Chapter Seven #2
“Oh, look, Ralph, it’s the Henrys. We have to go say hi,” Susan said, pulling Ralph away. But he glanced back at Ryan and Callie with a grin.
“When did this happen?” Ryan asked Amanda.
“A couple of weeks ago,” Amanda said, still holding onto Damian’s arm, which was probably a good thing, since he looked ready to flee. “Sorry, we didn’t say anything sooner. We’ve just been busy.”
“Clearly,” Ryan snapped.
“We should all get dinner sometime,” Amanda continued, oblivious to Ryan’s hostility.
“Yeah, that would be good,” Callie said quickly, before Ryan could respond. “Ryan, we still haven’t gotten our drinks. Why don’t we go find some?”
She tugged at his arm, hoping he would follow. He shot Damian another glare, then let Callie lead him to the bar.
Ryan’s mood didn’t improve with the alcohol, and he kept watching Amanda and Damian. His attention finally shifted when a familiar voice called out to them.
“There’s my favorite couple,” Edward said as he approached. He kissed Callie on the cheek, then shook Ryan’s hand. “It’s good to see that Damian’s recovered.”
“Yes,” Ryan said. “He’s doing well.”
“And is that your cousin he’s with?” Edward asked.
“Yes, it is,” Ryan confirmed, though it was clear Edward already knew it.
Edward gave Ryan a knowing look, and Ryan hoped he wouldn’t say anything more about it in front of Callie.
He didn’t know why it was bothering him so much.
He drained the drink he held. It was his fifth, or maybe his sixth, or seventh?
He had lost count. But he still didn’t feel drunk enough to make the evening tolerable.
“Maybe you should slow down,” Edward suggested as Ryan reached for another.
“It’s a party,” Ryan said with a forced smile. “We should be having fun, right?”
“Why don’t I take this from you and we find you some coffee or food instead?” Edward said, taking the glass from Ryan. “Let me take care of him for a bit,” Edward offered to Callie.
Ryan allowed himself to be led through the house, and they found the staff kitchen, well stocked with freshly brewed coffee, ready to be served. Edward poured Ryan a cup and handed it to him.
“If you don’t leave this party now, I’m afraid you’ll do something you will regret,” Edward said once they were alone.
“I’m pretty good at that,” Ryan said. “Doing shit I regret.”
“Drink the coffee, then go to bed,” Edward suggested. “Once you reach the self-pity level of being drunk, you should not be around other people.”
“We aren’t staying here,” Ryan said resentfully. “I thought it would be too difficult for my mom. Things have been a little stressful since she learned that my father assaulted and tried to rape my girlfriend while my girlfriend was working as a prostitute.”
“I could see how that would be difficult,” Edward replied, trying to sound sympathetic rather than judgmental. But the judgment was directed at Ryan’s state, not at Callie’s past employment. “I’ll go find Callie and your driver, and you can head back to wherever you’re staying.”
“Sure,” Ryan said, and Edward left.
His coffee cup now seemed far more interesting than it should have, but maybe that was because the room was slightly tilted and staring at the cup helped him stay upright.
He knew he should leave. He knew that if he saw Damian or Amanda again, he would say or do something he would regret.
At that moment, all he could think about was the night of their threesome.
He didn’t care about his upbringing or morals.
He finally believed what people were telling him.
It wasn’t wrong to have what you desired.
Except now Damian was with Amanda, and if he said anything, he would be an asshole.
“Ryan?”
Ryan turned to see Damian watching him with concern. Ryan wasn’t sure what to say and felt embarrassed about being so drunk.
“Are you OK?” Damian asked.
“Yeah, sure,” Ryan replied, trying very hard to hide his intoxication and not fall over.
“Did I do something wrong?” Damian asked.
Ryan considered it. He wasn’t sure why he was angry at Damian; Damian hadn’t done anything wrong. Yet when Ryan saw him with Amanda, all he wanted to do was yell at Damian. He felt betrayed.
“Do you have a problem with me dating your cousin?” Damian continued.
“No,” Ryan said quickly, but then he changed his mind. “I mean, yes.”
“Why?” Damian pressed, but Ryan didn’t respond. Damian stepped closer and spoke softly. “When I said I wouldn’t touch either you or Callie again unless you asked, I didn’t mean I’d be celibate, waiting for you to make up your mind.”
“So you hooked up with my cousin?” Ryan snapped. “Is that payback?”
