Page 24

Charlie

T he next few weeks are some of the best days I’ve ever had. I meet Shane at my place for lunch on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and we have dinner together every night either at his condo or one of the many places around here that make their food from scratch. He’s taught me how to make mashed potatoes, different types of noodles along with sauces, and pancakes with scrambled eggs. But I only remember how to make the eggs without reading the recipes he wrote out for me.

He’s also had three more games of which two of them were away. He likes to stick with his pre-game routine of having lunch, a nap, heading to the gym to warm up on a bike, then doing whatever the team does before a game. For away games he leaves in the afternoon when I’m in class. That first away game was hard because I was getting used to him holding me until the very last second before we had to go our separate ways.

Today is Halloween and he has a home game tomorrow, but the team was invited to the huge party on Greek Row where each house is decked out as a popular movie set. I guess a few guys on the team are in a fraternity and want the team to come out and see their house. I would rather be in a crowded room with crappy rap music blasting than go. But of course, I’m best friends with the biggest socialite on campus and dating the hockey captain. Shane said he would meet me at my place afterward if I didn’t want to go but then Lily walked in with three garment bags draped over her arms.

She pulled out a perfect replica Shuri outfit from Black Panther including a huge velvet bag with all the accent pieces. Then she opened the two other bags at the same time exposing two cowboy get-ups. One is longer than the other with a light blue button-up shirt while the one, that’s clearly mine, has a black button-up. Both had faded blue jeans, cream-colored cowboy hats, belts with huge buckles, and black leather boots. I was about to say thanks but no thanks when Shane walked up with a huge smile. He picked up the cowboy hat and became ten times hotter. He grabbed his garment bag before kissing me goodbye to go help set up at the frat house.

So now here I am three hours later in this tight button-up tucked into my jeans with this huge silver buckle with an S on it. Lily walks out of the bathroom looking like Shuri’s twin.

“Why do you get to dress as a badass warrior when I’m stuck as a damn cowboy? You couldn’t have grabbed Captain America, and I don’t know, Hawkeye or something?” I grumble as she walks up to me, placing the cowboy hat on my head.

“Captain America, huh? Shane does have a mighty fine ass, but I think Chris Evans has him beat.” She adjusts my hat before winking and stepping back. “I think you both make sexy cowboys. Do you not get the movie reference?”

We both sit on my couch as we put our black boots on. “I don’t watch cowboy movies, Lily. I hardly watch anything outside of fantasy movies.”

We stand at the same time as she digs in her small satchel thing. She pulls out her phone and opens the camera, checking her war paint before leaning over and kissing my cheek as she snaps a picture.

“Oh, yeah. That one’s going on Insta!” She does something on her phone then leans her head in for another picture, holding her arm out for a wide-view selfie. “Smile Jax, this one is being sent to that hot ass boyfriend of yours!” I smile without my teeth so she’ll be satisfied enough to put her damn phone away.

“You and Shane are Jack and Ennis from Brokeback Mountain.” When I look at her with zero recognition, she rolls her eyes and hooks her arm in mine as we walk out the door. “It’s a movie about two gay cowboys played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger.” She fans herself as we step into the elevator. “So hot.”

I live about ten minutes from Greek Row, so the walk is short. As we get closer, the obnoxious noise of Taylor Swift’s voice gets louder. We turn the corner and stop. Every single house is lit up with tables set out in the driveways with different colored solo cups on them. Lily drags me to the first house that’s covered in pink with the girls in tiny pink dresses with pink fuzzy arm and leg warmers. At the table there’s a sign that says ‘Barbie’s Pink Pina Colada $5’ with strawberry stickers on it.

So, a strawberry pina colada?

Lily hands the blonde girl with huge boobs a ten and grabs two drinks before walking away. She hands me one as she takes a small sip.

“Mmm, I have to give it to those pink enthusiasts. This is amazing!”

She tilts her head back and downs the rest. I shake my head at her as I down the tropical drink.

“Good right?” She asks as she grabs my cup, tossing it in a garbage can, and then slides her arm through mine again.

We pass a house decked out like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, a Star Wars one with guys fighting with lightsabers, a Marvel one with all the heroes fighting each other, and one that was supposed to be Pirates of the Caribbean with the guys walking around all dressed as Jack Sparrow. They also had a horrible drink they called a Grog.

