by Felix Brooks
“Babe, bad things will always happen. Even if you build your life around your parents’ approval, they’ll still find something to criticize. They’ll still want you to make different choices. You’ve got to do what makes you happy. Their happiness is up to them.”
“But this is such a big issue—”
“It’s not, really. Their belief system makes it seem that way.” Waseem cupped Brent’s face in his hands and looked into his eyes. “What we’re doing here is a private thing that doesn’t hurt anyone. It’s really none of their business. If they want to make an issue of it, that’s their choice. It doesn’t reflect on you in any way.”
“I suppose.”
Waseem kissed his forehead. “Look, I love you, and I want to be with you. But if it gets to the point where the struggle with your family is too hard, I’ll bow out. It’ll kill me, but I’ll go if that’s what’s best for you.”
“It’s not what’s best for me. My parents aren’t the boss of me anymore. They’re my past, and you’re my future. At least I hope so.”
Waseem smiled and kissed him. It started slow and gentle, but Brent’s desire quickly rose. Sucking and licking, he parted Waseem’s lips. Their tongues tangled together, and Brent rolled on top of him, the planes of their bodies fitting together like hewn stone.
Brent had never wanted anything so much. Waseem was hot beneath him. Brent’s hands roved across the hard flesh, loving the feel of him. He didn’t want anything coming between them. He wanted only this moment.
“Waseem,” he breathed, lost in the smell and taste of his lover, “I want to give you everything.”
“You are everything. I don’t need more than you.”
Brent kissed down Waseem’s body, running his tongue along the ridges of his abs, stopping to taste the hard peaks of nipples. He was like an addict who needed a fix. He couldn’t get enough. Never enough.
How could he have gone so long without knowing that love like this existed? It was so different from what he had felt with Karen, what he had thought love was. It didn’t matter what the world thought. Brent would do whatever it took to keep this in his life. Waseem had given him a happiness he could not have imagined. How could that possibly be wrong?
He suckled at Waseem’s neck, tempted to give him a hickey, but thinking better of it. The idea of marking Waseem appealed to him. But after all, no one was supposed to know that Waseem was his. They would think Seth had given him that mark. Brent didn’t want that.
Waseem growled. “Damn it, I need you so much. Tell me what you want. Let me give you what you want.”
Brent exhaled, clearing his mind and letting himself just feel. He knew what he wanted, if only he had the courage. “Can we try again?”
Waseem pulled him close, his big hand gripping Brent’s ass cheek. “You want me to suck you?”
Brent vibrated with desire. “Yeah. I want that so much.”
Waseem grinned and got down to it. He kissed down Brent’s stomach, and ripples of desire pulsed through him. The heat of Waseem’s breath, the softness of his lips. Brent writhed, his fingers gliding along Waseem’s spine. He trusted this man. Waseem would take care of him. Brent had nothing to fear.
That mouth found his tip again. It suckled gently, teasingly, offering a glimpse of what was to come. Brent’s body was on fire. Flames licking his skin, he said, “More.”
So Waseem gave him more. He swallowed him down, sucking the shaft until his cheeks hollowed. It was so sexy to watch. Waseem’s eyes moved from Brent’s crotch to his face and back again, over and over.
Waseem had the most beautiful eyes, sparkling and expressive. There was so much desire in them right now, Brent couldn’t doubt that Waseem loved doing this as much for himself as for Brent.
And then Waseem took his own cock into his hand, thrusting into it. Brent watched, rapt. It was so sexy to see Waseem getting himself off at the same time he was getting Brent off. Except now, Brent wanted his own hand on that thick, heavy cock. “Can I do that?”
Waseem grinned. He turned his body around so Brent could reach him.
Touching Waseem always turned him on—and this was even better. The position was ridiculous, the two of them facing toward each other’s feet. But it felt so good.
Brent couldn’t reach the lube, so he was going to spit into his hand. But then he figured, what the hell? He ran his tongue along Waseem’s cockhead, just for lubrication. But it felt good, that heat in his mouth, and he couldn’t resist trying a little more.
