Page 41 of It’s Only Love

Mike

“Mom? You know where we put the camping gear?” I promised to pick up Dennis in an hour, but I still haven’t showered and am looking everywhere for that damn tent and sleeping bag.

“In the attic, hon.” She looks over her shoulder from where she’s stirring a pot on the stove.

“Great day for camping. The sunset should be beautiful tonight. Your dad loved camping out.” There’s a hint of wistfulness in her voice, and a memory of the three of us on a weekend trip to Fort Stevens State Park flashes through my mind.

Happy memories, and now I get to make new ones with Dennis. “You going with Dennis?”

“Yeah.”

“Such a nice young man he’s turned into. So happy you’ve got a friend like that, Mike.”

Friend. I guess I could leave it at that, but something inside me wants to tell Mom that Dennis and I aren’t just friends anymore.

She’s already hinted at knowing anyway, I don’t think Mom would mind that I now have a boyfriend.

Shit, it still blows my mind that I do. I catch myself grinning stupidly, then feel my dick stirring.

Do not get a boner in front of your mom!

I suck in a deep breath, trying very hard not to focus on anything that involves a naked Dennis, although it’s become my favorite pastime lately.

“Yes, he is,” I say, before just jumping right in. “He’s… he’s not just my friend, actually.”

Mom stops stirring, dropping the spoon into the pot, before she turns around to face me, giving me her full attention. Her eyes are curious, a frown between her brows, a warm smile playing along her lips. Okay, here goes nothing.

“We’re dating, actually. Den’s my… he’s my boyfriend.

” My legs feel like they’re about to give out as blood rushes to my head.

My heart is thumping so hard it hurts. It’s so easy being with Dennis.

But telling my mom, the most important person in my life, about this part of me is harder than I thought.

Even though I think she guessed it a while back, it’s something entirely different finally putting it into words. It makes it more real somehow.

Mom tilts her head as she takes me in, her smile widening, her eyes growing moist. “Your boyfriend?”

I nod, swallowing. She shakes her head, her entire face becoming alight. I can’t recall seeing her this happy since before Dad died. My chest overflows with happiness and gratitude. My truth has made her happy.

“Oh, honey. Oh, Michael, sweetie.” She moves toward me in quick strides, engulfing me in a tight embrace. She squeezes me like both our lives depend on it, sniffling against my shoulder, and I hug her back, relief coursing through me. “I’m so happy for you. For both of you.”

I sniff, too, my voice raspy with emotion. “Yeah?”

She eases me away from her, her hands remaining on my shoulders. “Of course.” Then, like she’s reading my mind, she adds, “Your dad would’ve been, too. He loved those Holbrook boys.”

“And you’re okay that he’s a… that De n’s a guy?”

She continues to smile. “Of course.” She hesitates, then says, “I think I always knew that there was something… I don’t know how to put it.”

“Wrong?”

“No, not wrong! Never wrong. You’re not wrong, Michael. You were just… never really happy, I guess. I always thought it was over losing your father at such a young age, but it wasn’t only that, was it?”

“No,” I croak. “It wasn’t.”

Regret flashes across her face. “And I pushed you into dating.”

“Mom…”

She holds up her hand, placing it on my chest. “No, Michael. I did. I pushed you. I wanted you to have what I had with your father. But I shouldn’t have done that. It wasn’t my business.”

“It’s okay. You just wanted me to be happy.” She did. That’s all Mom has ever wanted for me.

For a while, we both stare at each other, this new truth settling between us. Eventually, Mom asks, “How did you know Dennis was right for you?”

Fuck, the mere mention of his name makes me miss him.

Three days. It’s been three fucking days since I climbed out of his bedroom window.

Sure, we’ve texted, but work has been so busy that I haven’t had time to see him.

In the evenings, I’ve just been wiped out, heading straight to bed after a shower.

“I think I always knew. I guess my mind just needed to catch up with… with my heart.”

Mom tears up, waving a hand in front of her, then turns to reach for the paper towel on the kitchen island. Tugging off a piece, she blows her nose audibly, dabs at her eyes, then balls it up in her hand. Then she laughs. “My poor heart. You boys are gonna kill me. ”

I sigh a breath of relief. It’s not like I was afraid Mom wouldn’t understand, but it just feels so damn good to finally tell her about Dennis and me.

