But Gene, he was something special.
It was hours later, and I was almost finished with his swing, when I asked, “Gene?”
“Yes?”
“Do you think I could call you grandpa? I’ve never had one before, but now I have Wilma, my grandma, even if it’s just in spirit, and you.”
His hands shook while he wiped the tears off his face. “Milo, I would be honored if you called me your grandpa.”
“Thanks…Grandpa.” And it didn’t even feel weird to say. I couldn’t wait to go home and tell Gideon.
* * *
Gideon had late appointments and said he wouldn’t finish up at the tattoo parlor until nine or ten. I hated when he had long nights, but I tried my best not to complain about them. I liked being home with him, eating dinner with him, and curling up together on the couch before we shared our nighttime routine and then went to bed together.
Rach was at the bookstore, so when I finished at Gene’s, I just walked there.
It wasn’t incredibly busy when I arrived, but there were people sitting in the café, drinking coffee, reading, or working on their laptops.
“Guess who has a new grandpa?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I give up,” Rachel replied.
“Me, brat! It’s Gene. Don’t tell Gideon. I want to.”
“I wouldn’t dare.” Rachel smiled. “That makes me happy for both you and Gene.”
I hung out with her for a bit, trying to find a way to tell her the other thing I had on my mind. It was cool to have friends to talk to about this kind of stuff before I mentioned it to Gideon. When there were only two people left in the store, I said quietly, “I think I’m ready to have sex with Gideon.”
She frowned. “Sweets, you and Gid have been doing that for a while now.”
I rolled my eyes. “I know. I meant the other way. Him fucking me. He seems to like it a lot when I fuck him, but I’m still unsure about having a dick up there. Have you ever done it?”
Her cheeks sucked in slightly, and it was clear she was biting back a laugh.
“Not in your vagina; in your butt.”
“God, I love you.” She leaned over the counter so we were closer. “No, I’ve never had anal. Have you ever stuck anything else up there? Gid play around with his fingers or anything?”
“No. And he says he doesn’t care, that he doesn’t need to fuck me, but I want him to. I want to know what it’s like to have him inside me.”
“Then you should. And talk to Gideon about it ahead of time. You guys can work your way up to it. He can finger you some and—”
“Please don’t ever say finger me again. It’s weird coming from you.”
She flicked my hand. “Hey, you’re the one who started this conversation. Plus, you just asked me if I’d ever had a dick in my ass.”
“That’s what friends do!”
“But they can’t say finger you?”
She had a point.
Rachel turned serious. “If you’re ready, you should do it. If you’re not sure, then you should wait. Either way, you should talk to Gideon. He’ll accept whatever you decide and support you either way.”
I knew he would, but sometimes I just wanted things to be easier for him so he didn’t have to. “I might just play around back there myself first to see if I like it…”
“I have much more fun with myself than I do with a man; maybe you won’t need Gideon anymore.”
Her words were said playfully, but I still couldn’t help replying with, “But I love him. I’d want him regardless.” Oh. Well, now I knew the answer regarding my feelings for him.
“I know you would.” She kissed my cheek. Having good friends was the best.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Gideon
“How are things going with you and Milo?” Orlando asked. We were at his place, putting together a crib, changing table, and all sorts of other things they would need in the nursery when Jacob was born. Heather was getting more and more anxious, and I could tell my brother was too, though he wasn’t as free with talking about it as she was.
“Really good,” I replied. “I care about him a lot.”
“I can tell you do.”
“Beverly still hates me.”
“Good thing you’re not dating her.”
Which was true, I got where he was coming from, but… “That’s real easy to say when Heather’s family loves you. Milo and his mom are close. She’s important to him.” Though Milo was independent as fuck too. He was the kind of man who wouldn’t let someone else’s opinion change how he felt about someone. That wasn’t always easy to do, but he managed it. That didn’t mean I wasn’t firmly on team Do anything to get Beverly to like me.
“Why wouldn’t she like you? You’re almost as cool as me, and most people don’t even come close.”