wasn’t aware but for Jude, it was the most beautiful moment of his life. Briefly, he let himself pretend they were lovers and Brandon was caressing him affectionately, loving him back.
When Jude finally pulled his lips from Brandon and looked up, Brandon’s eyes were shut and a relaxed, goofy smile curved his lips. Warmth spilled through Jude’s chest. He couldn’t remember the last time Brandon looked so happy. No matter what happened, he would never regret giving Brandon so much pleasure. But he knew that Brandon would start overthinking and that the bliss of the moment would be shattered if they talked, so Jude quickly buttoned Brandon’s jeans and pulled him to his feet.
“Up to bed with you,” Jude ordered as he guided Brandon to the door. Brandon nodded jerkily as he leaned against Jude.
Once they were in the hall, Jude pushed Brandon toward the stairs and followed him up, a hand pressed against his lower back to keep him moving steadily. When they reached Brandon’s room, Jude opened the door and looked around. Jude sat Brandon on his bed and tugged his shoes off. Jude pushed against Brandon’s chest and he fell back onto the pillows with a contented sigh. Jude felt more heat burst within his chest and tried not to imagine being in Brandon’s room, settling into bed with him every night as he swung Brandon’s feet onto the bed and Brandon gave up trying to keep his eyes open.
“I saw stars, Jude,” Brandon mumbled softly as he rubbed his face against his pillow. Jude smiled and his body became light as he brushed the hair from Brandon’s brow. Jude had never felt so much joy and peace as he did in that moment. He’d give anything to be able to make Brandon look that happy and relieved every night. Not wanting to break the spell, Jude silently backed away from the bed and out of the bedroom, shutting the door carefully behind him. In the hall, he said a silent prayer. Jude knew that he would never regret what he’d done, he just hoped that Brandon wouldn’t either.
Chapter 14
Just before dawn, Brandon woke and his lips were still curved and his muscles felt loose. Every nerve hummed and pulsed and Brandon sighed as the remnants of ecstasy slid through his veins. He opened his eyes and blinked at the ceiling as his consciousness started to return. Oh, my God! His eyes widened in shock as he began to recall the events that had led to the bliss that was quickly fading from his mind and body. Jude. Brandon groaned as he wrapped his hands around his face and tried to make his brain work.
What was he supposed to do now? What did it mean? There were no answers and Brandon felt panic settling into his chest. The more he tried to make his mind cope with the tide of questions rushing in, the more the panic swelled and crashed within him. Brandon rolled from the bed and stumbled to his feet so he could pace. He needed to move or his emotions would overcome him and he’d start to scream or cry.
Brandon dressed quickly and went for a run hoping it would purge some of the fear he felt. He still couldn’t comprehend what happened and there were no ideas as to how to move forward. The only thing Brandon was aware of was the possibility that there was a chance that his friendship with Jude might be at risk. He knew he loved and needed Jude but Brandon wasn’t sure what the nature of that love was anymore and to what extent he needed Jude. All he knew was that he didn’t want to lose him by not doing the right thing.
When Brandon walked into the dining room Jude and Noah were already eating breakfast. Both looked up and smiled brightly when Brandon entered. He felt a glimmer of relief as he nodded in return and sat down. When he took his seat across from Jude, their eyes connected and Jude winked jauntily as he sipped his coffee. Confusion swelled and Brandon cleared his throat as he looked down to make his plate and tried to find his appetite.
“Are you sick?” Noah asked as he stared at Brandon
When Jude finally pulled his lips from Brandon and looked up, Brandon’s eyes were shut and a relaxed, goofy smile curved his lips. Warmth spilled through Jude’s chest. He couldn’t remember the last time Brandon looked so happy. No matter what happened, he would never regret giving Brandon so much pleasure. But he knew that Brandon would start overthinking and that the bliss of the moment would be shattered if they talked, so Jude quickly buttoned Brandon’s jeans and pulled him to his feet.
“Up to bed with you,” Jude ordered as he guided Brandon to the door. Brandon nodded jerkily as he leaned against Jude.
Once they were in the hall, Jude pushed Brandon toward the stairs and followed him up, a hand pressed against his lower back to keep him moving steadily. When they reached Brandon’s room, Jude opened the door and looked around. Jude sat Brandon on his bed and tugged his shoes off. Jude pushed against Brandon’s chest and he fell back onto the pillows with a contented sigh. Jude felt more heat burst within his chest and tried not to imagine being in Brandon’s room, settling into bed with him every night as he swung Brandon’s feet onto the bed and Brandon gave up trying to keep his eyes open.
“I saw stars, Jude,” Brandon mumbled softly as he rubbed his face against his pillow. Jude smiled and his body became light as he brushed the hair from Brandon’s brow. Jude had never felt so much joy and peace as he did in that moment. He’d give anything to be able to make Brandon look that happy and relieved every night. Not wanting to break the spell, Jude silently backed away from the bed and out of the bedroom, shutting the door carefully behind him. In the hall, he said a silent prayer. Jude knew that he would never regret what he’d done, he just hoped that Brandon wouldn’t either.
Chapter 14
Just before dawn, Brandon woke and his lips were still curved and his muscles felt loose. Every nerve hummed and pulsed and Brandon sighed as the remnants of ecstasy slid through his veins. He opened his eyes and blinked at the ceiling as his consciousness started to return. Oh, my God! His eyes widened in shock as he began to recall the events that had led to the bliss that was quickly fading from his mind and body. Jude. Brandon groaned as he wrapped his hands around his face and tried to make his brain work.
What was he supposed to do now? What did it mean? There were no answers and Brandon felt panic settling into his chest. The more he tried to make his mind cope with the tide of questions rushing in, the more the panic swelled and crashed within him. Brandon rolled from the bed and stumbled to his feet so he could pace. He needed to move or his emotions would overcome him and he’d start to scream or cry.
Brandon dressed quickly and went for a run hoping it would purge some of the fear he felt. He still couldn’t comprehend what happened and there were no ideas as to how to move forward. The only thing Brandon was aware of was the possibility that there was a chance that his friendship with Jude might be at risk. He knew he loved and needed Jude but Brandon wasn’t sure what the nature of that love was anymore and to what extent he needed Jude. All he knew was that he didn’t want to lose him by not doing the right thing.
When Brandon walked into the dining room Jude and Noah were already eating breakfast. Both looked up and smiled brightly when Brandon entered. He felt a glimmer of relief as he nodded in return and sat down. When he took his seat across from Jude, their eyes connected and Jude winked jauntily as he sipped his coffee. Confusion swelled and Brandon cleared his throat as he looked down to make his plate and tried to find his appetite.
“Are you sick?” Noah asked as he stared at Brandon
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