by A. J. Truman
“And then what happened next?” Gideon asked.
“I kissed you.”
Gideon motioned for Mac to repeat history. Mac leaned forward and pressed his lips to Gideon’s in a soft kiss that sparked with magic.
This time, Gideon didn’t pull away. And he wasn’t going to ever again.
SIX MONTHS
Later
CHAPTER thirty-three
Gideon
Gideon knocked on the bedroom door holding up a spoon. “I found this in the sink.”
Textbooks and notebooks created a moat around Mac on the bed. “It’s just one spoon.”
“This is summer, Mac. We don’t want to get ants. One spoon is all it takes for the cast of A Bug’s Life to make an appearance.”
“Can you put it in the dishwasher for me? I’m still recovering.” Mac gave him his best I’m sick face and rubbed his leg in pain for added effect. Gideon rolled his eyes.
“Your legs didn’t seem to hurt you last night when they were over your head.” Gideon arched an eyebrow, and Mac blushed.
“You may have a point.” Mac got off the bed and snatched the spoon out of Gideon’s hand. “Is it possible that you’ve become even more of a cleaning Nazi since I came back to school?”
“Are you seriously using a Nazi reference for me?” Gideon slapped Mac’s ass as he walked into the kitchen.
Bright rays of sunlight burst through every window of the apartment. Their window air conditioning unit was trying its best, but they were in the midst of a cruel summer. Mac wound up having to miss winter and spring quarter at Browerton since his recovery took a little longer than expected. He had made great progress with his physical therapy, thanks to Gideon’s constant motivation. When he wasn’t there on weekends, he was having daily Skype calls to get Mac through his exercises, even if it required some removal of clothes for added motivation. Dr. Wright said that since Mac was doing so well, if he took off spring quarter to keep concentrating on recovery, he would be able to return to Browerton in nearly perfect condition. He would be able to live in an apartment with stairs and attend his classes without help. They both decided it was the right thing to do. “We made it through one quarter. We can make it through another,” Mac had said during one of their Skype calls.
“We can make it through anything.”
There was Gideon, always with a reply that stole Mac’s breath.
The patience paid off, as Mac moved back into Gideon’s apartment with no problem and took summer courses to catch up for fall quarter. Except for some scarring on his face and legs, it was almost like nothing happened. Physically, of course. Mac would never forget, though.
“So I forgot to put the spoon in the dishwasher. It’s not the crime of the century.” Mac washed it in the sink with soap. He held up the shiny, clean utensil to Gideon. “See? All clean.”
“Just remember the ants.” Gideon grabbed it from Mac, brushing his fingers in the process, which sent a tingly feeling down to his core, and then further south.
“I thought you would go easy on me. I’m recovering. I have a heavy load of courses.”
“I’m taking some summer classes, too, don’t forget.”
Mac wouldn’t forget his sacrifice. Gideon had to drop two classes in the winter because he was tending to Mac as best he could.
“And I’m not asking for much. This was just one spoon.” Gideon’s eyes zeroed in on Mac’s, like he could turn him to dust. Lust hung in the air thicker than the humidity.
Their lips were all over each other, right there in the hot, stifling kitchen. Gideon’s shirt was blotted with his sweat, and the scent made Mac’s cock stand at attention.
“I want to show you how well I’ve healed.” Mac got on his knees and undid Gideon’s pants.
“Your physical therapy…” Gideon gasped as his dick disappeared inside Mac’s mouth. “I forgot what I was going to say. Oh, baby!” He dug his hands into Mac’s hair. Mac went to town. Gideon’s moans were fuel to his engine.
“You can’t just do this every time you want to get out of cleaning…oh, shit!”
Gideon came, and Mac took it all. Mac wiped the corners of his mouth and stood back up. “See, I know how to clean up a mess. Now, I really have to get back to studying.”
Φ
Later that night, Seth and Delia came over for dinner. They both had internships in nearby Harrisburg and were staying in Duncannon for the summer. Gideon and Mac ordered gluten-free pizza, while they brought over nut-free ice cream and gluten-free and regular beer.
“How’s your family’s store doing?” Delia asked. She enjoyed getting to ask these questions. Mac had spent years not talking about his family. She had told him it was a whole new side of him, one she was happy to hear about.
“This is going to be the last year, and then my dad’s going to shut it down.” Both Mac and his mom spent the past few months convincing his dad to come around to this decision. But eventually, his dad recognized that he couldn’t do this forever and that he wanted to enjoy some type of retirement.
“This is so upsetting.” Delia dug into her ice cream. “All of these family-owned stores all over the country are being wiped out by these mega corporations that are wiping out local economies and decimating employee wages.”
“It’s not all bad. My parents are thinking about getting jobs at Disney World in one of their gift shops. They still get to have a store, but they don’t have to worry about it going under.”
“Thank goodness for Disney, I guess,” Delia said.
“And beer,” Gideon said. “Let’s not forget about beer.”
He and Delia clinked bottles.
“And ice cream,” Seth said. He shoveled it in his mouth. “This is really good.”
“I won’t miss Kingwood, West Virginia. Florida is much nicer,” Mac said.
“When do you go back to testify?” Delia asked.
Justin’s trial was coming up. The prosecutor said they had a very strong case, and jury selection had weeded out any congregants from the church. Justin would probably play up the preacher’s son angle. Gideon told him not to worry.
“Justin will get some kind of conviction, but no matter what, he’ll be stuck in his pathetic life and small town forever. Mac still gets to have a real future.” Gideon squeezed his shoulder.
