Now That You're Here
Chapter 7
“This is low, even for you, Brian,” Steve whispered as they took their seats in
the back of the theater, a half a dozen rows behind where Dane and Justin were
sitting.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Brian replied innocently. “I just
wanted to see a movie. You know how much I love Tom Cruise.”
“What? You hate Tom Cruise. You said he was a closet case who can’t act for
shit,” Steve exclaimed, his voice rising slightly.
“Shut the fuck up, will you? They’ll hear us!” Brian demanded in a hushed tone.
“So? We just wanted to see a movie,” Steve mimicked, earning himself an elbow to
the ribs.
“Look, there’s nothing wrong with keeping an eye out for Justin. He’s family,”
Brian explained calmly.
“Okay, that’s it. You either admit to me that you’re falling for this guy or I’m
out of here. I’m your best friend, Brian; or at least I thought I was, but if
you can’t trust me…”
“Shit…Okay, maybe there is something there. I mean, look at him. He’s hot as
hell and he’s pretty cool, too. I don’t know what it is, but ever since I met
him yesterday I’ve found myself thinking about him in ways that I shouldn’t,
alright? But it’s not like anything can happen between us. Chris would go
ballistic if it did. You remember how weird he got letting Dane stay at the
house and that was long after we’d broken up. He’d have a fit if he knew that
Zac and I occasionally fucked around. He said that he didn’t want me to have
easy access when it came to sex, whatever that means. Justin and I live
together, we share the same bathroom. He’d have me fitted with a male chastity
belt if he even thought I was thinking about Justin as anything other than
another brother,” Brian insisted.
“A male chastity belt? Do they even have those? Wow, that sounds painful.
Especially if they…”
“Would you focus here? The point is that just because nothing can happen between
us, it doesn’t mean that I want Dane swooping in and charming the pants off
him…literally. He needs time to settle in first, make some friends. I’m just
watching out for him the way Chris and Zander would want me to,” Brian said,
trying to convince himself as much as Steve.
“Fine, whatever. I still think you’re being ridiculous, but I also know that
you’re as stubborn as a mule when you’re like this, so I won’t even bother
trying to talk you out of it. Just be careful. If Justin gets wind of this, he
might not understand and you’re going to push him farther into Dane’s arms,”
Steve said.
“Trust me; I know what I’m doing.”
Steve didn’t even bother replying to that.
By the time Justin and Dane walked out of the theater, they were walking hand in
hand. Justin jumped a little at first when he felt Dane’s hand take his halfway
through the movie, but decided to relax and let it happen. Dane seemed like a
nice guy, and although Justin had no experience with anyone of the same sex, he
was ready to start testing the waters. They got to the truck and Justin was
touched by the way Dane held the door open for him. Once Dane was behind the
wheel, he pulled out onto the highway and then took Justin’s hand again.
“You’ve got over an hour before you have to be home. Do you want to take a
ride?” Dane asked.
“Okay,” Justin replied nervously. He wasn’t really sure how to act now that they
were alone.
“Are you sure? We don’t have to go anywhere. I can take you straight home if you
want,” Dane told him, glancing over to gauge Justin’s reaction.
“No, it’s fine. It’s just that…um…look; I’m going to be honest with you. I’ve
never…I mean, I wasn’t out at home. I’ve never been out with another guy before.
I don’t know what you plan on doing until midnight, but…”
“Justin, all I planned on doing was taking you someplace a little more private
than the theater and kissing you, that’s it. But if you’re not comfortable with
that, I understand. I’ll just turn around at the next light.”
“No…it’s okay. I mean…I don’t mind kissing. I just…well, I’ve kissed before. Not
guys, but…shit, I think I’ll just shut up now,” Justin stammered, feeling his
face heat up in embarrassment.
“Relax,” Dane chuckled. “How about if we go someplace more private and see what
happens. If you’re not comfortable there then we’ll leave immediately and I’ll
take you home, okay?”
“Okay,” Justin agreed.
“Good.”
Dane drove them to the park by the elementary school. He parked in the back of
the lot so that they wouldn’t be seen from the road, then got out and went to
the back of the truck, opening up the tailgate so that they could sit down. He
took the lead and Justin quickly hopped up beside him and took a seat.
