Long Pass Chronicles 02 - Canning the Center (15 page)

The head shook. “Unh-uh. No chance.”

Quiet. The molding on the doorframe dug into his back. “Uh, Trevor?”

“Umm.”

“Aren’t you cold? Your bare butt’s hanging out.”

“Put your hand over it.”

He did. Man, that was one great ass. His own rear end, on the other hand, was pressing against the hardwood. “Okay, baby, here we go.” In one move, he grabbed Trevor, lifted him, and stood up with Trevor’s lean body in his arms.

Trevor sighed and snuggled into his embrace. “Oh my, you’re so strong.”

“Bed or couch?”

“Ummm-hmmm.”

The couch was closer, but the bed had covers. He carried his pretty burden into the bedroom with not much light to guide him. Only a wall or two got bumped. Trevor didn’t seem to notice. Gently, he laid Trevor down and switched on the little night-light he had sitting on the floor because he didn’t have a bedside table.

Trevor lay still, one arm over his head, eyes closed.
Wow. Just wow
. His body was as long and lean as Jamal had suspected from seeing him in clothes. Hairless—he must shave or wax it off—with beautifully shaped calves and thighs. His shoulders were wider than a woman’s and his hips much narrower, so the fact that he managed to give such a feminine illusion in his clothes was some pretty great magic. But that cock lying relaxed against his leg was a hand-to-God testimony to his sex. Nice shape. Low-hanging balls. A show-er.

Jamal looked up Trevor’s long neck, arched back right now, to that beautiful face still made up like a woman. Trevor’s long lashes, painted black, created half-moon shadows on his cheekbones.
Wow again
. What had he ever done to deserve this guy in his bed? Even the heat spreading through his groin didn’t match the warmth in his heart.

Jamal walked into the bathroom, peed and washed, then wet a cloth with nice warm water and carried it back to the bed. Blue eyes greeted him. He sat on the edge of the bed and began wiping the crust of cum from Trevor’s smooth chest. “He lives.”

“Oh yes.” He stretched to let Jamal access more nooks and crannies.
Delicious
. “Nice bed.”

Jamal laughed. “See. You could have had the comfort of the king-size while getting fucked.”

“I liked what I got.”

“Who knew my cool little Trixie could get that hot?”

“Yeah. That’s exactly why I didn’t want to waste time getting to the bedroom.”

“Too turned on?”

Trevor nodded. “I tend to overthink things, which can take the hard out of my hard-on.”

“I didn’t notice a lot of extra thinking going on.”

He pressed a long-fingered hand against Jamal’s cheek. “You have that effect on me.”

“I’m glad.” He grinned. “But I thought you wanted to top me.”

Trevor stretched. “Mind if I save that for another time? Let me take off my makeup and then, you know, I’d kind of like to sleep. I don’t do that very well either, but I feel like I could.”

“I’d love that. Let me straighten the bed while you get ready.”

Trevor slid off the sheets and walked into the bathroom with that perfect ass flexing. The warmth around Jamal’s heart got a whole lot hotter.

He reemerged with all traces of Trixie gone, his skin scrubbed clean except for a little hint of pink still on his lips, and his hair pulled back in a tail.

Jamal smiled. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

Jamal waved a hand down the slim boy’s body. “Sharing the naked truth of Trevor with me.”

Funny that Trevor got a sad little frown before he climbed in bed and turned out the lights.

Chapter 10

T
REVOR
POINTED
at the line on the form and smiled up at the cute, geeky guy standing in front of his table. “Just fill this out and sign it. We appreciate all the support we can get for our campaign.”

The guy nodded several times. “I think gay athletes coming out is one of the best things that can happen for equal rights. I mean, kids look up to these guys and, if they know they’re gay, that’s a big step toward tolerance of other gay kids.”

“I agree. Thank you for your support.”

The guy walked away, and Edward leaned over. “Good to get that kind of backing.”

“Yeah. Sure doesn’t hurt.”

“Hey, Trevor.”

