Molly sighed. “Josiah, I know you and Mateo are very close, but I have to say, all those  ‘we’s’ make me a little nervous. When you turn eighteen you’ll still be in high school. I’d hate to think you’re planning to live somewhere with him while you’re still in school.” She took a deep breath. “Is there anything you want to tell me?”

Panic choked him. If she found out about him and Mateo... What if she sent Teo away? He cleared his throat, trying to find his voice. “No.” Josiah shook his head. “He’s a good friend. Sort of like a brother. I just feel bad for him. I know he doesn’t want to go back to Brooklyn, and he doesn’t have anyone except for me—us.”

Smiling, Molly said, “I’m glad you guys have each other. And honestly, I’ve already spoken to William about it. We just weren’t sure how Mateo would take it. I worried he’d think we feel sorry for him. I know he has a hard time accepting help.”

“He’ll stay. If you say he can, I know he’ll stay.” Josiah fought to bite down his excitement.

Molly covered his hand with hers and smiled. “He can stay.”

***

Josiah moved against Teo as he lay on top of him. He rotated his hips, feeling Mateo’s erection rub against his. His whole body sizzled. He loved the way Mateo felt. Loved touching him and being kissed by him, the feel of his hand wrapped around his erection.

He groaned when Mateo pulled away.

“Shh,” Teo whispered, laughter in his voice. “They’re gonna hear you.”

“Sorry, I can’t help it.”

Mateo moved lower. “Don’t apologize for that. And I’m not goin’ anywhere. Wanna try somethin’.”

They were always nervous to do too much, afraid that Molly or William would hear them. Since Molly stayed home, they almost never had time to do much exploring. Kisses, touches, were about it. Not that those weren’t okay with Josiah. He never thought he’d have even this with someone. To have it with Mateo... “Oh My God.”

He melted into the mattress at the feel of Mateo’s mouth on him.

“Shh,” Mateo said again, before tossing a pillow to him.

Josiah got the message, biting down on it as Mateo used his mouth on him. Embarrassment flooded him when what was probably no more than thirty seconds later he lost control, his orgasm slamming into him. Josiah slumped into the bed, feeling like someone had taken all the bones out of his body.

“I never... It felt...” What he wanted to say was that he couldn’t believe Mateo had gone down on him.

Mateo slid next to him again, taking away the pillow that now sat on his chest. “This is the only time I like you speechless. I like that I made ya feel so good.”

“You always make me feel good,” he said between breaths. Josiah paused for a minute, trying to gather his thoughts. He wanted to do the same thing to Teo that he’d done to him. But he also knew he needed to tell him he talked to Molly today. It didn’t feel right until he made sure Mateo wasn’t mad at him.

Teo’s hand slipped under his shirt, rubbing Josiah’s stomach.

“I talked to Molly today.”

Mateo’s hand froze. “Talked to her about what? Please don’t tell me you told her, Jay. They’ll send me away. They’ll—”

“I didn’t tell her about that. Just talked to her about your birthday... Asked her if you could stay. And you can. She said yes, Teo. She said she already talked to William about it before I even asked her!”

Silence greeted him. In the black of the room, he couldn’t see Mateo’s face, but the quiet said everything. “Maybe I shouldn’t have done it without talking to you, but I won’t be sorry for it. They said you could stay, Teo. It’s what we want. No one is going to separate us. Don’t be mad at me for that—”

“You think I’m mad at you?” he asked. “I’m...”

And that’s when Josiah got it. He was grateful, surprised, that Josiah had done that for Mateo. For them. He still struggled sometimes, being the one to touch Mateo first, to talk to him without getting shy, but right now he forced all of those fears away. Wrapped a hand around the back of Mateo’s neck. “I told you, it wasn’t just you who had to take care of me. We’ll take care of each other. You and me. Together.”

“You and me. Together.” When Mateo finished kissing him, Josiah moved down the bed to pleasure Teo, the same way Teo had done with him.

Chapter Fourteen

Mateo