“I was beginning to worry about you,” she answered in a relieved tone. “You okay?”
“I think so,” I said, walking over to my balcony and peering outside. The clouds had rolled in and thunder rumbled in the distance. “I want to make a statement. Not anything huge or televised, but I want people to know my story. Not the bullshit William blabbed about in that article.”
“I’ll make some calls,” Jennifer said as rustling sounded on her end of the line.
We talked for another ten or so minutes as she filled me in on what she intended to do—agree to an exclusive interview with one of the big magazines that had reached out wanting one. Fight fire with fire. But unlike William’s fire that had been meant to destroy, mine would be purging the bad in hopes of starting over fresh.
Around four that afternoon, I called Hunter.
“Hello?” he answered, sounding anxious.
I felt bad for waiting so long to return his call, but I’d dreaded the conversation. I was afraid we’d get into a massive fight and I’d lose him. Again.
“Hey,” I said, holding the phone with one hand as I rubbed at the back of my neck with the other. “How was school?”
“Good. The week after Spring Break is always tough, because the kids aren’t ready to be back,” he responded with a light laugh. “So I went easy on them. Sort of. How are you?”
“It depends.”
“On what?” Hunter asked.
“On how you are,” I said, battling the knots in my stomach. Fuck I couldn’t stand still, so I paced my living room. “Jen and I figured out our next step, so I’m still pissed but coping with it. But knowing you read that shit just kills me, Hunt. I swear, Will never meant anything to me. Seven years later, and it was still you that had my heart. I never got over you, and I—”
“Cor,” Hunter interjected. “It’s okay. Really. The only thing that bothered me about reading that article was the fact that asshole took your private life and blasted it for the whole world to read. I know you love me. And I trust you.”
I was surprised by his response.
When I first reacquainted with him back in January, he’d been so closed off from me. When I’d tried to get closer to him, he’d let his insecurity and jealousy get in the way. But once I’d broken through the walls of his doubt and showed him I wasn’t going anywhere, he put all of that aside.
“I can’t wait to come home to you,” I said, feeling truly content for the first time that morning.
Once I knew Hunter was okay, it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
“So you’re really moving here?”
I looked around my empty house: not one lacking materialistic items—I had a plethora of shit I didn’t need—but one lacking warmth and love. One that was missing that special someone to come home to, sleep beside every night, and wake up to each morning.
“Yeah,” I answered, knowing there was nothing I wanted more in that moment. “I’ll keep this place during the upcoming season, but then I’m leaving KC.”
Hunter was quiet for a handful of seconds before he finally said, “Are you sure it’s what you want, Cor? I don’t want to be the reason you give up your life, you know? We’ll make it work if you decide to stay there.”
“I’m not giving anything up,” I said, missing the feel of him in my arms. Being lovesick fucking sucked. “Now stop trying to change my mind and face the facts, babe. You’re stuck with me.”
It didn’t matter where we went, as long as he was by my side, I had everything I needed. Home was not a place, but a feeling, and Hunter was the only place I wanted to be.
Chapter 25
Hunter
Rain fell outside the classroom window, hitting the rooftop and pouring down onto the sidewalk. Deep puddles formed in the grass, and certain areas of the road had standing water. Some of the creeks had flooded, making it dangerous to travel through some of the backroads, and with the high school being more in the country, it made it harder for some of the students to make it to school on time.
Everything was so green—the dense wall of trees not too far from the building, and the grass. The dark sky only enhanced the green hue, causing it to stand out in a world of gray. Spring had officially arrived. And with the new life, there was a cleansing of what came before it.
In other words: rain. Lots of it.
I sipped coffee at my desk as I continued watching the rain fall.
Unlike some people, I actually enjoyed rainy days. Where others saw gloominess, I found peace. I needed moments such as these to gather my thoughts, and I had a lot on my mind.
Corbin had done an interview with a big magazine, and it should be hitting the stands—and of course, basically everywhere online—that day. He’d told me some of the things he was going to say in the article, and I was so damn proud of him for being so open. I was nervous for him as well.
This was a huge deal, and with everything else that blows up in the media, the world was going to have something to say about it.
The first bell cut off my musings and minutes later, students began entering class like a horde of lazy zombies. April was just another month closer to summer break, and most of them looked to have that I’d rather be in bed mentality, eager for those summer days of sleeping in and spending the day outside with friends.
Daniel took his seat, and he wasn’t his usual talkative self. His blank expression during my lecture that morning only confirmed my theory that something was wrong.
“Daniel? Can you stay for a minute?” I asked once class had ended.
He shrugged. “’Kay. What’s up?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing,” I said, leaning on the edge of my desk and crossing my arms.
“So Corbin is gay?” he asked, finally looking at me. “It’s all over the internet.”
Ah, shit.
“Does that bother you?”
“He should’ve told me,” Daniel snapped as his eyes watered. “I thought he was my friend.”
“He is,” I said, hating the pain in his voice. “Corbin cares about you and the other guys a lot. He loves helping y’all train and hanging out at school.”
