Go Forward Slowly

by Whitney Cannon

  Neither of them said anything else as Wes drove, but he could feel Patton’s gaze on him, and every time he glanced over, Patton smiled and Wes’s heart raced a little more.

  At one point, about halfway there, he finally bit the bullet and just grabbed Patton’s hand, and Patton squeezed it in return and wrapped his other hand around Wes’s as well, and the only thing Wes could focus on was that amazing point of contact where Patton’s thumb brushed back and forth over his own.

  Wes finally pulled into the small parking lot in front of the wood and stone restaurant but drove over to the left side and parked away from the main entrance.

  There was a small trail that led away from the restaurant and down to the lake where Wes had read there was a small seating area with a gazebo. So as they got out of the car and Wes came around to meet Patton, he took his hand and led him down along the secluded trail.

  It was only a hundred yards or so and very well maintained so they didn’t have any trouble making their way down and they were even able to walk side-by-side along the trail. The wooded trail opened up to a little clearing with a small lawn and secluded trees surrounding it. A short retaining wall of sorts had been crafted out of boulders on one side and was covered in ivy and flowering vines. The gazebo was at the water’s edge and made of natural wood, allowing it to blend into the little scene perfectly. According to the restaurant’s website, the area could be reserved for small occasions or private weddings, and Wes had taken a chance that it wouldn’t be in use when they’d arrived.

  The area was empty save for an older couple who were seated on a bench off to the side of the gazebo overlooking the lake.

  “What do you think?” Wes asked quietly, not wanting to draw the eyes of the other couple.

  “I think if I have to wait any longer to kiss you I might explode,” Patton replied and turned an annoyed look toward the other couple who seemed in no hurry to leave.

  Wes smiled and looked around. “We could just go to the gazebo and start making out in hopes of scaring them away.”

  Patton snickered but tugged on Wes’s hand, pulling him that direction anyway. Was Patton seriously considering that? The way his own brain had clouded over, it was entirely possible Patton was in much the same state of mind and feeling just brave enough to actually do it. Hell, if Patton initiated, Wes didn’t think he would care if the place filled up with people all clapping out their applause and demanding an encore. He just knew he needed Patton’s lips on his, like, yesterday.

  Without stopping, Patton smiled politely at the older couple and pulled Wes along up to the gazebo and over to the side railing. They stood there for a moment, looking out over the lake, holding hands, and Wes’s heart thumped, knowing he was going to kiss Patton no matter who was around.

  He turned his head and Patton did the same. They looked at each other and Wes whispered, “I’m nervous,” not at all embarrassed about admitting that to Patton.

  Patton nodded. “Me too.”

  They both looked back out over the quiet water for a time and without overthinking it, Wes leaned over and softly pressed his lips to Patton’s. It wasn’t awkward and they didn’t bump their noses together or anything and when Wes pulled back, they stared at each other until smiles broke out, and they shifted their bodies to do it again.

  Patton’s lips were warm and moist and so soft that Wes’s eyes fluttered closed as he wrapped his long arms around Patton’s shoulders to draw him closer. Patton wrapped his left arm behind Wes’s back and brought his right hand up to cup Wes’s cheek. He ran his thumb along Wes’s cheekbone and Wes sighed a happy, content sound. They didn’t draw the moment out too long and it didn't turn into more, but when their lips relented and they looked at each other, Wes smiled and buried his face in Patton’s neck, hugging him tightly. Patton returned the gesture and they stood there for a while just holding each other.

  He hadn’t quite known what to expect out of his first kiss, but if the little flutters and swirls in his stomach were anything to go by, Wes would say the kiss had been all that he could have hoped for and more. Patton just made his heart race. The boy never failed to draw a reaction out of Wes and even though he wasn’t sporting any wood, he still felt incredibly turned on just having Patton in his arms.

  “Should we go eat?” Wes asked quietly, not really wanting to let his boy go but knowing they had to keep the evening moving. “If we eat and finish with time before the dance, I had something else in mind and we can do a lot more kissing.”

