The V- in 403C - Jess Bryant Page 0,37

I’m not normal. I never have been. My parents moved us around constantly. I was never in the same classroom for more than a year. At times, their work was so remote they home-schooled me. Add to that I was basically a child prodigy. I started college at sixteen. I’ve never been on a level playing field with my peers. I didn’t get to experiment like most teens do and figure out who I was and what I like. I never had the chance to pass notes or go to the movies or a football game with the guy I liked and see if it went any further. I’m awkward and I get lost in my head and I don’t know how to do the things that most guys my age know how to do, so you should just leave, Reed. Really, just go. Chalk this one up to a mistake and move on. No hard feelings.”

Reed stared at the man in front of him, telling him to leave even as his words made Reed want to pull him closer. He’d done his research after that first day of class. He’d figured out that Jonah was a genius and had jumped ahead of everyone else their age. He was impressed by all that he’d accomplished, not intimidated or scared. And the idea that Jonah had never had a chance to figure out what he liked made Reed’s deep-seeded caveman tendencies itch for the chance to be the one to help him figure it out.

If that little speech was supposed to send Reed running for the hills, it had the exact opposite effect.

“So…” Reed held his ground and tried to keep his voice casual, “You’ve never had the chance to figure out what you like, but you know you like men?”

Jonah gave a pitiful shrug, “I…sometimes. I like you.”

“Lucky me.” Reed smiled softly but Jonah only rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, lucky you.” His voice was sarcastic and Reed instantly shook his head.

“I like you too, Jonah. I like you a lot and I’m not running away. I want you to stop running from me too.”

“Wh-what?” Jonah took a surprised step back when Reed took one towards him.

“I like you and you just said you like me, so let’s see where this goes.” Reed stepped forward again and Jonah didn’t step away this time. He took that as a good sign. “We’ll take it slow. I won’t pressure you for anything more than you’re ready to give. If I start to do anything you don’t like, you say the word and I stop. How about that?”

Jonah’s dark eyes went wide and he gaped at Reed for a moment. His lashes covered his eyes momentarily and when they flipped back up, Jonah’s gaze was still confused but there was something else there. Something hot and wanting lurked just beneath the surface.

“You want to… now?”

Reed tried and failed not to smirk at the breathy roundabout way Jonah asked the question, “No. Not right now. Right now I want you to go start a warm shower.”

“Huh?” Jonah tilted his head.

“Go take a hot shower, Jonah.” Reed ordered. “Get out of these wet clothes. Warm up. Get comfortable. I’m not going anywhere but you’re going to catch a cold if you don’t get changed.”

Jonah blinked, as if surprised, but he didn’t question Reed’s order. He gave another nod and then, without a word, he turned and retreated across the apartment, disappearing into another room. Reed’s chest swelled as he heard water start running on the other side of the door.

He’d always liked being in control. The rest of his life was usually a shitshow of things he couldn’t control so when it came to sexual encounters, he liked being the one calling the shots. But never had he liked giving an order as simple as telling a man to go take a shower and seeing that man do exactly what he said without question.

There was trust there. More than he probably deserved. And he would never break it. Never.

He felt the weight of the power that came with that kind of trust. Jonah trusted him. He’d left him alone in his apartment while he went to shower. On the other side of that door he was naked and wet now and he’d let Reed stay without complaint or question.

If he was going to be the first man to touch and taste and feel Jonah come apart for him, he wasn’t going to break that trust. He would