“So, how come you’re living with Chris and Zander?” Dane asked as soon as Justin
sat down. He looked over at Justin and saw a pained look on his face and
regretted his question. “Sorry about that. You don’t have to answer. I was just
curious.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m sure everyone’s going to find out eventually. When my
parents were killed, they contacted my mother’s brother to take me in, but he
refused. They’d had a big fight years ago and never spoke again. Apparently he
couldn’t forgive her enough to take in her son. I was put into a foster home
until they located Zander. He came and asked me to move in with them. I hadn’t
seen him since I was a baby so I don’t remember him,” Justin told him.
“Oh man, I’m so sorry. That must suck,” Dane replied, completely at a loss for
words.
“Yeah, it does. I was one of those odd kids who got along with his parents. They
were my best friends and I really miss them, but Chris and Zander have been
great so far. Not many people would take in a seventeen year old stranger if
they didn’t have to.”
“That’s Chris and Zander for you. They’re cool like that. About a year ago I was
having problems with my folks. I had just come out to them and they weren’t
taking the news too well. Chris offered to let me stay with them while we worked
things out. Luckily it never came to that. They finally realized that having a
gay son isn’t the end of the world. That was probably due to the fact that
around the same time, my older sister nearly overdosed and ended up in rehab for
cocaine addiction. I guess they figured a fag was better than another druggie,”
Dane laughed.
“Shit, is she okay?”
“Yeah, she’s been clean for almost a year and is finally getting her life back
together. Now I tease her about having to one up me in the family drama
department. She just fell in love with the wrong guy and ended up doing drugs
because he did. He’s now in jail for possession with intent to distribute so
there’s no way she’ll fall in with him again. At least for another five years.”
“Good, he deserves it, the creep,” Justin replied with a smile.
They continued talking for the next half hour, sharing stories of school and
their friends, until Dane looked down at his watch and sighed.
“We better get going if I’m going to have you home by midnight,” Dane said.
“Would you be upset if I kissed you now?”
Justin felt butterflies in his stomach, but knew he wanted the kiss. “No, I
wouldn’t be upset at all.”
Dane smiled then leaned in and touched Justin’s lips with his own. He didn’t
want to scare him off, but as soon as he felt Justin’s warm lips on his, he
deepened the kiss. It only took a moment before Justin parted his lips and Dane
was able to thrust his tongue inside.
As soon as Justin felt Dane’s tongue in his mouth, he let out a moan and tilted
his head, giving them better access to each other. During his high school years,
Justin had dated here and there, usually when his friends encouraged him. He
didn’t want anyone to think there was something wrong with him. During those
dates, he’d kissed the girls, sometimes allowing the moment to turn into an all
out make out session. None of those times compared to how he felt kissing Dane.
His warm wet mouth, the faint feeling of razor stubble, and the smell of cologne
all turned him on like nothing else he ever experienced before, leaving him
breathless and slightly light-headed when Dane finally pulled away.
“I’d better stop now before I break my promise of only kissing and make you miss
curfew,” Dane said softly as he shifted a little trying to ease the tightening
in his pants.
Justin wanted to say the hell with curfew and continue kissing Dane without
worry, but he knew that he couldn’t. Not only did he not want to screw up and
break curfew the first night he went out on his own, but he knew that he wasn’t
quite ready to go beyond kissing with anyone; even someone who tasted as good as
Dane.
“Yeah, we should probably get going,” Justin agreed as he slid off the truck. “I
don’t want to piss off Chris and Zander just yet.”
Dane laughed as they climbed in the truck and headed back out to the highway.
They talked some more during the ride back, and Justin smiled to himself when he
realized that he’d just had his first date and it was even better than he
imagined. As soon as Dane pulled up outside the house, Justin turned to him to
thank him for a good night. He was startled when he was pulled in for another
kiss. It didn’t last as long as the first one, but it was equally as hot and
Justin was once again breathless when it was over.
“Uh…thanks. For the movie, I mean. Not the kiss…well, for the kiss too…I just
meant…”
“You’re adorable when you blush. Do you know that?” Dane teased, finding
Justin’s shyness endearing.
“It’s the curse of fair skin,” Justin groaned, even more embarrassed.
“It’s not a curse in my book. So, do you think we can do this again?”
“Yeah, I’d like that. Give me a call.” Justin leaned in and placed one final
kiss on Dane’s lips before pulling away and opening the door. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight Justin,” Dane called out as he watched Justin jump from the truck and
hurry into the house. He brought his hand up to his lips, still damp from the
kiss, and smiled to himself as he drove away.
End of part 7