He rolled his eyes. “Why do you think we’re here?”
I gave him a light punch to the arm. “Hey, we’re dating now, you can’t roll your eyes at me!”
Jeff laughed and reached for my hand. “Yes, we’re dating.” His smile faltered and his eyes pinned mine. His hand trembled. “Are you still…glad…we’re dating?”
“Very glad, Jeff.” I squeezed his hand. “More than glad. It’s like we’ve been traveling toward this for years.”
Even as he pulled into a space and other customers headed into the restaurant, it felt as if we were the only two people in the world.
He put the truck in park. “I’ve wanted this for so long…and I worry…” His gaze flicked to the windshield, then returned to me. Heat uncoiled in my belly, sending it coursing through my veins. “I just want to be sure you’re happy. That you want to be with me and it’s not because you’ve been through so much recently.”
“You think I’m using you? That I needed a place to stay and someone to support me through this time of my life?” My voice rose with each word and my heart thundered in my ears. How could he think that?
“Aaron, I didn’t mean it like that. I swear. I’d never accuse you of using me. You’d never use anyone.”
My brow furrowed. “Then, what? I don’t understand.”
He blew out a hard breath that fluttered across my cheek. “I’m not saying this right. I just mean I want to make sure I did the right thing. That I’m not taking advantage of you during a…vulnerable time.” He hung his head.
I fought the urge to run my fingers through his silky tresses falling forward. “Look at me, Jeff.”
When his eyes met mine, I saw his fear.
“How long have you been worried about this?” I asked gently.
“A while. I’ve wanted you for so long, and then when your dad…and your mom went into the hospital, I just wanted to be there for you. I didn’t plan any of this.”
I thought about the events that led us to this night and had to admit that, if I looked at things through his eyes, I might’ve wondered the same thing.
I stroked his hair and gave him a reassuring smile. “I’ll be honest. I did need you. I needed a friend. I needed your mom, too. You two were there for me when my life went to shit. I don’t know what I’d have done without your strength. But this thing that happened between us has nothing to do with that.” I paused and thought about my words. “Actually, I take that back. It does. The way you took care of me and supported me opened my eyes. I already knew you as a best friend. I knew we could have fun together. And it was hard to fight my growing attraction to you. But your strength showed me the kind of man you are. It’s like I already knew you, but I didn’t. Does that make any sense?” I laughed. “Probably not. I’m really bad at this.”
“No, you’re doing fine,” he said as he brushed my cheek with his fingers.
“I’m not with you because I need to be with someone, Jeff. I’m with you because I need to be with you. I don’t want anyone else calling me baby.”
“You really like when I call you baby?” He’d asked me that numerous times, likely feeling self-conscious about using that term. Like he worried I’d only pretended to like his pet name for me.
I swallowed nervously and nodded. He had no idea how much. I didn’t even understand why it drove me crazy, but it did.
He pulled something out of his pocket, curling his fingers around it. “Are you my baby?”
My pulse raced and I bit my lower lip. “Yes.”
He opened his hand and held out his class ring. My eyes widened in surprise. He loved that ring.
“I want you to wear it, Aaron.”
Hesitantly, I picked it up. “Are you sure? I mean, you know I don’t have one of my own to give back to you.”
“I really want you to wear it.”
My hands shook as I slid it on the ring finger of my right hand. It was too big, so I tried my middle finger. Much better. My heart did somersaults as I looked back at him.
He kissed me. “Mine,” he whispered.
“Yes.” Pleasure rippled through me as he kissed me again. Just a light brush of lips, but it felt so full of promise.
When my stomach growled again, we both laughed.
Jeff let go of my chin. “Let’s go eat.”
Sure, let’s go eat. My cock is throbbing and all I can think about is getting naked with him and hearing him call me baby over and over, but okay, let’s eat.
* * * *
Inside the busy restaurant, we saw several other couples from school.
Lily was with a boy named Luke, and they looked like they were having fun. When she saw us, she waved and made her way to our table.