“Then why didn’t he tell me the one thing that could’ve helped me not feel like a freak?” Daniel responded, even angrier now. “I basically told him that I’m…that I’m…” he looked around, making sure no one else was around before leaning in and saying, “…gay. And instead of telling me that I wasn’t alone, he didn’t say a damn thing.” Students for my second period class started shuffling in, and Daniel stepped backward, shaking his head. “I gotta get to class, Mr. Walsh.”
He turned and left the room.
When Corbin came back to Willow, he’d need to have a talk with Daniel. He had become attached to Cor over the months, and from what I gathered, he didn’t really have a good role model at home. His dad was known to be a drunk, and it was heartbreaking to think of the things that kid had to go through.
At lunch, I was finally able to pull up Corbin’s article on my laptop and read it.
I’d have to buy a hard copy of it at the store later. He was front and center on the cover—which was in black and white—and he leaned against a white wall. His short blond hair was styled in a classy way, with the sides shorter and the top combed and flipped to the side. Dressed in a white shirt and a dark jacket pulled over it, he looked more like a movie star than a football player.
I scrolled down the page until I saw the link to his interview and clicked it. My heart hammered in my chest and my palms began to sweat. I didn’t know why I was nervous. Maybe it was more due to excitement.
Corbin wasn’t backing down from the devastation of being outed against his will; instead, he was embracing it and using it as an opportunity to tell his own story—one I suspected a lot of younger men who were struggling with coming out would find courage in reading.
The article started off with Mark Harris—the writer—talking about the events of the past few weeks and how
there’d been various rumors circulating about Corbin’s silence on the matter. So many people wanted answers, and his silence had done nothing but add fuel to the fire.
And now he’s here to tell his story, the article read.
Mark: First of all, thank you for agreeing to the interview. It’s not easy to have your personal life on display like this.
Corbin: No problem. Thank you for having me.
Mark: So, everyone wants to know…is it true? Are you gay? And if so, why did you feel the need to keep it quiet all these years?
Corbin: (nervous smile as he runs a hand through his hair) You just cut right to the chase, huh? Yes. I’m gay. I wish it would’ve been my decision and on my terms to come out, but I guess that’s why I wanted to do this interview. Not just to confirm one way or the other that I’m gay but also to explain why I didn’t come out sooner.
Let me start by saying: I am not ashamed to be gay. That was never the issue. What held me back all these years was my fear of how people would react, not just in my everyday life but also in my career.
I didn’t want my sexuality to define me.
Mark: That’s a powerful statement. Do you feel that’s what happens to other celebrities?
Corbin: Not only with celebrities, but everyone. The world is obsessed with who’s sleeping in whose bed. And if you’re different—I hate using that word—then you’re made a spectacle. I didn’t want to be Corbin Taylor, the gay quarterback. I just wanted to be Corbin—to be known for what I did in life, and not narrowed down to who I loved.
Mark: Speaking of love…is there a special guy in your life?
Corbin: (Smiles) Yes. There is. I’m not going to say more about him—yet—but he’s the main reason why I’m even here with you right now. He gave me the courage to face all of this. Despite the recent turmoil, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.
And to any young guy or girl who’s reading this right now, struggling with your own truth…know you aren’t alone. You belong in this world, and you deserve to be happy too.
After finishing the rest of the article—that went on to discuss Corbin’s goals for the future and his relief at finally being able to be himself—I debated on calling him, but with lunch already being so short, I decided to go to the teacher’s lounge to heat up the lasagna I’d brought instead.
Standing in front of the microwave always seemed to last ages. Waiting for my food to heat, I smiled as I recalled parts of Corbin’s interview; how he’d mentioned being in love. I was thankful he didn’t call me out in the article, and I knew it wasn’t because he was ashamed of my ‘nobody’ status, but more so because he didn’t want to invade my privacy like his had been.
All of my coworkers seemed to know, however, by the sly smiles they gave me as I stood in the teacher’s lounge.
The math teacher, Christina, was sitting at the small table by the window and reading something on her tablet. She was only six years older than me, so out of the faculty at the high school, I was closest to her. We shared a love for the classics, which was how we started talking over the years. Oftentimes, we’d sit at lunch and discuss ideas to get the students more engaged in learning and bounce thoughts off each other.
“Mind if I sit?” I asked, motioning to the empty chair across from her.
She jumped and hid the screen on her device. “Oh, of course I don’t mind. Sit.”
Pressing my lips into a line, I sat down and tried not to laugh. “You’re reading Corbin’s article, aren’t you?”
“That obvious?” she asked as a sheepish expression crossed her face. When I nodded, she gave a defeated sigh before taking a drink of her iced tea. “Is it crazy to say I already kind of knew? After seeing you two together these past months, it was clear as day.”
I didn’t think he and I’d been that obvious, especially in public, but it wasn’t surprising that Christina had picked up on it.
“That man looks at you like you’re the sun and he’s just the planet circling it,” Christina said, regarding me with a warm smile. “It’s not every day you find someone like that.”
