Chapter 29

A few minutes later,in the truck,my body thrummed with excitement.I couldn’t believe my mom had figured things out.And she’d accepted me.There was no judgment from her.She could also see how I felt about Jeff,though,which meant I needed to better hide my emotions.I bounced my leg nervously as we drove on.

“What’s with you?”Jeff asked,breaking the silence.

I looked at my best friend,the light from the dash illuminating his features.God,I wanted to kiss him.Tell him how I felt.But it wasn’t meant to be.He was straight.I sighed.“Um,my mom knows.About me.And she’s fine with me being gay.”The word still felt foreign on my tongue.Not that I was ashamed.Not at all.It just felt weird to be saying it out loud to others.

“That’s great,Aaron!”Jeff flashed a grin at me.

“I know.She didn’t say the words exactly,but she made it clear she knew and to quit hiding and be proud.”I looked out the window at the stars on the clear night.“And,um,thank you for bringing me there.I just needed…needed to see her.I can’t explain it.”

Jeff patted my leg.“Of course.That’s what best friends are for.”

Best friends.Not lovers.Best friends,I reminded myself.It didn’t matter that his touch caused heat to race through my body.Or that my cock swelled whenever he was near.No,we were friends.Best friends.That was it.

He turned on the radio and we spent the rest of the ride listening to music.I was nervous about seeing Jon at the party and how the rest of my friends would react when they found out.It didn’t matter,though.Like my mom had said,it was time to stop keeping secrets.

When we arrived at Kevin’s,it was late,and there were already several cars in the driveway with quite a few more parked on the street.We found a spot around the corner and made our way to the green,two-story house,where several teens hung out on the front porch.Loud,thumping music poured out of the open front door.

I spied Jon in the front yard,drinking from a large plastic cup.My breath caught because he looked really hot.His short-sleeve,red shirt clung to him and the skin-tight jeans showed off every muscle.As he took a huge swig,his gaze landed on me and his eyebrows shot up.

“Fucker,”Jeff muttered.

“What’s wrong?”I asked as Jon made his way over to us.

“Nothing,”Jeff spat,his eyes on Jon.“Hey,man.”

“Hey,Joey,”Jon answered,his eyes on me the whole time.“About time you got here.”He leaned in closer.“You look amazing.”

“The name is Jeff,”my best friend told him,his voice terse.

“Sorry…Jeff.”Jon’s eyes still never left my face.

My cheeks heated as I tried to ignore how Jeff tensed next to me.“Thanks,”I told Jon,glad I had taken Jeff’s advice and worn the V-neck.Jon seemed to like it.

“Want something to drink?”

I nodded,unsure what he was offering.I didn’t smell alcohol on Jon’s breath,but that didn’t mean there wasn’t liquor at the party.I wasn’t into getting drunk,though.“Does Kevin have any Mountain Dew?”I asked.

Jon smiled and licked his lips.“Yeah,I’ll grab you one.Don’t go anywhere,”he said and squeezed my shoulder.

I watched him enter the house and grinned.Jon wascute.Flirty.I liked that.I needed someone to take my mind off Jeff.

“No,really,thanks anyway,”Jeff muttered.“I didn’t want anything.”

I glanced at him,surprised to see his anger.“He just forgot to ask you.Don’t take it personally.Why don’t you go get something?”

“And leave you here with him alone?”He looked at me as if I’d lost my mind.

What the hell?

“I’m eighteen,for fuck’s sake,Jeff.You don’t need to protect me from everyone.”I wasn’t sure what his problem was,but I was getting a little tired of it.

His eyes widened in surprise.“What-the-fuck-ever.”He stomped toward the front door.Jon almost knocked him over as he came out of the house,holding two cans.He backed off and held up his arms.

Jeff glared at him,then at me,before he went inside.

“What was that all about?”Jon asked as he handed me a cold can of Mountain Dew.

I took a swig,the cool liquid traveling down my throat.It felt good.It wasn’t really hot outside,but being nervous always made me warm.I shrugged.“Honestly?Not sure.He’s been acting a little weird lately.”

“I think he’s jealous,”Jon whispered as he moved closer,erasing most of the space between us.“Jealous of me.”

I felt his hot breath on my cheek.“That’s crazy!”

“Why?”

“It…it just is.I mean…he’s straight.”

Jon chuckled.“A straight boy wouldn’t look at you like he does.”

I furrowed my brows.“What are you talking about?How does he look at me?”

Jon’s lips curved into a smile.“Like you’re his prey and he hasn’t eaten in days.”

My mouth went dry.Surely Jon was wrong.Maybe he was imagining things.Jeff was straight.Wasn’t he?And if he wasn’t,why would he hide it from me?That made absolutely no sense.I licked my lips and tasted a hint of Mountain Dew.“You’re way off base.”

Jon shrugged.“Whatever.I’d rather talk about you instead anyway.”He chugged the rest of this soda and set the can on the ground.He ran his fingers through my hair.

Not gonna lie,it felt great.And my body reacted.Instantly.Out of the corner of my eyes,I saw a few people watching.I expected to feel panic.Fear.Something.But all I felt was relief.I was able to be myself in front of others and I didn’t have to hide anymore.

But that didn’t mean I wanted some guy I barely knew getting handsy with me.I took a step back and pushed against Jon’s chest.His chiseled,hard-as-marble chest.I swallowed as I gazed into his dark,intense eyes.“Look,Jon,you’re nice and,well,hot,obviously,but—”

“You think I’m hot?”

Had he not looked in the mirror recently?“Of course,but that wasn’t my point.”

He took a step closer as I took another step back.“What wasthe point?”he asked,his voice low.Gravelly.

Fuck.What was I saying?