Chapter 130

    The next morning, Byron worked up the courage to ask the man about the night before.

   “W-w-why d-d-didn’t you...?” He couldn’t finish the question.

   “Byron, if I wanted a terrified little boy, I could go to any city in the world and find one in minutes. I married you. I haven’t done that in more years than you can imagine. I want you to enjoy it.”

    Byron stared at the counter, blushing again. “W-w-why k-k-kidnap m-m-me?”

   “Two reasons. One: your parents would not approve.”

   “And the s-s-second r-r-reason?”

   “That’s for me to know. May I kiss you?”

   Byron nodded. He knew the man was simply avoiding the subject by asking to kiss him. The man’s lips were warm against his own. This time he paid a lot more attention than he’d paid yesterday. A gentle pressure persuaded him to open his mouth. His eyes widened in surprise as the other man’s tongue slid inside his mouth. Soon the tongue was stroking him in imitation of intercourse. His body tightened with desire and he responded enthusiastically to his husband’s kiss.

   It ended eventually and Byron breathed heavily as he leaned against the other man.

   “Th-th-that was amazing.”

   “Thank you, I aim to please.”

   “C-c-can you t-t-tell m-m-me your n-n-name?”

   “You may call me Kory.”

   Byron wrinkled his nose. He’d have preferred a different one. One that would not highlight his stammer.

   “Do you play chess?”

    He nodded.

   “Good. Would you like to play?”

   Byron sat across the chess board and quickly demolished him.

   “I’m impressed. You’re very good.”

    He shrugged, he was a genius. The only reason he hadn’t graduated high school yet was that he didn’t want to be separated from his brother Burke. Burke never made fun of his stutter, or his fear of well, everything, or his unusual fashion sense. Byron suddenly realized that Kory had never once commented on his stutter. Either he already knew about it, or it simply didn’t matter to him.

   “Do you garden?”

   Byron shook his head. There were snakes and spiders out there hiding among the plants. His father had insisted they were harmless, but he’d been terrified of them ever since his older brothers hid one in his bed as a child.

   “I see. Do you mind if I join you in bed tonight?”

    “N-n-no.” Byron wondered how long it would take before Kory grew impatient and simply took him.