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After a few minutes passed, I broke the silence. “I heard about Steve. That he’s moving,” I murmured, stroking the back of his neck.
Ben looked up at me, and in the dim light, I saw confusion in his eyes. “Yeah. Phoenix, I think.”
“Hmm.” I ran my fingers through his hair. “Good for him. I know he was looking for something closer to his family.”
Ben tilted his head to look at me, his gaze soft. “Yeah,” he began, before his lips curled into a small smile. Yes, I thought. Ben understood. What happened here—the touches, the kissing, the sex—none of that would change our friendship. “Steve got an offer from a virtual reality start-up. He’s decided to take the leap.” Ben’s voice held a hint of admiration.
I pressed a kiss on his forehead. “I hope he does well.”
Ben shifted his body towards me, his eyes searching my face, then leaned in and captured my lips in a tender kiss. Pulling back slightly, he asked, “Are you comfortable?” His voice was low, filled with concern, his fingers gently brushing a stray lock of hair from my forehead.
I looked back at him, my heart aching at the sight of his slightly tousled post-orgasm flush, his damp blond hair wild and wavy. “I’m incredibly comfortable,” I assured him, the corner of my mouth twitching up in a small smile.
Ben laughed softly, his breath warm against my face. “You’re a terrible liar.” His fingers traced along the line of my jaw, lightly scratching at my beard as he glanced down at my bent knees.
I raised an eyebrow, my smile growing wider. Did my six-foot-four plus-sized frame fit perfectly back here? No, but that was beside the point. “I don’t want to move.” I pulled Ben closer to me to prove my point. Our bodies fit together perfectly, like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, and I pressed a gentle kiss to Ben’s forehead.
Our first time together was nothing like I had imagined. It was better, more intense, more intimate. No doubt we had crossed an invisible line, venturing into uncharted territory, but instead of feeling fear or doubt, there was only exhilaration and anticipation for what was to come.
For now, we had each other. And that was all that mattered. This camping trip had changed everything between us, and as I held Ben in my arms, I realized I wouldn’t have it any other way.
thirteen
Ben
I woke up to a calm and tranquil morning, no trace of the storm outside, with Leo’s warm body pressed against mine. We had spent the night entwined in the car’s back section, finding comfort and happiness in each other’s arms.
Well, not exactly comfort.
Stepping out into the fresh, crisp air, I started dismantling the wet tent while Leo gathered our belongings, tossing everything into the back of my SUV. We worked together in comfortable silence, interrupted only by the occasional kiss, as we let the peacefulness of the morning mirror our own contentment.
Driving back to Austin, I offered to drop Leo off at his house, but he had a different idea. “I’d rather go back to your place, if that’s okay with you.” Those brown eyes of his, so expressive, sparkled with anticipation, and I nodded, driving past the exit to Leo’s house and heading home.
Our weekend adventure was far from over, and we were both eager to see what lay ahead.
When we arrived at my house, I parked the car and opened the trunk and sighed at the wreckage of our damp camping gear, still carrying the scent of the campfire smoke. Leo chuckled as he surveyed the mess. “Looks like we brought half the forest back with us.” He grinned and began picking out bits of bark and broken tree limbs from our camping gear.
“You are correct about that.” I reached for a wet sleeping bag, its damp fabric squelching in my hands as I tossed it onto the sunlit grass. “Ug.”
The remnants of our outdoor adventure seemed to cling to everything. But as we worked side by side, I stole glances at Leo, my heart fluttering with affection. A sudden gust of wind blew a stray strand of hair across his face, and without thinking, I reached out to brush it away. Our fingertips brushed and a surge of electricity passed between us. Leo’s hand lingered on my arm, and I couldn’t resist leaning in for a gentle kiss.
Leo smiled as he kissed me back. “You know, a fella can get used to those,” he murmured, his big hand caressing my back.
No, we definitely were not finished. “Alright, let’s get this done already,” I said, my voice low and husky, and focused on the task at hand—hanging up the wet tent to dry.
But my mind had already shifted gears, consumed by the growing desire between us.
Soon it was all out of my SUV, and while the back of my car needed to be vacuumed, that was a task for another day. My Leo was watching me with a tired grin, but a light in his eyes. “You wanna come inside?” I asked, reaching for his hand.
Leo nodded as he wiped his damp hands on his basketball shorts before taking my hand. There was something more in his eyes, a silent message that spoke volumes. “I’m ready,” he said, and his words resonated deep within me.
We were both ready for this.
“Come on,” I said, leading him towards the house. Our eyes never left each other, our connection unbreakable.
As we entered the house, the outside world faded away, and we were wrapped in a bubble of anticipation. We walked to my bedroom, the room dark and cool, where we kicked off our shoes and made our way into the bathroom. I turned on the shower, adjusting the temperature as steam filled the room. A momentary hesitation flickered between us before I took a step forward.
“Let me help you.” I reached out to tug Leo’s shirt off. He mirrored my actions, pulling my T-shirt over my head and letting it fall to the floor. Shy smiles graced our faces as we undressed each other, our limbs brushing clumsily, igniting sparks of desire. A messy pile of clothes formed on the floor, and seeing our clothing bunched up like that, all mixed together, made my heart ache in a good way.
