Moments in Time (35 page)

Tanner reassured me he’d be fine, and I finally agreed to leave. I missed every traffic light and wound up being over half an hour late. Hoping like hell Gino had been too busy to notice, I snuck in through the back door.

I hadn’t even had a chance to tie my apron before Gino called my name.

“In my office. Now.”

Marissa shrugged at me and mouthed. “Good luck.”

I finished tying the knot on my apron, but it felt more like I’d tied up my stomach. Walking as fast as I could convince my legs to go, I entered the tiny office.

“Shut the door,” he said, sitting down behind his desk and leaning back in his chair. “You wanna tell me what the hell happened to your face?”

My fingers went to my eye, and I cringed as I made contact with the bruised flesh. “Just a misunderstanding at the dorm. Nothing to worry about. It won’t happen again.”

Gino nodded, tenting his fingers. “How’s the other guy look?”

“Worse. Tanner tackled him. He’s got a black eye, and I don’t imagine his ribs are feeling too good.”

“Tanner all right?”

“Yeah, just a cut on his cheek from the guy’s class ring.”

“Well, good for Tanner jumping in to help you. That’s a true friend.”

“I was actually trying to help him.”

Gino leaned forward, head down, then looked up at my face. “He’s, uh… more than just a friend to you, isn’t he?”

No. Not here too. I can’t lose this job.
I was seconds away from begging. Gino kept talking. “Did I ever tell you about my friend Mickey Denuzio?”

What?
“No.”

“Mickey and I grew up together. Went to Immaculata together, same schools you went to all the way through high school. Only Mickey wasn’t allowed to graduate because senior year one of the nuns caught him making out with one of the other football players and they were both kicked out of school.”

“I remember that in the news. I must have been in fourth grade or so.”

Gino shook his head. “It was hell for those kids after that. No one wanted to hang out with them. Their cars got spray-painted with dicks and words I won’t bother repeating. The other kid went to live with relatives in Boston, but Mickey stayed in town and was homeschooled to finish out senior year. His mother put him in some freaky Bible class that was supposed to deprogram him and make him not gay.”

“Did it work?” This whole conversation scared the shit out of me.

“No, it didn’t work. Bunch of assholes moralizing and giving electric shocks to a bunch of scared kids. The second he turned eighteen, he took off for Florida. I gave him all the cash I’d earned bussing tables that year so he could get down there safe and start a new life.”

“Did he?”

“He sure did. That was twelve years ago. He owns a club in Miami now. Has a nice place to live and just got engaged to a guy he’s dated for three years. No one’s fucking up his car or trying to give him shock treatments. He took charge of his life.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I like you, kid. You know that. And I like your friend Tanner too. I don’t want trouble for you guys, and it seems like the dorms are giving you nothing but.”

“We can’t afford anything else.” It was obvious he knew at least some of my situation. Might as well tell him the rest. “My mom cut me off when I came out. I need every penny to pay tuition, and we already paid housing for the semester.”

“That’s where I can help you out, if you want. You know the place upstairs, where old lady Maria used to live?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, she’s moved in with her granddaughter down in Jersey. I need someone to update the apartment a little, strip some wallpaper, fresh coat of paint, put in some new appliances. Bring it into the twenty-first century. It’s a one bedroom, but it’s got a nice living room and a small eat-in kitchen. Two people could live there, easy, while they do the work.”

I stared at him.

“I’m offering it to you and Tanner if you guys want out of the residence hall. You can stay free for the rest of the semester. Just do some of the renovations while you’re there. Then, when the semester’s done, if you can swing it, you pay me instead of the housing board—whatever you can afford.”

I didn’t know what to say. “You’re sure you’re okay with this?”

“I just made the offer. Of course I’m okay with it.”

“I meant okay with us being… you know, a couple.” I sighed. This never seemed to get easier. “A gay couple.”

“Yeah, I’m okay with that. When Mickey went through his problems, I made a promise that if I ever saw anyone struggling like that, I’d do what I could to help them. You and Tanner are good guys. You’ve helped me out. Let me do this for you.”

