“You know nobody else knows about us,” he said. “Once I’ve graduated, and everything settles, then maybe we can start telling people. But for now, I like being your little kitten, and it’s nice to have a secret we can share together.”
“Whatever makes you happy.” I placed my palm open o the table. He placed his hand in mine. “So, tonight, you’re going to be staying at the frat house, right?”
“I wish I was coming back here,” he said, giving me his pouty eyes from across the table. “But I know, I know, we’ll have plenty more time for that next week.”
He was right. We’d been talking about how much time we’d be spending together. It was nice, in a new relationship, although still unlabeled, we were just happy to have found each other through the chaos of what our previous teacher/student relationship had looked like.
Beneath the table, he played with my foot between his feet. “So, tomorrow, I’ll be back around noon. I’m thinking, we do absolutely nothing all day.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I said. The idea of doing nothing all day with him was a dream. “I will just have to suffer alone tonight then.”
He nodded. “Unfortunately.”
I knew he missed me when he was out of the house because he would text me and leave me voice messages, small miniature podcast type things that I could listen to. It was a testament to how close we’d grown to each other, and also how well we were getting to know each other.
Once we’d eaten and he got himself ready, spraying himself down with cologne, I tried standing in front of him and the door. “I don’t want you to go,” I said.
“You don’t look as cute as I do when I do that,” he said, tackling me with a hug.
Pinned against the door, it reminded me of how we got into this in the first place. “I love you,” I let out. My mind quickly scrambling before my eyes. It was the first time either of us had said that. “So, we should go kitten,” I said, louder, trying to cover up for the fact I’d just gave this early stage relationship the kiss of death.
He didn’t acknowledge what I said, but I knew he’d heard.
I drove him to Greek Row and dropped him off. I knew I shouldn’t have had a stone in my stomach, weighing me down heavy, but I did, and I didn’t want to leave him here.
I’d promised him I wouldn’t watch any of the shows we were watching together. So, I sat and watched movies alone all night. It wasn’t as nearly depressing as it had been when I was alone, this time, at least I knew he’d be coming back, but going to bed alone was the worst.
Having all the space in bed to myself wasn’t any different to how my life had been for years, but when someone comes into your life and offers you the comfort your body has been craving, it’s a nice feeling to have stick them around. I tucked a pillow between my thighs and squeezed around it as I laid in bed to read.
I must’ve fallen asleep with my Kindle in hand, as I woke in the dead of night to a rustling.
It was by the door, followed by a voice. Asher was trying to keep quiet, bumping into everything. He certainly wasn’t catlike in that respect. A clumsy kitten, perhaps.
He dropped onto the side of the bed, laying beside me. I turned the lamp on from the bedside to see him, half-undressed. I helped him out of his trousers and shirt.
“I thought you weren’t coming back tonight,” I said.
He let out a drunken mumble.
I turned the light back off and climbed in beside him, cuddling his side. “I’m glad you’re back,” I said, kissing at his cheek. He smelled like he’d been dunked head first into a swimming pool of vodka.
“You know,” he let out, raising a hand in the air. “I love you too.”
“I—” I knew he’d heard me earlier. It was a reflex, like he’d pushed a button on me when he hugged me. I’d said it and—I’d meant it, but I wasn’t wanting to be emotionally open so quickly.
“I do,” he said. “I love you like a mountain.”
“A mountain?” I asked.
“And trees,” he added. “With a lake. I love it when the lake is small, but then overtime the lake gets bigger and bigger, and there’s so much water in the lake. And you can swim in it.”
“Yes, trees, and a lake.”
He rolled over, whacking me with his arm as it came down. “I love you like a lake. No. Like the water in the lake. And you swim in it. I can swim you know. Can you swim?”
“I can swim,” I said.
“Ok, ok,” he said, quietly. “If you couldn’t swim, that’s ok. I am a good life guard. And I’m hot too, so Baywatch, watch out.”
He was feeling mighty confident of himself. But I liked that. He was headstrong. He knew what he wanted. Right now, he wanted to sleep, even if I could feel his cock digging into me.
“You could do that,” I told him. “How was your night?”
“Missed this,” he said, throwing his arm around me. “Just wanted to be here and cuddle and—and I’m too drunk for sex, but we can cuddle, right?”
I wrapped an arm around him. “We can always cuddle.”
He was so precious. So sweet. I never wanted to lose him or leave him. I’d gotten this far in life mostly single and alone, but the idea of going back to that brought a sickness to my throat. I never wanted that to happen again.
“I love you,” I said back to him.
He nuzzled his head to my chest, his mouth immediately searching out my nipple.
He knew just how I liked it.
THE END