Eight Nights (7 page)
Lucas began moving with him, the pain ebbing away to become pure pleasure. Nate pressed Lucas’s knees to his chest and drove into him, grasping one of Lucas’s hands. Lucas felt like he was in a dream, drifting in a world where nothing else existed but him and Nate.
Their eyes locked together as their bodies flexed and rocked, and Lucas had never felt so connected to another person.
His cock was hard and leaking, squeezed between their bodies as Nate increased his rhythm. He found the spot again, grunting softly as he hit it over and over. Lucas couldn’t stifle his cry as he came, his orgasm ripping through him. As he shook, Nate thrust sharply two more times before shuddering in release.
Lucas winced when Nate pulled out of him, and Nate dropped a kiss to his shoulder.
Sitting up, he tossed the tied-off condom into the garbage pail by his desk. Before Lucas Eight Nights
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could even ask him to stay, Nate pulled the covers up over them, wrapping Lucas tightly in his arms.
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As morning broke, Lucas woke. His left arm was trapped and numb under Nate, but for a moment he didn’t move. Nate snored gently, the soft lines of his face looking even more innocent in sleep. They were coiled together in the small bed, heads close on the pillow.
Even with Lucas’s numb arm and the wet and sticky sheets, everything was…perfect.
He felt as if they’d connected deeply the night before, and as Lucas watched his lover --
it sent a thrill up his spine just to think the words -- he found himself hoping the spell wouldn’t be broken in the harsh light of day. The fracturing grief for his father had receded, and he felt whole in a way he couldn’t explain.
Lucas hadn’t meant to fall in love, but he realized with a sinking sensation that was exactly what he’d done.
Finally the pins and needles became too much, and he gently tried to extricate his arm.
Nate blinked at him before yawning widely. Lucas found himself holding his breath before cursing his stupidity. He couldn’t expect Nate to feel the same way he did. They were just having some holiday fun, and Lucas needed to get a grip.
He tried to think of some kind of flip remark to make, but before he could, Nate traced Lucas’s cheek with his knuckles. “Hey.”
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Lucas swallowed hard. “Hey.”
Nate pressed their lips together. “You feel okay?” He caressed Lucas’s hip.
“More than okay.” Lucas smirked, trying to keep things lighthearted so he wouldn’t freak Nate out. “Although sitting down might be a bit challenging.”
“Guess we’ll have to stay on our feet today. How about the Met? The Egyptian stuff is awesome.”
“You sure you don’t mind? You must be bored of going to all the touristy places.” Lucas felt it was only fair to give Nate an out.
Nate gazed at him intensely for a long moment before kissing him again. “I’m sure.”
* * * * *
It had been a perfect day.
The Met was crowded with holiday visitors, but Lucas barely noticed. He and Nate were in their own little world, and Lucas vowed to himself to just enjoy it and worry about the future when it came. Of course, as he stood shoulder to shoulder with Nate, watching the Statue of Liberty in the distance, his mind wandered to his inevitable return to school. He sighed audibly, and Nate nudged him gently, an eyebrow raised.
“I’m just thinking about the new year. Going back to school.” Lucas’s dour tone pretty much said it all.
Nate was quiet for a few moments. “So why are you going back?”
“Because I have to.” Where else would he go?
“What are you doing at Brookfield? Even Sam notices you’re miserable.”
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“What? You and Sam were talking about me?”
“Not in a bad way, but my usually clueless brother knows you hate it there.” He took a breath, as if steeling himself. “You could move here next year. Transfer schools; there are about a million to choose from. Figure out what you really want to do with your life.”
The thought of returning to Brookfield and the noisy dorm, going back to his chemistry books and the degree he didn’t truly want, filled Lucas with dread. Maybe Nate was right. What was stopping him from coming to New York and living his own life? His father had wanted him to be happy, and Lucas had pretended for long enough that his father’s dreams for him were his own. “Okay, it would be pretty awesome to live in New York. But what about you? Are you going to quit law? Switch to photography?”
“I’m not good enough,” Nate said dismissively.
“Yes, you a e
r .”
“You’re being nice, but I don’t have the talent.” He smiled ruefully and muttered under this breath. “My little hobby.”
“Your mother has no idea what you’re capable of. You do so have the talent. You’re just afraid to take a risk, but you expect me to.”
Nate was silent for a long moment, peering out to the horizon. Finally he sighed.
