Chapter Eleven
After spending every night of the past week making out with Santino, Orsen wanted to do more, so he stood on Cody’s porch waiting for him to answer. When he did, Orsen stared at him and his black eye. “What happened?”
“Arthur pissed Lincoln off, so Lincoln threw his controller, but his aim’s shit and it hit me.” Cody left the door open and walked inside. “Shut the door, Orsen. Want a soda?”
“Please.” Orsen shut the door and followed Cody into the kitchen. “I did something stupid at Santino’s when he came back.” He blurted it out, then sucked in a lungful of air.
Cody turned to him, his eyes narrowed. “Did he hurt you?”
“Not in the way you think.”
“Sit and tell me.” Orsen took the soda and sat at the table, then told Cody what happened. Cody sighed and nodded. “You know he didn’t want to scare you, but he’s right. If you had pulled a stunt like that around the men I knew, you would have been in big trouble. They wouldn’t have stopped.”
Orsen shivered, bit his lip, but nodded. “I do know, but I really like him, and he makes me feel…” Orsen felt his cheeks heat up and stared at the table.
“He makes you hard and you want him to touch you.” Orsen winced but nodded. Hearing Cody say what he couldn’t caused him to blush even more. “I’m like that whenever I see TJ. When he comes in from work and he’s wearing his sheriff’s uniform? Hot as fuck and gets me hard so fast.”
Orsen’s mouth fell open and, if it was possible, he blushed even more. “How can you just talk about it like that?”
“Because I didn’t live in a hut in the middle of the woods, and I’ve fucked a lot of men.” Cody grinned. “Be honest about it. Sex is a natural part of our lives, and I know Santino likes you. I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”
Orsen bit his lip and slid his finger through the condensation on the side of the can. “He likes my eyes. Ambrose would say he could get a lot of money for me because of them.”
“Fuck him. Santino doesn’t see you as a piece of ass, otherwise he would have fucked you when you threw yourself at him.” Orsen cringed. Cody shrugged. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
“No. I did try to touch him and I’m not ready. I sound like such a kid. What does he see in me?”
“Now, you park that shit. You are gorgeous and sweet and kind and strong. You have a spine of steel. You’ve survived hell and now you have a hot man who looks like he wants to eat you up and take care of you at the same time. Strange look to see on his face.”
Orsen sipped his soda and looked outside, seeing TJ mowing the lawn with no shirt on, and now he kind of understood why Cody liked him so much. “I didn’t know he was here.”
“And when you go, I’ll help wash his back.
” Cody winked and Orsen spluttered, which made Cody laugh.
“You’ll get to do that soon. It’s fun. Shower sex can be fun but slippery.
We went to the city for my twenty-first. I almost broke the handrail in the shower.
TJ tried to tell me off, so I gave him a blow job and he forgot. ”
“Do you always speak like this?” Orsen could never see himself speaking so openly the way Cody did.
“No, only with you, because I think you need it. I’m actually more reserved.
I like to keep these things between me and TJ, but I think you need to hear them.
You seem… not reserved, but innocent? Yeah, innocent when it comes to this.
I think I’ve used that word for you.” Cody smiled.
“And there is nothing wrong with being innocent in some areas of life like sex. Makes discovering all the things that make us moan more fun.” Cody wriggled his eyebrows.
“I know about straight sex.”
Cody reached over the table and squeezed his hand. “I know, but you can push that to one side. In gay sex, you have more flexibility. You can top Santino or he can top you. Find what works for you both. You find a routine and stick to it, or you may prefer to swap.”
“So I should try both and figure out what I like more?”
“Yeah. You might like to bottom or top, or you might like both? You only know once you try. I know Santino will let you try. He’s a good guy.”
Orsen shrugged, messing with his drink. “So I should try both?” Orsen licked his lips. “Cody? How does it work? I mean, I know, but I don’t want to come across…” Orsen shrugged again.
“You know about oral sex.” Orsen ignored his warm face and nodded.
“My advice would be not to try to take all of it in your mouth the first time. Find what you can handle. Most people have a gag reflex. You go trying to deep throat him and you’ll gag.
Practice makes perfect.” Cody winked. “As for actual sex? Make sure you’re clean, then it comes down to Santino prepping you.
One finger, two fingers, etc. until you’re relaxed enough that it won’t hurt that much. ”
“Hurt?” Orsen squeaked.
“It can, and for most there is some pain, but that soon disappears. Saying that, if you’re with someone who takes plenty of time with you, there can be little to no pain.”
“Okay. I think.”
Cody squeezed his hand again. “Baby steps, Orsen. Santino is the first man you’ve been interested in, right?” Orsen nodded. “He’s older and more experienced. Let him guide you.”
“Hey, Orsen.” TJ came inside and grabbed a soda from the fridge. He had his T-shirt on now, but it stuck to his chest and back and Orsen noticed the look Cody gave TJ. Time for him to leave.
“Hi and bye.” Orsen stood. “I’m just about to go. I have a few things to do for Crompton.”
“How is living with him?” TJ asked. “He comes across as mean, but his bark is much worse than his bite.”
“He’s good with me. He’s showing me how to handle the horses and he makes me do my schoolwork.”
“You know, at some point, a visit to the school would help. It’s not about the work, it’s the social interaction. You need to be around people your own age.”
