Impact

Chapter Ten

The next morning, Nate woke with a warm, heavy arm wrapped around his waist. It took him a second to remember what had happened the night before. He smiled to himself as he gently rolled over and looked at Tommy. He still didn't believe anything was coming from this. Certainly, last night was some kind of fluke with the jock. But he watched the peace and serenity on Tommy's face. If nothing else, Tommy was himself last night, possibly for the first time in his life. There was no backlash; no teasing. Just Tommy.

Nate took a finger and traced the tip from the middle of Tommy's hand; up his forearm; shoulder and then to his exposed chest. The jock shuttered and moved his arm free, pulling the blanket up over himself and turning away. Nate chuckled and got up to use the bathroom. When he returned he cuddled up to Tommy from behind, allowing himself to drape his arm over the jock's waist.

Tommy took in a long breath and arched his back into a catlike stretch before turning over and meeting his eyes. Nate's heart fluttered, unsure of what the reaction was going to be. He was betting on the jock leaping up, freaking that they were in the same bed and ranting about what a mistake it had all been.

"Morning." Tommy said, finishing his stretch.

"Good morning." Nate replied with a small smile. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm....I'm okay. You?" He asked.

"I'm good."

Tommy was quiet for a moment as he looked around the room before he brought his eyes back to Nate's

"I never would have imagined I'd end up here." He said. "Usually, I don't stick around for the morning after. And I definitely didn't think it would happen with another guy."

"Morning after?'' Nate chuckled. "We didn't even do anything. Well, not beyond second-base, anyway." Nate smiled.

"I know....I'm sorry that I stopped everything. I know what it's like to be....cut off after things get hot."

"It's not a big deal. From what I could tell, your body was willing." Nate raised his eyes brows playfully. "But I'm a patient guy. Even if this goes no further than where we are now." Nate lay his head back on the pillow. He got chills when Tommy put a hand on his cheek and moved in for a soft kiss before laying back down.

"So, where does this leave us?" Tommy asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Are we dating, are we....together? I don't understand how this works." Tommy asked almost shamefully.

"T, I know you're a jock but you can't possibly be that dumb. It works the same as it does for every relationship. What do you want? And be honest...."

"You." Was Tommy's initial reply. "But, I can't ask you to stay in the shadows because I'm afraid of being exposed."

"So what? You wanna go back and have a big coming out party? We could get scantily-clad male dancers and have rainbow everything!" He laughed at the look on Tommy's face.

"Funny. Very funny. I'm not even sure I'm gay, I mean I like having relationships and sex with women. But...." Tommy looked away.

"Okay, so maybe you're bi. But why do we have to label it? You could just leave it as we like one another. And, no, I don't want to be a secret you keep from everyone all the time. But, this is all new to you and until you're more acclimated to it all, I don't mind being a friend, or companion, or lover; whatever you need in the background for now."

"But different parts of me are telling me different things. They conflict. How do I tell which is what I want?" Tommy said, worry in his voice.

"We take it a step at a time. Here in Rhode Island, no one knows you, T. Right now is the chance for you to really look into yourself and decide if you can handle what you see." Nate smiled kindly and then they were silent for a while.