For the rest of the day, I was in a sort of haze. Just like Corbin had said in the interview, I’d never been so happy. Being a major worry wart, I often thought of everything that could go wrong when things were going great in my life.
Like when Cor and I’d been eighteen and talking about our future of going to the same college and spending our life together…and then having it all crash and burn. It was just second nature for me to worry and stress.
I no longer felt that way with Corbin.
Call it fate or call it coincidence, but finding each other again after all these years and both of us still having that spark, I knew we could make it through anything.
***
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” I said to Corbin, who was currently adjusting the camera on his laptop, giving me a close-up view of his bare torso and unbelievable muscles.
“Well, believe it, baby,” he replied in that sexy voice of his. “I’ve never had cam sex. How the fuck does this…oh, okay. Got it.”
He sat back on his bed and smirked at me as he reached into his shorts and touched himself.
I took a deep breath. “You know, we could just wait until Friday when you’re actually here.”
Only two more days and I’ll be able to touch him for real.
“Ah, come on, Hunt.” He bit down on his bottom lip as he continued to slowly tug on his dick—that was stretching the material of his shorts in a mouthwatering way. “It’ll be fun. And so hot.”
He was right. It was definitely hot. I was so damn hard I half expected my pants to rip in half. Having Corbin right there but not actually there was one hell of a tease.
“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth, unable to deny him anything.
“Now sit back a bit so I can see you,” Corbin demanded, leaning against his headboard and turning his head toward the camera. His laptop was on the nightstand beside his bed, giving me a side view of him. “And take off those pants, soldier.”
“Soldier? No. We’re not roleplaying. You stop.”
Corbin laughed. “Okay, whatever. Just take off those fucking pants.”
I did as he said—well, commanded—but I was sure to do it very slow just to add to his anticipation. I knew it was working when I heard his frustrated grumble.
It’d nearly been two weeks since we saw each other last, and I’d jacked off more in our short time apart than I had in months. He just brought it out in me, made me crave him like I’d never craved anyone else, not even when I was going through guys like crazy in college.
I grabbed the bottle of lube from my bedside drawer and drizzled a little in my palm before gliding my hand up and down my dick.
“Mmm, that’s it,” Corbin said on a moan, watching as I stroked myself. His movements mirrored mine. “Turn more on your side so I can see you better.”
I obeyed and grinned at him as I paid extra attention to my tip. With my other hand, I reached down and cupped my balls, sharply inhaling as the pleasure took over my senses.
Corbin’s furrowed brow and the way he chewed his lip as he watched me was so fucking sexy.
Something about doing it on camera just added to the allure of it.
“God, I wish you were here,” I panted before tilting my head back with a deep groan. My eyes were hooded as I watched him on the screen, pumping his hips up into his closed fist. His stomach began to glisten with sweat.
Shit. That sight alone almost had me coming undone.
“What would you do to me if I was?” he asked, opening his mouth in a small O as his breaths quickened with his strokes.
“I’d slowly take your cock in my mouth and tease your slit with my tongue.”
Corbin’s gray eyes widened, as if he hadn’t expected me to go along with it. I was a bit surprised at myself too. Dirty talk had never been my strong point.
Getting even more aroused, I described everything I’d love to do to
him—first, suck his dick and make him crazy with lust, then straddle his hips and ride him all night, fucking him so good he’d forget his own name.
“Fuck, Hunter,” Corbin exclaimed as his body tensed. His abs tightened as white ropes of cum shot from his thick dick and onto his stomach. He moved his hand up and down his slick shaft, going slower as he squeezed his crown on the up-twist of his wrist. “Mm. Fuuuck.”
Seeing him orgasm—and hearing the sexy, raspy sounds he made while doing so—brought me closer to the edge, and I bit down hard on my bottom lip as a spark shot down my spine. My balls tightened and my throbbing dick unloaded onto my abdomen, pulling from me throaty moans as I jerked myself faster.
Out of breath and feeling like I was made out of jelly, I looked over at him. He had a lopsided grin on his too handsome face, doing the impossible by looking heart achingly adorable and sexy as fuck at the same time.
“We should do this, like, every night I’m not there,” Corbin said, running a hand through the mess he’d made on his abs. “All throughout my summer training and into the playing season.”
“Well, I plan on making it to a lot of your games,” I pointed out, wondering if it was possible to have a heart attack after an orgasm. My heart was racing like crazy. “As much as I can anyway. So it’ll be a lot of hotel room sex, I’m sure.”
“I’d like that.” Corbin smiled and pushed his hand under his pillow, flipping on his side and facing the laptop. “Not just the sex, but the you being with me part.”
Yeah. I liked it too.
Chapter 26
Corbin
Several Days Later
I sat in the sunroom of Grandpa Bill’s house—well I guess it was mine now—and closed my eyes as the spring breeze moved the wind chimes hanging outside the door. Most of my things had been moved from my place in Kansas City, with the exception of the furniture and some clothes I’d left for when I used the house during my football season. I had bought new furniture and a king sized bed after I’d gotten back in town days ago.
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