“I hate to agree, but TJ’s right. Doing things with kids your own age will help, and you’ll make friends.”
“They’ll put me in a class with kids younger than me. I’m behind,” Orsen whispered. The thought of being in a class with kids younger than him filled him with dread.
“I did speak to the principal, and he said you could attend classes in your year group, but they could put a specialized plan in place for you. They can work you in as well. A couple of days a week at first, then build from there. Think about it. Talk to Crompton and Santino as well.”
Orsen stared at the table, bit his bottom lip. “Okay.”
“Thank you.” TJ finished his soda, then stretched. “I’m getting a shower, Cody. I’ll speak to you later, Orsen.”
TJ left and Orsen watched Cody watch TJ. “I’ll go so you can get in on the shower action.”
“And I knew there was a reason why I loved you.” Cody grinned and wriggled his eyebrows, making Orsen laugh. “I’ll see you out.”
“I can do that. Go upstairs. I can see you want to.”
Cody waved and ran upstairs, leaving Orsen at the back door. As he opened it, he heard a soft moan drift down from upstairs and quickly shut it behind him, his face heating up. Cody hadn’t been lying when he said he would be in the shower with TJ.
Walking back toward town, Orsen answered his phone when it rang. “Santino.”
“Are you free tonight?”
“I might be.” Orsen smiled when Santino laughed. “Should I come to your place?”
“Hmm. I’m not sure now. Only if you can fit me in.”
Laughing, Orsen said, “What time?”
“Can you get here by seven? I can cook and then we can do other things.”
The mention of other things had Orsen sucking in his breath, his cock thickening in his jeans. Body tight, he closed his eyes, thinking about touching Santino. “I like the sound of that.” Even to his own ears, the words sounded husky, gravelly.
“Good. I have plans for you, so I’ll see you later.”
“You will.” Orsen hung up and rubbed a hand over his face, then discretely adjusted himself.
The thought of kissing and touching Santino always made him hard.
The man was gorgeous, with a body Orsen wanted to see naked, and then he might panic and run away.
Shaking his head, Orsen smiled. He had no idea what he was doing, but he would trust Santino.
After what had happened the night he’d thrown himself at Santino and how he’d made sure Orsen knew he wouldn’t take advantage…
that helped. And Cody had been right as well.
“Orsen? Is it really you?”
Orsen slowed and watched three boys or young men approach. One looked vaguely familiar, with his floppy blond hair and blue eyes, but he couldn’t quite place him. “Yeah? Who are you?”
“I’m not surprised you don’t remember me. You weren’t in high school long.”
Orsen squinted his eyes, staring at the one who’d spoken. Was it? Could it be? “Dale?”
Dale cheered. “Yay! You do remember me.”
“I don’t remember much of high school.” Orsen shrugged, his eyes moving between the three teenagers in front of him. He didn’t know the other two, but that wasn’t surprising. “I don’t know you. Sorry.”
“I don’t think we had classes together, and you weren’t in often.” The red-headed teenager shrugged. “It’s fine.”
Wincing, Orsen shrugged. “I had to be home.”
“Look. I heard about Ambrose.”
Orsen’s eyes widened, and he pushed past Dale, who’d spoken. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Hey! I get it. You had no choice. It was you or him and...” Dale ducked his head. “We all know what he was like.”
“Yeah.” Orsen gave him a closed lipped smile.
“Are you coming back to school?” Dale shoved his hand in his jean pockets. “You should. Those of us who remember you, you know. Yeah, er, it’ll be good.”
“I’ve been doing homeschooling, but I might be coming back a couple of days a week to see how it goes. I have… I’m not good.”
“Orsen. You missed so much school, so you’re… Fuck. We get it, alright? It doesn’t make you stupid because you’re not where we are. You’ll catch up.”
“I don’t want people to laugh at me.” Orsen licked his lips, stared up the road to the town center. “I feel so stupid.” And why was he being honest about this? Because he hated lying.
“Sure, you’ll get some who’ll pick on you. That’s high school, but there are those of us who know you and some of us had issues with Ambrose.” Dale gave a one shoulder shrug. “Sorry.”
“Nah, it’s fine. I lived with him. I know exactly what he was like.”
“Especially when you have to fight to stay alive,” the red-headed kid muttered. “My mom works in the station. It got out. Most of us think you’re brave. I’m Matty, by the way, and this is Devon. We’re all in the same class, so you should ask to join us.”
“Are you heading into town?” Devon asked.
“I have to grab a few things for Crompton, then I think I’ll have a drink before he comes to get me.”
“Crompton. Man, I can’t imagine living with him. What’s he like?” Matty asked as they turned and walked to town with Orsen.
“He’s not that bad. He’s been good to me. Let’s me see to the horses, and he’s been showing me how to brew.” Orsen flashed them a quick smile to see how they’d react.
“My brother once snuck into Crompton’s shed. He was sick for days but said it was the best home brew he’d ever had.” Matty grinned. “Mom lost her shit but said nothing to Crompton. Told my brother it was his own fault.”
“I think she was trying to avoid him after Crompton dropped your brother Mikey off and he threw up all over Crompton’s boots.
” Orsen laughed with the rest of them when Devon mimed Mikey hurling.
The others told Orsen about all the girls and the idiots in school, and Orsen found himself laughing along with them.
It was nice listening to them and some of his fears eased as he did. Maybe he could do this after all.