“Our great legal system at work,” Mac said. He wasn’t scared about seeing Justin in court. Nothing worried him much anymore. He had Gideon, his friends, and his family. He was unstoppable. Strength in numbers.
“So Gideon, I have to ask.” Delia took a swig of her beer. “Do you ever miss being with women?”
“Delia…” Seth groaned.
“I’m curious! You dated and hooked up with women for years.”
Gideon scratched his chin as he deliberated. “Do you miss eating bread and peanut butter? You haven’t had any since moving in with Seth last month.”
“Yeah, sometimes I do.”
Mac put down his ice cream and listened closely to his answer.
“Have you ever done something because you thought you liked it, but you realized you only did it because it seemed like the right thing to do?” Gideon asked. “Like getting drunk on your twenty-first birthday. I wonder how many people actually want to get trashed, and how many do it just because they think that’s what they’re supposed to do on their twenty-first birthday.”
“Huh,” Delia said. “Heterosexual intercourse. The ultimate peer pressure.”
Next to her, Seth clutched his stomach and leaned over. “Hey Seth, you okay?” Mac asked.
“I don’t feel so well.” He lay down on the chaise.
Delia hopped up. “No, no, no. I double-checked the pizza, the beer, and the ice cream. No gluten, no nuts. You are fine.”
“I don’t think so,” he said through controlled breaths.
“I love you, man, but you are not throwing up on my couch.” Gideon went to get him a glass of water.
“What is it?” Delia held her boyfrien
d’s hand. Their love was quirky and unexplainable, but something to behold. Mac wondered if that were true with all relationships.
“I think…” Seth knew how to amp up the drama. “I think I might be lactose intolerant.”
Gideon burst out laughing. Delia fell back onto the couch.
“Nooo!!! Sweetie, you can’t do this to me! I can’t live a life of only eating dark chocolate and celery.”
“I’m sorry.” Seth drank some water. “I love you.”
“Yeah, yeah. Pretty soon, the only thing you’ll be able to eat is me.”
Φ
Three weeks later, Gideon and Mac drove up to Westchester so he could hang out with his new nephew. Mac watched Gideon rock the baby back and forth. He was a natural. And naturally, Gideon’s mom asked them if they were planning to have kids. She had no segues when it came to these types of questions about their relationship. She just spat them out.
He and Gideon were miles and miles away from kids, even marriage, although the thought had crossed Mac’s mind. He smiled to himself whenever he thought of little Mac back in West Virginia, deep in the closet and hating life. One day, he would find love and actually have a shot of marriage.
“He’s adorable,” Mac said to Noah. “He has your eyes.”
“He’s going to be a ladykiller. Or a dudekiller. Is there a gay version of ladykiller?”
“Manwhore.” Gideon said.
Noah tickled the baby’s neck. Nothing was cuter than a baby smiling. “Doing good, uncle brother.”
Gideon continued rocking the baby, like he never wanted to let go. His mom watched the scene from the corner as she gave Christina diaper changing tips.
“Is he sleeping?” Mac asked.
“For the most part. We’ve been lucky, because we’ve heard that some babies just cry all night. This guy has been a cool dude. We have a secret weapon, though.” Noah motioned for Mac and Gideon to come over to the crib.
“The Big Bird mobile.”
Mac’s face was a cloud of red. Big Birds spun around in the mobile above the crib.
“Big Bird is awesome. I don’t know where we’d be without him. What’s so funny?” Noah asked his brother.
Gideon was crying from holding in his laughter. He had to give Mac his nephew so he could cover his face and wipe away his tears.
“What’s so funny?” His mom asked.
“Nothing. It’s a great mobile.” Gideon laughed and cried into his hands. His whole head was a tomato. Mac joined in the giggles, too, until his stomach hurt. The baby smiled at them.
Everyone in the room gawked at them as if they were high. Mac and Gideon shared a look. They were oddballs, but oddballs together.
“You loved Big Bird as a little boy, Gideon,” his mom said.
“And he loves him just as much as an adult.”
THE END
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A.J. Truman remembers his college days like it was yesterday, even though it was definitely not yesterday. He writes books with humor, heart, and hot guys. What else does a story need? He loves spending time with his cats and his partner and writing on his sun porch. You can find him on Facebook or email him at [email protected].
Coming January 2017
Out for the Night
Book 4 in the Browerton University series
“For the night, I am yours…”
Meet Coop: Formal date. Wingman. Friend. Mystery man. He called himself the G-rated Gigolo of Browerton. He could be anyone you wanted him to be…for a price.
One night, his services are called upon for a unique assignment: distract a computer science nerd whose strong grades are killing the class curve. All Coop has to do is flirt with the guy, get him away from his books, save the curve, and collect the biggest payday of his G-rated Gigolo career.
Should be easy enough, right?
Matty has no interest in making friends or any cherished college memories that don’t involve the Dean’s list. Growing up, he withstood years of relentless bullying and loneliness to graduate from high school as valedictorian. His tough shell helps him excel at Browerton, bringing him one step closer to his dream internship in robotic engineering—even if he has to do it solo.
When Coop stumbles into his life, he slowly breaks down the brick walls that Matty keeps concreted in stone. Sparks fly and quickly blossom into something deeper, but how long can their relationship last before the truth comes out?
Out for the Night is the 4th book in the Browerton University series, but can be read as a standalone. It contains humor, heart, and hot guys. The book is intended for readers 18+.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Chapter One
Two Years Later
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Six Weeks Later
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Six Months Later
Chapter Thirty-Three
About the Author
Coming Soon