“I need to get back to my soup, and you need to go find that camping gear.” Then her face softens once again. “Thank you for telling me, honey. And please bring Dennis over for dinner sometime, okay?”

“Okay, I will. Thanks.”

“Of course.”

“I love you, Mom.”

“Love you too, Michael.”

“So, no pressure.” Dennis grins at me as he empties his backpack on top of his sleeping bag.

Several condoms and a bottle of lube spill out along with a pack of wet wipes.

It took us forever to put up the tent on the beach because we had to stop for kissing breaks that quickly turned into groping and dry humping sessions in the sand.

“Wow.” It feels real now that we’re inside the tent and Dennis has unloaded a whole pharmacy. He blushes adorably, looking anywhere but at me. I reach for the condoms, wrapping my fingers around the wrappers, holding them up between us, raising a brow at him.

“Five? You brought five?” Okay, my dick definitely heard that because holy hell.

Dennis blinks at me, his teeth digging into his bottom lip.

“Like I said, no pressure, but better safe than sorry, right?” Fuck, I love him for being so casual about this, taking the edge off my nerves.

After what Dennis referred to as ‘ the blow job to blow all other blow jobs to smithereens ,’ we spoke about going all the way, as in me fucking Dennis to begin with.

I was relieved that he suggested starting with him being on the receiving end, because although I can’t wait for Dennis to fuck me, I’m dying to finally get inside that perky ass of his.

He waggles his eyebrows. “You did your homework?” I can’t help but blush because Dennis suggested I watch some gay porn to get an idea of the logistics, so to speak.

It’s not that I don’t know where things go; it’s more a matter of understanding exactly how to get there.

What steps to take. Dennis explained that the guy bottoming has a lot more preparation to do, but it wasn’t until he sent me a picture earlier of a douche kit and then his butt with the caption ‘ Clean as a whistle ’ that I understood what he meant.

I nearly tripped down the stairs from the attic when I saw it.

I nod, then laugh, brushing a hand through my hair. “I did, but Jesus, Den, I have no idea what I’m doing here. I mean not here -here. I know what I’m doing here. I’m camping with you and we’re about to have sex, but I have no idea wha—”

He reaches for me, his hands framing my face as he smiles patiently. “Breathe, Mike.”

I inhale deeply, feeling the warmth from his hands transferring to my cheeks, then moving through the rest of my body. Breathe, right.

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t feel comfortable doing.”

“I want to!” I blurt. “I really want to. I just…”

“What?”

“I’m afraid I’ll mess up. I just wanna make it good for you, Den.”

He leans in, resting his forehead against mine, his breath warm against my lips when he speaks. “You will. I’ve been wanting this for so long. There’s no way I’m not going to enjoy it. It’s you , Mike. It’s you I want.”

“I want you, too,” I whisper, pressing a gentle kiss against his lips. “You know it’s been three damn days, right?”

He groans, tipping his head back. “I know. Fucking torture. I think I have friction marks on my dick.”

“Oh shit. Want me to kiss it and make it better?”

“Fuck yes!” He grabs my T-shirt at the neck and tugs me against him, giving me a sloppy, hungry kiss that leaves me breathless.

His tongue tastes of cinnamon from the Fireballs I bought him.

He’s panting, too, when he pulls away, his eyes swimming.

“But honestly, Mike, don’t be afraid of doing anything wrong.

The most important part is lube and prep.

” He wiggles his fingers at me teasingly.

“Prep. Right.”

We both undress slowly, putting our clothes away at the back of the tent.

When we’re finally lying facing each other naked on the cool sleeping bags, the massiveness of the moment catches up with me.

Trailing my fingers down his side, along his ribs, and his hip, I’m left speechless, in awe of what is about to happen.

Of what Dennis is about to give me. I already know that I want to give myself to him like that someday, too.

I want him to have me in all ways that matter.

It’s true what I said. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I think my body knows instinctively on some level.

It’s Dennis. My best friend. My boyfriend.

The guy I’ve fallen harder for than I ever thought possible.

Because I have. There’s no doubt about it; not with the way my heart thumps every time I see him. I’m in love with Dennis.

“You’re so beautiful, Den,” I say at the same time as he says, “Touch me, Mike.” We both laugh, our bodies shaking, pressed up against each other.

“I am touching you.”

He groans, grinding his hips impatiently against me, his hardness sliding along my thigh. “You know what I mean.”