“Hey guys, you both look great!” she gushed. Her lipstick choice for prom night was a glittery pink. “Why are you staring at my lips, Aaron? Is there something wrong?” Her hand covered her mouth. “Shit! Don’t tell me there’s something in my teeth!”
“There’s nothing wrong. I was just wondering if you can feel the sparkles?”
“What sparkles?” Jeff asked.
“Aaron’s talking about my lipstick,” she said with a laugh. “And no, I don’t feel anything.”
Jeff looked closer. “Oh, I guess I didn’t notice,” he said with a shrug.
Lily cocked her head. “Seriously? Aaron, I was so barking up the wrong tree with him.”
Jeff blushed furiously.
I laughed with her. “Yeah. You really were.”
“I’m going back to my date. I’d kind of hoped Kevin Mason would’ve asked me, but he never made a move. Oh, well. Luke’s only a junior, but he’s so cute.”
After Lily went back to her table, and during our delicious shrimp and lobster dinner that followed, Jeff and I talked about college and we agreed we wanted to be roommates. We were practically living together anyway. We knew his mom didn’t want that for us, but we needed to be together. I wasn’t sure if I could even sleep without him anymore.
When the bill finally came, I tried to reach for it, but Jeff grabbed it.
“I really want to pay for our first date,” he told me. “We can take turns as we go along, but let me do this tonight, okay?”
If he really wanted to, I certainly wouldn’t fight with him about it. He obviously had a clear idea about how the night should go and I was more than happy to let him lead.
“Thank you, Jeff.”
A few minutes later, we headed out, both of us eager to get to the dance.
* * * *
When we pulled up to valet parking at the hotel, I grinned. “Fancy.”
Jeff reached behind his seat, pulling out his blue duffel bag.
“What’s that for?”
He waggled his eyebrows, grinning. “Come with me and find out.”
I slid out of the truck and waited for him to hand over his keys and get a ticket. Jeff grabbed my hand as we headed inside.
A large sign on an easel announced the Stone Gate High School Prom in the Chariot Ballroom, with an arrow pointing to our left. But Jeff headed right.
“The prom’s the other direction,” I told him.
He pointed to another sign on the wall—Check-in.
We were spending the night? In a hotel room? I joined him at the counter.
A young woman with long bleach-blonde hair and way too much blue eyeshadow greeted us. “Checking in?”
“Under the name Jeff Leaton.”
I blushed as she glanced at the two of us.
“Just one night?”
“Yes.” He pulled out his driver’s license when she asked for identification, and gave her his debit card as well.
Once everything was verified, she handed him a key card marked 916.
I felt out of my element as we walked hand-in-hand through the posh lobby before riding the elevator to the ninth floor, saying nothing the entire time.
When we reached the room, he looked at me. “Is something wrong? I thought you’d like this, but we don’t have to stay here. We can
just…Christ. I should have asked you. I was trying to be romantic.”
I covered his mouth with my hand. “It’s perfect. I wasn’t expecting it, and sometimes it’s hard reconciling the guy I crush with my superior video game skills with the guy being romantic like this.” I smiled. “But it’s an amazing surprise.” I stepped back to let him open the door. “Is that why you didn’t want to go to Russell’s party?”
“Yeah,” he said. He gestured for me to go inside and I found the switch.
“Let there be light,” I quipped, making him groan.
A large king-size bed sat center stage in the main room. A small brown leather loveseat and chair stood beside a rectangular glass coffee table, all directly in front of the drape-covered window. I opened the drapes and viewed the city, marveling at all the glittering lights. It looked so busy. But we were alone in the stillness of the room.
He tossed the bag on the bed. I wrapped my arms around Jeff, wondering if I’d ever get used to being held by him. I hoped not, because I never wanted to take him for granted.
“This is perfect,” I whispered.
Jeff kissed the top of my head, then stared at me, his eyes dark, letting me know he wanted me. Wanted to go further tonight. Wanted to be inside me. My face heated.
