He was. And I probably was too.

Travis looked at me with concern, but while my heart was racing from the shock of discovery, I wasn’t really…mad. Or afraid.

“It’s fine,” I said, surprising myself with how unconcerned I felt. Then I looked at Andy. “But you should knock next time, or you might get an eyeful.”

Was I getting cocky? After some of my walls shattered with last night’s mind-blowing sex, I was feeling more confident. I was almost happy that someone found out about us—and that I couldn’t do anything about it. That I couldn’t overthink it.

The cheeky grin Travis gave me was almost blinding. Leaning into my ear, he said, “I love how you just invited yourself into my apartment.” Then he got up, thankfully wearing a pair of boxers. “Andyou.” He pointed at Andy. “You’re lucky you didn’t catch an eyeful, I would have kicked your ass.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Andy said, resting his shoulder on the door. “I think I might still try to catch sight of hot Prince’s ass. I’ll make it a game.”

Travis sprinted toward the door and then slammed it as Andy ran away.

“I’m making breakfast, so better be ready when I’m done!” Andy called out.

“He cooks?” I asked.

Travis groaned. “He does. It’s the only reason I keep him around.”

He went to the bathroom and I stayed on the bed, looking at the ceiling, wondering ifthiswonderful feeling could last.

I had years of shame and fear threatening to swallow me whole. I didn’t even know how tobewithout pretending to be the perfect charming Prince everyone thought I was. Travis deserved someone open, someone brave and daring, and not someone like me, who was afraid to be rude to people and act outside the role they had assigned to me.

He might get tired of this and move on.

The thought of losing Travis terrified me. It was a sobering revelation.

But for once, I didn’t want to worry about what would happen. I just wanted to be present. Try to enjoy things while they lasted.

Chapter 16

Travis

Something changed after that. The intense delight and warmth I felt being with Scott were almost overwhelming. Waking up next to him had been like waking into a dream, and it didn’t stop for the rest of the day.

Since it was a Saturday, we lazed around my apartment with no need to be anywhere. Andy left after breakfast to see his family, so we had the whole place to ourselves. I’d been worried he might say something like‘You’re only looking for trouble being with Scott’but he didn’t. He just patted my back and told me to enjoy the empty apartment.

Scott and I went from the bed, to the kitchen and from there to the sofa, where Scott laid half on top of me as we exchanged languid kisses with no beginning nor end.

I was addicted. I couldn’t stop kissing him, from his mouth to his cheek to his neck, sucking love bites into his skin, making him groan into my neck. The way he fit his head right beneath my chin, nuzzling me there like a kitten made me feel ten feet tall, for some reason. He was safe and warm in my arms, with no one to bother us and no reason to keep his façade on, and this Scott—vulnerable, open, and cuddly—was quickly becoming one of my favorite sides of him.

So much so that I justhadto finger him, right then and there. With some lube and a lot of dirty talk, I pushed on his prostate again and again like it was an Olympic sport, his moans loud, unabashed, and helpless to stop his orgasm from melting him into a puddle of satisfaction.

Seeing his pleasure, how he submitted to me, was almost enough to make me come, and the rest was done by frotting his crotch against mine. I didn’t think I’d been this horny for someone else in my entire life.

And it didn’t end there.

Days later, as I watched him across the college lawn, I felt no small elation at seeing just howbrighthe looked. All blond and blue-eyed, locks fluttering with the early spring breeze, smile wide and genuine as he talked to his friends while stealing glances from me.

He’s mine.

That gorgeous smile is mine.

It didn’t take away the fierce ache I felt sometimes. I wanted so badly to be with him, to touch that smile. I wanted to show him, tell him a thousand times how it was okay to be himself. Couldn’t he see, how beautifully he glowed when he let his walls down? I felt ready to punch whoever tried to make him think otherwise.

Chill out, dude.

Yeah, too late.