Chapter 29
ZACH
Hearing Miles’s story had been cathartic. Miles had defended him, going so far as to declare his love for Zach in front of his entire family. He came out for him. He was here, in Zach’s apartment, kissing him, promising him a future. Even Raymond got his happily ever after.
So why was Zach still feeling so apprehensive?
Instead of answering his question, Miles drew back and lifted his shirt.
Zach’s eyes lingered on his abs—deliciously powerful muscles flexing under his gaze—before noticing what Miles was trying to show him, and his breath hitched, a silent gasp trapped against the pressure in his throat.
He couldn’t move, couldn’t talk, couldn’t tear his eyes away from the fresh tattoo on Miles’s chest, right over his heart.
The shape was achingly familiar, burnt into Zach’s memory and etched into his own skin.
He got the tattoo after freshman year—his first year away from Miles—and even though he couldn’t see it, most of the time it was enough to run his fingers over the nape of his neck and know it was there.
The gesture soothed him, flooding him with the same warmth as Miles’s presence.
It belonged to him, and he’d never shown it to anyone, hiding it under his shaggy hair, but Miles must have seen it. Must have known what it meant.
They’d spent their childhood sharing a horseshoe, and now they didn’t have to. Now it belonged to them—to both of them—and they each had their own permanent reminder of the love they shared.
Zach traced the mark with his finger. “How long have you known?”
“Fourth of July. You were playing with your hair while setting up, and I caught a quick glimpse. Getting a matching one felt right. Even though you left, and I didn’t know if you’d ever talk to me again, I still loved you. No matter what. And I always will. Don’t ever doubt that.”
They surged forward at the same time, meeting in the middle.
Despite the edge of earlier passion, this kiss wasn’t a precursor to ripping each other’s clothes off.
It was a declaration of something big and important.
Zach’s head swam with happiness, his heartbeat pulsed in his throat, and he pressed into Miles to hide the nervous trembling of his body.
“I love you too, Miles. I’m yours,” he whispered when their lips parted. “I will always be yours. I’m sorry I ran away. I was terrified of wrecking your life. I couldn’t live with that.”
Miles gently, lovingly brushed his hand over Zach’s hair, and Zach almost melted from the tenderness expanding through his chest. His past fears seemed absurd in retrospect.
He came out to his mom, and her rejection had stung, but he’d survived.
He kept going. He still had his brothers.
And Miles? Miles had told his family about Zach, and the world didn’t end. His life wasn’t ruined.
“I wish I’d known,” Miles mused, continuing to pet Zach’s head like he were a kitten.
“I would have announced my love for you in the middle of that damn party if I’d known.
The plan was always to tell everyone. I just wanted to give my parents some time to calm down after the whole Max almost dying thing.
Trust me, I would have never kept you a secret or let you go.
” Miles leaned in to peck his cheek. “I wish you’d had someone with you when you talked to your mom. I would have stood beside you.”
“It was very spur-of-the-moment. Things kinda boiled over, and I couldn’t keep it inside anymore.”
“What happened?” When Zach looked over, Miles shrugged. “All I know is that you told your mom you were gay and then disappeared. Did she tell you to leave?”
“She…” Zach trailed off. He’d trained himself not to think about that night.
Dwelling on it didn’t do any good, only sent him into an endless spiral of self-doubt.
Even now, recalling it took conscious effort.
“She basically hit every trope. Said I was confused, that they could fix me, pulled out a guilt trip, begged me to think about the family. All the classics.”
Zach chuckled at his own joke, but Miles didn’t join in. “Have you talked to her since then?”
“She called a few times. I didn’t pick up.” He hesitated. “I’m not sure I could handle her asking me to come back because they want to ship me off to some reform camp. Maybe I can talk to them when I come back for the wedding? She might chill out by next summer.”
A year was a long time. Long enough to pretend his parents might come around.
“When you come back for the wedding sounds perfect.” Miles flashed a wicked grin and reached into his back pocket. “Let me give you your invitation.”
He pulled out a folded brown envelope. Some people paid premium prices for the rustic look of cheap wrapping paper, and if it had been anyone else, Zach would have assumed whoever made this invitation was a pretentious hipster.
But it was Max and Raymond, and the general store in town sold giant boxes of those envelopes for a couple of bucks.
