Pizza for Thanksgiving Read online

  "Well, now we're not." Sitting up on top of Mack, Enzo stated his case simply and directly. "I want a boyfriend. And I don't just want any boyfriend. I want you. I'm pretty sure that if you say no to me, I'm going to fall apart into a million pieces." Once he said that, he breathed fast and stared hard at Mack. He almost looked ready to cry.

  Mack never in his life wanted to see that. Just for that reason he wanted to say yes, but him as a boyfriend to a wonderful, sweet guy like Enzo. How could that be possible?

  It made his chest ache to think of everything Enzo was and he wasn't. What could Mack give him? His tortured soul, his body with bruises that still lingered right under the surface, his bad memories?

  And he had another objection. "Isn't it too soon for that? Like way, way too soon," Mack said to simplify the issue instead of unloading all his misgivings and self-doubt on Enzo. But the scared, wounded look in Enzo's eyes made him soften his stance. "But if you're saying that you want to keep doing this..."

  "What do you think this is? A Thanksgiving special? Yes, I want to keep doing this. I want to do everything with you and only with you," Enzo said leaning down to glare at Mack.

  That took Mack's breath away. It was too much, too soon, but looking at Enzo, Mack knew he needed to hear those words. Maybe he had needed to hear them all his life.

  "That's what I want too," he admitted. He felt like his heart was rising up, trying to leave his body and go to Enzo. He took a deep breath and swallowed. "But couldn't you have waited for at least a few days?"

  "So I don't come off as crazy? No. I didn't get to make my turkey. At least I'm getting a boyfriend out of this. So are you in?" Enzo demanded. When Mack didn't say anything for a while, Enzo grew worried. "What's the problem? Is it me?"

  "No. It's me. I was always at someone else's mercy. People could hurt me at will. Decisions were made for me. I got moved from one place to another. Sent to live with good people and bad. There was no solid ground. That's why I have trouble believing that anything good is real. But I will for you." Mack's voice barely made it out of his throat to say that. This was all so sudden, too much like Enzo had reached his soul, and now Mack would never be safe again. Or maybe he would if he gave himself to Enzo and said, "Do whatever you want with me." Enzo would only do good things. Of that he was sure.

  "I can't reach into your past and make everything better. But I can be with you now. Is that good enough?" Enzo asked.

  "Good enough? You're wonderful," Mack told him.

  Since they were having a serious talk, he decided to sit up, forcing Enzo to shift back a little. He kept his hand on Enzo's hip to let him know he wanted him to stay where he was, which was pretty much sitting in his lap.

  "This morning I was just some guy you took pity on, who happened to give you a good time," he started to say, but Enzo interrupted him.

  "Shut up. You're my first. You're my only one," he said, clutching Mack to him roughly. Then he switched gears and gently stroked his hair and the back of his neck.

  Mack couldn't resist his touch rough or sweet. He moaned into his shoulder. As he ran his hands up and down Enzo's arms, he turned to nuzzle his neck. He just wanted to stay like that forever with Enzo's hands showing him tenderness, and Enzo's voice rumbling through his chest to Mack's ear.

  "This morning, I didn't know how this day was going to turn out either," Enzo told him. "It hasn't been easy having a hot roommate all this time. Every night hoping you might kick the door down and have your way with me."

  Mack couldn't believe his ears. He couldn't be talking about him. "The last part, yes," he told Enzo as he looked at him. "But I'll probably knock."

  "You are intimidating. To give myself a push, I thought of you as practice."

  "Thanks," Mack said, a little hurt.

  "No. I didn't mean the sex. I mean when I asked you to Thanksgiving dinner because it was sort of like asking someone out on a date," Enzo explained.

  "I thought you said you weren't trying to date me. You're sneaky."

  "No! Stop misunderstanding me."

  Mack laughed at him. "It's pretty much a date now."

  Enzo agreed with a happy smile. "And I made huge strides. I bagged myself a guy. The last time I went out, he asked me," Enzo told him, pleased with the progress he had made.

  "Who did you go out with?"

  "Just some guy. Don't get jealous. Nothing happened," Enzo reassured him, but he also smirked.

  "I know I have no right to be jealous."

