I left him and found a table of guys celebrating their fraternity brother’s upcoming wedding.
“How’s it goin’, fellas? Who’s the lucky groom?”
The entire table of six pointed to one guy and began to clap. “Shaun, Shaun, Shaun.”
A blond guy with a smooth baby face flashed me a huge grin. “You a real cowboy or just playing one on TV?”
I whirled my lasso up and over my head, sending them intooohsandahhs.
“Wow.” Shaun looked impressed, and I tuned everything out except giving these guys the best night of their lives.
Shaun seemed reluctant to touch me, and I winked at him.
“You can touch, just above the waist. No grabbin’ the merchandise, okay?”
Wide-eyed and blinking rapidly, he smoothed his hands over my chest as I shimmied and kneeled beside him.
“My boyfriend and I are virgins,” he whispered to me. “None of them know.”
“Ain’t no reason they need to know what goes on in your bedroom. Take all the time you need together. Only you two can decide what’s right.”
“Thanks. You’re really nice. Neither of our parents are coming to our wedding. They don’t believe in gay marriage.”
I smoothed his cheek, hurting for him. Understanding better than he knew. “I feel sorry for anyone who don’t believe in love. Y’all are gonna have a wonderful life.”
I gave Shaun a kiss to the shouts and claps of his friends, but we both saw into each other’s hearts and knew what it meant. No words. A moment shared just between us. A parent was supposed to love a child, no matter who that child chose to love.
Chapter Twelve
HARLAN
Ihesitated onlya moment before knocking on Cort’s door. A neighbor had let me into the building so I didn’t have to get buzzed in. I wanted it to be a surprise.
“Comin’. Who is—” The door swung open, and he stood there staring at me, big blue eyes popping out of his head. He must’ve taken a shower, as his hair lay in damp waves and he smelled fresh and soapy-clean.
“Hey. It’s me.” I gave him a little wave.
“What? Why didn’t you tell me you were comin’?” He stood wide-eyed, still staring at me.
“Can I come in?”
“Oh shit, yeah, of course.” He stepped to the side, and I walked into the apartment and he closed and locked the door behind me.
“It looks the same.” I set my knapsack on the floor. “For some reason I thought it’d be different.”
“Nope. Same old sofa and chair. Same old me.”
“I’m glad about that at least. I wouldn’t want you to change. I did enough of that this past month for the both of us.”
It felt like we were dancing around what we really wanted to do and say. I stared at Cort, hungry for the sight of him after the month away.
“Where’d you get those clothes?”
I glanced down at the jeans and T-shirt I had on. “They gave me fifty dollars to go out and buy some things to wear since I didn’t have anything but the clothes I came in with. I went to a thrift store up there and got the knapsack, some shirts, pants, and the sneakers. The underwear and socks are new.”
“You gained some weight and your hair’s longer. It looks good.” He rubbed his chin, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say he was nervous. “You look good.”
“This is stupid.” I took two steps and stood before him. “I waited a month to be able to do this with a clear head.” I slid my arms around his waist and hugged him. Tight. God, he felt so good. Warm and hard, smelling like sugar and cinnamon and everything good in the world, and my insides melted like butter on toast when he pulled me closer and rubbed my back.
