STORY EXCERPT

“Dad.” Cullen rolled his eyes. His father was a pharmacist and the thought of being stuck around a bunch of kids was a fear of his.

“What?” His dad raised his hands in the air. “Not all kids are as well behaved as you. You were always more mature then the other kids your age,” he said proudly.

“I’ll give you that.”

 Some kids were absolute monsters, Cullen thought to himself. If anyone knew how obnoxious and cruel kids could be, it was Cullen. He’d had his own bully from the sixth grade until he graduated from high school. Cullen knew all too well how some kids didn’t behave. Granted, after Glenn saved his life, Cullen should have felt more gratitude toward the guy, but it was really hard to let go of the past. He was very thankful Glenn did what he’d done, but it didn’t change how Cullen felt. Maybe that made him an asshole, but years of abuse suffered at the hands of another was hard to forget.

“So give me the details.” Cullen rubbed his hands together and smiled wildly up at his father.

“Well, we’ve been seeing each other for close to a year now.”

“What?” Cullen’s smacked both hands down on the table, garnering the attention of the people at nearby tables. Cullen leaned in close to whisper. “Almost a year? And you never once thought to tell me?”

“No offense, son, but I didn’t have to tell you now and besides”—his dad shrugged—“you’ve been busy with your own life. I barely see you anymore. It was kind of nice just having something for myself. Plus I didn’t want you to meet her and then us not work out.”

“Once again I’m twenty years old, not five,” Cullen reminded his dad. “I can handle you dating.”

“I know, I know, but I think it was more for my benefit.” His father ran a hand through his hair. “This dating stuff is really new to me and I was nervous. I’m always second-guessing myself.”

Cullen nodded. It was nice to know even adults like his dad found dating hard. When Cullen was in high school, dating was nonexistent for him. He was a nerd and no one gave him a second glance, not unless Glenn picking on him relentlessly counted. And now in college, he hadn’t met anyone that caught his attention. Cullen was open to both men and women because without ever having been attracted to another person in his entire life he wasn’t sure what or who he wanted. Cullen was starting to think he might be asexual. It was a possibility.

“Dad, you’re a great guy I’m sure you have nothing to worry about.” He reassured his dad. “So who is this mystery woman? You said she teaches over at the elementary school. What’s her name? I might know who she is.”

“Her name’s Nikki.” His father’s face lit up, his smile growing wider. “And she is just amazing. We have so much in common. We’re both single parents, we both love to read, we have a shared love of The Walking Dead, and we both have sons.”

“Nikki?” Cullen wracked his brain, trying to remember a teacher by the name of Nikki from when he went to grade school but was drawing a blank. “I’m not sure I remember her. What’s her last name?”

“You might not have been attending elementary school while she was there. Being a single parent working two jobs, she had to take classes when the time allowed it. I believe she started teaching after you moved on to the sixth grade. Her name is Nikki, Nikki Shephard.”

Cullen cocked his head to the side in thought. That name sounded familiar but he wasn’t sure why. He’d never had a teacher by that name before but something about it—

“Gavin!” a cheerful female voice said from behind Cullen and he turned to see who this woman was.

“Nikki, sweetie, it’s good to see you.” His dad stepped around the table to hug the woman.

Cullen saw that she was tall and thin, with pretty dark wavy brown hair and olive-colored skin. She had huge brown eyes that looked eerily familiar as well.

“Nikki, this is my son, Cullen.” His dad motioned with his hand toward him.

Cullen set his napkin down on the table and stood up to greet the pretty lady whom his dad was completely smitten with. It was obvious in his dopey smile and flushed face.

“Hi, Nikki, it’s nice to—” Whatever else Cullen might have said was cut off at the sight of who was walking up behind Nikki and placing his hands on her shoulders. “Shephard.” Cullen did his best to swallow around the lump in his throat. Standing behind the woman was no other than Glenn. Glenn Shephard.

It had been close to two years since he’d seen Glenn last and he’d changed a lot in that time, and all for the better. Where Cullen still looked the same—short, thin, and big glasses—Glenn had grown into his already thick body. The muscles in his arms and chest nearly burst at the seams of his tight black polo shirt. His shaggy black hair hung loose around his head in a slight wave similar to his mother’s. His huge brown eyes bore into Cullen’s blue ones.

“Hey, Cullen, long time no see,” Glenn said, a big smile on his face. He held out his hand for Cullen to shake.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Because it’s the truth,” Cullen shouted. “You can fool everyone else but you can’t fool me.” He stomped toward Glenn, and jabbed him in the chest with his finger. “You come back here with this bullshit that you like me. Since when? You made my life a living hell for so long and now you expect me to believe that you miraculously changed your mind and want to be with me, Cullen Ford?” Cullen poked him again in the chest. “I’m sorry, Glenn, I’m not buying it. And if it is real, that you want me, how do you expect me to get past everything you’ve ever done to me?”