“What about business? My whole town is furious with me. My mother, my priest, my sister-in-law. I don’t want you to lose customers because of me.”

“Let me worry about the customers. You just do the jobs I pay you to do and work on graduating. I’ll pay you and give you a safe place to land at the end of the day. Deal?”

“I’ll have to run it by Tanner, but I know he’s dying to get out of that dorm, so I’m guessing he’ll say yes.”

“Good.”

“Gino, I… man, I don’t even know what to say. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, kid. I wish you’d told me sooner, before your face got in the way. You should put some ice on that. It’s still swollen.”

“I will, after my shift. Thanks.”

“And do me a favor, will you?”

“Sure. Anything.”

“Someone gives you a hard time, you or Tanner, tell them they need to speak with me. No bullshit on my watch, got it?”

“Got it. I mean it, Gino, thank you. Means a lot to hear you say that.”

“Good. Now that that’s straightened out, get your ass out of my office. You’ve got work to do.”

“Yes, sir.” I headed out the door.

“Hey, Collin.”

“Yeah?”

“That bruise on your face? I’m glad you clocked the guy.”

“Me too.”

I headed back to the kitchen, feeling lighter than I had in days.

Marissa was stirring the giant pot of sauce. She lowered her voice and leaned closer. “He didn’t fire you, did he?”

I laughed. “No. He offered me the apartment over the pizzeria.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? I’d love to live there.”

“Well, we need to fix it up as part of our rental agreement, but yeah, sounds pretty cool.”

“So he’s okay with it?”

“With what?”

She rolled her eyes. “The gay thing.”

My cheeks heated. “You know?”

“Honestly, I guessed a while ago, but now it’s kind of everywhere. It made the school’s Facebook page.”

My eyes bugged. “It made what?”

“Hang on.” She rooted around in her apron pocket and came out with her phone.

My stomach churned as I waited for her to pull up the page. She handed me the phone.
Disagreement Erupted in Downing Hall. Should residents be asked to leave because they’re gay? Should charges be pressed for the altercation?

“Fuck.”

Marissa put her hand on my shoulder. “Sorry, I thought you’d heard about the post.”

“I hadn’t. Thanks for showing me.”

“For what it’s worth, I always hoped you and Tanner were a couple. You seem so happy together. Don’t let this stuff wreck it for you.”

I’d worked with Marissa for two-and-a-half years, but it felt like I was seeing her for the first time. I leaned over and kissed her cheek.

She grinned. “What was that for?”

“You have no idea how nice it was to hear someone say that. I really appreciate it.”

“Well, you better start appreciating some chicken parm, because we don’t have any made and that catering gig’s in a few hours.”

“Deal. I’ll make the sauce. You make the cutlets?”

“You got it.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. We had a new place to live—as long as Tanner agreed. And my job was safe. Not to mention that Gino knew and didn’t care. I hadn’t had that much weight lifted off my shoulders in months. I couldn’t wait to get home and tell Tanner.

T
O SAY that Tanner was in favor of us moving to the apartment was an understatement. For the next four days, we spent every spare moment over there, trying to get it livable. Gino had stuck all the furniture in one room, so the carpet could be ripped out of the main living area. The previous tenant had owned a cat more elderly and senile than her, and the rug was beyond disgusting. Tearing it up and removing the baseboards was a pain in the ass, but so worth it. Once the new carpet was in, we had a new place to stay.

After work I’d done a final check upstairs to make sure everything was ready for the installer, and then I headed back to the dorm. Things had been tense in the building, but there hadn’t been any more incidents. I knew Eric had told Tim to back off, and at least for the time being, Tim seemed to be taking his advice. I still didn’t trust him, but it helped knowing I’d only be living across the hall from him for a few more days.

I heard the shower running as soon I opened the door to our room. The thought of Tanner wet and naked instantly brightened my day. Plans of stripping and joining him popped into my head before I could even kick off my shoes.

“Hey.” His voice startled me. He stood in the bathroom doorway wearing a pair of low-slung jeans and a smile that brought my cock the rest of the way to attention.

“I thought you were in the shower.”

