Page 45 of Misconduct Zone

The way he draws out “sugar” and the affection behind it, like he’s thinking of lazy kisses and naughty things, makes the nickname bearable. Hating it will only encourage him to say it more, but deep down, I really, really like it.

His tongue sweeps my belly button and I shiver. Dylon’s eyes are predatory as he stalks up my torso and pins me to the mattress, plunging into my mouth with our cum on his tongue.

“Tastes good,” I say, barely able to form a full sentence. We lie together, drifting off when he sighs and heaves out of bed, going into the bathroom. He comes back with a warm washcloth to clean me up, then unwinds the bandage to ditch the ice pack and rewraps my leg in the compression band.

“There.” He peppers kisses on my inner thigh. “Almost ready to tuck you in.”

I’m about to ask him to stay, but he speaks first.

“Do you need anything else?” I shake my head and he continues. “I’m spending the night. No one will question me falling asleep here.”

“Good.” I bury my head in the crook of his neck.

Tangled together, this carries the weight of a stolen moment, and I hope that changes. The pervasive fear lingers that he will not be mine long term. He needed me and cares for me, but I don’t add value to his life like he does to mine. He sees the good in the world and endless possibilities. Dylon helps me believe in more than potential problems and negative outcomes. Even his depression brought companionship and a sense of purpose to my life.

Eventually he won’t feel indebted to me, and where will that leave us? Coming out is a life-changing event, and caring about me might be short term. He takes the mantra one day at a time seriously. I would hate for him to mistake his lust for something more.

I lost my heart to him so long ago, but I won’t trade my happiness for his. My family will accept my sexuality. I’ve hinted at it for years but made it clear after a headline falsely insinuated a romantic relationship with my friend Von. Their biggest concern is grandkids, but I cannot promise kids even if I end up with a woman.

The only future I want is with Dylon, but I’m too scared to believe it’s forever.

The last time I had a relationship with a man and thought about going public, it ended terribly. Dylon is not Boe. He’s stronger and committed tosobriety, and our relationship is much deeper than mine with Boe. But Dylon can be a people pleaser. He has to decide for himself, not for me.

I’ve been careful about giving my opinion so I don’t sway him. If anything, I will encourage him not to make our relationship public. He’s right, the press will camp out on our doorstep, hire photographers to get photos of inside our apartment, pick through our garbage, and dissect every facial expression and our body language.

My friend Von was front page news more than once in his life, and he disappeared from the public and turned his phone off for over a month. I don’t have that luxury, and neither does Dylon.

“You’re thinking so hard I can hear you. What’s wrong?” Dylon spoons me from behind and rests his chin on my shoulder.

“Your name is Lucky, but I got all the luck when I got you.”

“Aww, Sugar, you say the sweetest things. Too bad you’re lying.” He grabs my chin to kiss me.

Chapter 24

Dylon

“Heads up,” Caleb says, and I catch the loaf of bread he launches at me. I stifle the urge to say “My head’s always up,” but Caleb has a shit-eating grin so he can probably read it in my expression.

The worst part is that my little head is up any time I’m around Lars and that’s always. The industrial kitchen at a team charity event is not the place for my dick to get excited. The Q Solutions helps queer youth, and Ari Dimon arranged for the team to volunteer during their open house tonight.

“Thanks, as…assembly buddy.” I catch myself before I call him an asshole in front of a few of the kids.

“Anytime, assembly buddy,” Caleb mocks, and I half expect him to make a jerk-off motion.

“How are we doin’?” Alec Ivy asks. He’s one of the center’s top volunteers. Lars follows behind Alec, and I hope they had a good talk. Lars and Alec had a huge falling out when Alec and Lars’s best friend, Von, had issues. Alec did some dumbass shit, which I can relate to. Von forgave Alec so that’s good enough for me, but Lars is slow to forgive when someone betrays a person he cares about.

“We are the best sandwich assembly team this place has ever seen,” I brag.

“But the Girl Scouts were twice as fast,” Alec says smugly.

“Them’s fightin’ words, mister. I say we come back and have a showdown with the Girl Scouts.” Caleb slaps a sandwich together.

“A showdown?” Patrik shakes his head.

“It will all come down to how we’re going to change the world,” Jamal says thoughtfully. “With sugar cookies or hockey sticks.”

Hockey sticks sound more like a violent takeover.

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