Cell Mates (boyxboy) (Book 1: Behind Bars)

Chapter 7: Just a kiss.

He took two steps back. "That was a mistake."

"How terribly cliché. Why do men always do this? They finally do something that's worthwhile in their lives and the moment they're confronted with it they start running scared." And now I sounded like a chick.

"You read too many romance novels. There are a lot of things in this world I'm afraid of Riley, but trust me; this isn't one of them. If I say I'm not interested it means I'm not interested and just because I made the mistake of kissing you once doesn't mean that it was anything other than just that. A mistake. Now drop it." he retorted, then took another step back to lean against the wall.

He shoved his hands into his shallow pants pockets and turned his head to look out into the corridor. The noise from before had finally died down some and I could hear the snapping of my too long fingernail as I bit into it.

And with all the emotions and probable comebacks roiling around in my head, all I managed to say was; "I've never read a romance novel in my life."

At least I got him to smile but as soon as it had appeared it was gone and we were right back where we'd started. I took a step forward then took a deep breath.

"Just tell me why." I said.

"Why what? Why I won't have sex with you?" he asked incredulously and I blushed.

When he put it like that it made me seem foolish and loose. Neither of which I was.

"Do you have a boyfriend? Is that why?" I questioned praying he wouldn't say yes.

"Boyfriend? Why couldn't it be a girlfriend?" he questioned with a raised brow.

"Are you bisexual then?"

He still looked incredulous.

"Does it matter?" was his question and I shook my head in answer.

Silence descended for a few minutes, where I stared at him and he stared into the corridor.

Look, we're in prison...not exactly the ideal place to start a relationship...even if it's just sexual." He started and when I made to interrupt, he raised a hand and I fell silent, "and what if I have some disease? Did you even think of that?" he asked and I thought about it for a second.

"Do you?"

"No." he answered. "But that's not the point-"

"See you don't have a disease and neither do I and really who cares if it's not ideal...sex is sex right?"

What I didn't tell him was that for me it was more than just the sex I was after. I'd read enough books, blogs and watched enough TV to know that bonds could be forged through a sexual relationship.

I was hoping it would start out that way and eventually he'd grow to have feelings for me as I had developed for him.

"I'm not having sex with you Riley. It's just not gonna happen okay?" he said but he wouldn't look at me and that gave me the boost I needed to go on.

"Fine... no sex, then how about a kiss?" I said and he looked at me, suspicion tinged his gaze.

"One kiss and that's it...I won't bother you about it anymore." I lied.

"No." he said and I gritted my teeth in frustration.

"One kiss Nathan...why are you being such a coward?" I said the words out of frustration but the moment they left my mouth I wished I could take them back.

I braced myself for an attack but none came. Instead Nathan just stood there seeming unaffected by my words as he looked out into the empty corridor.