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“Are you scared you’re gonna get hurt?”

I think for a moment. “Yes, maybe. I’m also scared of how excited it makes me. I feel guilty.”

“You just need time,” Dante reassures me.

“I feel like I need more time than I have.” My voice cracks.

“For what?” he asks.

I bury my face in his chest. Feeling his soft skin, the speckling of body hair against my nose and chin, and his heart beating strong within his ribcage, helps settle my anxiety.

“C-Coming out. Getting to know you, your family, telling my friends and family. Knowing what I want.” The words come out a bit rushed.

Dante suddenly grabs my chin and forces me to look up at him. I grunt softly, but open my eyes and gaze at him in the dimness.

“You have as much time as you need,” he says huskily. “Whatever you need from me, I’ll do it, Ethan. Anyone tries to push you, I’ll fuck them up.”

Blood rushes to every single part of my body, especially my face and cock.

“T-That’s not necessary, Dante, but…I appreciate it,” I insist. “I’m going to need to figure things out at some point.”

“You will, and you have nothing to feel guilty or wrong about, you understand me?” he asks, looking deep into my eyes. His warm, slightly minty breath washes over my face. I breathe him in and nestle even closer.

“Yes, Dante. I’ll do my best.”

“Good boy,” he whispers, and then leans down and kisses my lips softly.

Something about this moment is so much warmer and gentler than I imagined, even with his hand wrapped under my jaw.

“All that matters right now is that you want me, right?” he asks against my mouth.

I moan softly and rub my lips against his, but he pulls back just enough that I can’t kiss him. I strain against his hand, trying to move forward.

“Mmh. Yes, Dante,” I mutter.

He chuckles softly. “Good.”

He kisses me one more time before letting go of my throat and jaw and then lying back down. I can’t help but frown a little.

“Now I’m awake,” I say with a sigh as I drag my fingers along his stomach.

Being with a man is so much different than being with a woman, even Lena. I don’t feel terrified to touch his bare skin. I don’t feel an impending sense of doom at the idea of him undressing me. It feels strange, in the sense that I don’t really know what I’m doing, but lying here next to him, both of us half-naked, feels natural. I ignore the guilt that crosses my mind, along with the idea that there’s something wrong with me because I took so long to figure it out.

I use Dante’s warm body and strong arms as comfort as I tilt my head toward his shoulder.

“Me, too,” Dante mutters. “Tell me about you. More about you.”

“What don’t you know from stalking me?” I ask, my voice muffled against his skin.

Suddenly I feel a smack against my ass cheek through my boxers. I gasp and my hips jolt forward, rubbing against his thighs and groin.

“Sassy boy,” he rumbles near my ear.

My head is dizzy, and if I went soft while I was asleep, I’m definitely at half-mast now.

“Fuck,” I mumble.

“What, did you like that?” he asks, amusement in his voice.