“Are you ready?” Beck squeezed my shoulder.
I nodded but kept staring at my phone as if it were a bomb that could go off anytime.
I still hadn’t told my parents about my degree change, but I couldn’t put it off forever and had scheduled a call with my mother.
We’d just finished a rather enthusiastic round of lovemaking, where Beck had bent me over his desk, over his couch, pressed me against the wall, and finally came while I’d ridden him like a crazed cowboy on a bucking bronco.
It was Wednesday night, and no one was home. It was about as much privacy as we got, and we hadn’t bothered to be careful with how loud we’d been.
Now that it was almost Halloween and I’d finally finished catching up on my new classes, we were able to have more than just quick and quiet fucks.
“You’ve got this.” He kissed my cheek. “I’m right here.”
I squeezed his hand, then pressed my mother’s contact info.
I’d chosen to tell her instead of my dad. Cowardly maybe, but I couldn’t stand his yelling. I knew they’d be pissed and went with the lesser of the evils.
“Phineas,” she answered, her voice crisp and sharp in my ear. “What did you need to talk to me about?”
Would she ever just answer with a hello?
“It’s about school.”
“What about it?”
A muffled sound came over the speaker, then the murmur of voices. She was talking to someone.
I waited. Of fucking course. Couldn’t she put her life on hold for five minutes to talk to me?
“This isn’t a good time.” She came back on the line.
It was never a good time. It didn’t even come as a surprise she was already trying to beg off, even though she’d set the time.
“This will only take a second.”
“What is it?”
“I’m not going to law school.”
“I don’t have time for this.”
Huh? Not the reaction I’d expected.
“You are, and that’s the end of it,” she continued.
“No, I’m not. I already transferred my degree.”
“What?”
Now I had her attention.
“I’m getting my PhD, and I’m going to be an astronomer.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Yes. I am.”
“Phineas Stewart Donovan.” Her tone was cold, sharp. Angry. “Do you have any idea how much time and effort your father and I have put into your future? You’re going to law school. You’re going to be an attorney. End of story.”
“No.”
“Phin—”
“I understand that you and Dad are disappointed, angry even. But it’s my life, not yours. I hate law. I’d be miserable as a lawyer, and you know it.”
Beck squeezed my hand, silently encouraging me to keep going.
“You can cut me off, but it doesn’t matter. It’s done, and you’re not going to change my mind.”
“You’d really walk away from your family over something as trivial as this?”
“This isn’t trivial!” I burst out. “This is my life we’re talking about. You already lost one son because of your pathological need to control everything and everyone around you. Are you prepared to lose both of us?”
“We only want what’s best for you.” Her voice had softened, but I knew she still hadn’t heard me.
“I know. But what’s best for me is to live my life the way I choose. I’ve gone along with your plans because I was terrified that this would happen. But I wasn’t happy. I deserve to be happy.”
Silence filled the line.
“I don’t expect you to support my choice or me. I hope we can still have a relationship, but I’m prepared to walk away if you choose not to.”
“Your brother—”
“Isn’t part of this. This is between you, me, and Dad. You’re my parents, and I love you, but I’m done living like this.”
“I have to go. We’ll talk later.”
She ended the call, and I pulled the phone from my ear. What the fuck? She just hung up on me. Unbelievable.
“Babe?” Beck ran his hand through my hair. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” And it was the truth. I felt lighter than I had in years.
Maybe ever.
“She didn’t take it well?”
“About as well as I expected. She middle named me and tried to order me to fall in line.”
“But you fought back.”
“I did.”
He smiled. “And how did it feel?”
“Awesome.” I grinned, then sobered. “Is it wrong that I’m not broken up about potentially losing my parents?”
“Not when they’re so toxic. Want to lie down for a bit?”
We settled on his bed with me snuggled up to him, one leg threaded through his and my arm over his stomach. He ran his hand through my hair soothingly.
“How would you feel about going away this weekend?” I asked.
“I’d feel pretty good about it. What were you thinking?”
“I kinda did a thing.”
He chuckled. “What did you do?”
“I may or may not have gotten us tickets to the Kings versus Kraken game on Saturday night. I thought we could play tourist and you could show me all your favorite spots.”
“I can ask my parents if they don’t mind us staying with them for a few days.” He rubbed my arm.
My heart stuttered. He wanted to tell his parents about us?
“You could, but I booked us a hotel room for the weekend,” I nuzzled into him. “The suite has big windows and a hot tub in the middle of the living room. Private but still open enough for a little thrill.”
“That sounds incredible.” He kissed the top of my head. “I’ve never been in anything fancier than a Holiday Inn.”
“So that’s a yes?”
“That’s a yes.” He brushed his fingers through my hair. “We’re going to have to get you a jersey. We can’t go to a game between our teams and not wear rival jerseys.”
“Dex sent me one.” I ran my hand over his flat stomach. “Do you want to come with me to visit him over Thanksgiving?”
“You want me to?” he asked.
“Yeah. I always spend the holidays with him. We don’t have any other family. He did a Friendsgiving thing a few years ago, back when I was a freshman, but we never did the fancy meal or the traditions at home so he didn’t really get all the fuss. We usually spent the holiday hanging out at home and eating whatever our housekeeper made while our parents were out at one function or another.”
“That’s really sad.”
“It’s what we’re used to.”
“Holidays are always nuts at my house. Between the six of us, the three spouses, random significant others, and grandkids, it’s a zoo. Then my aunts and uncles and cousins usually stop by at some point, and it’s standing room only.”
“You don’t have to come. Not if you have plans.”
“No, I want to.” He rolled onto his side so we were looking at each other, our heads on the same pillow. “I’d like to meet your brother. And a break from the chaos sounds nice.”
I grinned. “Yeah?”
He lifted his hand and traced my upper lip with his thumb. “Finn?” He didn’t continue, just stared at me, his eyes full of tenderness and affection.
“Beck?”
“I love you.”
Huh? Did he say what I thought he said?
“Finn?” He frowned.
“I love you too,” I blurted out. “You just caught me by surprise.”
He smiled, his features relaxing. “I probably could have found a better segue. I just needed to tell you.”
I put one hand on his cheek and pressed a quick kiss against his lips.
“I love you, Beck,” I whispered.
He sighed and pulled me close to kiss me.
“Will you sleep here tonight?” he asked when we broke the kiss.
“Good luck kicking me out.” I threw one leg over his hip and scooted closer, my erection bumping his.
He laughed and slid one hand down to my lower back, then yanked me against him and ground our cocks together.
“You want a turn at my ass?”
“Fuck, yeah.” I kissed him, then slapped his ass playfully. “Get on your hands and knees so I can get my tongue in you.”
Groaning, he rolled over, settled on the mattress, and presented his ass to me.
The fact that this gorgeous, sexy, and incredible man not only trusted me enough to let me inside him but also craved it as much as I did was still a bit of a shock.
Now that I knew for sure he loved me, I was a goner.
Beck was it for me. We still had some hurdles to overcome, but we’d figure things out. It might not be easy, but it was worth it.
Never have I ever fallen in love with my roommate.
