with his hands resting on Caleb’s shoulders. Caleb took a deep breath, which was a mistake. The witch’s brew in his stomach threatened to take flight. He should never have agreed to let Logan help him with his agoraphobia. He blamed the pizza. And hormones.
Logan leaned in close, his coffee scented breath warm against Caleb’s cheek. “Tell me about your first time with a guy.”
Caleb was pretty sure he blacked out for a second or two as the sound of Logan’s gravelly voice traveled from his head to his toes. Logan squeezed his shoulders, giving them a slight push. As Caleb started to climb, his mouth decided to act without his permission. “I was running on the track and a guy started jogging behind me. He didn’t try to talk to me or anything, so I just kept running.”
“Hmm, giving him a great view of your ass.”
Caleb was glad Logan couldn’t see him right now. They could roast marshmallows off his face. That answered the whole straight or gay question. Right? He cleared his throat. “I finished my last lap and headed for the locker room. I wasn’t expecting him to follow me.”
A few more steps and they had reached the landing. They walked a short way down the hall to a metal door. A cheap-looking padlock on the door barred access to the roof. Continuing the story, he said, “I was shocked when he showed up while I was in the showers.”
“Did you drop the soap?”
Scowling, Caleb crossed his arms over his chest. “Now what? You need a key to access the roof.”
Logan looked at the padlock for a moment before he said, “Close your eyes.” He held up his hand when Caleb started to speak. “Better for you not to know.”
Caleb reluctantly complied. He heard the sound of metal crinkling. After only a few moments, he heard the swish of the door opening. As he opened his eyes, he spied Logan stuffing something into his pocket that looked like part of a can of Coke. Lowering his voice, he asked, “What if someone calls the police?” He didn’t want to be responsible for Logan violating his parole.
“We won’t be up here long enough for it to matter.” He stepped through the door, holding it open for Caleb to follow.
As Caleb moved through the entryway, the smell of early morning air invaded his nostrils. The muggy air coated his throat, smelling faintly of fuel and garbage. Standing under the alcove over the door, he looked out at the city he had not set eyes on directly in nearly three years. The city lights and the moon shining above cast enough of a glow to see the pebbled surface of the roof. According to Mrs. Simon, there was talk about putting in a rooftop garden. He hoped they did, for her sake. The much-taller surrounding buildings made the roof look small and bleak. It needed a bit of color. Looking at the space, Caleb waited for the surge of panic to rise, stealing his breath and his composure. Nothing happened. By now, he should be drowning in fear, but instead he felt calmer inside than he had in years.
Logan wrapped his arms around Caleb from behind and said, “So, you’re in the showers soaping that lean body of yours and the water’s pouring over you. Then what happens?”
Caleb sighed, letting his head rest against Logan’s firm chest. He assumed Logan was only touching him and prompting the sex talk to distract him, but damned if it didn’t feel good. “He walked up to me still fully dressed and asked if I was a fag.”
Logan’s body tensed, and his voice hardened. “This story better have a happy ending.”
The protectiveness in Logan’s voice sent a shiver racing down Caleb’s spine. “He lunged at me, pressing me against the wall and kissing me breathless.”
Logan turned them and pushed forward until Caleb’s back pressed against the door. Hunching a little, he asked, “Like this?”
“It wasn’t long before we both got our happy endings,” Caleb said, looking down and cursing his blushing cheeks. Somehow, they had managed to end up much closer,
Logan leaned in close, his coffee scented breath warm against Caleb’s cheek. “Tell me about your first time with a guy.”
Caleb was pretty sure he blacked out for a second or two as the sound of Logan’s gravelly voice traveled from his head to his toes. Logan squeezed his shoulders, giving them a slight push. As Caleb started to climb, his mouth decided to act without his permission. “I was running on the track and a guy started jogging behind me. He didn’t try to talk to me or anything, so I just kept running.”
“Hmm, giving him a great view of your ass.”
Caleb was glad Logan couldn’t see him right now. They could roast marshmallows off his face. That answered the whole straight or gay question. Right? He cleared his throat. “I finished my last lap and headed for the locker room. I wasn’t expecting him to follow me.”
A few more steps and they had reached the landing. They walked a short way down the hall to a metal door. A cheap-looking padlock on the door barred access to the roof. Continuing the story, he said, “I was shocked when he showed up while I was in the showers.”
“Did you drop the soap?”
Scowling, Caleb crossed his arms over his chest. “Now what? You need a key to access the roof.”
Logan looked at the padlock for a moment before he said, “Close your eyes.” He held up his hand when Caleb started to speak. “Better for you not to know.”
Caleb reluctantly complied. He heard the sound of metal crinkling. After only a few moments, he heard the swish of the door opening. As he opened his eyes, he spied Logan stuffing something into his pocket that looked like part of a can of Coke. Lowering his voice, he asked, “What if someone calls the police?” He didn’t want to be responsible for Logan violating his parole.
“We won’t be up here long enough for it to matter.” He stepped through the door, holding it open for Caleb to follow.
As Caleb moved through the entryway, the smell of early morning air invaded his nostrils. The muggy air coated his throat, smelling faintly of fuel and garbage. Standing under the alcove over the door, he looked out at the city he had not set eyes on directly in nearly three years. The city lights and the moon shining above cast enough of a glow to see the pebbled surface of the roof. According to Mrs. Simon, there was talk about putting in a rooftop garden. He hoped they did, for her sake. The much-taller surrounding buildings made the roof look small and bleak. It needed a bit of color. Looking at the space, Caleb waited for the surge of panic to rise, stealing his breath and his composure. Nothing happened. By now, he should be drowning in fear, but instead he felt calmer inside than he had in years.
Logan wrapped his arms around Caleb from behind and said, “So, you’re in the showers soaping that lean body of yours and the water’s pouring over you. Then what happens?”
Caleb sighed, letting his head rest against Logan’s firm chest. He assumed Logan was only touching him and prompting the sex talk to distract him, but damned if it didn’t feel good. “He walked up to me still fully dressed and asked if I was a fag.”
Logan’s body tensed, and his voice hardened. “This story better have a happy ending.”
The protectiveness in Logan’s voice sent a shiver racing down Caleb’s spine. “He lunged at me, pressing me against the wall and kissing me breathless.”
Logan turned them and pushed forward until Caleb’s back pressed against the door. Hunching a little, he asked, “Like this?”
“It wasn’t long before we both got our happy endings,” Caleb said, looking down and cursing his blushing cheeks. Somehow, they had managed to end up much closer,
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