard thrusts.
"Ethan," I groan, burying myself completely as my orgasm washes through me, vision blurring at the edges from the intensity.
Afterward, I collapse on top of him, both of us sweaty and breathing hard. "Sorry," I mumble, aware that I must be crushing him, but unable to coordinate my limbs just yet.
Ethan's arms wrap around me, keeping me in place when I try to shift. "Don't move," his voice lazy and satisfied. "Love feeling you inside me. Love your weight on me."
Pressing kisses to his shoulder, his neck, anywhere I can reach without moving too much. "Didn't hurt you, did I? Got a bit carried away at the end."
He laughs softly, the sound vibrating through both our bodies.
"In case my extremely vocal appreciation wasn't clear, that was exactly what I needed.
" His fingers trail up and down my back, gentle after the urgency of moments before.
"I think we might have announced our reconciliation to anyone who walked past your room, though. "
A groan escapes, though I can't bring myself to care too much who might have heard us. "Let them talk. I'm not ashamed of how you make me feel."
Ethan's embrace tightens at that, and I feel a slight tremor pass through him. Concerned, I push up enough to see his face. A single tear has escaped, trailing down his temple.
"Hey," I say softly, brushing it away with my thumb. "What's this about?"
"Happy tears," he assures me, though his voice catches. "Just... that's exactly it. You've never been ashamed of me, of us. Not once. Even when everyone was watching and judging."
Carefully, I pull out from his body, both of us wincing slightly at the sensation, and shift to lie beside him, pulling him into my arms. "Of course not. Why would I be ashamed of the best thing that's ever happened to me?"
He tucks his head under my chin, fitting against me perfectly. "Ryan was," he says quietly. "Ashamed, I mean. That's why he kept us a secret. He didn't want anyone to know he was with a guy."
The admission fuels a slow-burning anger, not just at Ryan for making Ethan feel like something to hide, but also at myself for not fully understanding until now. "Is that why you reacted so strongly to the photos? Because you thought I was ashamed, too?"
Ethan nods against my chest. "Part of it, I think. It was like confirmation of my deepest fear, that I wasn't enough for you to be satisfied with just me. That you needed a girl too. That you were using me to experiment until you went back to what was 'normal.'"
Pulling back enough to look him in the eyes, I need him to see my sincerity. "Ethan, there's nothing experimental about what I feel for you. Yes, I'm still figuring out my sexuality, but my feelings for you? Those are the clearest things in my life."
His lips curve into a small smile. "I know that now. I should have known it then."
"The photos looked really convincing," I acknowledge. "I might have reacted the same way if I'd found pictures of you with someone else."
"Still," he sighs. "I should have trusted you."
"We're past that," kissing his forehead to remind and reassure him. "All that matters is where we go from here."
Ethan shifts, propping himself up on one elbow to look at me. "And where is that? Where do we go from here?"
It's a big question, one that deserves a thoughtful answer. "Forward," I say simply. "Together. One day at a time."
His finger traces patterns on my chest, his expression thoughtful. "I'd like that. The together part." He hesitates, then continues. "Was Drew serious? About me pledging the fraternity?"
The question surprises me. "I think so. Would you want to?"
"Maybe," he admits. "Not because I need to be a 'frat boy,' but because... they're your family here. And they seem like good guys. Even Caleb might be, eventually."
"They are good guys," I agree. "And they already love you. Especially after that entrance today." I grin, remembering the shock on everyone's faces, mine included, when he strutted into the car wash in those tiny shorts and heels.
Ethan groans, burying his face in my shoulder. "Don't remind me. That outfit was Sylas's idea. He said if I was going to humble myself, I might as well look hot doing it."
"Mission accomplished," I assure him, running a hand down his side. "Though I'm glad I got you away from all those hungry looks."
"Possessive," he teases, but his pleased smile tells me he doesn't mind.
"Can you blame me?" I say, pulling him closer. "I just got you back. Not ready to share yet."
Ethan's expression softens. "You don't have to share," he promises. "I'm all yours, Tyler."
The afterglow feels incredible, but his words spark something warmer, deeper in my chest. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," he confirms, leaning in to kiss me gently. "For as long as you want me."
I could say the words now, the three words that have been building in my chest for longer than I've been willing to admit. But somehow, it doesn't feel like the right moment yet. Not in the aftermath of our reunion, when emotions are running so high. When I say them, I want it to be perfect.
Instead, I press my forehead to his and whisper, "That might be a very long time."
His smile is radiant. "I'm counting on it."
We lie together in comfortable silence for a while, limbs entwined, occasionally exchanging soft kisses and gentle touches. There's no rush now, no urgency. Just the quiet certainty that we're exactly where we're supposed to be.
"We should probably clean up and go back to the car wash," Ethan eventually suggests, though he makes no move to leave the bed.
"Probably," I agree, equally reluctant. "Or we could stay here and continue our reunion."
He laughs, the sound warm and free. "Tempting. But your brothers are covering for you, and my friends are helping them. Plus, we're raising money for the vet clinic, remember?"
"Fine," I sigh dramatically. "Be responsible."
Ethan kisses the fake pout from my lips. "We have time," he reminds me. "All the time in the world."
As I look at him, hair mussed, cheeks flushed, eyes bright with happiness, I'm struck by how close we came to losing this. How easily misunderstandings and interference nearly destroyed something beautiful before it had fully begun.
"What?" he asks, noticing my intense gaze.
"Nothing," I say, shaking off the momentary gravity. "Just thinking about how lucky I am."
Ethan smiles, pressing one more kiss to my lips before sitting up. "We both are. Now come on, Vice President Landis. Your charity car wash awaits."
Groaning, I let him drag me up. The car wash, dinner, whatever, just as long as he keeps looking at me like that. Even if I still can't believe he showed up in those perfectly ridiculous shorts.