The rustic vibe was so genuine, Zach could almost feel the ghosts of burlap and twine.
After running his fingertips along the textured paper, he pulled out a creased piece of plain cardstock. Cute cartoon versions of Max and Raymond held hands at the top with swirly cursive text underneath.
“When we get married, I want our invites in the American Gothic style. You know that painting with the expressionless farm people staring and holding pitchforks? Supposedly, they’re father and daughter, but I don’t care.
It’ll be hilarious.” Zach grinned up at Miles.
“And I had no idea Raymond’s middle name was Leonard. That is…something.”
Amusement danced in Miles’s eyes. “Keep reading.”
“I’ve seen wedding invitations before. People do get married in college.” Miles kept staring, so Zach huffed and started reading out loud. “Maxwell Andrew Carter and Raymond Leonard Miller invite you to celebrate their nuptials at the Carter Family Farm on August 27th…”
It had to be a typo.
“Yep.” Miles looked very smug, and Zach didn’t appreciate the attitude. He was still trying to process what he was seeing.
“Are you serious?” He stared at the year, waiting for it to magically change. “They’re getting hitched in less than a week? Who does that?”
“People who’ve been waiting to love each other freely for a very long time?”
“That’s some nice emotional manipulation, sweetheart.
” Zach shot Miles a look, knowing full well his stern expression was about as intimidating as a fluffy kitten napping in the sun.
“This means I have to see my parents in…five days! That is not enough time for them to stop being mad and start missing me too much to care that I’m gay and living in Portland. ”
Miles wrapped an arm around his shoulders and yanked him closer, burying his nose in Zach’s hair. “I like it when you call me sweetheart,” he murmured. “Do it again.”
“You’re focusing on the wrong thing.” Zach squirmed out of Miles’s hold. “We’re definitely getting naked and calling each other sweethearts later, but I’m too busy freaking out right now.”
The mischievous glint in Miles’s eyes disappeared, replaced by a worried frown. “If it’s too much, you don’t have to go. I’m sure Ray would understand.”
“No, I’ll go.” Zach sighed in resignation. “Better to get it over with, right? I’m going to worry and overthink it, whether it happens in a week or a year.”
“Okay, sweetheart.” Miles’s husky voice fluttered across his skin, setting off an explosion of sparks in Zach’s stomach. With the decision made, he was ready to lose himself in the man sitting next to him. Judging by Miles’s hungry expression, they were on the same page.
“Miles…” He begged without knowing what he was begging for. He trusted Miles to know exactly what both of them needed.
In a flash, Miles grabbed him and tugged him onto his lap.
It was disturbing how easily Miles could throw him around and move his body exactly where he wanted it.
Zach was deceptively strong, much stronger than his typical hookups, and he wasn’t used to being overpowered.
As Miles’s hands circled his waist, he felt almost delicate.
It was intoxicating.
Miles’s cock stiffened under his ass, and he tried to roll his hips, but Miles held him firmly in place until a pleading whimper escaped him.
“I love it when you beg.” Miles planted an open-mouthed kiss on his neck, licking his way up until reaching the sensitive spot behind Zach’s ear. His tongue swirled around before he bit down, causing tingles of pain to reverberate across Zach’s body, waking up every nerve ending along the way.
Rising to his feet, he effortlessly drew Zach up with him. Zach’s legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, and he clung on while Miles carried him across the room, then crouched down without letting go. “Is your fun box in the same place?”
“That’s an interesting name for it, Miles. You know you can say ass, right?”
Miles chuckled and playfully slapped his thigh. “Your toy box, brat.”
“It’s in the same spot you left it. I haven’t touched it since,” Zach confessed. “I’ve only slept in the bed once since I’ve been back. Couldn’t bring myself to erase the evidence.”
Miles’s face softened, and he pecked Zach’s cheek with tenderness.
“We’ll create more evidence, love. And there will be no sleeping.
” He reached under the frame and groped around blindly until he found what he was looking for, then stood up and dropped Zach onto the mattress.
Zach bounced on impact and stayed still, waiting for whatever came next.
Miles rooted inside the plastic tote, emerging with cuffs and several coils of rope. Zach’s dick twitched at the idea of being tied up, and Miles’s wicked smirk made it clear he was equally excited.
“Clothes off.”