Page 59 of Beyond the Summer

With a choked cry, Sutton's body tensed and then shuddered, his warm release spilling over my cock, making the slide against him all the more delicious.

“Fuck, your cum feels good, baby,” I groaned, rutting roughly against him as he bucked beneath me, crying out my name.The sight and feel of of him unraveling against me undid me, and I followed right after, shuddering through my own intense orgasm.

Collapsing bonelessly against Sutton, I couldn't help the breathless laugh that escaped me."Matt’s gonna kill us if he finds out we fucked in here.”

“Worth it, though,” he said smugly.

With a final, soft kiss, I reluctantly pulled away from Sutton, cleaning up the mess we’d made with some tissues.As I gazed down at him, disheveled and utterly debauched, a surge of fierce protectiveness washed over me.I helped him fix his tie, careful that he didn’t look too disheveled, then led him back out to the reception.

The festivities were in full swing.Aiden and Jay were twirling together on the dance floor, lost in their own little world.Parker and Ravi were laughing over by the bar, drinks in hand, clearly madly in love.I wanted to share that I’d found love, too, but I decided to accept Sutton’s decision.Now wasn’t the time to talk to them.

Sutton seemed far more relaxed, the tension in his shoulders easing as he took in the scene.Gently, I tugged him towards the dance floor, wrapping my arms around his waist and pulling him close.

"See?Nothing to worry about," I murmured, swaying with him to the soft, romantic melody.Sutton's arms circled my neck, and he rested his forehead against mine, a small, content smile playing on his lips.

Sutton

ThechillyDecemberairnipped at my cheeks, but I barely noticed the cold as Matt's words rang out over the crowded balcony, his voice brimming with enthusiasm.

"Welcome to a new beginning for Camp Eagle Ridge!"

Grinning, held up my phone to capture the moment on a live post on the camp's social media—something I'd spent most of the past months building up.My heart swelled with pride for what we'd accomplished, for Matt, Ben, and their family.Through the camera's viewfinder, I watched Matt gesturing emphatically while the crowd erupted in cheers.

"Camp Eagle Ridge has always looked for the best way to support our campers and to make their experience safe, inclusive, and welcoming.This camp is a safe space for our campers—a home away from home.But over the summer, one of our wonderful camp counselors, Sutton Holm, pointed out that our outdated, gender-segregated camp had a fatal flaw.Gender and gender identity is not binary, so why was our camp forcing kids into these strictly binary categories?That's why we've spent the past few months working on major renovations.And our new vision brings the camp's focus on inclusivity to a whole new level."

The crowd cheered, and Matt paused for a moment until they quieted down.

"We reached out to trans, queer, and gay kids and asked what kinds of things stopped them from coming to camp, and listened to their concerns, including worries about showering in gendered bathrooms and living in large, shared rooms.Our new designs will place campers in smaller groups, based on their preferences and needs, with single cabins available for teens who feel safest with their own space.This way, every camper can feel safe and accepted for who they are."

"What about the straight kids?"someone yelled from the back.

Matt laughed, shaking it off as if he expected a comment like this."We talked to them, too, and they loved the idea.Hell, I think some of them are already planning a sweet summer camp romance."The crowd laughed at that.

A few more questions rang out, and I kept filming, glancing at my boyfriend to find him watching me instead of Matt.He looked happy.And proud of me.I took a step closer, until our shoulders brushed together, and he settled his hand on my lower back, steadying me as I continued to film.Matt continued outlining the camp's inclusive policies, but my focus narrowed to the woodsy, familiar scent of Ben's cologne surrounding me—a tether to this man I loved more than anything.A flood of gratitude washed over me for the amazing community of friends who'd become my chosen family, accepting me without condition.

I turned the camera, panning to show the crowd on the social media livestream, proud to let the world know about the incredible support of the town's residents.Matt was wrapping up his speech, and I caught the end of it, then Ben and I walked to the edges of the crowd so I could film the new buildings.

That's when my smile froze.

A sleek, black limousine had pulled up behind the crowd, the tinted windows revealing nothing.I tried to tell myself that it must be the mayor or something, but I couldn't shake the sense of foreboding.The rear door swung open to reveal my mother, head held high in that self-important way of hers.My father emerged after her, the foreboding bulk of his frame making my heart stop.

Ice crystallized in my veins as their disapproving gazes swept over the assembled crowd, landing on me.They'd found out.We knew they would, but it wasn't supposed to happen like this.

Panic seized me, and somewhere in the distance, I registered the muffled thump of my phone clattering to the ground.My lungs constricted, heartbeat pounding a frantic staccato against my ribcage.

Fragments of memory assaulted me, unbidden—the harsh rebukes, the cruel sermons disguised as love, the constant guilt and shame heaped upon me for the simple crime of being who I was.

Ben's fingers slipped between mine, a lifeline tethering me to the present.The rough pad of his thumb brushed over my knuckles, jolting me from the spiral of anxiety coiling inside.I turned to find his rich, brown eyes locked on mine, their steadfast depths calming the turmoil within.

"I'm here, Sutton," he said, the rumbling baritone of his voice cutting through the chaos swirling in my mind."Just breathe, baby.I've got you."

My gaze slid reluctantly back to my parents, their icy stares boring into me with palpable disdain.For so long, their judgment had consumed me, an all-encompassing darkness perpetually looming overhead.But now, with Ben's steadfast presence by my side, that darkness seemed ever-so-slightly less suffocating.I was no longer that lost little boy, desperate to earn their approval—their love.

"Well, well," my father's rich baritone sliced through the air, lips curling into a contemptuous sneer."If it isn't the sodomite himself, cavorting with deviants and sin.I must say, son, even my diminished expectations have been soundly shattered."

Around him, the crowd went silent.

Squeezing Ben's hand tighter, I straightened my shoulders and met my father's withering glare head-on."I wish I could say it was good to see you," I said, my voice trembling with the weight of the words even as they liberated me."But your bullshit won't work on me anymore.I'm gay, Dad."

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