  Patton pulled back with a sweet smile on his face. “Sounds perfect,” he said and leaned in to kiss Wes quickly once more.

  Wes smiled and took Patton’s hand, leading him back toward the restaurant. It was finally time to get their first date started.

  — — —

  Dinner had been great, the wait staff, not so much.

  Their waiter, who’d been an older gentleman, had been less than thrilled to be serving them. Although he’d kept his comments and interactions cordial, his eyes and thinly veiled smile had told another story. Whether it was the fact they were two young boys out to eat in a nice restaurant or the fact that they’d held hands on the table cloth in plain view, it hadn’t endeared their waiter to them at all. Whatever. It hadn’t stopped them from talking softly to each other or kept Wes from reliving the feeling of Patton’s lips over and over again.

  After their meal, Wes drove them back to Legend Lake and parked in his usual place. It was already dark out but they both knew the way to their spot and Wes carefully grabbed the blanket he’d thrown in the back seat as he held Patton’s hand and led the way.

  They were quiet as they walked, enjoying the sounds provided by nature and when they reached their spot, Wes carefully opened the blanket and pulled out the two baggies he’d wrapped in there earlier. Handing them to Patton, he laid out the blanket and gestured for Patton to sit down.

  “You planned all this?” Patton asked as Wes joined him and took the baggies, holding them up to examine them.

  “Yeah. I knew we’d want to be alone and I figured our spot would be pretty quiet. These aren’t much, just some cut-up fruit but it’s still sweet and sort of like dessert. This one is yours,” Wes said, handing one of the bags to Patton.

  “Why is this one mine?” Patton asked, peering at the bag in the dark.

  “It has apples with cinnamon.”

  Patton didn’t respond, but Wes yelped in surprise when his bag of fruit was snatched from his hands. Patton scooted closer and Wes only had a second to look up before his lips were locked to Patton’s. He grunted an undignified sound but returned Patton’s kiss as he got his bearings and leaned into the other boy.

  His heart hammered as he tilted his head a little and pulled back to whisper, “I know it’s weird to ask, but I don’t want to ruin anything. Do you… you know, wanna—”

  He was cut off by Patton’s breathless yes and the press of his lips again.

  This time Patton’s lips parted slightly, and Wes felt a trail of moisture glide along his lower lip as Patton swiped it with the tip of his tongue. Wes responded with a small uncontrolled moan and instinct took over. His lips parted, he tilted his head and slid his tongue into Patton’s mouth.

  The first touch of their tongues set Wes’s blood boiling, and he heard a sound come from Patton as they tasted each other for the first time. Patton tasted like garlic and heaven. His tongue was soft and warm as it moved against his own and with a few less than stellar attempts, they figured out what worked and how to move together. It was a strange but definitely not unpleasant feeling to have Patton’s tongue in his mouth. Even though the feeling was altogether new, Wes knew he would love every second of their getting-to-know-you phase.

  Wes shifted slightly, freeing his left hand, and brought it up, placing it on the side of Patton’s neck. He pulled Patton closer and groaned when Patton met him with a hand in his hair. Patton was just as demanding as their kiss heated up and their mouths became better acquainted. In only a ma
tter of a few minutes, Wes’s confidence and desire skyrocketed as he explored the texture and heat of Patton’s tongue.

  Wes knew how hard he’d gotten, but the ache in his pants throbbed with his heartbeat and blood rushed in his ears as he pulled back, gulping in lungfuls of much-needed air.

  Patton did the same but as Wes caught his breath, Patton panted out, “Fuck, that was amazing,” then laughed a breathless sound and came at him again.

  Wes eagerly accepted, and without a thought, climbed right into Patton’s lap. He plunged his hands into Patton’s hair, holding on as they lavished each other’s mouths with kisses that were sloppy, wet, and perfect. Patton ran his hands up and down Wesley’s back and gripped his shoulders as they both took turns leading their kiss to new heights.

