Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
But today…today none of that mattered. This whole weekend, actually, none of it mattered. It was my birthday, we’d be free in three weeks, and my dad was gone for the weekend.
Every once in a while he had these mandatory training courses, where they updated…I didn’t know what; their macho-cop skills or whatever. I didn’t care, never had. I was always just glad he was gone.
All I wanted was to have the perfect weekend with Gage. As embarrassing as it was, I’d even talked to Mouse about it ahead of time. She was great and went to the pharmacy to buy me condoms and lube, because the last thing I needed was for someone to see me buying those things and for it to somehow get back to my dad.
She was at the store now, and I was waiting for her to get here. Gage was with his jock buddies this morning, playing baseball.
My heart jumped at the knock on the door. I peeked out the window and saw Romeo’s Jeep there. Holy hell. She’d taken Romeo with her?
I opened the door, and to my relief, Mouse had come alone. She handed me a grocery store bag, which immediately made me blush.
“It’s okay. It’s just sex, Joey. Sex is really, really fun. You’ll like it, but don’t expect too much your first time…well, unless you top. Do you think you’ll top?”
“Oh my God! Shut up. I’m so not talking to you about this.”
She laughed and kissed my forehead. “I love you, sweet boy.”
“Wow, you totally just sounded like a mom.”
“I feel like one. My boy is growing up!” We chuckled as she came inside.
I ran the bag to my room and came back out. “Where’s Romeo?”
“He’s with Gage. He let me borrow his Jeep.” This time, it was Mouse’s cheeks that flushed.
“Wait…what is that for?”
“Nothing.” She plopped down on the couch, and I sat beside her. We were quiet for a moment before Mouse said softly, “I don’t know how not to be scared. Romeo is…Romeo. He’s smart and has money and is this perfect golden boy who doesn’t mind slumming it with the likes of us. How will I ever be good enough for him? I mean, even with going away to art school, I feel like somehow I’ll fuck it up. I’ll fail and come home to be just like my mom, and Romeo will go on to conquer the world, and I’ll spend my life depressed over losing the only boy I’ve ever loved.”
I gasped at her admission. “Mouse.” When she didn’t look at me, I said, “Angie!” Her eyes locked with mine. “You are one of the best people I know—you, Gage, and Romeo. The two of you are perfect for each other. None of that other shit matters, don’t you see? Hell, look at Gage and me! He isn’t even sure he likes boys, but he loves me. When it’s right, it’s right. Also, you’re just as smart as he is, and there is no doubt in my mind that you’ll do your own conquering too.”
“I… Thank you. Today isn’t about me, though. It’s your birthday, and you’re going to spend the whole night with the boy you love. That’s totally what we should be talking about. Are you nervous?”
I probably should have been, but it was Gage, so I wasn’t. “No. It’s him. That’s all that matters. I just want these last few weeks to go by so we can leave. Hell, I don’t even know where we’ll stay at first, but I don’t care.”
We spent the next little while chatting about Gage and sex and random things until she had to go and return the Jeep to Romeo. The two of them were then going to drop off Gage here.
“Have fun.” She kissed my cheek and left.
Suddenly, I was nervous. The weather was better, but Gage wasn’t risking sneaking in my window anymore. I’d sneaked out to meet him in the woods a few times, but we hadn’t spent a night together in a long time.
I washed dishes, trying to keep myself busy, then paced the house. Before I knew it, I heard wheels on gravel, and then Gage was at the door. As soon as I opened it, he cupped my face, leaned in, and kissed me. It immediately made me dizzy. There was nothing in the world like kissing Gage Beaumont.
His baseball bag slid down his arm and hit me, making him pull back. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“Happy birthday, Jojo.”
“You too…I mean…that was dumb. Why did I say that?”
He laughed as I dropped my forehead to his chest. His arms came around me. “Because you’re a dork…my dork.”
Pulling away, I rolled my eyes and said, “You’re so sappy,” but really, I loved it. Obviously, I loved it.
“I’m sure I stink. Wanna take a shower with me?” Gage waggled his eyebrows.