Page 29 of The Locker Room

Xander"s breath caught. They really were doing this. This was who

they would be. He was so relieved. That one morning, he"d had the taste

of Chris on his tongue, and he"d dreamed of it ever since. Chris must

have heard that little catch in his throat, because he looked up. Xander

had no idea what was in his face—all he knew was that he yearned.

Chris swallowed and moved closer. “Your eyes are the most

intense color,” he whispered. “They"re like… blue, rimmed in black.

You look like an anime character, you know?”

Xander couldn"t talk. Chris"s eyes were still that dark well of

brown. The rest of him was still silver and gold—gold hair, silver skin,

the occasional freckle. That full, soft mouth.

He lowered his head to taste that mouth, and Chris darted his

tongue across his lips. It seemed to demand that Xander say something

before they kissed, and all he had was, “I"m not pretty.”

“You"re beautiful,” Chris breathed against him, and they were too

close to touching lips for Xander to argue.

It was better this time, more sure. Xander slipped his tongue inside

Chris"s mouth this time, and Chris opened for him. Xander wrapped his

arms around Chris"s shoulders and Chris groaned and leaned in, and their

bodies were warm and soft and hard against each other. Chris groaned

and shuddered and pulled away, looking reluctant.

“There"s people from school on this street,” he said quietly. “I"d…

I"d say fuck "em, but—”

“Ball.”

“Yeah, ball.” Chris and basketball. He needed them both. The

coach kept talking scholarship like it was a given, and suddenly Xander

was seeing a life he"d only dreamed of. All those people living in houses,

with lawns, and jobs. College could get him that.Basketballcould get

him that. It was a bright and shining idea, almost too fantastic to believe.