  A splash from the lake startled them and they broke apart quickly turning to see the water’s surface shimmering in the dull moonlight. They were quiet, save for their breathing, as Wes turned back to Patton. Neither of them spoke. They just stared at the other and Wes leaned closer to press a soft kiss to Patton’s lips.

  Feeling a little adventurous, he swiped his tongue over Patton’s lower lip then bit it with his teeth and slowly eased back, drawing his teeth off the abused skin. Patton moaned and chased him, kissing him softly over and over, as he wrapped his arms around Wes’s waist to hold him close.

  Wes draped his arms over Patton’s shoulders and curled his fingers into the hair at the base of his neck. He shifted his mouth from Patton’s and rubbed their cheeks together, finally curling up close as they held each other tight.

  “Do you think we did it right?” Wes asked after a little while.

  He could feel Patton smile against the skin of his neck. “Well, I could say no and that we’re going to need a lot more practice, but the raging boner in my pants says yes, we did it exactly right and holy shit, are you a good kisser? I thought for sure I was going to jizz myself when you bit my lip.”

  Wes chuckled. “Likewise. God, your mouth is like heaven. I’m not convinced that we don't need more practice, but damn that was amazing.”

  Patton hummed. “Thank you for everything you did tonight. The restaurant was great and this is perfect. I kind of don’t want to go to the dance and have to share you with everyone else now.”

  “You’re welcome. I wanted it to be special for us, and even though it wasn’t much, it was still nice. Do you think we should tell everyone that we’re together?” Wes asked softly.

  “Probably. I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep my mouth to myself all night, but if we walk in holding hands or they find us making out in a corner, it would seem pretty obvious, and we wouldn’t have to say anything.”

  Wes chuckled. “That could be pretty funny actually. Maybe we should pretend to have a fight then just grab each other and start kissing.”

  Pulling back, Patton looked at Wes in the darkness. “I don’t want to fight with you, pretend or otherwise, on our first date. Tonight is really special for me. I never thought anyone would want to date me, let alone in high school. I’m not exactly what most boys would be looking for—”

  Wes shut that down with a kiss before Patton could even continue. “Nope. If I have to sit here and kiss you all night to show you how much I want you, then I will. Tonight is special. And it’s special because it’s you and me. Okay? Two slightly off-keel boys who were lucky enough to have found each other. I don’t know about you, but I feel pretty damn lucky to have you. And we could go back and forth about how neither of us is anything special or desirable, but what would be the point, other than to make ourselves feel bad? I don’t feel bad with you in my arms. I feel so fucking lucky that you like me too, and hopefully, I can keep doing whatever it is you like about me so that I can keep you around.”

  Wes petted Patton’s chest and sighed before he continued, “I think you are one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met. You’re nice, you’re driven, you’re motivated, you’re passionate, you’re so sweet, and you’re loving with your family and sisters, and if I haven’t said it to you yet, you’re sexy as hell.” Patton snorted just as Wes knew he would. He grabbed his face with a hand on each of his cheeks and stared him down. “You are. I liked you the first time you approached me in PE, and I’ve liked you ever since. I realize that me just telling you that I think you’re sexy isn’t going to wash away all of your self-doubt and the way you see yourself, but I want you to know that I like the way you look. You look strong and capable whereas I look like I could fly away in a stiff breeze. I like that you’re bigger and stronger than me. I like that I have something to wrap my long arms around and I plan to do that often.”

  Patton kissed him and while Wes was definitely on board with the kissing thing, he also didn’t want to leave things unfinished. When he went to pull away to speak again, Patton silenced him with another kiss.

