Chapter 77
“I’m so proud of you,baby,”he whispered and kissed the top of my head.
“Thanks.Honestly,I’m kind of proud of myself.I wanted to cuss at him.Tell him what he really was.But that would’ve made me like him,wouldn’t it?”
“You’re nothinglike him.Nothing.”
I smiled at Jeff.My biggest champion.
“That was wonderful.”Grandpa patted my back.“Very mature,Aaron.”He wiped at his eyes with his other hand.“You were right to ignore him,too.”
We stood talking for a while until Jeff and I reminded them we needed to go.
They all gave us hugs,then made both of us promise to call and text often.
When Judy hugged me,I started crying.“Thank you for taking me in.”
“You will alwaysbe part of our family,Aaron.There is no thanks needed.”She hugged me tighter before letting me go.
I’d heard the phrase about weight being lifted from shoulders.I first experienced its meaning several months ago when I finally came out of the closet,and that’s exactly what I experienced now by leaving my father behind and beginning my new life.
Jeff and I walked hand-in-hand to the parking lot.
“I can’t believe it’s over,”I murmured.
“Happy?”he asked as we reached our vehicles,parked next to each other.
I leaned against the driver’s door of his truck and smiled.“‘Happy’doesn’t even begin to describe it.I think maybe that was closure for me.Knowing he can’t hurt me ever again—or Pamela—it’s like I can finally breathe.”
Jeff braced his arms on the window,on either side of my head.“I’m glad,Aaron.Nobody deserves that kind of abuse.”
I rested my head against the window.“It’s a whole new life.”
He grinned.“Are you ready?”
“Oh,yeah.Are you?”
“Are we going to break our new room in tonight?”
I licked my lips.“I guess that depends on you.”
“What does that mean?”
“I mean,if you keep looking at me like that,I may drop to my knees right here and now,then we’ll never get to the dorm on time.”
His eyes grew dark and he pressed closer.“Oh,yeah?”
I swallowed over the lump in my throat as he hardened against my hip.“Yeah.”
Jeff brushed his lips against mine in a soft,teasing kiss.“Then I guess we need to get the hell out of here,”he whispered,his breath hot against my skin.
“Well,maybe one more little kiss,”I whispered back before his lips claimed mine.
Oh,yeah,I was going to like this new life.Well,new in many ways,but one thing would stay the same—even as new classes and new experiences filled our days,Jeff would stillbe holding me every night.And that was the most exciting prospect of all.