I’m feeling the effects of the five drinks as Lily pulls me across the street to a house with a makeshift baseball field in the front. I can’t figure out what movie it’s supposed to be since the guys aren’t dressed in a certain way. One has a backwards blue hat, thick square black glasses, with an open short sleeve button up. Another guy with red hair is wearing a white and orange striped shirt tucked into ugly cargo shorts. There are a few others but the guy handling the drinks is wearing a blue baseball hat with LA on it and a white open shirt with the number thirty over his heart.

He says something to me, but I miss it as I try to read the sign on the table that keeps moving. I squint but it just makes the letters blur. I give up and turn to find Lily trying to hide a smile with two yellow solo cups in her hand.

“Why are you laughing at me?” I hear my words slur.

Unable to hold back she lets out a laugh as she hands me one of the cups.

“You look like you were trying to read a foreign language with your eyes all squinty and your head tilted,” she laughs again as I take a sip of the drink.

It immediately burns my throat as it goes down. I cough, looking up when I hear her spit it out, and almost drop my cup laughing at her face.

“Oh. My. God. That is the nastiest thing I’ve ever put in my mouth!” She hands me her drink as she steals water from the cooler next to the table, swishing it around and spitting it out.

I shrug and take another sip. It’s not that bad. I can taste a hint of Red Bull at the end. I finish off my drink then hers before she’s composed herself. My face heats from the alcohol as the world slows. Lily is now in front of me holding the two empty cups.

When did she take those from me? She throws them away and wraps her arm around my waist to guide me to the curb. She pushes on my shoulders, forcing me to sit.

Bending over, she fixes my hat that fell forward when I sat down. “I don’t think you should have had both of those on top of those other drinks.”

I have to close one eye and squint the other to focus on her. “What were those? They’re good. Has Red Bull.” I lick my lips as I close my eyes, suddenly tired. “I’m gonna lay down now,” I say as I fall backward onto the plush grass. My hat gets knocked forward blocking out the lights.

“Can you make sure he doesn’t move please? I need to go find someone.” I hear Lily say but I have no idea who she’s talking to.

I start to fall asleep as my hat is removed from my face. I try to lift my arm to cover my eyes, but it weighs a million pounds.

“How much did he drink?” I’d know that deep voice anywhere. It belongs to my sexy boyfriend.

“We did that side then came over here. I was looking for you to surprise him but once that abomination hit my tongue, I couldn’t focus on anything other than getting the taste out of my mouth.”

I hear him chuckle. “You do know those are Jager Bombs, right? I watched the guys make them. There’s definitely more Jager than Red Bull in those.”

“That’s why they’re so gross. And why he went down so fast.”

I try to open my eyes, but they’re sealed shut. Arms slide under my knees and shoulders then my face is pressed against a warm, hard chest. I rub my face against it, inhaling the addicting scent that’s all Shane. I try to say his name but my lips feel like they’ve doubled in size.

“I’ve got you, baby.” His soft lips brush my forehead as he starts moving.

“I’ve got him, you can stay. I saw a bunch of people looking for you over there.” His chest rumbles as he talks and between the sway of his walk and the warmth of his body, I fall asleep.

“Hey, Beautiful. I need you to take these and drink some water.”

I’m not in his arms anymore. I groan as a light shines through my closed eyelids.

“Come on, baby. Then you can go back to sleep.”

He rubs upwards between my eyebrows, coaxing my eyes open. I squint up at him as he smiles down at me.

“There you are. Here take these for me.”

He helps me roll over so I’m using my elbow to hold myself up on the bed. I take the two pills and a sip of water before flopping back over and closing my eyes.

I hear him chuckle as he turns off the light and then climbs into bed next to me. He rolls me so my back is to his front, spooning me. He kisses my temple.

“I think I’m falling in-”

My brain shuts off before he finishes.

I wake to the pressure of my bladder that’s on the verge of exploding. I quickly slide out of Shane’s arms and make a mad dash to the toilet. At the feel of sweet relief, I let out a low moan. I hear a chuckle behind me and look over my shoulder to see Shane leaning against the door frame. My cheeks heat as I finish and tuck myself back into my boxer briefs. Washing my hands I watch as he walks in and kisses the back of my neck.