  "No. But it's cute. Actually dating that guy is how my parents found out I was gay. This girl whose parents know my parents saw me and Benny holding hands."

  "I thought you didn't do anything," Mack said, furrowing his brow at him.

  "Holding hands isn't 'doing anything.'"

  "Well don't do it again," Mack warned him.

  "From now on, only with you."

  "Damn," Mack said. He couldn't believe how much he liked hearing those words, and he never even knew he wanted to hear them. Every time he heard Enzo say he wanted him and only him, it was beautiful, irresistible. All he wanted to do was smother him with kisses, sink into him and drown all his doubts.

  Chapter 10

  All day Enzo couldn't help asking himself if this could be for real. It was too much to hope for that Mack would turn to him and say what he wanted to hear. He didn't leave it to hope. Enzo jumped in and asked for what he wanted, no matter how unreasonable it was. Now he felt like his happiness hung by a thread.

  After saying that about how his parents found out he was gay, he worried that Mack might not want to be with him because he wasn't out yet. He decided to give him a little push.

  "Aren't you tired of being afraid to be you?"

  "I'm sick of it," Mack said. "It's not how I want to live. It's just a habit that's hard to break."

  "Will you break it for me?" Enzo asked.

  "For you, anything."

  Enzo smiled, but he still reminded Mack, "If we're together, everyone will know you're gay."

  "I'm fine with that." Mack then shook his head. "No. I'm not fine with that. I'm happy about it. I'm proud to be with you."

  Overjoyed, Enzo hugged him, but Mack stopped him from doing anything else like groping, kissing, and stripping him naked.

  "OK. I want to do one thing before we make this official." Mack reached for his phone.

  "You going to change your relationship status or something?" Enzo asked, a little bewildered. He was still straddling Mack and hoping for some boyfriend action.

  "Kind of. I'm coming out to Dave," Mack told him as he typed.

  "What? By text?"

  "Why not? I'm not going to sit him down and tell him over a candlelit dinner. It shouldn't be some big, earthshaking deal to him. If it is, too damn bad."

  "What did you say? How did you put it?" Enzo asked when Mack stopped typing.

  "He asked me, 'How's the pity-Thanksgiving going?' I told him, 'I'm gay and I'm doing my roomie.'"

  "Look at you being romantic."

  "Well, sure. Now I just have to convince Dave that I'm not joking around."

  "Do a lot of guys come out to him as a joke? Anyway, I can't see you joking around. Maybe if you were drunk."

  "Dave asked about that too. If I was drunk or high?"

  "Enough of this. Send him a pic." Enzo leaned in and put Mack's arm straight out so he could snap a picture of them as they kissed. Enzo planted a good one on him, and Mack sent it to Dave as proof.

  "I'm not sure just kissing is going to convince him," Mack said with an evil grin.

  "I'm not going to whip it out just to convince Dave."

  "Just as well. He texted back, 'You can do better.'"

  "I officially hate Dave," Enzo said.

  "I'm pretty sure he's messing with you, and he has terrible taste anyway," Mack said as he put away his phone.

  He always carried himself so seriously, Enzo was surprised he and Dave were friends. They were such opposites. Maybe a strong, silent type like Mack
needed a brash, outgoing jerk of a friend like Dave.

  That reminded him of Alan, who was nothing like Enzo either. Stealing the idea from Mack, he grabbed his own phone from the coffee table. As he leaned to get it while sitting on Mack's lap, Mack held onto him to keep him from falling over. Enzo liked how he did that. He remembered how Mack grabbed hold of him when he leaned out the window too. He was such a sweet, incredibly hot guy.

  "Who are you texting with now?" Mack asked him.

  "Jealous?" Enzo said with a smirk. "I'm updating Alan."

  "Is that your loud friend?"

  "They're all loud, but he's the loudest one. He thinks you're straight. I'm telling him I seduced you and turned you gay."

  "What?"

  "You came out to Dave. Now I get to have my fun," Enzo told him.

  "I told the truth," Mack pointed out.

  "I'll text him a correction later."

  "Now that we have a thing going on, you're done dating other guys, right?" Mack said sternly. He couldn't be jealous of Alan, could he?

  "I don't know. Am I?" Enzo teased him.

