Chapter 6 – Age 21 #2
“I know.” Tor didn’t raise his voice; he didn’t need to.
There was something about the way he spoke, quiet, even, completely devoid of emotion, that stopped anyone in their tracks.
He had been that way since they were kids and it terrified people more than any of Jule’s outbursts.
Well, it terrified most people. Jule had never been scared of him, but like most things related to Tor, that tone turned him on.
He shifted as subtly as possible, trying to get comfortable despite his burgeoning erection.
Hopefully nobody other than Tor would notice.
There was no point in even hoping he could hide his reaction from Tor, who knew his body better he did, even after all that time apart.
“We’re going clockwise, right? That means it’s my turn,” Patrick said, sounding uncomfortable. “I guess I’ll stick with Henry’s theme. Never have I ever had sex on a boat.”
Brad, Eric, and Henry all took a drink.
“Aww, Julian’s cousin is as innocent as he is,” Brad said.
Tor coughed.
“Don’t be embarrassed.” Brad patted Jule’s bicep. “Strong morals must run in the family.”
“How long have you two been dating?” Tor asked.
“He’s not my cousin,” Jule said at the same time.
“Oh.” Brad furrowed his brow. “I thought you said he was part of your family?”
“He is,” Jule confirmed.
“Let’s see,” Patrick’s boyfriend Eric scrunched his lips together. “Oh! I have a good one. Never have I ever had sex outside of the country.”
Brad, Henry, and Patrick all drank.
“Jesus, Brad, is your boyfriend a virgin?” Henry said, seemingly having no idea that some people had never traveled internationally or been on a boat.
He had done both, but that was with the Sterlings, which meant no Tor.
And no Tor meant no sex. Or at least it had until Tor disappeared and Jule went away to school and tried to be normal.
Before Jule could get mad at Henry yet again, Tor grinned at him and said, “He’s definitely not a virgin.”
Jule swallowed his laugh. “I’m up. Never have I ever had a one-night stand.
” He looked straight at Tor as he spoke.
Of the many things he’d done in his life that would shock all but one of the other people in that room, sex with a stranger wasn’t on the list. While he’d been in California for school, he’d only slept with the few guys he’d tried dating in effort to form a connection and stave off loneliness.
It never worked with them, and it would have been even more pointless with a random.
No number of failed relationships would make him stop missing Tor.
His absence from Jule’s life hurt more than a phantom limb.
It was as if he was missing an organ, a vital one.
Like his heart. He held his breath, waiting to see if Tor would drink.
Henry made a show of winking at Tor as he raised his beer to his mouth, but Tor’s bottle remained unopened, which loosened something in Jule’s chest. The asshole had been incommunicado for months, but at least he hadn’t been sleeping around.
“See? That’s what I mean.” Brad put his arm around Jule’s shoulders. “You’re the sweetest. At this rate, neither of you is going to make a dent in your beers.”
As subtly as possible, Jule shrugged him off.
“Sorry. I forgot you don’t like PDA,” Brad said. “Oh, that gives me an idea of how to keep the trend going.” He grinned. “Never have I ever had sex in a public place.”
Beneath the Sunnyslope High School bleachers.
In the Royal Palm Middle School locker room.
In more bathrooms than he could count. Up against walls and dumpsters in alleys.
At boondockers in the desert. Slightly off the trail at Dreamy Draw and Camelback Mountain.
In strangers’ backyards when they went pool hopping.
In back seats of parked cars. In front seats of moving vehicles, if blow jobs counted.
On the rides at Castles and Coasters, if hand jobs counted.
In the dirt next to the canal, coming close to rolling in a few times, laughing, and getting right back to it.
Hundreds of memories flashed through his brain as he met Tor’s gaze, and in unison, they twisted off their bottle caps and took a drink.
“Umm, I know you’re too shy for that to be true,” Brad said. “Are you drinking because you’re embarrassed about me teasing you?” He looked genuinely contrite. “Sorry if I was being mean. I really do think it’s sweet how pure you are.”
Tor snorted. “Seriously, Julie?”
“Fuck you, Tori.” He rolled his eyes. “Seriously.”
“Maybe we should play something else?” Patrick suggested. “I think we upset both of them.”
“That wouldn’t be fair. Tor didn’t get a turn,” Henry said. He leaned forward and put his hand on Tor’s shoulder. “I want to hear what he’s never done.”
“I don’t need a turn,” Tor said. “My beer’s getting warm anyway.” He lifted the bottle to his lips and swallowed.
Jule stared at his throat working and felt his own mouth go dry.
“Fine. Whatever,” Henry grumbled.
“We can play Truth or Dare,” Brad suggested.