Waseem hummed on Brent’s cock, so Brent knew he was doing something right. He felt like a beginner, though, trying a master level maneuver. He couldn’t focus on Waseem and himself at the same time. He pulled out of Waseem’s mouth and said, “Let me do this for you.”
Waseem scooted up the bed and stroked Brent’s hair. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I want to. I was afraid I wouldn’t like it, but I do. Tell me what you like.”
Waseem kissed him. “There’s no right or wrong. Just think about what you’d like, and do that to me. Chances are, I’ll like it, too. And if I don’t, or if I want something else, I’ll tell you.”
A grin snuck over Brent’s lips. A sense of power surged through him. “Be careful what you wish for.”
Brent got on his belly and pushed Waseem’s legs open wide. He ran his finger along the shaft, feeling the veins, caressing the ridge of the cockhead. He thought that was probably his favorite part.
He licked the tip. Waseem’s eyes closed, a look of absolute bliss on his face. Brent had put that look there. And he could give Waseem much more.
He slid his lips down the shaft, loving the feel of the hot skin. Waseem was so big, so thick. It was difficult to take him all, but Brent took as much as he could. He held the cock at the base with his fist, jacking him while he sucked. Waseem writhed and groaned.
Excitement surged through him, like he’d received a gift he’d never tire of. He didn’t even know why this made him so happy. Except that it was Waseem, and he loved him, and giving him pleasure was the best thing in the world.
He drew it out as long as possible, sucking for a while, then teasing and caressing, taking Waseem to the edge and then pulling back. Waseem swore at him, but Brent didn’t let up. He knew Waseem was loving it, despite his complaints.
But Brent’s jaw started to tire, so he used his hand for a while. Waseem started beg. Brent sped up, and when he felt Waseem quicken, he sucked again. Waseem’s cum burst into his mouth, and he swallowed it down as fast as he could. It was sweet and a little caustic. Brent didn’t care, because it was Waseem.
Brent sucked until Waseem’s body stopped shuddering. Then he kissed up Waseem’s torso and rested his head on Waseem’s shoulder. “Did I do that okay?”
Waseem laughed. “You get an A plus.”
“That’s what I was aiming for.” Brent snuggled against him, and Waseem’s strong arms encompassed him. Brent was pretty sure this was the best thing that ever happened to him. He’d gotten past his fear, and it hadn’t been awful. In fact, it had been pretty great.
He’d have been happy to fall asleep at that point. But Waseem was having none of it. Waseem kissed Brent shoulder and down his arm, then made a turn at Brent’s chest. He sucked one nipple for a while, and then the other. Now Brent was fully awake, and so was his cock.
Waseem took notice. He slid his hand down the shaft and found Brent’s balls. He cupped them, and then took them into his mouth one at a time. Brent squirmed and moaned. It was fucking amazing. He’d never imagined it could feel that good.
By the time Waseem took his cock into his mouth, Brent was already desperate. He couldn’t even think. He squeezed the sheets and thrust rhythmically into Waseem’s mouth.
Waseem took him deeper, impossibly deep. Then he swallowed, his throat muscles working Brent’s cock. Brent cried out, so close to coming. He wanted this, to prove that he trusted Waseem enough to finish.
“I love you,” he breathed. He’d said it befor
e, but he’d never meant it this much. And he wondered if that was always how it would be. If he’d love Waseem more every time he said it.
And then he couldn’t think, couldn’t speak, because the orgasm was barreling over him so fast he couldn’t stop it. He came hard in Waseem’s mouth, with no regrets or apologies. He and Waseem were supposed to be like this. They were beautiful together.
A tear fell from the corner of his eye, and he brushed it quickly away. But he wasn’t even embarrassed. Waseem accepted him the way he was. No one had ever done that for him before. No one had ever loved him and wanted nothing in return.
Waseem turned off the lights, and they snuggled together. He breathed in Waseem’s scent, one he’d recognize it anywhere, a unique combination of spice and musk. Nothing else mattered as long as he could have this. His Waseem.