“How are you feeling?”

I turn in his arms and look up into those light icy blues. His hair has gotten a little longer, so I reach up and fix his bedhead.

“I’m fine. Lily made me eat before we left so I’m sure that helped but that last drink hit me harder than the rest did.”

“Mmm, that’s because you had two Jager Bombs.” He kisses my lips. “Well, more like two shots of Jager with a splash of Red Bull.” He kisses me again but deeper. I follow him as he walks back toward the door. He spins us before pulling back. “I’ll be right there. I gotta,” he thumbs over his shoulder to the toilet.

I nod and walk back to my bed. Our cowboy outfits are folded and sitting on my dresser with our hats next to them and our boots neatly lined up on the floor.

Climbing back into bed, I take my phone off the charger and see that it’s a little past ten in the morning. Shane walks in and climbs over me to get to the spot that’s become his. He shimmies around until he’s under the covers then pulls me to him.

“What’re you looking at?” he asks as he rests his head against mine.

I hold my phone up to show him the time. He smiles at the picture we both have as our backgrounds. A few days ago, I took him to my spot in the woods. He first sat next to me as I pointed out all my favorite things then he picked me up and put me between his spread legs. I leaned back as he took out his phone and snapped a picture of us.

I set my phone back on the charger and lay back down on my back. He traces my freckles like he does every time we wake up together. He moves down my nose and then slowly traces around my lips.

“You’re feeling okay, right? No headache or like you’re going to be sick?” He looks into my eyes as I nod.

“I’m good, I promise.”

He smiles as he traces my jaw, down my throat over my Adam’s apple, across my collarbone, then down to my nipple. He circles it before pinching lightly then does the same to the other one. I start to harden under my boxers as he lowers his fingers down the center of my stomach. He plays with the thin trail of hair under my belly button before stopping at the waistband. He looks up and waits for my nod before sliding his hand into my boxer briefs. He’s met with my wet tip as he dances his fingers down the underside of my shaft to my balls. He massages them in his palm before moving to my taint. He rubs over it a few times before pulling his hand out and tugging my boxers off in one swift move.

He crashes his lips to mine for a passionate kiss, my breath catching as he plays with my hole. He shifts around under the sheets until the warm silky skin of his hard dick is pressed against my hip. He runs his finger from my base all the way up to my mouth, making me shiver in anticipation. He stops with two fingers on my lips.

“Make them nice and wet baby so I can open you up for me.”

I eagerly open my mouth and get his fingers as wet as I can. When there’s drool coming out of the sides of my mouth, he pulls his fingers out and replaces them with his mouth once more. I get lost in the kiss as he slowly pushes one and then both fingers into me.

I whimper as he plays with my prostate. “Please.”

“Please what beautiful? Tell me.”

He sucks on the side of my neck as I try not to come from the pleasure he’s creating with his fingers.

“Fuck me. Please, fuck me.”

He licks up the side of my neck and bites down on my earlobe making me moan as a tingling sensation starts in my stomach.

“Grab the lube,” his deep voice rumbles in my ear.

I grab the bottle from the drawer next to me and hand it to him along with a condom. He grabs both but holds up the condom.

“I’m clean. We get tested regularly on the team and I’ve also been on PrEP since I was in high school. Do we need this?” He holds it up between two fingers.

I got tested right before I turned eighteen. I grab the condom and toss it to the floor. “I’m clean. No condom.”

“No condom,” he repeats with a smile. “Do you want to ride me, or we can stay laying down with me behind you.” He squirts lube on his fingers and pushes it into me then covers his bare length in it.

I don’t think I can handle him behind me yet, so I push his shoulder so he’s on his back and straddle him.

“You should grab one of those cowboy hats and ride me with it on.” He pumps his brows as I scoot up and line him up with my hole.

He reaches around my hip and holds himself as I slowly slide down.

Fuck, why is he so big?

When I get to his base, I have to lean forward to catch my breath.

“You feel so good bare, baby. Warm and wet and so fucking tight,” his voice is strained.

I take a deep breath and sit back up. His hands grab onto my hips as I give a little test rock and then another. A shockwave of intense pleasure shoots through my body as I start to bounce in earnest when his cock head hits my prostate on every bounce.