Tanner shrugged, and my gaze raked his body, watching all the muscles in his chest and abs bunch.
Jesus, you’re beautiful.
He still had a bruise on his side, where Tim had landed a punch, but it had faded to a pale yellow-gray.

“Does it hurt?”

Tanner glanced down and frowned. “Nah. For such a big dickhead, he can’t punch for shit.”

I knew from personal experience that wasn’t entirely true, but I was glad Tanner was able to joke about it. “A hot shower will help.”

“Yeah. I was gonna get in, but then I realized you’d be home any minute, so I decided to wait.”

“Oh yeah?” My heart beat so fast, I could see my chest jumping under my T-shirt as he stalked toward me.

He reached for the hem of my shirt and tugged it up, letting his thumbs graze my ribs in a way that made me groan. The sound made him tense, and his eyes darted in the direction of the door.
Shit.
I could see it all over his face. He was still scared someone was going to barge in on us. Or overhear us. Or listen in.

He tried to seem casual as he reached for the doorknob.

I put my hand on top of his. “I locked it. It’s okay.”

Lie.
It wasn’t okay. It fucking sucked that we had to be this careful even in the privacy of our own room. I knew I’d been like this when we first got together—it had been new, and everything scared me back then—but Tanner had always been confident. Bold. I hated that I’d played any part in him wearing the look that was still on his face.

Closing my fingers around his hand, I pulled him closer and kissed him hard, coaxing his mouth open with my tongue until I felt him relax and kiss me back. Hunger could outweigh fear. That much I knew for sure. I wove my fingers into his silky hair, massaging his neck.

Pulling back just enough to talk, I whispered, “The shower’s still going. That drowns out a lot of other sounds.”

“Yes.” He groaned the word as he turned and walked us toward the bathroom.

The air was thick with steam. Tanner pulled me back into a kiss as his hands went to work on my pants. He stroked my cock through my jeans, emitting a low growl as it flexed against his palm. I was so fucking hard, my brain felt fuzzy. All I wanted was Tanner naked and against me.

As soon as he unzipped my pants, I shoved them down and stepped out of them. He took the opportunity to take off his own, and finally there was nothing between us but clouds of steam spiraling from the breeze of the bathroom fan.

Strong fingers ran up my chest, making me shiver in spite of the warmth of the room. My cock bobbed, seeking contact with his.

Tanner leaned in for another kiss, backing me up against the door. I heard it click shut, then felt his hand leave my chest. He fumbled for a second, then pushed in the door lock. Now two doors and two sets of locks separated us from the outside world.

Is that enough? Enough for him to feel safe?
My heart beat irregularly as my thoughts raced. Then his hand wrapped around my dick and all thought stopped.

So good.
His fingers stroking my erection felt so damn good, I thought I might come before we even got started. My legs shook. I gripped his neck and gave him a bruising kiss, sweeping my tongue around his mouth. Sliding my back down the door, I inched him down with me. I positioned myself on the bath mat and motioned for him to stop kneeling.

“Sit. Hook your legs over mine.”

Tanner rested one leg on each of my thighs, and I reached for his ass, tugging him so close our cocks slid against each other. “Fuck.”

Moaning, Tanner reached between us and wrapped his hand around both of us, stroking slowly. I’d been leaking precome since I’d gotten home, and his touch inspired a whole new deluge. The slick sound of us rubbing together drove me completely wild. I nipped his neck, his collarbone, licked at the hollow at the base of his throat, kissed my way over to his shoulder. Tension still had his posture rigid. I massaged both shoulders, kneading the tight skin, then slid one hand down his chest, letting my thumb graze back and forth across his nipple. His cock pulsed against mine in response, but he still seemed… distracted.

I pushed the hair off his face, leaving my fingers anchored in it so I could see his eyes clearly. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

He went in for a kiss, but I put my forehead to his instead, waiting.

A deep sigh escaped him. “I can’t completely relax. I keep trying, but it’s like this cloud looming behind me.”

I continued to rub his shoulder, trying not to focus on the sensation of his hand as he idly stroked our cocks. “What would distract you?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

I took a deep breath. “Would it help if you knew I was thinking about your cock all damn day?”