Page 110 of Encounter

God, don’t look at me like that. All guilty and melancholic.

“I read the letter,” I whispered—the only way for me to keep my voice steady. Chast retreated his gaze in a response.

“Yeah?” Another wave of panicked emotions passed over his face and rattled through his voice. “Surprised you could decipher it, I— I haven’t wrote anythin’ in a long time. Doubt it even made sense, I just... tried my best.”

“I... I believe you,” I murmured.

His eyes widened at me. Did he really expect me to end it? Did he feel that guilty about it all?

“I didn’t cut myself, either,” I admitted with a tinge of shame. “Because... I’ve been a better, stronger person ever since I met you, and I don’t want that to change.” I studied Chast’s face, raw and expressive. “I don’t want to lose this. I don’t want to convince myself you never cared for me and be alone. For you to be alo—”

Chast leaned toward me and squeezed my thigh. “Idocare for you,” he said, firm and resolute. Almost like he begged me to believe him. “I... I kept tryin’ to put some distance between us because I worried that I... That if I kissed you—if I let myself really feel everythin’ for you—I’d get greedy and needy, and I wouldn’t be able to see what’s best for you anymore.”

Youare good for me.

“I… I can’t blame you for feeling whatever you felt at the beginning. You clearly cared for herverydeeply,” I said. I was really trying to understand, to be a rock for him like he had been for me. “I barely knew Mom but… I still think about her every day and miss her. When I reacted the way I did after you told me,” I paused as a wave of shame passed through my chest, “it was because I egocentrically thought I was some replacement, but… There was nothing selfish about you drawing the connection. It was… out of grief.”

The weight of saying that out loud finally dropped at me. I had been so focused on how much being with Chast did for me, helped me... Was my presence helping him move past Lydy?Could it, if it still affects him so much?

“Even if a significant part of our relationship is to help you cope with it, I’m okay with tha—"

Chast tightened his grip on my thigh and locked eyes with me. His were honest, and so open. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be over her, but youdidhelp me see the possibility that I could,” he said, with words that sounded as if they were meant for the very core of my soul. “Before, I ignored the pain—didn’t even dare to consider unpacking all that shit.”

A genuine, content smile marked his lips, and in response, so did mine.

I got closer and slowly pressed them into his. For now, I didn’t want any more of this hurt and angst. I only wanted to make it all better. “Kiss me,” I whispered as I brushed my nose against his. Chast’s grip on my thigh spread. His hot breath blurred my glasses before he went in for more, hungry and desperate.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured between our kisses, and his other hand quickly found its way to my nape, pulling me in. “I’m so sorry.” He huffed into my mouth before his soft, wet tongue pushed in.

“Just touch me,” I begged him, closing my eyes.They say make up sex is the best...

I wanted nothing but his hands, his mouth, hiseverythingeverywhere melting into me.

Our lips barely parted every few seconds to allow for gasps of air, while Chast’s strong hands quickly guided and pulled me to his side. Awkwardly tripping and shifting around the small space, I finally ended up in his lap, locking my arms around his neck.

“I want you,” I moaned, letting loose completely, revealing all of the pathetic, needy longing I had for him. “I want you so much, Chast.” He barely had time to react—I already pressed my body against his, rubbing our rigid cocks trapped under all those damn clothes against each other, grinding on him like a dog in heat. “Please.”

“Fuck.”God—the husky, horny roughness to his voice...I was sure the moment he touched me, I would explode. “A-Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” I groaned, close to losing my shit. “I want you inside me, now. I—”

Mercilessly breaking his lips away from mine even though I hungrily leapt back for them, Chast held his breath, finally making me pause, too. “Gale. Wait.” Drawing my brows together as I closed my eyes, I retreated. Trying to hide my disappointment as I leaned back, I rested my elbows against the wheel. “Gale, look at me,” he urged, gently cupping my cheek.

I begrudgingly opened my eyes to meet his gaze.Does he not want me?

“Listen.” Smiling, he pushed some hair off my face, and gave me such a loving look I couldn’t even be angry at him anymore. “You’ve got no idea how much I want to fuck you right now,” he said, eyes still burning with passion, “but... are you sure you want our first time to be on the seat of my dingy-ass car?”

Who would’ve known that Chast has a romantic in him?I sighed and hung my head down. “I guess you’re right.” As horny as I was, itwasn’twhat I wanted it to be. My first time really making love, with a real person.

“You deserve better. So how ‘bout we wait a few days for my stitches to heal, so I can give you my all,” he noted with a devilish smirk, planting a quick kiss on my cheek, “and for now, we jerk off and then get some Thai, huh?”

I tried to hide the smile that appeared on my lips, to not make it so easy for him, but he noticed and chuckled, pulling me closer for a proper kiss.

“Sounds good enough,” I whispered playfully, rolling my eyes.

?

I got back home around midnight, with stomach filled with food, relieved of all the anxiety and stress, and with my heart beaming with contentment. The smile plastered on my face faltered as I was undoing my shoes and heard Dad getting off his chair.

---