He didn’t have to look. The lilting, lisping voice gave the guy away. He glanced up and smiled. “Hey, Granby.”

Granby put a hand on his hip and glanced at Edward. “I’d like to support the cause.” He fished some money from his tight jeans pocket and put it, crumpled, on the table. “I know you guys have to buy a lot of supplies and stuff.” He smiled, and his darkened lashes fluttered. “I know you don’t want me in the alliance, but maybe I can help with something.”

What?
“Of course we want you in the alliance, Gran. Why would you think we don’t?”

Granby glanced at Edward, and the brown of his eyes melted. “Edward explained how it’s not good for the public and reporters and people to think all gay guys are like me.”

“What the fuck?” Trevor turned and stared at Edward, who had the good sense to look embarrassed. Trevor slid a piece of paper across the table to the boy. “Granby, please fill out this form and consider yourself a card-carrying member of the LGBT Alliance at this college. Got it?”

He beamed, pretty pink lips wide over his straight teeth. “Really? Are you sure?”

“I’m absolutely sure.”

“Thank you so much.”

“Our next rank and file meeting is the first of next month. You’ll get a text, okay?”

Granby clapped his hands and hopped. Trevor cringed a little, which made him feel like crap. “And if you want to come picket at the next football game, just show up when we muster, okay?”

“Yes. Thank you.” He looked over to the redhead, who was purposefully gazing in the other direction. “Thank you, Edward. Thank you so much.”

Edward glanced at Trevor. “Sure, Granby. No big.”

The guy practically danced away. Another person stepped up to the table, so Trevor only got to shoot one more dagger at Edward before they both had to be nice to the public. The
You Come Out for Us
campaign was really attracting attention.

Finally the line to show support slowed down, and Trevor turned on Edward. “Do you think it’s okay for assholes to beat up Granby?”

“What? Fuck no.”

“That’s what you’re saying to the world when you do shit like that. You’re saying ‘we don’t like him either, so what the fuck do we care what happens to him.’”

“He understood. We can’t expect the straights to accept us when we show that face to the world. Granby was okay with it. What’s up your ass?”

“Did you see how happy he was to get to help?”

“Shit. He just has a crush on me.”

“And you took advantage of it to tell him he’s not okay the way he is.” Jesus, he half wanted to hit Edward and half wanted to cry.

Edward slapped a hand on the table. “Is he? Do you want some prissy queen representing you?”

Shit, he felt like he’d been slapped. Weird heat surged behind his eyes.

“Hey, I’d like to sign up.” The woman in front of the table fingered their bumper stickers.

Edward smiled and held up a form to the woman. “We’d love to have you. Just fill this out and feel free to take one of those.”

Trevor scooted back the chair with a scrape, got up, and walked away from the table, fighting idiotic tears. Give him a couple minutes at his dressing table, and he could give Granby a master class in prissy.

T
HE
FOLDING
table creaked a bit under Jamal’s weight, so he rested one foot on the ground. The whole SCU team sat rapt in front of him. “I want you all to know that all the skills I’m using each day with the Diablos, I learned right here.” He nodded toward the gray-haired man on the chair to the side. “From Coach.”

The guys cheered and stomped.

“I’d say there’s one big difference. The players hit harder and they weigh more, so bulk up and get your gym time in, ’cause you’re gonna need it. I’m a lightweight on the offensive line.”

A couple of guys asked questions, and then they broke for refreshments. Jamal chewed a cookie and talked to the team members one-on-one. Coach walked up and gave his shoulder a pat. “Sounds like you’re doing great, Jamal.”

He nodded. “Yeah. I’m happy. Things are going well.”

Coach cocked his head. “Walk with me.”

Jamal smiled. That meant
talk to me
, and nobody was better at talking than Coach. They took their cookies out into the hall, away from the locker room.

“I didn’t hear quite as much enthusiasm in your voice as I thought I might.”

Jamal shrugged. “Lots of change, lots of politics. I’m crap with both.”

