“What?”
“Someone fucked you up.” Shawn turned his head to him. “It’s not healthy to enter into relationships knowing they’re doomed to fail—that you would lose interest in the guy after you fuck him. And it’s reallyfucked up to have straight, unattainable guys as your type. Are you afraid of commitment? Or of something else?”
Rutledge’s jaw was clenched so tightly that the cords on his neck stood out. “Spare me your pseudo-psychological analysis. The explanation is actually much simpler: I just like corrupting and fucking straight boys. It turns me on. And before you call me an asshole: I’m always honest with them. Most bi-curious ‘straight’ guys eventually want to go back to their straight lives anyway, and I don’t do long-term relationships. So it’s a win-win for everyone involved. No strings attached.”
“Why don’t you do long-term relationships? You’re thirty-three.”
“And?” Rutledge said. “I’m not the kind of man who wants the white picket fence and 2.5 kids.”
Shawn glanced at Emily and Bee. “I don’t know,” he said slowly. “I always thought gay guys weren’t much different from straight guys and would want to settle down eventually. Even Christian wants that.”
“Christian?” Rutledge looked slightly puzzled.
Shawn frowned. “My best friend?”
“Ah. You mean Ashford.”
“Seriously? You don’t know his name?”
“Why would I want to know his first name? He’s my student.”
“I’m your student, too, Professor.”
Rutledge looked at him, the corner of his mouth twitching up. “Who says I know your first name, Wyatt?”
Shawn laughed softly. “Okay. For your information, it’s Simon.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“A-ha!”
Shaking his head, Rutledge looked back at the road. “I obviously know your name, but I don’t think of you as Shawn.”
“Fair enough. I don’t think of you as Derek, either.” Even saying the name aloud was a bit strange, actually. Shawn rolled the name on his tongue. Derek. Nope. Rutledge was Rutledge. Shawn would be very worried the day he started thinking of Rutledge as Derek.
“I’m glad we understand each other,” Rutledge murmured, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Now come here and kiss me.”
Shawn blinked. “What? You’re driving. It’s not safe.”
“I’ll keep my eyes open,” Rutledge said dryly, without looking at him.
Shawn looked at the road—it was empty in both directions, and Rutledge was driving slowly, but still. “Are you serious?”
“You should know by now I’m always serious. I’m losing my patience.”
Shawn looked at Rutledge’s lips and said, “Okay. But just a short one. It’s not safe.”
He scooted over.
Rutledge turned his head slightly and kissed him. Shawn sighed and let Rutledge’s tongue inside.
After… some time later, Rutledge bit Shawn’s bottom lip for the last time and pushed him away.
“You should let me fuck you,” he said grimly.
Leaning back in his seat, Shawn wiped his wet, swollen lips and took a deep breath. His skin still burned from Rutledge’s stubble.
Chapter 8
