“Because you’re a couple rich little bitches,” Malcolm adds, shoving me in the chest. “What the fuck are you going to do about it?”
My hand balls into a fist and I don’t think. I just swing.
I put everything I have into that punch. I just see him pushing Declan again. I see him calling me a sissy boy and other disgusting names I’ve heard him throw around in the hallways. I didn’t need to tell him my secret. It was as if he already knew. He could see it on my face, and I hate him for that.
My fist connects with Malcolm’s cheek, and I can tell immediately by the look on his face that I’ve taken him by surprise. So I don’t give him a moment to react. I thrust my knee up into his gut and throw him toward the ground. He barely stumbles, and I hardly make it away.
Declan grabs my arm, and we take off in a quick sprint away from the group of guys. They are wild and howling with anger, chasing us as we run. Adrenaline courses through my veins, making everything blurry and terrifying.
My hand throbs. It hurts so bad I think I might have broken it, but I don’t care. I like the pain. It’s exhilarating, reminding me that I’m alive, that I’m not the same boy I was four years ago. That I don’t have to be silent and acquiescent anymore. My heart is thudding in my chest as I gulp for each breath, running faster than I’ve ever run in my life.
Beside me, Declan’s footsteps echo mine, and when I glance over to the side to see his face, instead of finding fear or surprise or shock, I see him smile at me.
There are not a lot of places to hide on the campus this late at night, when most of the buildings are closed and everything is pretty quiet, but I still hear the footsteps of the guys behind us, so we keep running. We have a good gap between us.
As we round the gymnasium, I’m confident that we’re far enough away from Malcolm and his friends to stop running, so I pull Declan toward the door. By some miracle, it opens. The enormous room is still and silent, and in the center is a large empty pool. The lights beneath the surface are still on, reflecting the calm blue water on the walls with the smell of chlorine in the air.
Breathless, I stumble into the room and follow Declan as he scurries out of sight of the window. There is a thin sheen of sweat on my skin and pulsing adrenaline in my veins. Suddenly, Declan roughly fists the front of my shirt as he shoves me against the brick wall, the impact punching the air from my lungs.
He’s standing so close, his face just inches from mine as I wait for him to shout and berate me for doing something so stupid. His eyes are wired and frantic as he stares at me, our chests heaving breathlessly in sync.
Then, a smile spreads across his face, taking me by surprise. “That was fucking incredible,” Declan says with a laugh as he shakes me. “Youare fucking incredible.”
I laugh in return. That wasn’t what I expected, but I’m not complaining. In fact, I’m loving how near he is to me right now. His breath is on my face. If I wanted to, I could just reach out and kiss him—and I do want to.
I’m too struck by this moment to care that there are men still chasing us or that my hand is probably broken. Because Declan is staring into my eyes with a feverish expression on his face.
Feeling bold, I grab his shirt and tug him closer, wondering if he even notices.
“I can’t believe I just did that,” I say.
“I swear to God, I could kiss you right now,” he replies excitedly.
I know he means it as a joke, but still, my heart nearly explodes out of my chest. Hot, liquid arousal courses through my veins. Then he grabs me on either side of my face, and I respond only with a smile as he presses his lips chastely against mine.
It’s a nothing kiss. A friendly kiss. The kind of kiss you give a family member.
But it’s enough for me.
His lips are there for only a second before he pulls away. He doesn’t move far.
I watch the shifting motion of his Adam’s apple as he swallows, and we’re still both panting, except now I’m panting from that kiss and his nearness. His hands are still on my face and my fingers are still wrapped around the soft fabric of his shirt.
Everything I want is in reach, and it feels reckless and dangerous. But after punching that rugby-playing bastard, I feel invincible. It has me thinking wild thoughts. Like…if Declan would just let himself kiss me for real, then maybe he would feel how good this is.
“Do that again,” I whisper breathlessly. I hardly recognize my own voice. I’m not the kind of guy who demands what he wants.
But Declan doesn’t hesitate. He crashes his lips against mine once more, but this time instead of a chaste, lifeless kiss, he holds his lips there before gently massaging mine with his. It’s tentative at first.
It almost feels as if we’re drunk, although we haven’t had a drop to drink all night. He’s my best friend and we’ve known each other for four years and now he’skissingme.
As amazing as this is for me, I’m dying to know what it’s like for him. Does he want me to slip my tongue through his lips to taste his? Does he want me to grind against him, kiss his neck?
I will do it all.
I’ll do anything.
After the long close-mouthed kiss, he rests his forehead against mine. Even though our run is long past over, we’re still panting as one.