“You like playing?”

“Yes, sir. That part I love. West is good. Probably better than Will, even.”

“That’s what matters the most.”

Jamal nodded. “Will told me you said to him that happiness is the key.”

“Funny he remembered that.” He paused and leaned against the wall. “You have anyone special in your life?”

He’d never told Coach he was gay because he’d mostly dated girls in college. “Yeah. I mean, it’s new—but yeah.” He could feel the grin spread across his face.

Coach grinned back. “That’s good. I hope it works out.”

“Thanks. Me too.”

“I really appreciate you coming. These guys will keep you all night, so I should probably spring you from here so you can get on with your day. I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you, sir. That means a lot.”

“Don’t let the politics get you down. There’s a lot of it in life. Change too.”

“Yeah. So I’m finding.”

“You’re a brave man. Remember that.”

“What?” Jamal shook his head. “My brothers got the courage in the family. Even my sister calls me Ferdinand.”

Coach laughed. “If most people saw nine hundred pounds of monsters intent on canning them, they’d run away. Think about it.” He laughed again and slapped Jamal’s shoulder. “Come back and see us. You have my number?”

“Yes, sir. I do.”

“Use it anytime.”

Wow
. “Thank you.”

Coach ambled back into the locker room.

Brave. Huh
.

Jamal walked out into the sunlight of the early fall day. Hottest time of the year in SoCal. His car was thatta way. He glanced to the left and started walking to the right. Okay, so chances were slim and this was a spread-out campus. More of a neighborhood, really, with college buildings interspersed with other homes and businesses. But a lot centered on the student union building—all roads led there. Plus, if he remembered, the math building was somewhere around there too. Hell, he had a little while. His dick hopped.

The phone in his pocket buzzed. That vibration combined with his thoughts of Trevor made for a regular sex toy. He grabbed the phone.
Will
. “Hey, buddy.”

“Hi.” He sounded funny.

“What’s up?”

“Do you know a really pretty girl named Lavinda who goes to school at UCLA?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Will chuckled. “Good. I was kind of worried maybe she was some secret football groupie who was trying to penetrate your inner circle.”

What the fuck?
“You met her?”

“Yeah. She came into the art department with a guy Noah and I know. Said she was a friend of yours, and she seemed to know you, but we wanted to be sure.”

“Uh, what did she say?”

“Nothing much. She mentioned you’d talked about me and Noah to her, so I figured she really was a friend.”

Jamal sighed. “Only kind of.”

“Oh?”

“She’s the sister of Boogaloo Johnson.”

“The guard?”

“Yeah. And he’s been trying to hook us up since I started.”

“Well, she’s gorgeous.”

“Yeah.” Should he say anything? He didn’t keep things from Will much. “Except I’ve got somebody else I’m interested in, which didn’t make Boogaloo or Lavinda very happy.”

“No kidding? Who?” He turned away from the phone, probably to talk to Noah. “Jamal’s got somebody he’s scoping.” Will’s voice got closer again. “Female or guy?”

Jamal laughed. “Both.”

“What?

“You ready?”

“I don’t know, am I?”

“It’s Trixie LaRue.”

Will caught his breath, and Jamal could hear it. “You’re shitting me?”

“I wouldn’t.”

“Noah, Jamal’s dating Trixie LaRue!” A shriek in the background made Jamal laugh again. “Tell me. Now!”

“I went back to see her again. She noticed me too. We hooked up.”

“Dear God, there are so many details not shared in that statement.”

“True, but I’m actually standing on the campus of SCU at the moment where she, I mean he, goes to school.”

“No shit?”

“A student of advanced mathematics.”

“Are you stalking him?”

Jamal chuckled. “Not exactly. I came here to talk to the football team. But I will admit he doesn’t know I’m here, and I’m trying to see if I can find him with evil intentions. The whole thing’s kind of complicated since I can’t really be seen with a guy that pretty without causing talk so—” Jamal took a deep breath. “He went to a party with me dressed as Trixie.”