“We better get to the prom before I end up taking you right here and now.”
And I became rock-hard again. “Do we really have to leave here?”
He pressed his hips against me so I could feel his arousal, and I groaned.
“Don’t do that,” he said. “When I hear you moan, or make any of those sexy noises, I lose my mind.”
Fuck, that did it. I yearned to get on my knees and suck his cock that instant. I needed to taste him. I started to kneel, but he grabbed my wrists.
“If you do that, we’ll never make it downstairs.”
“So?” I grabbed his ass with both hands. “Let’s have our own party.”
“I want you so fucking bad.”
I grinned and tried to kneel again, but like before, he stopped me.
Irritation shot through me and I yanked my arm out of his grip. “What?”
“I want to dance with you, Aaron. I don’t want us looking back and wishing we hadn’t missed the prom.” He lifted my chin with his finger. “We have all night, baby.”
I knew he was right, but still fought the urge to get on my knees. I loved the taste of him in my mouth. His scent acted as an aphrodisiac, and at times all I could think about was sucking him. It was all so overwhelming, but he pulled me close, his hands rubbing circles on my back.
“Aaron, I love you.”
Tears welled up in my eyes. Jeff loved me. My Jeff. I wiped at my eyes and found him staring at me, his lashes wet, too. I laughed nervously. He smiled as I wiped away his tears.
“I love you, too,” I told him, with no doubt in my mind. “You’re…my Jeff. You always will be.”
He leaned down, but instead of kissing me, he licked my bottom lip before taking it in his teeth and playfully pulling. “I want to make you mine. I need you.”
My body trembled. I put my hands on his hips and ground against him. “You want me? You want to slide deep inside me?”
“God, yes!”
I pulled away. “Then let’s get downstairs, do the dance thing, and get the hell back up here so you can fuck me.” I momentarily gripped my hard dick. “Because I’m about to lose it, Jeff. If I don’t feel you inside me soon, I’m going to scream.”
I watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down and wanted to lick it. Shit, I wanted to lick all of him, to bury my face between his thighs and taste every inch of him.
I dragged him to the door. “You have the key card?”
“Yes.”
“Great. Let’s go dance.”
* * * *
When we entered the ballroom, I found it hard not to be impressed. The theme was “Under the Water,” and the decoration committee had hit it out of the park. Large fish balloons hung from the ceiling, along with clear round ones that made it look like bubbles traveling upward. Pale blue tablecloths, clear glass plates, and glasses covered the round tables, evenly spaced around the dance floor. Blue lighting provided a beautiful effect.
Jeff and I looked at each other in shock, then turned in our tickets and made our way through the maze of teenagers.
Kevin waved us over to his table. Jeff pulled me along with him and I couldn’t help smiling. It was sweet how he always wanted to touch me.
“Hey, guys.” Kevin looked good in a gray tux with a pale blue tie, and I glanced around the table trying to guess which girl might be his date. I didn’t see anyone with a matching blue dress, though.
“Who are you here with?” I asked.
He shrugged. “No date. I came with a couple of guys from my debate team.”
“Guess you weren’t interested in Lily, huh?”
“Lily?” he asked, his eyebrows arching. “What do you mean?”
“She was interested in you,” Jeff said, “but you never asked her out.”
Kevin slapped his hand to his forehead. “Shit. I wondered why she was hanging around my locker last week. Is she here?”
“Yeah, with Luke.”
He shrugged and laughed. “Doesn’t mean I can’t ask her to dance, right?”
“Right!” Jeff and I said together.
Music started up from the far end of the room.
“The band’s really good,” Kevin said. “They’ve been on a break for a few minutes, even though they’d played only a few songs. Looks like they’re ready again.”
“Want to dance?” Jeff asked.
We’d never danced together. I wasn’t even sure I knew how. I’d been excited about it earlier, but now, I worried I’d make a fool of myself.
“Don’t worry. I can’t dance either,” he said reassuringly, as if reading my mind.
I took his hand as we headed to the dance floor.
