Page 24 of Jonathon, After All

“Yes! I want to be yours: whenever you want and in every way you can possibly imagine.”

“Every way?” Leo challenged, his grip tightening once more around Jonathon’s neck.

“Yes! Please!” Jonathon begged. “I’ll do anything you want!”

“Mine.” He groaned the words against Jonathon’s lips, claiming them as his hips pumped hard and deep. Leo was rough, gripping and grinding as he licked and bit at Jonathon’s neck and shoulders. But his touch wasn’t brutal or careless. Instead, Jonathon rejoiced as he was consumed and possessed, joyful as he sated Leo’s most primitive desires. “Jonathon!” Leo shouted as wet heat plumed in Jonathon’s passage.

Leo’s hoarse, ragged cry sent Jonathon spilling over the edge again. He tumbled into ecstasy with Leo, the sound echoing in Jonathon’s heart as the room grew quiet, save for their breathless pants.

“Tomorrow, I will have a hundred regrets,” Leo whispered just beneath Jonathon’s ear, making him shiver. “But tonight feels like a dream. I don’t know how this—you—can be real. I’ve been tormented with thoughts of you just like this, even when I’m asleep, from the moment we met. No matter how hard I tried, I could not stop wanting you, and now you are here.”

“I wanted you too,” Jonathon said, biting down on his lip as he boldly trailed his fingers up Leo’s spine. “But I never thought I had a chance. I was surprised you even noticed me.”

A delighted growl rumbled from Leo as he rose and sucked on Jonathon’s lip. “I was under your spell from the moment you walked into the library.”

“Stop!” Jonathon protested, laughing as he pushed Leo away.

He fell onto his side, catching Jonathon’s hand and kissing his knuckles. “It’s true. I thought you were luminous and magical. You are always glowing and I think it’s because you absorb the light, whenever you’re near a window or outside.”

Jonathon gave him a dubious look, then noticed the book on the floor by the bed. He disentangled himself and went to retrieve it. “What’s this?” he asked, smiling as he picked it up and recognized the spine. “Grimms’ tales.”

Leo reached for it, a faint blush staining his cheeks. “You borrowed it so I thought I might take another look. It’s been a long time,” he said, his bashfulness enchanting Jonathon all over again.

“I didn’t get very far. I overestimated my ability to read German,” Jonathon admitted.

“But you’re learning and you’re trying. I find that admirable,” Leo said and held a hand out to Jonathon. “Stay for a while. I’m not ready to part with you yet.” He raised his brows hopefully.

Jonathon knew he had to be dreaming, how could a night be so perfect? “Will you read a story to me?” he asked as he took Leo’s hand and climbed back into bed with him.

“Of course. Shall we start with Rapunzel? It’s one of my favorites,” he told Jonathon.

“I love Rapunzel,” Jonathon said as he reclined against Leo’s chest. He wiggled and scooted until he was comfortable, then pulled Leo’s arm around his waist. “But, FYI: if you ever catch me growing my hair out like hers, consider it a cry for help.”

“Shall I rescue you?” Leo asked, nibbling on Jonathon’s shoulder as he opened the book and found the right page.

Jonathon snorted and tapped the elaborate illustration at the beginning of the story. “You wouldn’t be much of a prince if you left your damsel in distress,” he scolded and Leo hummed seriously in agreement.

“I would not and you would have every right to banish me.”

“You’re the one who banished me, Leo,” Jonathon murmured, the memory fading as he returned to Milo Ashby’s bunk bed. He ached, as he always did when he thought of Schönbühel and longed for Leo. But that yearning was quickly replaced with cold anger.

“Is that what it feels like, breaking up?” Milo asked and Jonathon nodded.

“It’s exactly like that when you’ve been dumped. I was fine, having no one but Muriel before I met Leo. I didn’t know what it was like to belong to someone, and to feel so safe and so…complete. I had found my other half and my purpose and then, overnight, it was all gone and I had been exiled.”

“I can see why you’re hurt and why you want to hide,” Milo said sadly. He went to his desk and pressed the tall, narrow dry erase board next to it and it swung aside.

“Has that been here this whole time?” Jonathon asked as he popped up, gasping as Milo pulled and revealed a long shelf, loaded with bags of chips and candy, bottles of soda, boxes of snack cakes and cereals…

“It’s my snack stash,” Milo informed Jonathon, selecting a Raspberry Pop Tart and tossing the foil package to him.

Jonathon caught it and hugged it against his chest. “I love these!”

There was a soft chuckle from Milo as he chose a honey bun and dropped into his rolling chair. “I could tell. I take my snacks very seriously and I have a sixth sense when it comes to picking the right snack.”

“The right snack?” Jonathon asked as he opened it, making Milo shrug.

“Popcorn or gummies aren’t sad snacks, they’re for movies and games. Pop Tarts are good for when you’re in a hurry or miss being a kid before you had grown up problems. You’re not a classic Brown Sugar Cinnamon or Strawberry kind of guy, though. I figured Raspberry or S’mores and went with Raspberry because even camping-themed snacks sound too outdoorsy for you,” he explained.

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