Page 69 of Meet You Half Way
I had asked for someone who would fight for me and Mateo had done that spectacularly. Mateo, who used to get skittish at any lingering look in public, who shied away from any physical touch, even the most innocent. Who had hidden who he was from his family and community for so long I didn’t think he’d ever fully embrace who he was. He’d come out to his parents.
And he’d done that for me. Not for Nick, not for anyone else, but for me.
I sucked in a jagged breath of air, recentering myself as Mateo watched my every move, wearing that heart he hid from the world on full display for everyone to see. And I loved him so very much in that moment as I took the few steps that brought us together, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Mateo,” I rasped, reaching out to cup his cheek and take his hand in mine. He was trembling and I could see how hard this had been for him even though he’d spoken so clearly and without hesitation.
“You are right about one thing. You are very, very beautiful.” The guys behind me chuffed out laughs and I was pretty sure there was another catcall but I hadn’t finished yet. “But you are not stupid. Far from it in fact. Maybe a little slow on the uptake but you are far from stupid.”
“Can you forgive me? For being so slow on the uptake? For taking so long to realise what we have?” he asked, vulnerability in his gaze as that hand still shook in mine.
“There is nothing to forgive,” I assured him, smoothing my thumb across his cheekbone. He leaned into my touch as he let out a breath of relief, those shoulders of his sighing as the tension he had been holding onto released.
“I love you, Mateo. I don’t know when and I don’t know why but somewhere in the mix I fell for you too. I never thought I’d love someone so challenging, someone who made me so crazy for just those few scraps of attention you’d throw my way. Those smiles of yours which were so hard won which just made them all the more worthwhile when I finally got them. I love that kindness I’ve found within you and I love how dedicated and loyal you are. I even love howobtuseyou are. You have so much passion within you and I am so glad you have somewhere to direct it now. I’ve loved seeing you embrace your identity and the freedom and liberty that came with that. And I want to fight for you too and make sure you know how worthy of love you truly are, Mateo.”
He said nothing as those eyes of his filled with tears, his hand coming up to clasp onto mine as my thumb traced the cutglass line of his cheekbone.
“Hey fellas, anyone want to get a cup of tea in the kitchen with me?” Bill announced from behind me. I could hear the rushed agreements and hasty retreats of the other guys as Bill cleared the room to leave me alone with the love of my life, our eyes never wavering from each other.
“You love me?” I asked, a smile tugging at my lips as I wiped the tear from Mateo’s cheeks.
“What part of that very public declaration wasn’t clear to you?” Mateo replied, just refraining from rolling his eyes like the man I knew and loved.
“It was all perfectly clear. I just want to hear you say it again.”
Mateo sighed dramatically but I saw the smile on his face and in his eyes. “I love you, Jamie,” he said.
“Good. Because I love you too, Mateo,” I promised, seeing the way his eyes lit up at my words.
I kissed him then, leaned down and took those perfect, pink, cupid bow lips I was obsessed with and melded them with mine. He tasted like vanilla and cocoa beans and perfection and love. I wanted more as I pressed my tongue forward, finding a welcome entrance into his mouth as he let me in, his hands drifting to my hair and mine still clasping his face.
I broke the kiss, aware there was a station full of guys in the room next door and not wanting to push this freshly out guy too far into the realms of public displays of affection. I knew how hard this would have been for him and I loved him all the more for it.
“I want to do this your way,” Mateo sighed, forehead pressed to mine.
“My way?” I asked.
“Yes, your way with the flowers and the wooing and the dates and all that stuff,” he said, making me chuckle.
“The wooing and stuff, huh?” I laughed.
“Yeah. All of that.”
“You want me to romance you, Mateo?” I asked, feeling a little swoony at the thought.
“Yeah. That’s what I want,” he said and yep, I definitely swooned a little there.
“Oh, darling. I am going to romance you so hard you won’t ever want to let me go,” I promised him, waiting for his reliable eyeroll at my over the top words. “But I want to do it your way too.”
“What’s my way?” he asked, confusion in those pretty eyes.
“With all the hot sex,” I said, dropping my voice. “Because I don’t think I could easily walk away from that now that I’ve tasted you and I don’t have the patience to wait. You’re not the only one who thinks we’re terrific in bed.”
“Oh is that what you think you’re going to get from me, huh?” Mateo laughed, eyes dancing.
“Yeah, that’s exactly what I think.”
“Well look at us, compromising already. You know, I think I’m going to be amazing at all this relationship stuff,” Mateo grinned.
