Page 71 of Up In Flames
“You came out toeveryone?”
“Well, technically I came out to Briggs, who—with my permission—told everyone we know. I still have to tell my parents. But what I guess I’m saying is that if you want to move in with me, I want you there. I don’t care that it’s fast, in some ways it doesn’t feel like that to me. Not when I’ve been waiting my whole life for you.”
I tried to talk, but my mouth opened and closed, making no sound at all. Will had rendered me speechless.
“I love you, Oren.”
“Will…” The air rushed out of my lungs in one breath. I stepped closer, winding my arms around him again. “You big, beautiful, brave, wonderful man. I think I’ve loved you since I met you. And if not the first time, then definitely when I saw you in the pub that night. I’m so fucking proud of you, but I want you to know that you didn’t have to come out for me. I’d have loved you no matter what. In or out, it’s fine.”
“I came out for myself, but I love how self-important you lawyer types are.” He brushed a kiss against the corner of my mouth. I was still too worn out to get in the mood for anything, but my dick gave a valiant effort at twitching before it decided my body had been through too much in the past day to show up for entertainment.
“I came out,” he continued, “because I couldn’t breathe in there anymore. I still have to tell my parents, but all the other important people know.”
“You want to tell your parents about us?”
“Well, it’s either that or let them figure it out when they do the math and realize that I have a new roommate, but only one bedroom.”
“That’s what the history books would go with. Just a couple of friends being pals. Roommates. Definitely not the kissing kind. In case you’re not serious about the whole apartment-sharing thing, you better tell me now, because in my head I’ve already given notice and hired movers to get my shit out of here.”
Will was smiling when he kissed me. His mouth was soft against mine, a kiss of pure affection. Maybe a smidge of lust simmering in the background, but that was always there.
“I want you with me. Always.”
“God, you’re smooth. It’s no wonder I love you as much as I do.”
Happiness flashed in his expression, then his face lit up. “I love hearing you say that.” His cheeks flashed pink with his confession.
“Well, you better get used to it because you’ve just landed yourself a live-in, Grade-A clinger of a boyfriend. I’m going to make you so fucking happy, Will Dorsey. Just you wait and see.”
“You already make me happy.”
“I’ll make you happier,” I looked down at my unenthused cock. “Maybe not today, but someday very soon.”
“I think we’ll live if we go a day without sex.”
“A day?” I feigned incredulousness. “A whole day? He’ll probably have recovered after some soup and maybe a nap because, right now, all I can think about is that chicken soup and curling up in your arms.”
“We should go eat, get some food in you.”
“I can’t believe you ordered groceries so you could cook for me. Well, I can believe it, but it’s still amazing that you did that for me.”
“It’s just soup, Oren.”
“It’s not just soup. It’s—you give a shit about me. I thought I’d run out of people who cared about me. I’ve never had a huge circle of friends, Will. And after the accident…” I stopped talking to clear my throat. “You’ve saved me in more ways than one. In more ways than the car and the elevator. You make me want to be brave, like you.”
Will slanted his mouth over mine and kissed me so suddenly that I lost my balance and had to grip onto him for support. He kissed me until we couldn’t breathe, until there wasn’t a section of my mouth that he hadn’t tasted. He pulled away but rested his forehead against mine.
“It’s not just soup, Will,” I rasped as I clung to him.
“I know.” Will brushed a kiss against my forehead, then turned off the water. “But soup is a good place to start.”
CHAPTER 32
Will
My life was a fever dream. I’d gone from being in the closet, single, achingly lonely, to moving my boyfriend into my apartment. Something I wanted to do after I’d told my parents about us. Oren understood my reasoning.
All my adult life, I’d hidden a fundamental part of myself from my parents. I’d lied and misdirected and done everything I could to keep my secret safe. But meeting Oren had changed all that. My secret had become an unbearable burden to me in the end.
