Straight Until You

Chapter 10 — First Time

Nathaniel Anderson had kissed people before.

A lot of people, actually.

At parties.

After dates.

During meaningless late nights he barely remembered afterward.

None of those kisses had ever terrified him.

Sitting beside Asher Reyes in the rain somehow felt worse.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Because Nathaniel suddenly cared too much.

The realization hit him hard while thunder rolled softly outside the SUV and Asher sat inches away staring back at him silently.

Neither of them had moved since the almost-kiss.

Which honestly made everything worse.

Dangerous.

Very dangerous.

Nathaniel’s hand still rested lightly against the side of Asher’s neck.

Warm.

Gentle.

Real.

Asher looked down briefly toward Nathaniel’s mouth before quickly looking away again.

Nathaniel nearly lost his mind.

A serious issue honestly.

An actual serious issue.

⸻

Asher’s chest tightened painfully.

Because Nathaniel was still looking at him like that.

Focused.

Careful.

Hungry in the most dangerous way possible.

And somehow—

Asher still wasn’t moving away.

That realization alone should have scared him more than it did.

Instead—

he found himself leaning slightly closer without realizing it.

A disaster honestly.

An actual disaster.

Nathaniel noticed immediately.

Of course he did.

His breathing changed softly.

Barely noticeable.

But enough.

More than enough.

⸻

Then quietly—

dangerously quietly—

Nathaniel spoke.

Nathaniel: “I’m trying really hard to behave right now.”

Asher almost laughed.

Almost.

Instead, he looked up slowly.

Asher: “That sounds threatening.”

Nathaniel smiled slightly.

Soft.

Real.

Hopeless.

Nathaniel: “You make it difficult.”

Asher’s stomach flipped instantly.

Wonderful.

Absolutely wonderful.

Because somehow Nathaniel could turn completely sincere without warning.

And every single time—

it affected Asher more.

Dangerous.

Very dangerous.

⸻

Outside, rain continued hitting the windows steadily while soft music played quietly through the car speakers.

Inside the SUV, the atmosphere had completely shifted.

No teasing now.

No easy jokes.

Everything felt heavier.

Sharper.

Real.

Nathaniel studied Asher silently for another long moment before speaking again.

More carefully this time.

Nathaniel: “Can I kiss you?”

Silence.

Real silence.

Asher froze instantly.

Because somehow—

that question felt more intimate than the actual kiss would have been.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Nathaniel wasn’t assuming.

Wasn’t pushing.

He was asking.

Waiting.

Giving Asher the choice completely.

That realization hit harder than expected.

⸻

Nathaniel watched emotions flicker across Asher’s face rapidly.

Surprise.

Nervousness.

Want.

All of it visible for half a second before Asher looked away toward the rain-covered windshield.

Nathaniel’s chest tightened painfully.

Because suddenly he understood something important.

Asher wasn’t scared of Nathaniel.

He was scared of how real this had become.

And honestly?

Nathaniel felt the exact same way.

⸻

Asher’s phone buzzed suddenly.

Perfect timing honestly.

He glanced down automatically.

Then immediately regretted it.

Luca.

Of course.

Nathaniel groaned softly beside him.

Nathaniel: “Your brother is genuinely ruining my life.”

Asher laughed quietly before opening the messages.

A mistake.

Definitely a mistake.

🖤 Luca

Why do I suddenly feel emotionally suspicious?

❤️ Asher

You always feel emotionally suspicious.

🖤 Luca

True.

🖤 Luca

Wait.

🖤 Luca

ARE YOU KISSING RIGHT NOW?

Asher nearly dropped his phone.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

💙 Nathaniel

Your brother is terrifying.

❤️ Asher

Why are you texting my family group chat?

💙 Nathaniel

Luca added me ten minutes ago.

🖤 Luca

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY RICH BOY.

🤎 Mateo

Why are you all typing aggressively?

Silence.

Real silence.

🖤 Luca

I THINK THEY’RE HAVING A MOMENT.

🤎 Mateo

Nathaniel.

💙 Nathaniel

Yes?

🤎 Mateo

Behave yourself.

Nathaniel stared at the screen blankly.

Asher physically covered his face beside him.

🖤 Luca

HAHAHAHA.

🖤 Luca

Mateo just threatened him digitally.

🤎 Mateo

Correct.