“Fuck. That feels so good,” I say as I get close to coming already.

But I quickly run out of steam and become too tired to keep bouncing. He plants his feet on the bed and along with his hands on my hips, he pumps into me. Hard and fast. I start rambling nonsense at the power behind his thrusts.

I gasp as my cock starts to shoot cum all over him. I lose all my strength and fall forward, landing with my forehead between his pecs.

“That’s so fucking hot,” he pants. “But I’m not ready yet and I think you have another one in you.”

I moan as he grabs my cheeks and spreads them as he slows his thrusts, going as deep as he can. I moan louder when he pushes all the way in while pushing down on my hips.

“That’s it. Feel how deep I am, baby. Love how you feel around me,” his voice is back to that sexy deep tone that only comes out when we’re fucking.

“Mhm,” I whimper and nod into his chest.

He sits up, still in me, and leans against the headboard. I lift my head up and connect our foreheads then start rocking on his lap.

“Oh shit! Ohhh...” This new position has him even deeper, making me go wild. I rock as fast as I can and watch as my dick swells again.

“I’m right there, baby. Right…there.” He grabs my cock as he swells in me. He stroked me in time with my hips, bringing me to the edge in a matter of seconds. “Come with me. Come all over me as I fill your ass.”

He tightens his grip and uses his pointer finger and thumb to stroke up from my base to the slit, making me come again.

“Yes, yes, yes! Ahhh…fuck. I’m coming in your ass baby. Mmm,” he gasps for breath as I slow my thrusts and then come to a stop.

He hugs me to him as he relaxes back against the headboard again. We sit like that until he slips out of me and our breathing is back to normal.

“That was amazing. I’ve never had sex without a condom before. I’m glad my first time was with you.”

He pushes my hair back with both hands and pulls my face to his as he kisses me deeply. When he pulls back there’s a new look in his eyes.

“I’m falling in love with you, Charlie. Every moment we aren’t together, I’m counting down the minutes until you’re back in my arms. I felt like there was a piece of me missing before but now I feel whole. You, with your insanely good artistic talent, you’re love for stars, your weird obsession with blue aliens,” he traces over my eyelids, “these stunningly beautiful eyes,” over my cheeks, “these adorable freckles,” he rubs his thumbs in the center of my cheeks, “and these sexy as hell dimples. Everything about you is perfect.” He kisses the tears that are now falling down my cheeks. “You were made for me to love and cherish. I love you, beautiful.”

I’m lost for words as he continues kissing my tears away. I try to say the words back, but they won’t come out no matter how badly I want to say them. He must see it in my eyes because he places a lingering kiss on my forehead before whispering in my ear.

“It’s okay if you aren’t ready to say it. The way you look at me, I can see the love and trust I don’t see you give to others. I’m not going anywhere so when you are ready, I’ll be here.”

I nod and wipe away the tears that won’t stop.

He climbs from the bed with me in his arms and walks to the bathroom. I stand on my own as he washes us, lost in my thoughts.

He loves me?

I don’t think I even know what it feels like to be loved.

My father doesn’t love me. He’s told me countless times and my mother might love me in her own way, but I can’t remember a time she said the actual words. Benji loved me when we were growing up, but we've been growing apart since we started college. Now anytime we see each other I'm invisible to him, like an older brother ignoring his annoying little brother. Even though I'm six minutes older than him.

I guess if I’d ask Lily if she loves me, she'll say yes but I feel like she'd have to say that since we've shared a lot over the years. She inserted herself into my life and just hasn’t seen how weak of a person I am.

But I might be starting to sense what it’s like to be loved. Or at least I think I am. Shane has done more for me over the last month than anyone in my family has ever done.

That's because you're a waste of space!

Shane's delusional if he thinks he loves you!

There's no way someone as kind and sweet as Shane could ever see you more than the piece of shit you really are!

"Charlie!"

I open my eyes that I didn't notice I had closed, as the sting on my scalp from pulling my hair registers.

"Baby, you're okay. I'm right here."

He untangles my fingers from my wet hair and lifts my face up to meet his eyes.

"I've got you." He wipes away a tear that slipped out and picks up my towel and wraps it around me. We’re standing in the middle of the bathroom now. Shane has a towel wrapped around his trim waist with water droplets sliding down his chest. Tucked into his side, we walk back into my room.

