Page 22

Chapter Eight

Sebastian

The holidays had come and gone.

Ethan and Sebastian had surprised their parents by coming home for the holiday break. They had shown up holding hands to their annual neighborhood Christmas party.Although their families had gotten used to the closeness he shared with Ethan over the years, the simple gesture surprised them.

While they thought, more than once, that their relationship would turn into something more than a friendship, both Ethan’s parents and his sat them down for a talk. They grilled them about everything from their living situation to how others saw them together.Sebastian understood they were preparing he and Ethan for the negative opinions that might come their way.But when Sebastian and Ethan reiterated their commitment to each other, all four of them expressed their eventual happiness at their new relationship.

After several days at home, they wanted some alone time without having to rush to classes or having homework they needed to complete, so they went back to their loft.

Although the sex was still incredible and their friendship continued to be as strong as ever, it was the intimacy they shared through fleeting touches and lingering kisses that thrilled Sebastian.

One reason he decided they needed their own place was because he missed his best friend. Being able to touch and kiss Ethan whenever he wanted added to the depth of their established friendship and it solidified their relationship into something unbreakable.

Sebastian had been thinkingabout their future together.Marriage was never on his radar before, but each day he shared with Ethan made Sebastian want to wake up every day with the man he wanted to call his husband.From time to time, Sebastian would bring up the subject of marriage, but he never spoke about them specifically.So when Ethan answered, it was in a general sense.

Both had over a yearleft in school. They had even talked about what they wanted to do after graduation.Sebastian already had several offers as an acquisition specialist, even one from his dad, and Ethan already worked part-time as a programmer.

They talked about moving from the West coast, something familiar to both, and settling somewhere on the East coast where there were actual seasons. Plans stayed in the background since solidifying their decisions weren’t pressing, and they enjoyed their time together.

Class started again that morning. Used to getting up late during the month-long break, it had taken Sebastian almost an hour to get out of bed and ready for the day.He dragged himself to his business ethics class and the moment he walked into the room, he sensed some tension.

Sebastian scoffed when he realized it was Amber and her group of friends.Although he was still pissed she’d slapped Ethan, he wanted nothing to do with her so he ignored everyone in the room and sat down in his normal spot.Class passed as Sebastian scribbled on his notebook as he fought to stay awake.Before long but not quickly enough, the class finished and Sebastian packed his books into his backpack with a sigh of relief.

He heard snippets of slurs being hurled his way, but ignored them.Sebastian wasn’t the first man Amber and her lackeys have known to date another man, but with Amber egging them on, they felt free to call Sebastian names.He shook his head and slung his backpack over his shoulder, heading for the exit.

Sebastian forgot about class as soon as he stepped out the door and noted the time.He shot a quick text to Ethan and walked to meethim outside his lab.

I’m almost finished, handsome.

Sebastian smiled at the text.I’m right outside, waiting. -S

Ethan sent him a smile which had Sebastian grinning like an idiot.He leaned back against the wall, far enough from the door so he wouldn’t get hit when it opened, and let out a breath when students filed out.He spotted Ethan, one of the last in class, and frowned when a man he didn’t know reached for Ethan and swung him back into the classroom.

Sebastian moved from the spotand as he got closer, he watched as Ethan jerked his arm from the other man’s hold.He tried to step back, but the man reached forward and cupped his hand around the back of Ethan’s neck and pulled him closer.

“No.”Ethan’s voice was clear as he slapped the man’s hand away.

“Why not?”

“My boyfriend wouldn’t like it.”Ethan glanced out the door while keeping the other man in sight, relaxing when he spotted Sebastian.

“What boyfriend?”

Sebastian reached Ethan and stepped in front of him.He wasintimidating because of his size and Sebastian used it to his advantage.“That would be me.”

“She said nothing about a boyfriend.”

“Who?” Ethan asked.

Clarity flooded Sebastian, and he understood who “she” was.

“I’m sorry, I didn't know about your boyfriend.She said you wanted me but you were shy.”The man, Sebastian didn’t even get his name, hurried down the hall and out of sight.

Sebastian turned at the same moment Ethan stepped closer and their mouths met in a devouring kiss.Sebastian shivered when Ethan gripped his hips and pulled Sebastian closer.He loved it when Ethan expressed his need for Sebastian whenever he wanted.

And at that moment, kissing just inside the classroom, Sebastian understood how much he loved Ethan.He always had, but he’d been too blind to see it before.