Direct Confusion - 9. Chapter 9

I sit on the sofa next to him, turn and end of up kneeling, one foot braced against the floor. Erin blushes and smiles all at once and this has all the hallmarks of an excellent end to the evening right up until the moment our lips touch.

The door opening lets in cold air and my mother.

“Oh!”

“Oh shit!” I half scramble, half fall off the sofa, and stay where I land: lying on the floor with my hands over my head. Erin is frozen. “Mom?”

“Yes?”

“Could you not be here right now?”

“Right!” The sound of the door slamming makes me grateful in a way I never thought was possible.

“Luke?” Erin sounds worried, and when his hand touches the back of my head, I flinch automatically. “She’s gone.”

“Thank god.” I manage to get up, ending up sitting on the carpet in a heap next to the couch. “I’m so sorry.”

“She must’ve seen Jame and Derrick leaving and figured I’d gone too. I bet she wants to interrogate you huh?”

“How’d you know?”

“What exactly do you think I spent the whole evening doing after you left on Saturday?” Erin punches my shoulder softly and I wrap my hand around his as he stands up, hauling me to my feet. “Mom and Dad wanted to know all about you.”

“What did you tell them?” I arch one eyebrow at him, and Erin bites his lower lip in a manner that I find oh-so-sexy.

“Only nice things.”

My hands are on his hips, fingers finding the satiny waistband of his boxers under the rough denim. My brain has rather lost track of what we were doing before my cock woke up and started paying attention to the heat of Erin’s chest against my own. His kisses are sweet and tangy with the trace of ginger ale and the whole thing is ridiculously intoxicating until the there is a knock on the door.

“You have got to be kidding me.” I mutter into his mouth as we both freeze.

“Luke?”

“Dad? Can it wait?”

“It’s a school night.”

I glance at the clock. Somehow, it’s nearly ten o’clock. It is still much too early for my parents to be pulling ‘it’s a school night’ as a line to get me away from the boy I want to kiss with. For a split second I wish Erin was a secret, just like Jeremy, because we could fuck at all hours without anyone interrupting us. But Erin stifles a giggle, and the sound makes my heart do these little treacherous flutters like an overexcited puppy.

“Yes dad!” I roll my eyes but Erin smiles and takes the point of my chin between thumb and forefinger and I wonder at his quick switches between being bold and adorably shy.

“We’ll see each other tomorrow. Can I crash here after the party?”

“You might not want to. The team tends to be messy and kinda loud. But sure, I’d love for you to stay.” I take a step back, not especially wanting to have to face my parents with a steel bar in my pants.

“I’d best go.” Erin smiles sheepishly.

I walk him to the side gate, and it’s almost a surprise not to see Jeremy’s little bike sitting there. The beat up Jeep looks huge behind my Dodge. I don’t want him to leave, but I know it’s impractical to ask him to stay, under any circumstances. I shove my hands in my pockets with a sigh.

“Don’t look so down Luke.” Erin has paused, halfway into the cab of the Jeep, grinning like a fool. “You know I’m gonna be thinking about your beautiful ass in the shower later.”

Boy, oh boy.

*

I manage to avoid my parents and spend a blissful half hour lying in bed with visions and memories of Erin in my head. He came against my back, and the only thing I’d change is I want to see his face when he does it next. The whole thing was sexy and erotic as hell. When I dream, I dream in Erin’s fetish and imagine fucking him while he’s wearing his green school speedo, his thick cock bulging out against the Lycra.

Over breakfast, I am distracted and my mother notices as she pours dad his coffee.

“You vanished again last night hun.”

“Sorry mom.”

“You promised to tell us all about your new boyfriend.” She says pointedly. My mother has wanted to see me have a relationship for a while. I think she secretly worries that by being gay, I might not get to have all the love and happiness in the universe she and dad found together. It is nice to finally get to reassure her, and the niggling doubts in the back of my own brain. I can indeed be happy.

“He and Jameson are new. Erin plays on the football team. He’s a running back.”

“And his brother cheerleads, Derrick said?” My father looks confused.

“Yup. He’s really good. Super athletic. We have study hall together.”

“Gosh, it must have been a shock for their parents to have two gay sons.” My mother holds a hand against her chest. “Not that it’s bad of course sweetheart.” My mother is always quick to clarify her statements. I don’t hold it against her that she is glad my brother is straight and might one day give her grandchildren. I know she loves me just the same.

“Actually, Jameson’s straight.”

“Really?” My father is so surprised he nearly drops his coffee, as it is he ends up swallowing too quickly and coughing with the heat.

“Yup. Really, really.”

“Cheer?” My father muses. “I suppose it takes all sorts in this world. He seems like a great kid. They both do.”

“Now about the two of you in your room…” My mother begins.

“Aww mom, don’t…” I clamp my hands over my ears, dreading either an impromptu over breakfast birds-and-bees conversation or some awful list of rules banning us from being alone together. But my parents are reasonable human beings, and neither thing happens.

“I should have knocked, I’m sorry.”

“Huh?”

“Maybe we’ll have to work out a sign so it doesn’t happen again. But he can’t sleep over on a school night.”

“What?” This seems deeply unfair. Derrick and Cherrie sleep at each other’s houses most nights even though they haven’t had sex yet.

“We had the same rule for your brother, Luke.” Dad smiles at me and goes to ruffle my hair, now non-existent. “I think you look good when you shave your head.”

“Thanks.” My father is champion at changing the topic, and for now at least, I’ll let it go. This whole thing with Erin is so new, and I don’t want to push him towards or away from anything. “He’s coming to the party this weekend.”

My mother smiles at me.

“Well aren’t you lucky Saturday isn’t a school night?”

