Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“I don’t know how we’ll make it work but we will. Long distance, you in Last Chance…me in LA. If you want me, I’ll stay. We can figure the rest of it out.” Shane winked. “I’ll be waiting.”
Van’s heart felt like it was running a marathon. Jesus, he sure as hell hadn’t expected this.
He picked up the phone to call Shane and then Shane’s words played through his head again.
I’ll stay. Not, I’ll come. I’ll stay.
I’ll be waiting.
Van shoved to his feet, taking long, quick strides to the door. He jerked it open. “What took you so long?” Shane asked. He wore a pair of faded jeans and a dark T-shirt that clung to his muscles.
He had scruff on his face that told Van he hadn’t shaved in a few days.
He was fucking gorgeous.
“I didn’t open the box right away. You’ve been sitting out here for over an hour?”
“I’ve been sitting out here for longer than that. I just spent some of it hiding down the hallway. There’s a possibility someone called the cops on me for stalking you. I can’t say for sure.”
Van’s mouth stretched into a smile. “Then I guess we better get your ass in here. Don’t worry, if they come looking for you, I’ll defend your honor.”
“You will, huh?” Shane asked as he stepped inside.
“Always.”
The second Van closed the door, he said, “I didn’t know, Shane. You gotta know that. I had no fucking clue you were in the woods with Caleb that day. I had no clue anyone was with him. I didn’t know we were outing him for being with a guy. I thought we were narking on him for skipping, and if Jonathan said otherwise, he was lying. When I realized it, Caleb was gone and there was nothing I could do. I didn’t know he had anything to do with you.”
“Doesn’t matter.” Shane shook his head.
“Do you really believe I would have known I hurt you that much and never tell you? You never mentioned Caleb. I didn’t realize he was so important to you. That you’d ever been something.”
“He was my best friend,” Shane replied. “My only real friend. We hung out on the down-low because no one knew we were also messing around. He made me feel like I wasn’t alone.”
And Van had always done the opposite when they were kids. He’d tried to hurt Shane. He could see why Shane would be hurt by the thought of him taking away the only person Shane had had there for him.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “But I swear to you, I didn’t know. I had no idea he was important to you.” He hated that Shane had lost someone else.
“It’s in the past and you were right. I was scared and I ran. I didn’t believe we could make it work. Everyone leaves. Even after everything, I was waiting for something to come between us, waiting to get left behind so I ran. It was safer to keep myself locked away rather than to risk getting hurt. You’re worth the risk, Van. I’m worth the risk.”
“I won’t leave.”
Shane stepped forward, closer and closer, until he stopped right in front of Van. “I’ll stay. Ryan can help with the shop and I’ll go home once a month or…fuck, I don’t know how we’ll make it work but we will. I just wanna be with you. You set me free.”
Van sucked in a sharp breath at that.
Shane ran his finger along the edge of Van’s dress pants. Up his stomach and chest. “You are so fucking beautiful. I wish I could take pictures of you.”
“You can,” Van told him.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Van leaned in, rubbed his cheek against Shane’s. Felt the rough hairs rub against his skin. He smelled like home. Van inhaled, savoring it. “I love you so fucking much. Been like I was living without my heart.”
“Me too,” Shane replied.
Van kissed him, licked his lip before pushing his tongue into Shane’s mouth. He held the side of Shane’s face as Shane’s fingers pushed into his hips and, Jesus, he was fucking addicted to the man.
He kissed his way down Shane’s neck, noticed the box on the table again. “You started a business?”
Shane chuckled. “No. I printed the sticker myself. I want to though.”
Van laughed too. “You’re fucking crazy.”
“Crazy in love.”
“Crazy cheesy.”
“Do you want me to stop?” Shane questioned.
“No fucking way. Can I show you something?” Van asked and Shane nodded.
Van walked over, plucked the book from his shelf. Their book. He took it over and handed it to Shane. The first picture was the very first one he’d taken of Shane and it went from there—naked pictures, clothed pictures. Pictures of Shane shaving and brushing his teeth and smiling. Pictures of him laughing and jerking off and ending with the night he’d taken pictures of Shane here. The last picture was of the two of them together. It was one night when they’d been on the deck at Shane’s place. It was a selfie that Van had taken, trying to hold the camera out awkwardly, almost fumbling it, as they laughed and he’d snapped the photo. Both their mouths were open and there were little wrinkles around their eyes. One look at the image and you could see how fucking happy they were.