“You’re right. I’m a hypocrite.” He wrapped his arms around himself, shivering as the wind whipped off the water.
“You don’t have to be. Neither of us is happy. We need to make a change. We could do it together.”
Nate looked directly at him. “Together?”
“Oh, I mean…not…I don’t…” Lucas didn’t say what he desperately wanted to.
“We could see how it goes. You know, if things work out with us.”
His heart rate increased, and Lucas felt slightly lightheaded. “Us?”
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“You’re only a couple of hours away. Sam goes on the road for basketball, and he’s going to Daytona for spring break. I could visit.”
Lucas tamped down his rush of excitement. “What about when we’re not together?
You’ll still be seeing other guys?”
Reaching up, Nate brushed the hair off Lucas’s forehead. “I don’t want to see anyone but you.”
Lucas’s feeling of warm happiness exploded in his chest. “I thought you weren’t looking for a boyfriend.”
“I wasn’t.” Nate smiled crookedly. “I guess one found me.” His smile faded. “If you want me.”
Not caring who was watching, Lucas threw his arms around him. “I want.”
Nate held him close, their warm cheeks pressed together. Lucas watched the sun sink over the horizon in a blaze of red and orange before closing his eyes as the ferry sailed on.
* * * * *
“But I thought you weren’t that observant.”
“We’re not, but we always have to go to synagogue at least once every holiday, or we’ll never hear the end from Papa. I kind of like it, actually.”
Hopping out of the cab in front of the temple, Nate gave the driver a twenty and told him to keep the change. On the empty steps, Nate skidded to a halt on the stair above Lucas and pulled a rounded, dark gray suede piece of material from his pocket. He placed it on the back of his head.
“Okay, this is going to sound like a stupid question, but --”
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“How does it stay on?” Nate laughed. “Years of experience.” He pulled another piece of material out of this pocket, this one black. “You, however, get a bobby pin for your yarmulke.”
Lucas stood still while Nate gently pinned it in place. Their heads were close together, and Lucas could feel Nate’s warm breath. Nate stood back. “There you go. Looks good. What about me?” He laughed suddenly, rolling his eyes. “I know, I look like a complete dork.”
Fat snowflakes had begun to fall, nestling in Nate’s hair, and Lucas told him the truth.
“You look beautiful.”
Nate leaned closer, their lips inches apart. Just then, a van pulled up, unloading a chattering family who rushed by them up the steps. Lucas and Nate followed, finding a seat near the back. Lucas gazed in wonder at the blue and gold ceiling soaring high above. A center aisle separated rows of pews, and ornate chandeliers hung in pillared archways along each side of the room, with a gallery of extra seating on the left and right through the arches on the second level.
The rabbi spoke of freedom, and conquering fear and despair. As the service went on, Lucas found himself filled with a sense of peace and contentment he couldn’t remember ever experiencing.
For the first time since September, he thought of his father and smiled.
Glancing down to his left, he saw Nate’s hand on the bench beside him. Sliding his palm over the polished wood, he touched Nate’s pinky finger with his own. He would have been satisfied with just that small contact, but a few moments later, Nate flipped his hand over. As the congregation began singing, Lucas covered Nate’s palm with his own, threading their fingers together.
Lucas didn’t understand the words, but he tried to sing along anyway.
* * * * *
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After the service and socializing, Lucas and the Kramers pushed open the doors of the synagogue to discover the world had been covered in white. Large flakes of snow floated down, blanketing everything and giving the night an unnatural, serene brightness. They all paused in unison to admire the beauty of the winter’s first real snowfall.
Mrs. Kramer’s fingers brushed over Lucas’s yarmulke playfully. “It suits you, Lucas.
You’ll have to come and stay for Passover.” She planted a kiss on his cheek. “And I won’t take no for an answer!” Hooking her arm through her husband’s, she led the way down the snowy steps. “Come on, let’s go home and eat.”
Nate and Lucas followed side by side, neither of them able to hide their smile.
Keira Andrews
When not writing love stories, obsessing over her favorite TV shows, or spending far too much time online, Keira makes her living as a copywriter in Toronto. A passionate world traveler, she has a weakness for road trips, and it doesn’t take much to convince her to get behind the wheel and crank the stereo up. She once drove to Texas for the weekend to eat a good steak, drink a good margarita, and hug a good man. Keira also loves to read, watch movies, work out, and eat (although not necessarily in that order).
Visit Keira on the Web at www.keiraandrews.com.