I decide to take this as a blessing and Erin can crash here, and excuse myself from breakfast. The other guys will be here too, and not for the first time I catch myself wishing my little annexe had a dividing wall, and door, between bedroom and lounge, preferably one with a lock. Oh well… I grab my bag and jump in the car.

About half way to school my phone beeps and I pull over and kill the engine in order to read the text message.

How was the Third Degree? Jameson was worse than mom when I got back. Meet you at your locker? E xxx

Three kisses. I’ve been upgraded. I smirk as I begin to type a reply, but I am startled from the phone screen by a thump on the hood of the car. Chase is looking at me through the rolled up window, and I feel a bit like I’ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar. Despite my best efforts this morning, I’m already nursing a semi in my jeans.

“Hi boss.” Chase waves through the window. I lean across the cabin of the Dodge to open the door. My car is old enough not to have central locking.

“Chase…” I glance through the windshield to see where I’ve pulled over. “I forget you live on the route to school.” The console clock tells me I really need to get to school if I want to spend any time with Erin before morning class starts. “I thought you got the bus?”

“I missed it.” Chase is still standing the in the doorway to the car. For a kid who doesn’t mind spreading gossip, he’s awfully polite about trying to snatch a lift.

“Get in.” I start the ignition and send my half-finished text with added kisses.

I still don’t know where your locker is xxx

“What’s with you and Parker then boss?” Chase cannot help his overwhelming desire to fiddle, and starts to play with the stereo. Thankfully I program my favourite stations, so I can sort it out once he’s gone.

“He’s my boyfriend Chase.” I grit my teeth. I don’t like the way Chase talks about Erin.

“So you two were swimming the other day before school?” Chase arches an eyebrow. “Not getting frisky in the showers?”

“Chase.” I growl quietly.

“Sorry boss. Forget I said anything.”

“Gladly.” I pull into my usual spot in the school lot, next to Derrick’s sleek Merc. It looks no worse for wear after its adventure with Jameson behind the wheel. “Bye Chase.”

Chase makes his own way into the buildings. I dash for my locker, not stopping to say hi or wave at any of my friends and team mates. Erin is leaning against my locker with one shoulder, playing with his phone, looking beautiful and slightly unhappy. I take a moment to pause and look at him in his letterman jacket and navy blue chinos. His shoulders are broad, waist narrow. With his square jaw and long lashes, he is every teenager’s fantasy come true. He is perfect.

“Erie!”

He looks up, smiles, and bites his lower lip, eyes suddenly sparkling.

“Hey.” He slides his phone back into his pocket. “I was starting to think you weren’t gonna show.”

“Sorry. I didn’t get time to finish my text.” I lean against the next locker along and smile at him. Here we are, inches apart, our hips angled towards each other, both looking flush and happy. On any pair of people, there is no way what we’re doing could not be mistaken for anything but flirting. “I got assaulted by Chase.”

“What!?” Erin panics.

“No!” I put my hand on his forearm, any excuse to touch him. “I pulled over to read your text and he asked for a lift. Like Chase would ever try and beat me up. Kid weighs like a hundred and twenty pounds.”

“Oh.”

“Where is your locker anyways?” I’m curious now, plus the question gives me an opportunity to lean closer as I open my own locker, stowing my unneeded books right next to him. Erin turns with his back to the metal, scanning the corridor without looking at it.

“Over in North Block. Hey, you reckon we’ll get in trouble for kissing?”

I glance at him, and then to where he is watching a pair of passionate juniors sucking face like there might be no tomorrow.

“Nah. You wanna kiss me?”

“I always want to kiss you.” Erin turns and his movement brings us even nearer than we were before. He grabs my chin in one hand. “I dreamt about you all night.”

“Oh Erie…” I trail off, because I’ve run out of words and space and his lips are fire-brand hot on my own. I open him up with my tongue instantly, pushing closer until our bodies are touching from knee to neck. It’s such the greatest way to start a morning at school.

“Oh Brett, get a room will you?” A pause. “Fucking hell!”

I know it was directed at us. I pull away from Erin, who is still looking at me dreamy-eyed, and look over his shoulder to see the junior kid Brett, his girl and his friends, all staring at us with slack jaws.

“Yes?”

There is silence, and then one of the friends, not the one who spoke, elbows another of his buddies.

“Fuck. Isn’t that the soccer Captain?”

I have never been so thankful to see Derrick arriving in my entire life.

“Morning Luke, Erin.” He yawns as he opens his locker, and I wonder what he’s been doing since he got in from his car. His hair is wet, but Derrick doesn’t really like to swim unless we’re in training. “You guys alright?” He turns from his locker to look at the assembled junior’s. “Can we help you or d’ye want to fuck off?”

“Shall we er…” Most of the kids get a panicked look about them and scramble, leaving the kid who recognised me. I cannot believe we were them a year ago. I doubt we were that immature.

“Yes?” I ask the remaining boy icily.

“If I think you guys are really awesome and brave, is that cool?”

“Er…”

Erin smiles and locks my fingers with his.

“It’s cool.”

I manage to nod, and the junior grins and wanders off down the hallway.

“Interesting morning Luke?” Derrick is laughing silently. “The look on your face! You realise if you’d just growled they would have shot off like scared rabbits?”

“Because being scary is the way forward Cap?” Erin shakes his head. “Home-room time. I’d best go.”

“Lunch?” I ask hopefully.

“You’re still on detention duty babe.”

“Dammit.”

“I’ll come find you in the stacks.”

“Awesome.” I watch Erin walking away and think about his delightful ass. The short length of our letterman jackets show off his perfect butt brilliantly. Then I catch Derrick staring at me. “What?”

“Oh you got it bad man!” Derrick slams his locker and grabs me around the neck, just two jocks having fun. “And all those times you ribbed me for being soppy. I got you now dude!”