A contentedness I’d never experienced settled in me, and that, more than anything, told me I’d finally found the path I was meant to travel.
And the person I was meant to travel it with.
Chapter Twenty
Cay
Two weeks of absolute bliss had passed with Beck helping me renovate my flat, us fucking on every surface, or spending time at his place alternating between fuckfests and watching TV. With each day, however, the pressure of keeping such a huge secret from our friends grew heavy on both of us. We’d figured out how to rip that Band-Aid off efficiently, though.
Beck had already come out to his mom and brother, and I’d told Jen and Elena the day after our memorable Skydeck date. They’d been excited for me, opened a bottle of tequila, and squeezed all the details from me, starting with the Comic-Con.
Now I was on my way to a bar on foot because I’d been video chatting with my mom after work and forgot tobook a taxi. My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see a message from Tai.
Are you sure you’re okay?
I typed in a quick reply.
Patience, you must have my young Padawan.
Hopefully, he’d ease off and head to the place I’d told him to meet me. He hadn’t been the only one who’d received the same instructions.
He replied immediately with an eye roll emoji.
I pulled the hood over my head to shield myself from the wind as I sped-walked through the streets of Chicago until I burst through the door to my favorite bar with a battered sign The Beer Box. While most similar places in the area would have ESPN on the TVs, this one currently streamed Spider-Man, The Animated Series from the 90s. The decor was like that of any other bar, with the addition of a huge-ass pride flag on the wall and a poster advertising tabletop game Thursdays.
Beck was waiting for me, perched on a stool, his drool-worthy butt displayed on it perfectly. It was such a good position to slide into him and fuck him senseless if he sat like that in his kitchen. I would open his shirt and pull his pants down. Yeah, as much as he looked hot in clothes, I preferred him naked. I filed that thought for later and willed my dick to behave as it perked up at my bright idea.
When Beck spotted me, his expression brightened as if I wassomeone special.
His smile warmed me inside so much I had to fight my initial response to kiss those gorgeous lips of his.
“You’re early,” I said and wrapped him into a hug. The crook of his neck always smelled the best, like my Beck, reminding me of our evenings together and the way he cuddled me in the mornings.
“So are you.” Beck pulled me at arm’s length and looked me over. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Maybe a bit nervous, but it will be fine.”
“Of course it will,” Beck said with an air of confidence, but his voice betrayed him when it rose higher than usual.
“Your table is ready.” A server materialized next to Beck with a friendly smile and a set of menus in his hands. “Follow me, please.”
The urge to intertwine my fingers with Beck’s was strong, so I shoved my hands into my pockets until we sat at our table.
“Would you like anything to drink?” the server asked and straightened the napkin holder in front of me.
“Two beers. And open the tab for the table on me.” Beck handed his card over, and I glared at him. “We’ll figure out the money later. This is my… our treat. A celebration of us.”
“Okay.” We still had so many logistic things to discuss. Getting together with Beck showed me how many gender-based social constructs we’d still been following in ourrelationships with women, like paying for dinner, opening doors, or pulling out chairs.
We sat next to each other in the horseshoe-shaped booth and faced the door to keep an eye on who was coming through.
I bumped my knee into Beck’s under the table. “Your call last night was… stimulating.” It was a mild descriptor for me jerking my cock as he talked dirty to me until I came twice in one evening.
“Your moans had a very uplifting effect on me as well.” The corner of Beck’s lip twitched into a smile before it flattened. “Falling asleep without you is tough. I can’t pull you close, smell you, feel the heat of your body.” He whispered the last part, and I understood the pain all too well. “We haven’t been together that long, but… I don’t know what I’m saying.”
“I do.” I touched his cheek so he would meet my gaze. “And I feel the same. My heart says I’m ready for the next step, but what will it be?”
Even though I was rambling, Beck nodded as if he understood. He took my hand under the table and released a slow breath.
