Page 23 of The Way Home
My throat suddenly felt thick, only this time it wasn't from fear or panic. I was feeling overwhelmed in the best way possible. I squeaked out a quiet, “Thank you.”
I let my head fall back on the edge of my pillow, with his head resting only inches away. His body next to mine was comforting in a way I'd been searching for with each partner or hookup I'd had. The tightness in my chest loosened at last. I was no longer on my back on the field with raindrops splattering against my cheeks. I was here in my bed with the man I loved.
Riley untucked his arm closest to me and found my hand, wrapping his fingers lightly around mine. Relief poured through me, and I felt myself exhale all of the tension I'd been holding. He'd always had a grounding effect on me, at least before he started keeping his distance. There was no distance now, and I could have cried with joy. I closed my eyes, reveling in the way it felt to hold his hand and to have him next to me.
Each time lightning struck Riley would keep his breathing steady, purposeful, and I was able to focus on the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest, matching his breaths with my own until I no longer noticed the storm. I was finally able to relax, and sleep found me soon after.
Warm, cozy, and content, I slept. Gone was the storm that stole my breath, and present was the man who gave it back. The blanket no longer separated us, and our hands weren't the only thing embracing. Riley's black hair tickled my nose and his unshaved scruff nuzzled against my neck. It was exactly where I'd wanted him. Well… one of the ways I wanted him, at least. It felt like a dream to have him in my bed, crowding the small space with his tall form.
A smile stretched my lips as he shifted, nuzzling closer. Riley's hand slid over my bare chest, sending waves of pleasure straight down to my dick, which was already very awake. A sleepy moan slipped from my lips. It was then Riley went stiff, and I heard him mutter, “Shit!”
He was already rolling away from me when my phone's alarm started trilling, hitting his head as he sat up.
I reached across the bed and dismissed the alarm, wishing I could stay right here with him, but it was too late. He was already leaving.
Stretching and twisting his back, Riley reached for his glasses. He coughed to clear his throat. “Uh, good luck today. You're going to do great.”
“Wait!” I quickly crawled out of bed, practically stumbling to my feet. Riley was already at the door. He stopped momentarily to look back, his eyes lowering to where my briefs struggled to contain my morning wood. I could swear I saw a flicker of desire in his eyes before he looked away. I wanted to say so many things, wanted to cross the room and pull him toward me, anything to stop him from running away. The look on his face said he was already gone, though. So, I simply whispered, “Thank you.”
He gave a quick nod and turned away.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I muttered to myself after Riley closed the door behind him. The distraught look on his face when he fledmy room had me afraid that any progress we'd made flew right out the window. Not that we'd made atonof progress, but he came in last night and somehow gave me exactly what I needed to survive the storm.
There was something there, though, despite his efforts to keep his distance. Riley didn't have to stay once I settled. Hell, he didn't have to do any of that—how did he even know? But hedidstay and had even snuggled closer, allowing me to relax and sleep deeper than I normally did.
The smile I woke with returned as I thought of his hand rubbing over my chest. In his sleep, while his guard was down, Riley touched me. He wanted me. There was no denying it. Even if he panicked and ran away, the moment had been real. As real as our kiss on the dock. I held onto that as I showered and got ready for my interview, feeling much lighter than the night before. Hornier, too, but I didn't have time for that right now. “Sorry, buddy,” I stared down and adjusted myself before grabbing a towel and headed for the shower.
Jeremy
Isat on the bleachers, staring out at the field, with a mix of nostalgia, hope, and dread. This was my home once and could be my home again. Or maybe not. What the hell would I do if they selected someone else? Surely there were other candidates with more experience, more education, and more charisma. Besides being an alumni and a legacy player who followed his dad's footsteps, I wasn't sure what else I had going for me. Except for the fact that it was a small town. If you didn't already live in Stony Creek or the surrounding area, there really wasn't a reason to come here, aside from Pathfinders Lake.
The lake offered plenty of recreational activities, but there were a few lovers who traveled here because of the local legend. It was much lesser known than the love lock bridge in Paris or writing letters to Juliet in Verona, but it had gained a smallfollowing, particularly among those whose romances couldn't always be lived out in the open. They sought out the monument, and it continued to grow larger every year.
Had a football coach visited with their lover and decided to stay? Or was there another homegrown hero in competition?
Scanning over the field, I imagined the lights, the crowd stomping their feet in the stands, the marching band blasting rally songs between plays, and the sound of helmets crashing into each other as the quarterback got the ball. Damn, what I wouldn't give to get to experience it all again.
My phone rang, pulling me out of the fantasy. I knew who it was before I even looked at it. I swear the man had a sixth sense. I fished it out of my pocket and answered, “Hey, Dad.”
“How'd it go?”
I let out a soft chuckle. “Just getting right to it, I see. No ‘how is my favorite son in the entire world?’”
“Yes, right, and howisRiley?” My dad asked with a tease.
I replied with as dry a tone as I could muster. “Ha. Ha. You're so funny.”
“Yes, I know. It's one of the things Jackie loves about me. Well, that and myhuge—”
“Dad!” I cut him off.
A laugh rang through the phone. “I was going to say heart. If you thought it was going to be anything else, then you need to get your mind out of the gutter. Speaking of gutter… have you reunited with anyone while you've been back home?”
I scoffed at his comment. “‘Speaking of gutter?’Psh. Are you implying I have trashy taste? Because… rude.”
“No, Son. Nothing like that, though I wouldn't mind if you brought the same person home twice. I don't think I've ever seen the same face at ThanksgivingandChristmas.”
He wasn't wrong about that. I wasn't big on relationships, and, thankfully, my dad and Jackie had always been accepting andwelcoming of whoever I brought home, no matter their gender. Holidays always made me panic, though. Knowing Riley would be there and would be weird with me, I felt like I needed a buffer or a shield, someone who could distract everyone away from the heaviness that sat between us. Lucky for me, a lot of folks wanted to hookup just for the holidays and to have a place to go so they wouldn't be alone. Being pansexualandnot particularly picky gave me a wide variety to choose from.