I felt the thump-thump-thump of the loud music run through me. Jeff grabbed my hips and pulled me close. The crowd of dancing teens instantly swallowed us. We looked at each other, grinning, and let the music take us over. Soon, we moved our bodies to the rhythm and worked up a sweat. His hands stayed on my hips as I ran mine up his arms and danced my heart out.
I noticed a couple of teens practically humping each other on the dance floor and gestured toward them. One girl jumped up and threw her legs around the guy’s waist while they made out like crazy. I couldn’t believe none of the chaperones intervened.
Jeff grinned, shaking his head. I laughed and pulled him closer. Apparently, it wasn’t a big deal if some teens wanted to fuck over their clothes. Personally, I didn’t care what the others did, but I wanted to grind against Jeff in our room.
I let my body move to the music. I was dancing with my boyfriend in front of my peers, not even caring if any of the “haters” disapproved, and it was the most liberating feeling. Soon, sweat dripped down my back and I thought about removing my jacket, but didn’t want to leave the floor. When I saw sweat dripping from Jeff’s hair and down his neck, I felt the strangest urge to lick him. Instead, I cupped the back of his neck and pulled his face toward me.
“Do you have any idea how sexy you are?” I shouted over the music, my mouth almost touching his ear. “I want to taste every single inch of you.”
Jeff pulled back, and his feral expression, his dark eyes with pupils blown, nearly turned me inside out. I tongued my bottom lip while he watched me with an intensity that had my pulse racing. He wanted me and he didn’t care who knew it.
My heart thumped as his hands pulled tighter on my waistband. He tugged, and I knew what he wanted. But I pushed against his chest and smiled, shaking my head. We weren’t going up to the room just yet. Jeff had been too excited about prom. Even though my dick throbbed and I felt like I’d come if he looked at me with such desire even once more, I knew it wasn’t time to go up.
Spinning around, I told him I was going to go drop off my jacket
at the table. He slipped his off also, and my mouth watered when I saw how the shirt wrapped around his muscular torso. God, he was hot, and the sweat pouring from his body only made the shirt cling tighter.
I took his jacket and headed to our table. A few friends stopped me on the way and I made small talk as politely as possible, but all I could think about was getting back to Jeff. By the time I did, the band had started a slow song. Jeff opened his arms for me and I melted against him. We swayed to the music, neither of us really knowing how to slow dance, but it didn’t matter. We were together and I was in his arms.
God, I was so sappy. I could imagine little hearts and stars floating around me. Was this really how it felt to be in love? It felt so Disneyesque.
“How much longer?” Jeff asked.
“It’s too early.”
“Aaron, if I overstepped by getting the room—”
“No. I love it! I just know how important the prom has been to you and I want to make sure you enjoy as much of it as possible.”
A smile spread across his face. “You mean you want to go upstairs, too?”
I looked at him like he had two heads. “Of course!”
Just then, Russell and Deidre wove their way through the dance floor and stopped in front of us.
“You guys coming by the party?” Russell asked. “We’re heading up there soon. Room 521.”
“We might. We, um, got our own room,” I admitted, heat spreading through my body.
Russell grinned. “Well, okay then. Stop by if you can.”
I watched them leave and turned to Jeff. “Should I have said that?”
He only grinned.
We spent the next hour dancing, drinking punch, talking with friends, and dancing again. When I caught him looking at me at our table, his eyes dark and intense, I couldn’t wait any longer. I nodded, signaling I was ready. We rose from our seats, telling everyone goodbye.
I slipped on my jacket, but he flung his over his shoulder as we exited.
I vibrated with energy, but he seemed strangely quiet. When we stepped into the elevator, I clasped his hand and twined my fingers with his. He still said nothing, but he squeezed my hand, so I stayed quiet.
By the time we arrived at our door, my body was almost tweaking, I was so turned on and eager. All I wanted to do was get on my knees and suck him. He looked so sexy in his tuxedo I could hardly stand it.
Holding On Page 23