Page 98 of Out of Bounds

“I told him thatToy Storyused to give you nightmares. You came crying into Alex’s room during a sleepover. And you couldn’t look at the Woody toys in Target.”

Cliff stared loving daggers at him. He was lucky he was cute and that his smarmy grin made his pants tighten. When Woody talked to Sid in the firstToy Story, it was a legitimately scary moment, and Cliff wouldn’t be convinced otherwise.

“You can go home now,” Cliff said.

Brennan leaned into his ear. “Fine, then you can spank yourself tonight.”

He squeezed his ass and turned him into jelly, except for one part of Cliff that was remarkably hard.

Dell pressed a melty marshmallow between chocolate and graham crackers and took a big bite. His lips were covered in marshmallow like he gave a winning blowjob.

Brennan stood behind Cliff and wrapped his arms around him, kissing his ear.

Dell joined Carpenter’s other conversation about sports and it was Cliff and Brennan in their own bubble. Them, the crackling fire, and the night stars.

Cliff had almost missed out on these million perfect moments. He came so close to a life of pent-up sadness. Brennan had saved him.

“I love you.”

“I love you more.” Brennan rubbed his stubble on Cliff’s hair.

“Let’s call it even.”

“Actually.” Brennan chugged his beer and walked over to the edge of the deck where a half-full garbage can sat. “If I get this in, then I win.”

Brennan lined up the shot. He squatted and aimed his feet at the basket. He had good form, to Cliff’s surprise. He wondered if Dell was secretly giving him lessons.

The beer can left his hands and made a perfect parabola. Nothing but wastebasket.

Cliff grabbed one of Carpenter’s discarded beer cans. Brennan looked on excitedly. His smile could light up the entire campus. Cliff had lusted after Brennan for years, and while that part exceeded all expectations, it was the parts that weren’t flesh that surprised Cliff most of all. Damn, he was a lucky guy.

Cliff shot the can into the air. It nicked the back rim of the wastebasket and tumbled to the ground.

“You missed? You missed? Holy crap.” Brennan went over to the can to make sure his eyes were not deceiving him. “That means I win. I finally win!”

Cliff’s smile would never tell. “So did I.”

THE END