Cold Turkey (John & Luke - Pt 1)

Chapter 3

"Well, thank you for your assistance, Luke." Sharon Eckley smiled and handed Luke a chilled can of soda. "Much appreciated."

"My pleasure, Mrs. Eckley." Luke opened the soda and glanced at John. "Did you ground him for taking so long to come home?"

John rolled his eyes as his mom laughed. "No," she mused. "But I like that idea. Are we still allowed to ground him?"

"No," John interjected quickly.

"Yes," Luke countered with a grin. "You're his parents. Parents never lose that right."

"Thanks a lot," John scowled. "You're not helping, you know?"

Luke chuckled and shrugged as he took a drink of soda. "Who said I was trying to help?"

Both of John's parents laughed.

Luke grinned and cleared his throat. "I guess I should be getting home before I get grounded." He looked at John. "Be a good host and show me to the door?"

"After that?" John stared at him. "I should kick you out the door."

"Well, you could try."

"Yeah, yeah," John muttered with a twitch of his lips. "You're so strong."

"Well..." Luke puffed out his chest and smirked. "I was a sports superstar in high school." He winked at John. "Or so I'm told."

Heat seeped into John's face and his chest tightened when his dad seemed to pick up on his sudden nervousness. He pointed toward the kitchen doorway. "The door is that way," he said and walked out ahead of Luke.

"Hey. You okay?" Luke asked when they were standing on the front porch. "I was just fucking with you back there."

"I know," John mumbled and avoided his eyes.

"So what's wrong?"

John sighed and finally met his stare. "My dad," he said. "I think...maybe..." he shrugged. "I don't know. I think maybe he...suspects something."

"You mean...about what we were doing in your room?"

"Yes," John said. "What else?"

Luke shifted his feet and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Would it really be so bad if he knew about us? I mean, he does know you're gay, right? Even if you haven't openly talked about it. Right?"

"Yeah, I...I guess," John stammered. "I've never actually told him I was gay. He's never seen me with a guy before. A boyfriend, I mean. I think a part of him is still in denial. Like...if he doesn't actually see it or hear it, then it isn't true."

"Mm." Luke nodded slowly and chewed his lower lip. He stared down at the porch. "So...you're not going to tell him about us, then?"

"Us?" John murmured, then shook his head. "There is no us. And maybe..." he sighed. "Maybe it was best that my dad came in when he did."

Luke lifted his eyes without raising his head. "Is this your not-so-subtle way of telling me we're not going to finish what we started?"

"We shouldn't have started it in the first place."

"Why?" Luke moved closer and rubbed his hands down John's arms. "You weren't complaining back in your room. In fact, you seemed very much in favor of it." He leaned in and brushed his lips over John's ear. "You can't just cut me off cold turkey...not now."

John trembled, his pulse quickening. "Cut you off?" he swallowed thickly. "It isn't like...we're together. We haven't even really done anything."

Luke pulled back and stared at him. "Haven't really done anything?" He raised an eyebrow. "So, all the kissing..." He dipped down and grazed John's mouth with his lips. "...and touching..." His hands settled on John's hips then slid around behind him, caressing his back and down over his ass. "...and being so hot to fuck each other..." He pulled John against him, their arousal for one another swelling simultaneously. "...was nothing?"

"Luke..." John glanced anxiously at the door and pushed Luke's hands away. "Don't."

With a heavy sigh, Luke stepped back. "You can't hide who you are forever, John. Maybe your dad has a hard time accepting this part of you, but he still loves you. He'll learn to deal. But if you keep suppressing it, you're going to become resentful and bitter-and it'll turn toward your dad. Hiding away isn't preserving your relationship with your dad, it's jeopardizing it." He touched John's face and kissed his mouth. "Think about that."

John watched him descend the porch steps and head down the walk. His throat tightened as a sudden, unexpected anger boiled over. "That's easy for you to say."

Luke halted abruptly and slowly turned. "What?"

His jaw tight and eyes stinging, John left the porch. "Everything comes easy for Luke Rivers," he said thickly. "I bet when your dad found out you were gay, he threw you a fucking party and bought you a trophy. But down here in peasantville, things aren't all glitter and sunshine."

Luke stared at him. "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about. And don't get pissed at me because you're too scared to tell your dad the truth."

John's chest heaved but he was suddenly without a comeback. Why was he getting pissed at Luke?

"You know what..." Luke started, then shook his head, his face tight, and spun away from John. "Fuck it." He headed across the street and climbed in the sleek black sports car parked in his driveway. The deep, smooth rumble of the engine and speed with which Luke took off was a punch to John's gut.

"You asshole," he berated himself. "Why the fuck did you do that?"

John turned back toward his own house, a heaviness in his chest. Luke had a point, John knew he did. But knowing what he needed to do-and actually doing it-were two very different things. Right now, his relationship with his dad was good, comfortable. What if he couldn't handle reality...and it destroyed what they had?

Was he willing to risk losing his dad?