Page 33 of Taking Care of You
His hands pause and he meets my eyes. We stand there for a few seconds, just looking at each other, breathing each other in. God, he smells good. Spicy and manly, with a hint of the ocean.
“I could have covered my eyes, creep,” he says as he goes back to fixing my tie. If I’m not mistaken, Ethan’s voice is a little shaky. Or maybe it’s my imagination.
“There,” he says softly, turning me around to the mirror. The fat knot at my throat looks perfect. He runs his hand down the tie, smoothing it. “What do you think?” He leans down to fiddle more with my tie.
I clear my throat and try to lean away from him, but not too far away. “Looks good.”
He meets my eyes in the mirror and winks. My face heats, but I roll my eyes.
Turning around, I take him in. He looks amazing. The blue against his skin makes him look unreal. It brings out the copper brown so well that I want to touch him to make sure that he’s not a mirage.
His crisp white shirt and pink tie look really good together. He has a pocket square the same color as his tie, just like I do. His suit is more fitted than mine, so I can see every muscle and curve of him. Kind of makes me want to stay here and stare athim all night. I feel my cock growing in my pants, so I pull my jacket down and try to hide it.
Probably a terrible idea, because his eyes drop to my hands, and I’m sure he caught my erection before I was able to hide it. He raises his eyes back to mine with a cocked brow and a small grin on his face. Ugh, how embarrassing.
“You look nice,” I murmur, walking around him to get my cell phone from my room.
As usual, he throws his arm over my shoulder and walks with me into the guest room. “I know,” he quips. “We look good together, don’t you think?”
I one hundred percent agree. This will be the only night we’ll be super coupley around people, so I’m going to enjoy it and pretend we really are together.
After we grab everything we need, we head to the living room where his parents are waiting. Grace stands up and walks over to Ethan, straightening his tie and smoothing a hand over his hair. “You look very handsome, son.” She looks over at me, eyes gleaming. “Wow, Jakoby. You look really nice in your suit. You have the perfect frame for that cut.”
She walks over and fixes my tie, brushing lint off my shoulder, and generally being a mom. My throat tightens and I have to look away to blink back tears. I wish my mother would be like this. Being there for me, sending me off to Homecoming after being a hovering parent. Why can’t I have this?
Franklin picks up the camera that’s on the coffee table and shoos his wife away. “Okay, Grace. Unhand him so I can get some pictures. You boys look good tonight.”
I mumble a thank-you and Ethan pulls me close for a picture. I try not to, but he feels so good and he’s so warm that I lean into him. I look up at him to catch the smile on his face and find him looking at me. He smirks and quickly rubs a thumb across my cheek. “Smile, creep,” he whispers, then looks back at his father.
Facing his dad, I smile and Franklin snaps about twenty pictures.
“That’s enough, Frank. Let the kids go and have fun. Enjoy yourselves. Call us if you need us,” Grace says as they walk us outside. Ethan grabs my hand and we walk to the car.
“Ethan?” I get his attention when he has me in the car and buckled in.
“Hmm?”
“Do your parents think…did you tell them…do they know we’re fake dating?”
He smiles and glances at me. “Of course, creep. I tell them everything.”
That shouldn’t hurt. He’s not saying it to hurt me, I know. But I wish I was able to say that about my parents. I can’t really say anything kind about them. Maybe that my dad is a hard worker, since he’salwaysat work. But that’s about it.
When I came out, I think that was the last time I was able to talk to my mom and dad. I haven’t confided in them since then.
And here Ethan is, able to tell his folks anything without judgment.
“Hey,” he says, snapping me back to the present. “What just happened?”
I shake my head and look out the window. “Nothing. I told you I get sad sometimes. It’s no big deal.”
Ethan pulls into the parking lot of a store and shuts the car off. “Itisa big deal, creep. I don’t like when you’re sad. What’s up? You can tell me anything.”
“That’s the problem,” bursts out of my mouth before I can stop the words. “I don’t have that with people. You have amazing parents that don’t care if you’re gay and have a boyfriend.” I see him open his mouth, but I cut him off. “I know you’re not really gay, but it still remains. Your parents don’t care. I haven’t beenable to tell my parents anything personal for the past six years. I have no one but Crystal to confide in. I have nobody.”
I face away from him so I won’t cry. What is it with me constantly crying in front of him?
“Creep, listen. And don’t interrupt.” I smile a bit at the window. He knows me well enough by now to know I’ll try to if he speaks any kind words to me. “You have Crystal. She’s not nobody. And now,” he says, reaching over to grab my chin between his thumb and index finger, turning me to face him. “Now, you have me. You can always tell me anything. Doesn’t matter what it is. I’ll always be here for you. Always. Don’t ever doubt that." He drops his hand from my face now that I’m facing him. “Your parents are shitty for how they treated you, and I know it hurts. But if you ever need someone, I’m here. Okay?”
