I bounded up the stairs with a rush of excitement. I really was having a good time with Mars, which meant I really was over the crap from my childhood. It was like seeing Rip had shocked me out of it or something, and I wasn’t about to let my old bully have one more minute of power over me.
I pushed open the door, then laughed to myself as Mars stepped inside. “Fuck,” he said. “You weren’t kidding.”
“Most people see the wall of psychedelic flower paintings first, but the neon pink lips on the wall get a lot of attention, too.”
“I’d fucking claw my eyes out if I lived here, but I can’t lie, it’s pretty dope.”
I laughed, then welcomed him the rest of the way in. “I know. I resisted living with my best friend for years because of it. But I think enough nights in Valeria’s décor over the years made me immune to the overload.” I shrugged, then gestured down the hall. “You want the tour?”
“We’re still moving into our place,” he said as we walked into the kitchen. “Still getting it set up and everything. Just got the stereo system hooked up, though, so that’s making it feel a lot more comfortable.”
“Tea?” I said as we turned into the kitchen. “Or maybe a beer? Valeria has some, I think.”
“Sure, I’ll take a beer.”
“Your place,” I said. “You and your best friend, you mean?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
I handed him the can of beer, and he immediately cracked it open. “And he’s the guy that taught you to be gay or something?”
“He saved my life, literally,” Mars answered. “But yeah, he pulled me out of the closet. He was my first.” He took a swig of the beer, then wiped his thumb across his lips. “We still roll around together sometimes, but we’re not boyfriends or anything like that.”
I groaned as I grabbed myself a seltzer out of the fridge. “Because it’s just that chill,” I said. “You’re so casual about sex, Mars.”
He shrugged. “So what? I’m having a good time. After spending so many years hiding who I am, I fully intend to take advantage of my sexuality now that I’m out. I love hooking up with men, you know?”
I pulled one of the bright teal stools up to the counter and shoved aside a few magazines. “Kind of,” I mumbled. “Like I said, I’m not very experienced.”
“Only one way to take care of that,” he said, smirking.
I laughed and ran my hand through my hair awkwardly. “It’s not as casual for everyone as it is for you, Mars,” I pointed out.
He placed his hands on the counter and leaned forward, pushing his body closer to mine. “That’s why everyone else isn’t having as much fun as I am,” he whispered to me.
I laughed again and felt my cock hardening in my jeans. “Sometimes,” I said, “I’m actually surprised that my glasses don’t steam up when you’re flirting with me.”
Mars leaned forward, then plucked the glasses off of my face. He held them up to his mouth, then let out two quick puffs of air. The lenses steamed over, and he placed them back on my face.
I swallowed, and my cock stiffened the rest of the way. “But if you’re sleeping with people all the time, does it still mean anything? Do you just like the chase and then move on?”
“You worrying I’m going to run away if you let me in those pants?” he asked. “Because trust me, I’ll stick around for a while.” He roamed his eyes down my body and back up again. “I’ll want to take my time teaching you a few things.”
I grabbed my seltzer and took a couple of deep drinks of the bubbly water. “I’m sure you say that to all the boys,” I said.
Wait, am I actually considering this?
I caught Mars’s eye, and he ran the tip of his tongue across his lips. “They wish I did.”
I stopped a whimper from sneaking out. Actually, why not consider this? Why not let myself have a little fun for once? Fun was part of what I wanted, after all.
And something I really, really wanted was standing right in front of me. He was stepping between my legs and placing his hands against my thighs.
They felt strong. Firm, but also warm, and the pleasure of his touch radiated across my body, igniting my desire.
Don’t let Rip win,I thought to myself.I can’t let him win any longer.
“You want to have a little fun before I take off, Clark?”
And finally, after so many years, I was ready to say yes.