“Payback?” Damian repeated. “What are you talking about?”
Ryan stared at Damian. He had told himself a hundred times he would confess his feelings to Damian if Damian pulled through and woke from the coma.
But he never did. He was too afraid. The weeks passed, and he missed his chance.
He wanted to tell Damian, but his voice was lost to him.
The words were in his mind, yet for some reason he couldn’t say them.
“You’re very drunk,” Damian said, shaking his head. “You should go to bed.”
He started to turn to leave, and Ryan suddenly felt panicked. If he didn’t say something now, he knew he likely never would have the courage to.
“Wait,” Ryan said, grabbing Damian’s arm. Damian turned to look at him, but the words were still stuck in Ryan’s throat; he just couldn't say them.
“Go to bed,” Damian repeated after a moment. Frustrated, he turned to leave.
“I want you to,” Ryan called desperately after him, and Damian stopped. “I really want you to. I want you to touch Callie and me. I want it all to happen again.”
Damian stared at him. Several emotions flickered across his face. Ryan’s heart pounded, and he instantly regretted what he had said when Damian didn’t reply. As Damian stayed silent, Ryan thought he should run from the room; he had no idea what Damian was thinking, and he felt like an idiot.
Then Damian grabbed him by the arm and led him to a door that opened into a pantry.
He closed the door behind them and pushed Ryan against it.
He stared into Ryan’s eyes, and Ryan could see he was trying to decide whether Ryan meant it.
To prove he did, Ryan pulled Damian close and kissed him.
Damian was quick to respond, and Ryan felt him undo Ryan’s pants and wrap his hand around Ryan’s cock.
He started stroking it, and Ryan leaned back, moaning as he quickly became erect.
Damian’s hands were much larger and stronger than Callie’s, and with short, steady strokes, Damian could caress the full length of him.
Then Damian kissed him. It was a firm yet passionate kiss, and Ryan responded immediately, kissing him back while he started to thrust into Damian’s hand.
Excitement took over, and he soon began to come.
He steadied himself against the door to catch his breath, and Damian leaned against him, so their bodies were touching.
He could feel Damian’s heart beating fast against his chest, and wondered if Damian could feel his, as it felt like it was about to explode.
Ryan tried to kiss him again, but Damian placed a hand gently on Ryan's chest, stopping him.
“Don’t ask me again unless you’re sober,” he whispered, then left the pantry, leaving Ryan alone.
Ryan stumbled out of the pantry just as Edward returned with Callie and Marco.
“Seriously?” Callie said, frowning at Ryan’s condition. “You got lost in the pantry?”
Ryan looked at her apologetically. His brief encounter with Damian was still replaying in his mind, and he wanted to keep going with her.
“I’m OK,” he said, pulling her close and kissing her neck.
“Ryan, stop!” Callie scolded. She tried to push him away, but he held on tight.
“I finally talked to Damian,” Ryan whispered in her ear, though everyone could hear him.
“You what?” Callie asked, pulling away from him. “Why?”
“I finally told him,” Ryan continued.
“Like this?” Callie asked. “This drunk!”
“I’m not that drunk,” Ryan said, growing defensive as he swayed in place.
“You can barely stand!” Callie was frustrated and almost yelling. “Why would you talk to him now? Leave him alone. He’s happy with Amanda!”
“You’re the one who bugged me for weeks to say something,” Ryan yelled back.
“And you didn’t,” Callie shouted, then lowered her voice. She didn’t need the whole house to hear them. “You missed the opportunity, and now you’re just being selfish.”
“I’m selfish?” Ryan replied. He was about to say more, but Marco stepped between them. “You…”
“Don’t finish that sentence, my friend,” Marco warned. “Come on, I’m taking you back to the hotel. Callie, I’ll come back for you in a bit.”
“Don’t rush!” Callie told Marco.
Marco started to pull Ryan away. Ryan protested but followed, stumbling, and Marco had to support him. Callie looked at Edward, speechless, tears welling in her eyes.
“Let him sleep it off,” Edward said. “Come on, let's get you a glass of wine.”
When Callie woke, the room was dark, and it wasn’t morning yet.
Her head was spinning, and she had a hard time remembering how she had gotten to bed.
The last she remembered was Marco coming back for her.
She had told him she was hungry. By then, she had had a few glasses of wine and needed food.
They found one of the servers who was offering sliders.
That’s all she remembered. Then she woke up in bed.