and all, but not one of them knows the first thing about me. Not anything. Not what I want or what I’m good at. But those are the people I let tell me how to be.” He ran both hands through his short hair. “Shit, when I decided to spend my grandmom’s money to go to college, were they even a little proud? No, You’d have thought I killed John Wayne and spit on the flag.” He shook his head vehemently. “But no more. I’m done being some puppet for everybody around me.” He gazed at me, and his face softened. “I want to…” He licked his lips nervously. “I want to date you, Sean. You’re really smart. And you’re cute, and you make me laugh, and I liked kissing you, and you see more in me than anyone ever saw before.” He grinned. “So, I’m just gonna do it. I mean…if there’s any chance you would like to go out with me.”
My knees went weak, and a bubble of happiness pushed around all the organs in my body, making the world spin, so it was completely logical to step forward and fall against Bubba. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me tight. He was still wearing his parka, and it was cushy and so warm.
“Are you sure?” I asked, my voice muffled from where my face was pressed against the fabric. “People will probably make fun of you.”
His chuckle was a low rumble against my cheek. “I’d like to see them try. There are some advantages to being bigger than everyone else.”
I pulled back far enough to look up at him. I wanted to be excited and ecstatic, but I was honestly hesitant. Too good to be true? I didn’t want to get my hopes up only to have them dashed again. “What if you decide you don’t like dating a man? Or dating me, specifically? Maybe you should give this further consideration.”
Bubba looked amused. “Further consideration, huh? Maybe you’re right. Maybe we should double-check that we’re good together.”
“How do you propose we do that?”
“I could kiss you,” Bubba suggested, a spark of something new in his eyes.
“Oh.” My body immediately rang in with an affirmative vote on the idea. Heat pulsed in my groin, and I felt my penis grow and stretch along his thigh in my thin flannel PJ pants. I hadn’t even thought about what I’d been wearing when I answered the door, but now I realized I was in PJ bottoms and a long-sleeved T-shirt. It suddenly felt like I was wearing nothing at all.
“I think you like that idea,” Bubba murmured, and he lowered his head and pressed his lips on mine.
I’d been right about the chemistry. It was like taking my first bite of cheesecake all over again. Pleasure and delight coursed through me, curling my fingers into his parka and my toes in my socks. The chill of the house in winter was gone thanks to the hot blood roaring through my veins. I was energized and desperate, and at the same time, my body went oddly limp and compliant. It was a phenomenon I’d experienced briefly when we’d kissed in the student union, but I hadn’t had time for it to fully register. What a marvelous dichotomy. The sex urge was truly remarkable. Biologically speaking.
Bubba was a good seven inches taller than me, so our position was awkward. He picked me up and managed to sit on my bed with me without breaking the kiss. My legs cooperated as if I were actually coordinated, going around him easily so I was sitting on his thighs.
I sighed against his cheek in relief—this position was one I could hold indefinitely, and I intended to, my mind going fuzzy as he lazily sucked on my tongue. Mmmm.
But he gently broke the kiss. “Lemme take my coat off.”
“I don’t mind it,” I said, pushing on the cushy front.
One corner of his mouth turned up. “That’s good. But I’m getting kinda hot. And this would be more fun if we get closer.”
Oh. Right. Taking clothes off was a thing that happened during sex. Indeed, it was imperative.
I hopped up, wanting to give him space to remove whatever he cared to remove. As he unzipped the parka, I blurted, “What’s the verdict?”
He tossed his parka at the end of the bed and gave me a confused look.
“You said we should, uh, double-check. If we worked together.” I took a deep breath. “In my assessment, we