“Big guys with round asses like yours.” He squirmed and giggled.
“Wha—?” I stared at him for a beat. “You like to fuck big guys?” Was that a kink? And why hadn’t he told me this in high school? I knew why. We’d been teenagers, and he wouldn’t have grown into himself yet. Neither of us had. “So, are you basically vers for big guys or would you consider yourself just vers now?”
“I’m vers for you. There are no other guys. We’re boyfriends now, remember?” Rolling his eyes, he tsked. “Anyway, yes, if you’re okay with it, I’d like to top sometime.”
“I’ll do whatever you want, babe.” I nuzzled his cheek, breathing in his musky scent. “And yeah, I find it hot.”
He squirmed under me. “I’m, uh, leaking. Let’s clean up.”
“Yeah, okay. We have to be up early anyway.” Though I hated for him to leave. It would be nice to sleep with him again. I rolled off him and crawled off the bed.
As he stood, a blob of cum dribbled down his inner thigh. “Shit.” He twisted his hips, peering at it. “I have to walk the hallway to get to the bathroom, huh?”
“Yes, you do.” I stepped to my laundry basket, seized a t-shirt and wiped his thigh. “It’s hot knowing some of me is inside you.” And that he’d carry it with him for a little while.
“It is, huh?” Slipping his underwear up his legs, he hurried into the bathroom hallway.
After we dressed,I walked him to my front door and stopped with my back to it, facing him. I hated to remind him of earlier, but it would come back to him anyway. “Hey, let me know what you find out from your mom. I’ll be around in the afternoontomorrow if you need me.” Judging from how upset he’d been tonight, he might need someone to talk to. I draped an arm around his shoulders.
As he fell against my chest, he hugged me. “Thanks, Eli. I’ll let you know.” He freed me and stepped back. “I’m sorry I pulled you into my family drama.”
“Hey, that’s a boyfriend’s duty, right? I’m here to support you. Drag me in all you want.” Cupping his cheeks, I kissed his forehead. “Text me when you get home.” The earlier drinks should have worn off by now.
“I will.” With a sigh, he opened the door and strolled into the front yard, dark except for the streetlight’s illumination on the corner.
I stood on the front stoop, watching him until his car drove away and only the sound of crickets remained. I loved that man something fierce, and whatever happened with his family, I knew I could help him through it. Helping people had become my specialty.
The next dayafter practice and my morning classes, I sauntered into the helpline center and dropped my backpack under the desk for a two-hour shift. It had been a week since I’d been here. I typed on the keyboard at the desk and logged into my account. We were supposed to make notes on calls.
Kate strolled to the desk behind me. “Hey, Eli, how’s it going? It feels like I haven’t seen you in forever.” She chuckled and hitched her hip onto the corner of my desk.
“It has been.” Damn, so much had happened. “I, uh, found my ex and we’re dating now.” With a wide grin, I ticked my head. “Boyfriends again, in fact.”
“Really? That’s great news.” Her eyes grew bright. “How did you win him back?”
“Oh, well…” I huffed a sigh, shaking my head. “There was a lot of groveling and gifts on my part.” I didn’t want to rehash the entire story. “Let’s just say I used my charm.” I rubbed my fingernails across my chest.
“I believe it.” She patted my shoulder. “I’m happy it worked out for you. Any guy would be lucky to have you.”
Yesterday’s dinner flashed through my mind, and I leaned forward. “Hey, he’s having some problems with his father. Do you think the therapists we refer callers to here could help him with it? It’s not related to his sexuality.” Would Wren listen to me if I gave him a therapist to call?
“Of course they can. They have multiple specialties. Tell me more about the problem.” Her grin fell as she fixated on me.
“They’re somewhat estranged. His dad moved away after he divorced his mother and saw little of Wren. But now, his dad moved here with his new wife, and she’s pregnant.” I inhaled deeply, thinking through it. “He thinks his dad is hiding things from him, like money. I don’t know why.”
She furrowed her brows. “Why would you trust a man who abandoned you?” She lifted her chin. “Think about it. Your parents should always support you. As a child, you trust in that fact. Then if they leave you or cut off ties, they’ve broken that trust.” She ticked a brow. “It’s the same thing we hear from the callers to the center who’ve had their parents cut ties with them after they come out.”
My brows rose. Goddamn, I hadn’t thought about it that way. Even if it wasn’t about his sexuality, it still caused similar trauma. “So, trust is hard for him.” My eyes widened. Holy shit, no wonder what I did in high school had been a deal breaker. I’d broken his trust then, too. My gut churned. I’d been so stupid.
“You've got it.” She hopped off the desk. “Let me know if you need me to recommend someone in particular.”
“I will. Thanks, Kate.” Maybe I could talk Wren into therapy. Since he was a student here, it would be free. There was no reason not to.
My phone rang. “Here we go.” I slid the headphones over my head.
FOURTEEN
WREN
