Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“Want you close,” I tell him. “Actually, I need you close.” Because Evan gives me as much as I give him. Because Evan protects me as much as I want to protect him. Because I’m hurting, and I need him.
“I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I was in shock, hurting and embarrassed. I’m not proud of that last one but it’s true, and I want to be completely open with you. I’ve spent months telling you there’s nothing to be embarrassed about and I believe that, but the moment I had to show it, I freaked and I’m sorry.”
“It was your mom, Frankie. That’s understandable. God, I can’t believe she saw Pup Runt. I’m so embarrassed. She must think I’m a freak.”
“No.” I shake my head. “We had a talk. I didn’t give her all the details, but I told her it’s something I need, something we need.”
“You really need it too?” he asks.
“I do. I knew I did, I’d said I did, but it didn’t truly sink in until tonight. I need it, Ev, and I need you. So fucking much. I don’t even know who I am without Evan or Pup Runt anymore. You’re my boyfriend and my pup, and I love you so fucking much.”
“I love you too,” he tells me. “It’s because of you that I’m even strong enough to be Pup Runt. I need you too, Frankie, and I’m sorry I left, but I was hurt and I was scared.”
Because he thought I was walking away from him. He’d shown me that innermost part of him and the second someone else saw it, I reacted the wrong way. His parents had done that when they found out he was gay, and Peter had rejected him too. Of course, that’s where his thoughts would go.
“I wasn’t walking away. I know it looked like that, and I understand why. I just needed to deal with my mom. I should have explained it better and I promise I will if anything happens like that again. We have to be able to trust each other and ourselves. We’ll work on it together.”
“Together,” he confirms.
“This, what we do, there’s no shame in it. It’s ours and we both might have to work a little to remember to be okay with that. I just know I don’t want to lose it, or you.”
“I don’t want to lose it or you either.”
Reaching up, I rub him behind the ear. His eyes flutter and he whimpers, making my dick go hard. “Okay, we have to slow down for a minute, otherwise, we’ll end up with my dick in your ass instead of talking.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad to me.” He grins.
“Be good, Pup.” Keeping my hand at his nape, I say, “Mom loves you. She said she’ll text you. You’re part of our family. You’re not getting rid of us that easily.”
His eyes flood with tears, which he tries to blink away. “She doesn’t hate me?”
“No, Ev. She doesn’t. And she won’t. I also need to make sure you know nothing that happened tonight is your fault. I was serious when I said not to let anyone treat you with less respect than you deserve, and that includes me.”
“I know, Frankie. I felt like I was at fault at first, but once I calmed down, I realized I wasn’t. It was a thing that happened, nothing more, nothing less. We can both be sorry it did, though.”
“True, but I think you take fault for a lot of things—I let you do that today, and the stuff with your parents too.”
He looks down and closes his eyes, as if he’s readying himself, before looking at me again. “It’s hard sometimes, but I’m working on it. Their choices are theirs. They have nothing to do with me.”
“No.” I shake my head. “They have nothing to do with you, and you deserve better.”
He leans in and wraps his arms around me. I tighten my grip on the back of his neck, covering his mouth with mine. It’s a slow, claiming kiss. He tastes sweet, like Reese’s Pieces, moaning into my mouth. Our tongues tangle as we taste and savor. My dick starts to ache and when he rolls his hips, riding my lap, I know I have to pull away. “We’re not done talking yet, you horny pup.”
“I can’t help it with you,” he says before rubbing his cheek against my scruff. “What happened today? It didn’t click at first. I went to Otterly and was feeling really bad about myself. I talked to Z and it helped. Then, I just walked around for a while and it clicked. I saw the look in your eyes when you came in, Frankie, and I know you. You were hurting. What happened?”
And that’s why we work. He is my best friend, and I’m his. I know him better than anyone in this world, and he knows me the same way. So, I tell him about my dad, about my guilt and Mom’s sadness, and the confusion of my conflicting feelings where my dad is concerned. Evan holds me, kisses me, tells me it’s okay, that it’s normal and natural.