  “Why are you so good to me?” Patton asked quietly as he spoke between kisses. “No one has ever said anything to me like what you say to me. It’s hard for me to realize that you actually like me and find me attractive. I’ve never felt attractive or thought anyone would want to be with me. It’s going to take me a little while to come around to the idea. I know I’m working on my body and with that will come the physical changes that my mind will need to see to make the mental changes as well. I appreciate what you’re saying more than you could ever know, but it’s still surreal to know that I could ever be what someone like you is looking for in a boyfriend.”

  Wes pressed a kiss to Patton’s lips. “More than I could have ever hoped for. Does this mean I can actually call you my boyfriend now?” he asked with a grin.

  Patton nodded, smiling back at him.

  “I like that,” Wes said softly.

  “I like that, too.”

  “Think we should head to the dance yet? It’s probably been going for a while.”

  “Let’s eat the treat you brought then head over. I’m excited to go now that I have a shiny new boyfriend to show off,” Patton teased as he squeezed Wes’s waist.

  Wes smiled and tangled his fingers into Patton’s hair, bringing his face closer to kiss him again. He hadn’t been sure about what to expect of their first date together, but things had turned out far better than he could have dreamed of. Not only had he had his first kiss and gone to dinner on his first date, but he now officially had his first boyfriend. Patton was everything Wes could have ever hoped for in a partner, and Wes was beyond excited to show him off to the world.

  Patton Dean was officially off the market.

  Chapter 11

  Patton wanted to be Harry and Ron for Halloween. Wes disagreed, thinking they should be an actual couple like Alec and Magnus in Shadowhunters. Patton argued that they were both more familiar with the Harry Potter characters and should just stick to what they knew, but in the end, they decided on Alec and Magnus because they were more badass.

  Patton’s friend, Gina, from choir was hosting a Halloween party the weekend before Halloween, and Lizzy and Colt were hosting a Halloween party at her house the night before Halloween. Needless to say, Patton and Wes needed costumes and time to plan out their looks.

  In the two weeks since they’d come out as a couple at their Homecoming dance, their friends had been nothing but supportive. Ty, especially, had latched on to them and Patton couldn’t help but wonder if they were helping him in more ways than just being his friends.

  When they’d first walked into the dance and found their group of friends, it had been Riley that had simply pulled each of them into a hug and told them congratulations. After he’d pulled back, Ty had asked why they needed congratulations and Riley had simply said, “They’re together now,” and that was it. Their friends had each hugged them and questioned them and congratulated them, then they’d all danced like idiots.

  Throughout the night, other people had come up to them and asked or congratulated them and they’d definitely gotten a few unpleasant looks, but on the whole, it had been an amazing night. Something Pa
tton wouldn’t soon forget. When Wes had dropped Patton off at home after the dance, they’d also spent long minutes in the car practicing their new love for all things related to kissing. So that had been pretty great too.

  Fast forward two weeks and they were walking down the aisle at Goodwill looking for costume pieces.

  “Maybe I should get a trench coat,” Wesley said as he pointed to a row of winter wear.

  They already had two black T-shirts and Patton had found a dark pair of pants he could wear, but they were looking for a few accessories that would complete their Shadowhunter looks.

  “I think you’d look amazing in a trench coat,” Patton replied, looking Wesley up and down. “You’re all long lines and already dark and mysterious. With your eyes done, you’re going to make the perfect Magnus.”

  Wesley smiled at him. “We could look for a leather jacket for you. I think we’d be the perfect Malec. Maybe we should call ourselves… hmm. I don’t know. What would our couple name be? Like, Patley?” Wesley wrinkled his nose and Patton laughed.

  “Doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Maybe something more like Weston? That sounds way more us than Patley. I like that, Weston. It’s a nice blend of our names.”

  Wesley came over and, taking a quick look around, pecked Patton on the lips. “I like it too. I like that we’re a we and can even come up with something as dorky as a couple name.”

  Patton grinned, agreeing whole-heartedly. Wesley had been nothing short of amazing since they’d first gotten together. He’d come over a lot and helped Patton with his boat, he painted the girls’ nails whenever Patton had to babysit, and he actually got along really well with his mom and Gary.