  Mack sat up higher and leaned in a little so he could get growly with him. "Yes. You are done. No more dating other guys. Are you clear on that now?" Mack scowled at him. His scowl was so sexy, his blue eyes intense.

  As Enzo was enjoying the show of jealousy, Mack suddenly kissed him. It was a shock of pure pleasure. Mack's hand was on the back of his head. His mouth was hot, pressed up against his. Lips opening, tongue probing, stealing his breath, the kiss was incredible then it was done.

  "In case you couldn't tell, that was a yes," Mack said.

  "A yes?" Enzo asked. He was a little dazed by the kiss and slow to understand.

  "A yes to anything and everything you want. You got yourself a boyfriend."

  "You mean it?" Enzo said as his heart soared. He loved the sound of the word boyfriend coming from Mack.

  "I think I would follow you blindly anywhere and without hesitation," Mack said while looking into his eyes.

  "You would? Are you drunk?"

  "On one beer? No. On you? Yes." Mack held him closer then he looked thoughtful. "And as long as we're making plans. We're both trying to save money. A one bedroom apartment would cost us less."

  Enzo stared at him speechless. "You want us to live together?" he croaked.

  "We already live together. From now on, I'm not going to want to sleep anywhere except with you." Mack shrugged like what he said was no big deal. Seeing how Enzo was looking at him, he added, "What? I'm just being practical. When the lease is up..."

  Enzo was going to bitch at him for the way he was asking. But instead of calling Mack on his bullshit, his mouth only wanted to do two things – say yes and kiss him senseless. His hands clutched at Mack's arms as his tongue went probing in his mouth. The hard, passionate kiss did shut him up. "I want to live with you, but say it nice," Enzo demanded.

  "Nice how?"

  "Like you're proposing."

  Now it was Mack's turn to be stunned. "This day is getting crazier all the time," he gasped.

  "Say it like your life depends on it. Make me feel it," Enzo challenged him.

  At first Mack only gaped at him then he whispered, "I want to live with you and I want so much more. You are one crazy guy. I'm scared to death of you."

  "What's that supposed to mean?"

  "Please don't break my heart," Mack said, looking so helpless and sweet and unbelievably gorgeous. Enzo's heart broke for him.

  That's when Enzo knew he couldn't make that promise. "I can't promise you that because one of these days, I'm going to tell you I love you and it's going to break both our hearts to pieces."

  Hearing that, Mack looked so scared and little boy adorable, Enzo had to kiss him.

  "Don't worry. I'll ease into it. First I'll show you then I'll tell you," Enzo promised him.

  Mack looked only a little relieved. "You're a good guy, taking it easy on me like that. No, you're the best of the good guys." Mack said it like he was kidding around, but he had tears in his eyes.

  "Don't put me up on a pedestal," Enzo protested.

  "Where should I put you?"

  "Floor, bed, couch, wherever it's convenient. Listen to me. You turned me into a slut."

  "Let's start with the bed," Mack said. "I'm sick of this lumpy couch."

  "Anything you want," Enzo told him. He would give him the world if he could, and he couldn't wait to have him in his bed.

  "Bring that smelly candle," Mack told him as they went to Enzo's bedroom. "I want to be able to see you."

  His words sent a shiver through Enzo as he cupped the candle so it wouldn't blow out. Filled with excitement, he carried it to the bedroom and set it on his nightstand.

  Only a little bit of moonlight came slanting in through the small window, but candlelight did its trick just like it had in Enzo's childhood. Its glow was setting the right mood in that small space. It filled the room with a shifting, warm glow and also with endless possibilities.

  For a while he and Mack just stood there, uncertain, staring at each other. Enzo was excited, but he didn't mind if they stayed like that, lost in each other for eternity. Mack closed the distance of a few inches between them. He linked his hands at the small of Enzo's back and gazed into his eyes.

  "So what are we doing?" Enzo finally asked.

  Mack leaned down and nuzzled him then he said his name softly. "You take the lead."

  "We better put up the student driver sign," Enzo said.

  "You know what you want," Mack told him simply.

  "You," Enzo said lightning fast.

  With Mack kissing his neck, Enzo got to work on his clothes. Clumsily, he got Mack out of his sweatshirt. One deep breath and Enzo put his hands on Mack's shoulders and slid them down his chest. How could anyone be so beautiful? His fingertips caressed both nipples, feeling them get hard.