Chapter 13
Waseem was in Jake’s room after class on Monday, lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling while Jake typed away at his computer. The soft clicking of the keys soothed him. He had news for Brent, and he wasn’t sure how to break it to him. Maybe Jake could help him figure things out.
Valentine’s Day itself was on Tuesday, and Waseem wanted to do something special. Maybe that would make the news easier to take. Plus, Brent was making great progress where sex was concerned. Waseem knew he still had to tread carefully, but Brent was becoming comfortable, both with the idea and the act of it.
“You and Emmett doing something special for Valentine’s Day?”
“He’s taking me out for a big steak dinner. You?”
Waseem sat up. “We can’t go out. Number one, we couldn’t get reservations. Number two, we’d have to double date. Which kind of negates the point of going out for Valentine’s Day.”
Jake looked over and met his eyes. “Sorry.”
“So I’m basically where you were six months ago.”
Jake raised his brows. “Not exactly. Six months ago, Emmett was running hot and cold, and was afraid of a relationship. You and Brent? You’ve just got to stay in the closet until Brent graduates.”
“Speaking of graduation…” Part of him wanted to keep the news to himself, to avoid jinxing it. But Waseem wasn’t a suspicious guy, so he supposed it would be good to talk to someone. “I’ve got a job interview.”
“That’s fantastic!” Jake’s eyes lit up. “Who’s it with?”
“A high school in Raleigh, close to my parents. About a two-hour drive from here.” Excitement bubbled through him. “I’m trying not to get my hopes up, but it would be ideal. Well, maybe not as good as a school in Wilmington, but I think that’s unlikely.”
“Good luck. Do you have to drive to Raleigh for the interview?”
“No, we’re doing it over Skype.”
“What would you be teaching?”
Waseem cracked his knuckles. “That’s not clear yet. They might have an opening in the history department. It all depends on where things stand at the end of the school year.”
“Have you talked to Brent about it?”
Waseem pressed his lips together. This was the sticking point. “I’m afraid to bring it up. We haven’t talked much about what things will look like after I graduate. It’ll be hard for him, Jake. I’ve never seen anyone so freaked out about how their parents will react to finding out they’re gay.”
“Part of me thinks he’s worrying for nothing. Part of me is afraid he’s not.”
“As religious as my parents are, they’re still open minded. I get the feeling his aren’t.” The pitch of Waseem’s voice rose. “Have you seen how neat his apartment is? Clearly, his parents are rigid. It’s been drilled into him that things have to be done a certain way. He says without hesitation that they’re bigots.”
Jake’s face tensed, and he looked at Waseem with sadness in his eyes.
Waseem shook his head. Sorrow rolled over him like a heavy weight on his chest. “I don’t think his fears are misplaced,” he said. “I wish I did, but I don’t.”
***
Waseem showed up at Brent’s apartment on Valentine’s Day carrying a bag of groceries from a list Brent had texted him. Waseem didn’t know what Brent was planning to make, but the ingredients sounded pretty good. So Waseem would be happy regardless.
He shut the door and set the bag on the countertop, then pulled Brent into a kiss. The guy looked hellasexy in a dressy dark-blue shirt and jeans. Truth was, the guy looked sexy no matter what he was wearing.
Brent’s golden brown eyes smoldered, and dimples formed in his cheeks when he smiled. “I’ve been waiting for this all day.”
“We just saw each other at the training session,” Waseem reminded him.
“Yeah, but that was two hours ago. And I didn’t get to kiss you.” Their lips met again, more passionately this time.
Sometimes it seemed like all they wanted to do was kiss and touch each other, as if the relationship was purely physical. But in reality, it was nothing like that. Waseem loved getting to know little details about Brent’s life, about his likes and dislikes, about his values and beliefs.
If they had kids someday, they’d have to figure out how to meld their two religions. But their beliefs weren’t all that far apart. Basically, they believed God wanted them to love their neighbors and care for their community. Religion wasn’t all that complicated when you got down to the basics.