“What happened to you?” Glenn asked. He didn’t like this Cullen very much.

“You happened to me.” Cullen crossed his arms over his puffed out chest and stood a little taller. “I’m not that scared wimp anymore, Glenn. I’m stronger now and I won’t allow you to fuck with my life anymore.”

“I’m not trying to fuck anything up for you, Cullen.” Glenn let his arms fall limp at his sides. “I just want you to give me a chance. Get to know me as I am now, not the boy from high school who was too confused for his own good.”

“Like I said, I’m not interested.”

“Why? Do you like someone else?” Cullen started to turn away but Glenn wasn’t about to let him. He grabbed his wrist, yanking him to a stop. “Is it that Corbin guy?”

“This has nothing to do with him and everything to do with you.” Cullen looked down where Glenn had his hand wrapped around his wrist, then up to his eyes. “Let go of me.”

“I can’t do that.” Glenn shook his head. “Not again.” Glenn moved in close and pinned Cullen’s arms to his sides as he began to struggle. “I’ve been letting you get away from me since we were thirteen years old.” Cullen’s body stiffened. Glenn bent his head down to rub his cheek against Cullen’s. “Can’t you see I’ll never give up on you?”

Glenn pressed his lips to Cullen’s and sighed in relief when Cullen didn’t push him away. Glenn lightly brushed his lips over Cullen’s, coaxing him to kiss him back. Cullen let out a heavy sigh and rose up on his toes to bring his mouth closer to Glenn’s. Glenn wound his arms around Cullen’s back and lifted him up off the floor. Cullen wrapped his legs around Glenn’s waist and clung tightly to him. Glenn stumbled forward, shoving Cullen up against the wall and kissed him deeply, unleashing all his pent-up longing since their youth.

Cullen kissed him back with just as much aggression, as if he too had been waiting for the right moment to let go and succumb to his desires. Glenn shoved his hips forward, pinning Cullen in place, freeing his hands to tug Cullen’s shirt off.

“You’re perfect. So fucking perfect.” Glenn let his hands roam up and down Cullen’s pale chest. His rose-colored nipples hardened under his touch. Glenn pinched and plucked at the little nubs.

“Glenn.” Cullen fisted his hands in Glenn’s hair, pulling him close.

Glenn covered Cullen’s nipple with his mouth and sucked and nipped at the tender peak. Cullen thrust his hard cock against Glenn’s stomach in a fast rhythm. With the need to feel his mate’s naked flesh against his own, Glenn held on to Cullen and walked him back to the bed. He laid him down gently, then hovered over him. Glenn just stared down at Cullen for a few seconds, then reached out to touch the lean muscle that corded around his body. Glenn couldn’t believe that Cullen was finally giving in. A few stolen kisses weren’t enough. He wanted to savor this moment for as long as he could. Glenn reached for the fastening on Cullen’s jeans and quickly pulled them and Cullen’s underwear off of his legs.

“You’re just as I imagined you’d be.” Glenn bent down to kiss the inside of Cullen’s thigh. His sweet minty scent combined with sweat caused his mouth to fill with drool.

“What, pasty white and scrawny?” Cullen asked. His hands were fidgeting at his sides.

“I think you’re absolutely gorgeous.” Glenn kissed his way up Cullen’s thigh, stopping to bury his nose in Cullen’s hairless, firm balls, breathing deeply. From there he flicked out his tongue to trace the thick vien on the underside of Cullen’s cock. Cullen’s hip bucked up off the bed. When Glenn reached the weeping tip, he swirled his tongue around the mushroom-shaped head, humming in delight at the sweet and salty taste of his pre-cum. Glenn wanted to explore the rest of Cullen’s body but he was eager to taste his mate’s cum. He wanted to be filled with Cullen’s release and he wanted to hear the glorious sounds his mate would make.

Glenn stared up at Cullen. His eyes were closed and his mouth hung open as he gasped for air. Glenn grabbed Cullen’s cock by the base and held it up then opened his mouth to swallow him whole. If it weren’t for Glenn’s left hand on Cullen’s hips, his mate would have leapt off the bed.

“Oh God, Glenn!” Cullen cried out in a sob. His body became flush and a layer of sweat broke out along his skin.

Cullen’s cock head felt spongy against Glenn’s tongue and his taste was unique, an earthy flavor combined with mint chocolate chip ice cream. Glenn used his tongue to wet the shaft and began to bob his head up and down the velvety smooth shaft.