The Geek and His Artist (41 page)

Big green eyes blinked, darting from one end of the room to the other. “You set this up?”

“Well, Amy actually put it out, you know, set everything up, with help from Dirk. But, uh, yeah, it was my idea.” He felt the heat rising on his face, worried about what Simon was thinking, until Simon looked up, smile spreading slowly.

“It’s amazing. Thank you.”

Jimmy leaned in and kissed him firmly. “Care to have a bite to eat?”

Simon nodded and Jimmy led him over to the blankets. He paused at his laptop where it sat on the dresser and hit the button to play music. Tokio Hotel started softly singing about monsoons, and Simon grinned. Jimmy hit the button to turn on the fireplace, then sat next to Simon.

They looked out the window for a long moment at the Falls below. With the sun still going down, it was breathtaking. He took Simon’s hand and kissed it, smiling when Simon tugged and then kissed his back.

Taking a deep breath in the hopes of calming his heart, he tried to decide if he should shuffle things around a little. His nerves were making him crazy. But just then, Simon’s stomach grumbled and decided for him. Simon blushed, and Jimmy leaned in and kissed his cheeks quickly. He turned and took the tray off the table and set it in front of them.

Yet again, Jimmy was going to owe his sister. One plate had bits of roast beef, ham, and either chicken or turkey. Another held cheddar and Monterey Jack in cubes. A bowl sat next to those, with grapes, strawberries, and mango chunks. On a smaller plate, Amy had put what looked like french bread cut into slices.

Jimmy smiled up at Simon. “Dinner?”

Simon blinked at the tray, then looked up at Jimmy. “Wow.”

Jimmy grinned. “I like that. I’m going to have to think of more things like this.”

Simon laughed. “No. I have to come up with something now.”

“It’s not a competition, baby.” Jimmy shook his head, giving Simon a quick, hard kiss before picking up a piece of ham and holding it out. Simon reached out to take it with his fingers, but Jimmy pulled it back. Simon raised his eyebrows but opened his mouth for Jimmy to feed him. He nearly groaned when Simon’s tongue licked at his thumb before taking the bit of ham.

Simon took a turn next, picking up a piece of roast beef and offering it. Jimmy did the same thing Simon had, opening his mouth for Simon to feed it to him, then licking Simon’s fingers before chewing. His eyes stayed glued to Simon’s face and couldn’t miss the pupils expanding in reaction. He managed—barely—to keep from dropping his gaze to Simon’s lap, but he had a feeling Simon was reacting the same as he was.

Instead, he focused on offering a piece of cheese, which Simon took. Then he ate a grape from Simon’s fingers. They kept this up, feeding each other the bits, kissing lightly now and again between bites. Jimmy was struggling hard to remember what he wanted to do, and turned to pick up the grape juice.

“What’s that?” Simon asked in a soft voice.

“Sparkling grape juice. Amy offered to buy real champagne, but I didn’t think you’d want alcohol.”

Simon shook his head. “No. Thank you for thinking of it.”

Jimmy smiled. “I like to think I’ve learned a bit about you.” He grinned at the blush on Simon’s cheeks. Simon didn’t answer, and Jimmy focused on pouring the juice into the champagne glasses. He handed one to Simon. “I think this is where we’re supposed to do a toast.” He blushed. “Uh, to fixing things?”

Simon nodded. “Yes. To talking.” They touched glasses, then took long drinks.

Jimmy’s stomach dropped and his heart sped up as he set the glass down and reached behind the ice bucket. His hand shook a little as he picked up the tiny box, and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He cleared his throat—twice—then forced himself to speak. Keeping his hand around the box and behind his back, he looked into Simon’s beautiful green eyes, and the look in them, the love he saw, steadied him.

“I was going to wait until prom to do this.” He took another breath. “And, uh, I know we’re young. I know my family’s kind of, uh, pushed us. But it’s not why I want to do this.” He swallowed and pulled the box out from behind his back, opening it. He looked at the ring, a band of Swarovski crystals, slightly offset from each other, alternating clear white and amber, the closest he could get to Simon’s favorite, brown. He turned the box and held it out to Simon. “I love you. I know we’re young, but I know we can do this, we can have what my parents have. Will you marry me?”

