Arthur’s eyes fluttered open, and he nodded. His heart stuttered from the sight of Jesse moving above him, beads of sweat peppered across his forehead, his hair slick with perspiration. Arthur increased the speed of his strokes, pumping his fist hard and fast while Jesse continued to slam into him, his movements now rougher and faster, too. And then, with a long, low moan, Jesse shuddered and came. Arthur’s cock started to pulse right then as well, shooting ejaculate onto his fist and stomach.
“I’m coming,” Arthur breathed. “God, Jesse, I’m coming.”
Jesse’s movements slowed and then stopped.
“I love you,” Jesse said. “Did you . . . I mean, was it . . .”
“I loved it,” Arthur said through a happy laugh. “I loveyou.”
Jesse bent low and caught Arthur’s mouth in a kiss.
After they cleaned up, they snuggled together in bed, lying on their sides, their legs entwined. Sharing soft kisses and sweet nothings, Arthur and Jesse passed the next half hour that way, blissful.
Finally, Arthur had mustered up the courage to let himselfwant. And he had mustered up the courage to be honest about it, too. But now there was more that he needed to be honest about as well.
“Jesse?” Arthur said.
“Hm?”
“I think I need to be honest with my parents.”
“About . . . what?”
“About what I want in life.”
Furrowing his brow, Jesse searched Arthur’s eyes. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I want them to know how I intend to move forward. I need them to know that I refuse to keep being their pathetic, supposedly inadequate little puppet in the future. And I need to tell them that I won’t be affixing any marionette strings to Emma, either. Emma can pursue the life she wants for herself. And I need them to know that I will support her in it.”
Jesse swallowed, as though overcome by a sudden swell of fear. Arthur cupped his cheek.
“Don’t worry, though. I know them. And I know that they’ll be too concerned with their reputation to retaliate.”
Arthur rolled onto his back and lifted his arm. Jesse lay his head on Arthur’s chest.
“I hope you’re right, Arthur,” Jesse said.
Arthur pulled him close. “I hope so, too.”
***
The next morning, Arthur and Jesse were cuddled on the couch together, with Jesse resting the back of his head on Arthur’s chest, while it rained outside. Listening to the musical pitter-patter of the raindrops on the windows, Arthur let out a hum as he pulled Jesse closer.
“Last night was perfect, wasn’t it?” Arthur said. “I’m so happy that I skipped that silly private event.”
Jesse smiled. “I’m happy that you skipped it, too.”
“I’m sure my parents are looking for me right now,” Arthur mused. “I wonder what either Charlotte or Patrick has told them.” He took a pause and thought about this a bit more. “Oh,God, will Charlotte be mad at me. If my parents are there right now,demandinganswers, she must be feeling as though I’ve thrown her to the wolves.”
Craning his neck, Jesse looked up at him. “Can you make it up to her somehow?”
“I’ll have to,” Arthur said before heaving a sigh. “Thinking about all of this is making me nervous. I’m very much not looking forward to future interactions with those families I snubbed.”
“If only you could avoid them completely somehow.”
“Yes, if only.”
Arthur thought for a moment. Perhaps hecouldavoid them. After all, once he finally mustered enough courage to tell his parents that he’d be letting Emma not only go to college, but become a journalist as well, they’d probablyprefer itif he stopped mingling with the rest of their friends. Especially if Arthur let his parents see what he and Jesse were to each other as well, thoughthatlikely teetered on the edge of taking things too far. Probably.
