Page 99 of Pride High 2: Orange

“Oh.” Silvia placed her hand on top of the horse, where the neck met the body, delighting in the soft warmth she felt. Chestnut seemed agitated by this instead of pleased, which just about broke her heart.

“That’s not her shoulder,” Keisha said. “Here.”

She placed a hand over Silvia’s, her fingers filling the empty spaces, before guiding it down to the round muscle of Chestnut’s upper leg. Goosebumps raced across Silvia’s skin as her palm slid over that gorgeous coat. Her heart was thudding again, but not because she often dreamed of moments like these. In fact, she was hardly thinking of the horse, distracted by that hand, which still covered her own. Silvia looked at Keisha for an explanation.

“The rest comes later. It’s more important to establish trust at this point. Show her what it means when you touch her. That it’s meant as something nice. She’s beautiful, and you want to be close to her.”

Keisha was searching her eyes, as if wanting to be sure that Silvia understood. And she did. Because even when Keisha pulled away, the memory of her touch continued to elicit strange responses within her. Silvia had often felt, when kissing Omar, that she was practicing for someone else. She had simply never known who.

Until now.

CHAPTER 22

December 26th, 1992

Anthony said goodbye to his parents on his way out the front door. They thought he was going to spend the night at Omar’s house, like he often did when relatives came to stay, when really…

The cold air was thin in his lungs, making him feel dizzy, because it was going to happen. Tonight. Even though having sex with another guy had once seemed like an impossibility. And best of all, his first time wouldn’t be with some creepy guy in a cruise park but with someone he really and truly cared for. Anthony loved Cameron. And he couldn’t wait to show him how much.

He picked up the pace when he noticed a station wagon parked at the end of the block and broke into a run when he saw Cameron seated behind the wheel. Anthony slipped inside the passenger-side door and tossed his backpack in the rear before turning his full attention on his boyfriend. He was wearing blue jeans, a white sweater, and the brown aviator jacket that looked so damn hot on him. They smiled at each other bashfully before kissing. Cameron’s skin smelled like soap and the new fragrance he'd been wearing recently. Much like Anthony, he had probably just taken a shower.

“Before we go anywhere,” Cameron said, “I want it to be clear that you don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to.”

“Now you tell me,” Anthony said. “I’ve been doing stretching exercises all week for nothing.”

“Stretching what?” Cameron asked, looking concerned.

“As in yoga. It was supposed to be a joke about us getting into awkward positions, not… whatever you were thinking of.”

“What wereyouthinking thatIwas thinking of?”

“I’ll tell you, but only afterwards.” Anthony felt the same building anticipation that he had all week. “Let’s get out of here.”

Cameron nodded and started the car, but he didn’t let the subject drop. “Your present to me is the place. Not the obligation to do anything. That’s all I’m trying to say.”

“That’s not how presents work. It’s the giver who decides what is given. And I know exactly what I’m giving you later.”

“God that sounds good,” Cameron said, pressing down on the gas pedal. “Where are we going?”

“You know where Charles lives? Head that way.”

On the drive there, they told each other how their holidays had gone so far.

“And believe it or not,” Cameron concluded, “my parents arestillgetting along. I haven’t caught them arguing. Not once.”

“That’s great!”

“Yeah. And maybe it’ll get even better. It’s been ages since I spent the night at someone else’s house. Maybe they need the privacy to umm… bond.”

“Are you hoping for a little brother or a little sister?” Anthony teased.

“Ha ha! Either would be fine. As long as they get back to where they used to be.”

“They might. Omar’s parents sure seem happy when he stays with me and his sister is off somewhere. This one time, we had to go back to his place to pick up a video game, and we could hear Barry Manilow blaring from their bedroom. It’s their love-making music, I guess.”

“I brought the mixtape you gave me,” Cameron said sheepishly. “Hey, I keep meaning to ask, what did you and Omar get each other for Christmas?”

“I gave him a roll of toilet paper that accidentally fell in before I could flush.”