"I have to eat soon before it gets too close to game time.” He pulls out a pair of jogging pants and a tee from my dresser and sets them on my bed. He uses the towel around my shoulders to dry me off then helps me step into my clothes. It’s something I’ve noticed he enjoys doing even though I’m capable of doing it myself.

He digs in his bag that he leaves here and pulls on a pair of basketball shorts and a loose black Irish Knights Hockey T-shirt. He scrubs his hair with his towel and then puts on a black backwards hat. He smiles as he laces his fingers through mine and walks me to the kitchen.

“I think I ate the last of the rice, chicken breasts, and veggies before the game last Friday. Do you want me to order some groceries, or do you want to head to my place?”

He walks to the fridge and opens it to next to nothing being in it. He freezes for half a second before closing the door and walking back over to me.

“I’ll place an order from the store down the street, so it’ll get here with plenty of time for me to cook and eat before I have to go.” He pulls out his phone and does something before putting it back in his pocket. “Should be here in twenty minutes.”

He tilts his head towards the living room. I follow him to the couch, he pulls me down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around my waist.

“Have you thought about Thanksgiving?”

I bite my lip as I nod. “I want to spend the day with you and your friends but there’s a charity event…” I pick at the skin around my thumbnail as I wait for his disappointment.

He squeezes me to him as he rests his chin on my shoulder. “It’s on Thanksgiving or the Friday after?”

“On Thanksgiving. It’s an all-day thing and unfortunately, I’m one of the sons of Franklin Alexander and my presence is mandatory.” I shrug because I can’t do anything to get out of it.

Kissing the spot where my shoulder meets my neck, he lets out a long breath through his nose. He doesn’t say anything as he leans us back.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, trying desperately to keep the tears away.

I don’t want to go to the stupid charity event that only benefits my father’s company. It’s nothing but the rich becoming richer, and it makes me sick.

“You have nothing to apologize for, baby. It’s already been planned. I only wish you didn’t have to go somewhere you don’t want to be.” He kisses the top of my head before he turns my head so he can see my face. “I bet you’ll be in a black suit, right?”

I give him a weary look and slowly nod.

“Good. I expect a head-to-toe selfie. I’d bet my lucky hockey stick that you look sexy as hell in a suit. Hair slicked back, black dress shirt and tie under an, I don’t know…Armani, black suit. My man will be the sexiest person in the building.”

He has a bright smile as he dresses me in his mind. He’s not too far off from what I usually wear to events. My hair isn’t slicked back but swept off my face and my suit is picked out for me by my mother’s stylist.

Our conversation is light as we chat about our week. The food arrives and I attempt to help Shane make his “not superstitious” pregame meal, but I end up in his way, so I watch as he effortlessly cooks. He cooks me a cheese pizza, so we sit in the living room and eat as we continue to talk and laugh about Matt and Ryder’s antics.

After he shows me how to do a sixty-nine blowjob, we pass out for a few hours. His alarm wakes us, and I watch as he gets ready to leave for his pre-game workout stuff. I throw on his hoodie and a pair of pajama pants as we walk hand in hand to the door.

“I’ll see you in a few hours, beautiful.” We kiss until I can’t breathe. Lifting up on my tip toes I bring his lips back to mine, making him chuckle against my lips. I pull his hat out from under my hoodie and place it backwards on his head.

Dropping back down, I smile up at him as he adjusts it.

“I’ll see you soon, Superstar.” My cheeks flame as I step back and try my best to keep eye contact with him.

“Did you just give me a pet name?” He’s smiling from ear to ear as he pulls me against his chest and kisses me again. “I love it, baby,” he says against my lips then drops another kiss before pulling away. “I want to hear it again and again but if I don’t leave now, I won’t leave at all.”

He opens the door and steps out but turns before he closes it.

“I’ll be your superstar and score a goal for you tonight.” He winks as he walks to the elevator.

I close my door shaking my head at him. He doesn’t have to score a goal for me. He’s already a superstar in my eyes.

I take a step away from the door when there’s a knock. Smiling to myself I turn and open the door.

“Forget something super-”

I stop as my nightmare stands in front of me.

“Hello, Charles.”