S
IMON
’
S
HEART
stopped. He stared at the box, at the beautiful ring, then up at Jimmy. He’d dreamed of it, wished for it, but didn’t really think it would happen. He swallowed around the lump that had suddenly filled his throat, trying to remember how to breathe. He looked again at the ring and it started to blur.

Could he do this? Could he have a normal life after everything The Bastard had done? His counselor thought so, had told him he could. Everything Jimmy’s family ever said was that he was part of them. They treated him already like he and Jimmy were married.

And the look in Jimmy’s eyes, full of love and a little bit of fear—fear that seemed to be growing the longer it took Simon to answer—told him plenty about what Jimmy really wanted. As his vision blurred, he managed to force the word out.

“Yes.”

He was yanked into Jimmy’s arms, mouth crushed under Jimmy’s, and he lost himself in the kiss. He opened to his boyfriend—fiancé!—and wrapped his arms around Jimmy’s shoulders, returning the kiss for all he was worth. Jimmy’s tongue slid into his mouth, and he tasted the meat, fruit, and cheese, but there was also the metallic taste of Jimmy’s fear, now fading. And under it all, the part that was all Jimmy.

When Simon’s lungs demanded air, he broke the kiss, panting hard and staring up at Jimmy. Jimmy held the ring box in a death grip in one hand, and Simon managed a smile. “Do I get to wear it?”

Jimmy blinked at him, then down at the box before he laughed. “Oops.”

Simon grinned and took the box, since Jimmy only had one hand free. He opened it and held it out to Jimmy, who plucked the ring out. Simon held his hand up, and Jimmy slipped it onto his left ring finger. It fit perfectly. “How did you know the size?”

“I paid attention when Mom got your class ring.” Jimmy grinned, eyes twinkling with mischief.

Simon’s eyes widened. “How long have you been planning this?”

Jimmy shook his head. “Not this specifically. But I had planned to ask you to marry me before the school year was out. I want a ring on that finger before we go to college and you meet all those hot guys.”

Simon laughed. “No one’s as hot as you.” He grinned at the blush on Jimmy’s cheeks. “Besides. I don’t love them. I love you.”

Jimmy kissed him again, this one lighter and slower. “I love you too.”

Simon studied him for a moment. “There’s something I’d like to ask you too.”

Jimmy’s eyebrows went up. “Oh?”

Simon nodded, cleared his throat. “I, uh, know it’s possible. I looked it up. Could I, uh, take your name?”

Jimmy’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Really?”

“Yeah.” He nodded again. “Really.”

“Awesome.” Jimmy yanked him in and held him tight. “I’d love that.” He kissed Simon’s temple, his hair, then his lips. “God, Simon, I’m so lucky,” he whispered. “You are amazing.”

Simon looked up into Jimmy’s gorgeous brown eyes. “You are. I am. Lucky, I mean. I….” He shook his head, at a loss for words.

Jimmy didn’t argue, didn’t push. He kissed Simon’s temple again, then cheek, then along his jaw before capturing his lips. Simon sighed into the kiss, sliding his hands up to cup Jimmy’s face as he returned it. Jimmy ran one hand down Simon’s back, the other over a leg until it brushed Simon’s waking cock.

Simon sucked in a breath at the contact, unconsciously bucking toward Jimmy’s hand. Jimmy paused to push the tray aside and set the champagne glasses on the table, then laid Simon down on the blankets against the pillows. Jimmy moved over Simon, settling in when Simon wrapped his legs around Jimmy’s waist. He didn’t speak, simply slanted his lips over Simon’s once more, nipping and nibbling before tracing his tongue along the seam.

Simon opened to him again, lifting his hands to bury them in Jimmy’s thick brown hair. Simon thrilled in it, reveled in the feelings behind it.
This
was what had been missing. He couldn’t put a name on it, but that something
more
that made being with Jimmy so good was back.

If he’d been able to think more with his head than his dick, he’d have been able to say it was the emotion. Open again, loving, everything right there to see on Jimmy’s face, and, he knew, as obvious on his own.

When Jimmy pulled back, Simon cupped his face. “I love you. Thank you. Thank you for all of this, for trying with me, for fixing, and just… for loving me. I can’t wait to be your husband.”

