Page 37 of Unexpected Boyfriends

I suddenly realize he feels vulnerable. Like he believes there’s a real risk of me ditching him. And that it would genuinely hurt him. And yet he’s still willing to take that chance. The knowledge warms my heart but also makes me rush to reassure him.

“Not a chance. I know how I feel about you. I’d wait for… whenever we can be together. I can handle being apart, I don’t think I could handlenothaving you.”

“Me neither,” Axel admits, and taking my hand in his, kisses the back of my knuckles. “So, all in then, both of us?”

“Yes, all in,” I whisper.

And right there on the beach, in full public view, he leans across and kisses me on the lips. And then because it’s been a heavy, if worthwhile and necessary conversation, by unspoken agreement we jump to our feet and race each other into the surf.

Chapter 14

Sydney

JUSTIN

Axel picks me up in the evening. We’ve only been apart a couple of hours and already I’m missing him like crazy and wondering what he’s doing.

What he has been doing, is showering, shaving and dressing up for going out. If he’s dressed to impress, then he’s hit the mark. I’m totally salivating when I see him, and desperate to get my hands on him. Fuck, how can all this masculine perfection be mine? I don’t know. I’m nothing special; too young, too slim, too quiet, but for some strange reason that appeals to Axel and there’s no way I’m going to point out to him that he could do way better.

Of course, it’s always possible he’ll come to that realization himself eventually, but I don’t want to think about that.

When he comes to collect me, he’s careful not to stand too close or pay me too much attention, keeping it very definitely in the ‘friend zone’ while we’re within sight of my family. But once the car is away from the house, he pulls over, kills the engine and pulls me in for a scorching kiss.

As his tongue plunders my mouth, my hands are everywhere, sliding under his shirt, my fingers tingling as I touch his bare skin.

We’re both breathing heavily when we pull apart. Axel’s face is flushed and his pupils dilated.

“Can’t do this here,” Axel mutters. “I’m going to put my back out twisting like this.”

I bite my lip and cast a glance at the back seat. Axel shakes his head.

“No. I didn’t bring you here just for this. I want to go out with you. Movie first.”

“And after?”

“I’m sure we’ll think of something.”

Fifteen minutes later, we arrive at the movies and queue for our tickets. Axel refuses to let me pay my share.

“I invited you,” he says, “let me pay. Besides I’m working and you’re still a student.” And then he adds, speaking close to my ear so no-one else can hear, “And there’s no expectations, okay? I’m not expecting you to put out just because I paid, ever. Anything we do, I want it to be because you want to, not because you feel obligated.”

“Thanks, and yeah, I know.”

“Good. You can always say no, or stop me anytime, doesn’t matter what we’re doing, or how far we’ve gone.”

“Thank you for saying it, but I trust you. I don’t feel like we’re unequal or you’d push me into something I don’t want to do. Hell, you’re the one who keeps pulling back!”

“Yeah… it’s just the age thing,” Axel admits sheepishly. “I don’t want that to become a problem for us.”

“It won’t. I promise I’ll speak up if it does.”

Axel takes my hand as we walk into the darkened cinema. We find a couple of seats off by ourselves and settle in for the movie. We hold hands the whole two and a half hours, and there might be a few kisses exchanged, but we keep it PG and we do actually manage to watch the movie. Most of it, anyway.

The storyline is intriguing and the actors convincing, and afterwards we discuss the plot at length. We’re so wrapped up in our own little world that we don’t notice we’re the only ones still there until the ushers start cleaning up the seats around us. We look at each other and have a little laugh at ourselves, as we hurry to get out of there.

“Dinner?” asks Axel, as we get in his car.

Before I can answer, my stomach makes a weird gurgling noise, which is a little embarrassing.

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