Nathaniel locked the phone slowly afterward.

Too late.

Asher was already laughing quietly beside him.

Warm.

Real.

Beautiful.

Nathaniel’s chest tightened painfully again.

God.

He was completely done for.

⸻

A comfortable silence settled between them afterward.

Different this time.

Softer.

The kind of silence that only existed between people who had already crossed some invisible line together.

Nathaniel looked toward Asher again.

Carefully.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Because Asher looked calmer now.

Still nervous.

But softer too.

Less guarded.

Nathaniel wanted to ruin himself over that expression alone.

A serious problem honestly.

⸻

Then unexpectedly—

Asher spoke first.

Quietly.

Asher: “You ask permission for everything.”

Nathaniel blinked once.

Caught slightly off guard.

Nathaniel: “Is that surprising?”

Asher looked toward him slowly.

Then nodded once.

Honest.

Dangerously honest.

Asher: “Most people don’t.”

The answer settled heavily between them.

Because suddenly Nathaniel understood something else too.

People had wanted things from Asher his entire life.

Attention.

Affection.

Access.

But very few people had probably stopped long enough to ask what Asher wanted first.

The realization made something protective twist sharply in Nathaniel’s chest.

Dangerous.

Very dangerous.

⸻

Nathaniel shifted slightly closer again.

Slow enough for Asher to pull away if he wanted.

He didn’t.

A terrible sign honestly.

An actual terrible sign.

Nathaniel’s voice dropped lower this time.

Softer.

Nathaniel: “What do you want?”

Asher looked at him silently for several long seconds.

And for the first time since this entire thing started—

Asher stopped hiding.

No teasing.

No sarcasm.

Just honesty.

Raw dangerous honesty.

Then quietly—

almost nervously—

Asher answered.

Asher: “You.”

Nathaniel stopped breathing entirely.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Because somehow—

that single word hit harder than anything else so far.

⸻

Nathaniel moved first after that.

Slowly.

Carefully.

One hand sliding gently against Asher’s jaw while leaning closer.

Giving him time.

Giving him space.

Asher closed the distance himself.

And suddenly—

Nathaniel kissed him.

Soft at first.

Careful.

Like he was terrified of doing it wrong.

Asher’s fingers tightened slightly against Nathaniel’s hoodie immediately.

A tiny reaction.

Barely noticeable.

Nathaniel felt it everywhere.

The kiss deepened slowly after that.

Warmer.

Needier.

Real.

Nathaniel’s other hand slid instinctively against Asher’s waist, pulling him slightly closer across the center console.

Asher made the softest sound against his mouth.

And suddenly Nathaniel forgot how functioning normally worked.

A disaster honestly.

An actual disaster.

Because no kiss had ever felt like this before.

Not even close.

⸻

Asher’s head spun immediately.

Because Nathaniel kissed him exactly the way he did everything else lately.

Carefully.

Attentively.

Like Asher mattered.

The realization nearly ruined him emotionally.

Nathaniel’s thumb brushed lightly beneath his jaw while kissing him softer again afterward.

Slower.

More intimate.

Asher’s chest hurt painfully.

Because somehow—

this didn’t feel temporary anymore.

It felt important.

Real.

Dangerous in the worst possible way.

⸻

Eventually they pulled apart slightly.

Both breathing unevenly.

Neither moving very far away.

Nathaniel rested his forehead lightly against Asher’s for a second.

Silent.

Overwhelmed.

Then quietly—

almost like he couldn’t believe it himself—

Nathaniel spoke.

Nathaniel: “Okay.”

Asher blinked once.

Still breathless.

Asher: “Okay what?”

Nathaniel laughed softly.

Warm.

Completely ruined.

Nathaniel: “Now I’m definitely in love with you.”

Silence.

Complete silence.

Asher’s heart nearly stopped.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Because Nathaniel looked just as shocked by his own confession as Asher felt.

Then immediately afterward—

Nathaniel covered his face with one hand.

Nathaniel: “Wow.”

Nathaniel: “That was psychologically horrifying.”

Asher stared at him for one second.

Then suddenly burst out laughing.

Real laughter.

Warm.

Bright.

Beautiful.

Nathaniel looked up immediately just to watch him.

Hopelessly.

Completely gone already.

And somehow—

for the first time in a very long time—

Nathaniel didn’t mind falling at all.