Brent roped Waseem into chopping the vegetables, which was pretty much Waseem’s least favorite task. But he did it without complaint because cooking this meal was something he and Brent were doing together, to share their love and concern for one another’s well-being. There was something powerful in that, something life-affirming. And if Waseem was going to live as an adult person on his own, it was probably time for him to get over his dislike of chopping vegetables.
Brent was telling a funny story about something he and Karen had done in high school when Waseem asked him, “How did you and Karen start dating, anyway?”
Brent’s jaw hardened. Apparently, that wasn’t such a funny story. Waseem didn’t press him, but eventually, Brent said, “She cheered me up after my dad lectured me for getting a bad grade. It wasn’t even my fault. Teachers are dicks sometimes, you know? But my dad never took my side over someone in authority. Karen helped me put it in perspective. I guess I kind of bonded with her.”
“I’m sorry.” Waseem wished Brent would stop holding so much inside, as if he had to be strong all the time. “I know talking about your family can be painful, so I won’t ask any more questions. But I’m always willing to listen.”
“I know.” Brent’s voice was soft, almost inaudible. But he looked up and gave Waseem a bright smile.
Brent put dinner in the oven, and they went into the living room to watch a movie on Netflix while it baked. Waseem couldn’t concentrate. With Brent snuggled up against him, smelling like shampoo and Brent’s juniper scent, Waseem had never felt closer to anyone, or more protective. He couldn’t stand the idea of anything hurting Brent. Despite his size and physical power, the guy was sweet and ingenuous and a little naïve. He deserved only good things in his life.
The oven dinged and Brent rose, pausing the movie. With Waseem following behind, he took dinner out of the oven and scooped it onto plates. They sat at the breakfast bar. Waseem said, “I’m worried about you.”
Brent’s eyebrows pulled together, a little crease forming between them. “Why?”
With a tightening in his gut, Waseem asked, “What will your dad do if he finds out you’re gay? Could he hurt you?”
“Yeah, he could hurt me. If he refuses to pay my tuition next semester, my chances at a pro football career are over.”
“I mean physically.”
Brent shrugged. “I don’t see how. My size comes from my mom’s side of the family. I’ve been able to take my dad since I was sixteen. Besides, he’s not violent. He gets his kicks out of manipulating people.”
Waseem backed off, feeling better that Brent wasn’t in physical danger. Besides,
this was Valentine’s Day. Tonight was supposed to be a celebration of love.
Waseem had special plans for the evening. He shouldn’t push his luck after the milestone they’d reached over the weekend. But Waseem was greedy. He wanted more, or at least to get a conversation going about more. He’d keep it lighthearted so Brent didn’t feel pressured.
They finished dinner, cleaned up the kitchen, and went back into the living room to finish watching the movie. Waseem was more relaxed now, and he actually enjoyed it. He’d have to watch it again sometime to see the parts he’d missed. But for now it just felt good to spend time with Brent, laughing.
When it ended, Brent said, “I got you something.” He got up and disappeared into the bedroom. Waseem took the opportunity to pull a gift box out of his jacket pocket.
He hoped it wasn’t a stupid idea. His goal had been to get Brent something that was practical but fun. He’d also avoided extravagance, because he didn’t know what Brent could afford. He didn’t want to hurt the guy’s pride.
Brent came out of the bedroom carrying a small box wrapped in red foil. They exchanged gifts, and Waseem said, “You go first. I’m afraid you’ll hate it.”
“How could I hate anything you gave me?” Brent carefully opened the seams of the white paper dotted with hearts. His eyes widened and shone brightly when he saw the Bluetooth speaker.
“It’s waterproof, so you can use it in the shower,” Waseem said.
“That is sick, dude. Thank you.” He kissed Brent’s cheek. “Now you.”
Waseem tore open the box. Inside was a techy-looking keychain, black with a blue panel. He took it out, hanging it from his finger so he could see it more closely.
“It’s a phone charger,” Brent said. “It even runs on solar power if you’re at the beach or something. Oh, and um, the key is to my apartment.”
Waseem’s breath hitched. He looked over at Brent. “You’re giving me a key?”