“You had sex with him,” KC pointed out with a playful smirk.
I shook my head. “You shouldn’t know that.”
“Pa, I’m seventeen. I’m not a virgin.”
“Excuse me?” I crossed my arms and leaned back against the chair. “You better hope that you’re kidding, young man.”
KC gave me a crooked smile, a dimple crinkling in his cheek. “Come on, Pa. How old were you when you lost yours? Nearly every guy my age is having sex.”
“Bullshit they are.” I pointed at him. “Youare not having sex. At all. You’re grounded.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “A little too late for that. I lost mine last year.”
“Oh God.” I ran my hands over my face, irritation burning inside me. I’d hoped KC would stay unattached until he was out of high school, but I was kidding myself. My son was handsome, and kids these days had the internet and all kinds of access to porn. Of course he was going to have sex. I was just mad I hadn’t known about it until now. “Who was it and were you safe?”
“You put me on PrEP, Pa.”
“So?” My eyes widened and I grabbed the back of his neck, dragging him closer. “Listen to me, KC, we had a sex talk. I put you on PrEP to protect you against HIV, and I knew that there was going to come a time where I couldn’t stop you from having a sexual relationship, but you’re smarter than that. PrEP doesn’t stop STIs. Please tell me you’ve been using a condom.”
He rolled his eyes. “Yes, I do.”
Relief washed through me and the tension drained out of my body. I patted him on the cheek. “Good boy. I love you and I don’t want anything happening to you.”
“I know.” He relaxed too and smiled gently.
“Who was it with?” I raised my eyebrows.
“Pa, you can’t ask that.” He groaned, ducking his head, but I grabbed his chin, making him look at me.
“I can and I will. We’ve always shared everything, KC. At least tell me who it was.”
He shrugged and his gaze went clouded for a moment, like he was reliving something he didn’t want to think about. “It doesn’t matter. We aren’t together.”
“Were you?” I asked. I’d seen that look on other people’s faces before, including my own. Heartbreak was a worldwide pandemic when it came to relationships and sex.
“I thought we were, but he’s in the closet.” He sniffed in frustration. “So he told me he only wanted sex.”
“And you didn’t,” I whispered. KC was a sensitive guy. He looked big and brutal and played like that on the football field, but he was a teddy bear who wanted someone to hug. I loved that about him, and I’d never expected it because of his past. I wouldn’t change him for the world, though, even if it meant he’d be hurt more than I wanted him to be. “Tell me about him.”
He did. He told me about the running back on his football team who he’d always had a crush on, and howfinallyhe figured out this kid felt the same way about him. They kissed a few times before they had sex. I listened like a good parent and hugged him when he came to the part where this guy broke his heart.
“You deserve better than him,” I murmured, kissing his cheek. “Do you want me to kill him?”
KC laughed through his tears. “No, but thanks for offering, Pa.”
“You’re welcome. How about we go watch some Netflix?”
He nodded against my shoulder. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
A few hours later,KC had fallen asleep on the couch and was snoring lightly when a bell came from the front door. I’d just finished the movie we’d been watching and was covering him with a blanket when I heard it. Walking toward the front, I checked the peephole and smiled when I saw Luke on the other side, slouched forward with his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, waiting.
Opening the door, I greeted him with a kiss. “Hi.”
I was royally fucked with this guy. My boundaries disappeared quicker than my underwear last night.
Luke’s wicked grin turned my belly warm with need. “Hello, sexy.”
“Luke, what a lovely surprise. I thought we were meeting tonight for that party of yours.” I raised my eyebrows when he stepped forward like a predator hunting his prey. His gaze was hot with lust. It was almost as though he wanted to eat me whole, and in that moment I would have let him—if the sound of KC’s groan hadn’t reached my ears. I raised my hand to stop Luke and went to the living room.
