Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83586 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83586 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
The bar wasn’t busy, but there was definitely a good crowd of people—mostly men, but I saw two women holding hands too. Some people said hi to us as we passed, friendly and like this wasn’t anything new. We made our way to the bar without a wait, and Sutton said, “Jack and Coke, and just a Coke.” The one with Jack was for me.
“Coming right up,” the bartender said. He had eyeliner around his eyes that made his blue irises pop. “You guys from around here?”
“’Bout an hour or so away,” Sutton replied, putting his arm around me, and some kind of something twitched in my chest. I liked feeling as though I belonged to him, liked the thought of him making sure everyone knew I was his.
“Just out?” the guy asked with a smirk, and goddamn, how did he know? Before we could answer, he added, “Good for you. We’re happy to have you. We all deserve to be free. This one’s on the house.” He winked and moved on.
“I’m glad we’re here,” I told Sutt.
“I’m glad we are too.”
We took a seat at the bar, backs to it so we could see what was going on around us. I nursed my drink, not wanting to get drunk or need another. We watched men dance and kiss and talk. Watched them laugh and look like they didn’t have a care in the world.
“Show me someone else you think is hot,” I said, not knowing why I did.
“What?”
“Just show me. I’m curious.” I knew what kind of women he liked—curvy, soft, pretty, and I was none of those things, so I was interested what he liked about men.
Sutton sighed. “Okay.” He took a drink of his Coke, eyes darting around the small space. It only took about a minute before he pointed out a guy—backward ball cap, dark hair and freckles, stubble along his jaw, and wide blue eyes. He was wearing a V-neck tee that stretched tightly across his chest and upper arms, which were thick and muscular. “Him,” Sutton said. “I think he’s sexy.”
The guy was dancing by himself. I stared at him, studied him, how plump his lips were, and goose bumps danced down my arms when he licked them. His hands were big, looked like they could be strong. I wondered what it would be like to have him on top of me the way Sutton often was, how the veins in his neck would bulge and what the bliss in his eyes would look like if he rutted against me. Not because I wanted him. I didn’t want anyone except Sutton, but…I let myself imagine the possibilities, opened myself up to the parts of me I never knew were there. “Me too,” I admitted. “Fuck, he’s really hot.”
Sutton laughed. “Simmer down, big guy, before I get jealous.”
I turned toward him, buried my face into his chest and breathed in the sweat on his skin. God, I loved him, and I loved this, us, being there. “The bartender…I think he’s kinda cute too. He’s a little…”
“Softer,” Sutton answered for me.
“Exactly.” Okay, so this was new. Check me out. I thought men other than Sutton were attractive, and it was different kinds of men. Not just one. I was bisexual, like truly bi. Well, I’d always been bi or something if I wanted Sutton, but now I was feeling it, seeing it. Owning it. “I’m attracted to men too. Not as much as women, I don’t think. Like, if I didn’t love you, I don’t know if I would’ve explored it. I would’ve kept on repressing it, but, yes, I’m attracted to them.” I’d been lying to myself, I realized. I didn’t think I’d noticed men before but I had to have, at least a little bit. I’d just never let myself see it.
Sutton smiled, like I’d made him proud. Like maybe he needed to hear that to believe we could really last. If I couldn’t acknowledge who I was even to myself, how could we?
“I love you, Jasper.”
“Then dance with me.”
We set our drinks down, and that was exactly what we did—danced, held each other, let our hands explore each other’s bodies, right there for everyone to see. Other men kissed, and it made my skin heat and my dick swell, so I grabbed Sutton’s face and pressed my lips to his, let my tongue dip into his mouth and my arms wrap around his shoulders. His went around my waist, and he squeezed me so tight, I thought he might kill me, but it would be an okay way to go.
We kissed while I swallowed down his laughter and tasted his happy tears.
This really was the greatest day I’d ever had.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Sutton
We didn’t get to ride the high of Jasper’s birthday for too long. The day after we got home, his mama let us know we were expected to dinner in an hour. They were having the Prichards over. It was obvious to me why she told us when she did. She knew Jasper wouldn’t make a scene that close to them coming over. That he wouldn’t make up an excuse at the last minute not to be there because he wouldn’t want to be rude to Lacey and her family.