Jimmy’s smile was brilliant. “I love you too. I can’t wait to be yours. Thank
you
. For listening, for trying too.” Then he dove in for another kiss, and Simon lost himself in love, in emotion, and in the physical expression of both.

S
IMON
PACED
the hallway at the bottom of the stairs, trying not to let his nerves get the best of him. It wasn’t working—the pacing, the deep breaths, or the internal admonition to just
stop
. He couldn’t seem to help it, and when he’d made it to the front door again, he turned on his heel and started back along the hallway.

He didn’t know why he was nervous either. It was just
prom
. True, Jimmy had never seen him dressed like this. But he had dressed up a bit more in the last two months since they returned from Niagara.

They’d made it a point to go out on dates more often, especially after Simon had planned one while they were in Niagara. They’d both so thoroughly enjoyed the arcade and Ferris wheel at Midway that Jimmy had prompted Simon to plan more. So Simon had asked for advice and done his homework. The end result was two months of dates that Simon was never going to forget.

The fear of The Bastard was still there for both of them, but they’d agreed after the night Jimmy proposed they would not let that fear rule them. They were still careful, still kept their eyes out for
him
, but they went out. Movies, sometimes the park, sometimes just dinner. It didn’t much matter. Just out together.

Their relationship since had grown much stronger too. Not just from dating, though that helped. They talked now. If Simon started to worry about something, he reminded himself to
ask
. Jimmy, too, had come to him and asked when he thought Simon was withdrawing or something was wrong. Usually these talks ended up in their bed, with the door locked and their clothes on the floor. Simon didn’t mind that one bit. He was also pretty sure it was part of what helped their relationship get stronger.

They did a lot together. Not quite everything—they hadn’t yet actually showered together or anything like that—but aside from that, they rarely left each other’s sides. Part of that was the fear, but part was a determination to keep from drifting like they had before spring break. As such, they’d started lying in each other’s arms to watch TV or holding hands at school. And at night, they rarely had more than a breath of air between them.

Simon loved it.

So he wasn’t sure why he was so nervous. He knew Jimmy would like him in the tux they’d chosen. They’d decided to go with the same one, wanting to match. Though Jimmy hadn’t seen him in it yet—they’d done their fittings separately—he knew what the tux looked like.

He was also sure Jimmy would like the gift he had for his fiancé.

Simon took a deep breath and turned around to make another trip down the hall.

Mom stepped out of the living room then and stopped him. “Really, baby, there’s nothing to be nervous about.”

Simon frowned. “I…
know
,” he said with a sigh. “I don’t know why I am.”

“Do you have it?” she asked as she moved up to him and tugged at his bow tie.

“Yes,” Simon said, patting his pocket. “You don’t have to do that, Mom,” he muttered and she laughed.

“I want to. You know, this looks so much better than one of those clip ones would have,” she murmured, straightening it out. She looked up at him. “I like hearing you call me that, you know.”

Simon’s cheeks colored. “I… I like calling you Mom. She’d….” He paused and cleared his throat. “She’d like it. She’d be happy, you know.”

Mom looked up at him and smiled. “I’m sure she would. Any woman who raised you and taught you to be the man you are would want you to be happy and have someone to love you. Did she know?”

“That I’m gay?” He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’d kept it to myself, but… she probably guessed. I mean, I was probably kind of like Jimmy. I don’t remember ever liking the princesses or anything.”

She laughed. “Yeah. He had the
worst
crush on Hercules.”

Simon grinned. “I’m so going to have to tease him about that.”

“He’ll kill you.”

Simon shook his head. “Nah. He’ll just torture me in other ways.” When he realized what he said, his face burned. “Uh….”

She laughed again. “I’m glad to see you getting comfortable with us.”

Simon rubbed the back of his neck. “Right, so, uh….”

“I like your hair like that,” she said, reaching up to brush at it.

“Thanks.” Simon had shaved the side of his hair again, but this time, he’d also shaved the other side. The long hair he had left on the top and back of his head, he’d gathered into a ponytail. The end result was that both his ears were clearly visible. “I… I hope he does too.”

She smiled again. “He will. It’ll mean something that you’re not hiding the hearing aid.”

Simon nodded. “I—” Before he could say anything else, he heard footfalls on the steps. He sent a slightly panicked look at Mom, then turned to watch Jimmy come down the stairs.