  With shaking fingers, he grappled with Mack's fly. Enzo manhandled him to get him out of his clothes until Mack was standing there only in his boxers. And wow, what a sight. That's when the fun started. Enzo ran his hands over him gently, reverently tracing the curve of every muscle. Mack purred under his touch like a big cat.

  Enzo wanted to explore him, to know every inch of him intimately. He wanted to lavish him with affection until he had driven away every bad thing he ever experienced. Then Mack would only knew love in every fiber of his being.

  For now, Enzo figured he wouldn't be ready for any kind of heavy action yet. "Let's see what that mouth can do other than scowl," Enzo whispered huskily as he eyed Mack's lips. Then he wanted a taste and he went in for a kiss.

  "There is nothing I wouldn't do for you. You just have to ask," Mack said and started to reach for Enzo's fly.

  "Good, but I'm going first," Enzo told him. "I need the practice."

  "First time giving head too?" Mack asked.

  "Oh yeah."

  His hands played with the waistband of Mack's boxers, but he didn't pull them down. Enzo stopped and licked his lips. He took a few deep breaths then eased the boxers off and watched mesmerized as Mack's big cock popped up proudly.

  "You are a thing of beauty," he said still looking down. When Mack cleared his throat, he looked up to meet his eyes. "You too. I mean, the rest of you. All of you. You're beautiful," Enzo told him after he was done stammering.

  Mack went from looking amused to looking shy. A shy, gorgeous guy – who could resist that?

  "I'm going to give you the blowjob of your life... as soon as you teach me how," Enzo said with a shy grin.

  "I have a feeling you'll be a natural," Mack said and kissed him.

  Chapter 11

  Mack didn't care about skill. He knew that everything Enzo did to him would feel right. Sliding down the length of his body, Enzo went down on his knees. His long fingers wrapped around Mack's cock. He kissed the head, caressed the shaft then he sucked naturally and easily. Humming around Mack's cock out of pure contentment, Enzo made him shudder and moan.r />
  He caressed Mack's ass with loving fingers then ran his hands down the back of his legs. His whole body was a picture of unrestrained pleasure in what he was doing. It was nothing like Mack's first time. The look on Enzo's face was pure joy, and Mack give himself over to the feeling.

  The heat of Enzo mouth on his cock and the silky pull of suction were doing crazy things to him. He could barely stay on his feet. Throwing his head back, he came calling Enzo's name. No one had ever made him feel so good.

  Panting heavily, he looked down as Enzo licked his lips. Mack pulled him up. He meant to kiss him, but for a moment he just gazed at him. Except for his eyes, his parted lips were the most beautiful thing Mack had ever seen.

  But those eyes were something else. All the good things in the world lived in Enzo's eyes. Mack wanted to keep looking at them even as Enzo's lips touched his. Enzo's tongue probed gently and Mack eyes fell closed. He opened his mouth to let him in. "I'm yours forever," Mack wanted to tell him. Maybe the kiss would say it all.

  All through his childhood, when Mack suffered abuse, he didn't really know why he didn't just give up. The kicks and punches landed, and Mack willed himself to live through whatever was done to him.

  Now he knew why he was so determined to stay alive. He stayed alive so that one day he would be able to look into Enzo's eyes and try to figure out their exact color. So that he could feel him smile into their kiss and melt against him like they were one inseparable being. Mack had never been happier to be alive.

  Thinking about everything he wanted to do to Enzo now that it was his turn, Mack let out a hungry, desperate moan. He maneuvered Enzo to the bed. As he laid him out flat, he stared down at his slim body and rumpled clothes.

  "God, I can't wait to undress you. You're like an early Christmas gift," Mack told him.

  Still fully dressed but with the front of his jeans tenting, Enzo looked up at him from the bed as if to say, "I'm yours. Unwrap me." He was an irresistible sight.

  His ass rising off the bed, he moaned as Mack pulled his jeans from his hips and down his legs. Impatiently, Enzo kicked his jeans off all the way. His cock pushed up against the front of his boxers so enticingly. Mack couldn't keep his hands off. He rubbed it briefly, only long enough to make them both moan in anticipation.