Rediscovering Adrian (Men of Riverside 2)

All Books, Men of Riverside, Novellas, Contemporary

Chapter One

Riverside, Texas
Saturday April 26, 2003

"Adrian?" Peter Adams stared at his best friend whose copper eyes were luminous in the shadows of the backyard. "What are you doing out here?"

It was too chilly to be sitting on the low swings, and anyway, the birthday party was inside the house. Rick was the fourth of their close group of friends to turn eighteen and he was celebrating in style, having invited everyone in their high school year. They'd had fun in the basement-turned-disco earlier, the whole group dancing as if this was their last chance. Peter had lost track of Adrian while he and Rick tried to cheer up David.

Adrian dropped his gaze and shrugged his shoulders, looking dejected.

"What's going on, buddy?" Peter sat on his haunches, resting his arms on his thighs as he tried to get Adrian to look at him again.

Adrian shook his head, his slightly too long brown hair covering his forehead and hiding his dark-copper eyes. Peter fisted his hands in an effort to stop himself from touching Adrian. They were best friends and that was all there was to it. If anyone found out how attracted he was to Adrian, including Adrian, bad things might happen. He didn't want them to get separated like David and Elliot. Granted, those two had been caught kissing, not just touching, but knowing how traditional his mother and Adrian's parents were, Peter wasn't going to risk it.

"Something's wrong, isn't it?" Peter was determined to find out what was going on. He couldn't stand seeing Adrian this depressed.

"Just the usual." Adrian raked his hair before dropping his hand back onto his thigh and looking up. "Don't worry about it. There's nothing you can do about it, anyway."

"The usual?" Peter took a deep breath. "Have they been harassing you about your height again?"

"Just teasing. You know what they're like. I'm not a jock and never will be. Being called a baby, though, only because I'm small and just turned eighteen, got to me." Adrian shrugged and dropped his head. "I just needed a moment alone. Didn't want to drag you out here."

"You didn't drag me out here. I missed you and wanted to check what was going on with you." Shit, that was way too close to the truth. Why could Peter never switch on his brain before opening his mouth? He'd have to learn someday soon or he'd never become a good PI.

"You missed me?" Adrian looked back up, something like hope in his eyes.

"Yeah, well..." How was he going to get out of this one?

"Oh, you mean..." Adrian looked hurt and Peter couldn't stand it.

"I mean I missed you." Peter was going to get into all kinds of trouble for this, but he couldn't let Adrian believe he was all alone. Adrian was having enough trouble because his father didn't like him or his hobby very much. Baking the most wonderful creations with his mother wasn't 'manly‘ enough for his father. And most of their classmates made fun of Adrian because he was small and wiry, making him look much younger than he actually was.

"You're serious, aren't you?" Adrian sat up straight, making the swing move and his knee brush against Peter's thigh.

God, that touch made him shiver. He'd tried to ignore the sexual feelings he had for Adrian for months, but every time they touched, his physical reaction was clear. He wanted to kiss the other boy, and that was just for starters. He wasn't sure if Adrian felt the same way, and he didn't want to risk their friendship, so Peter reined in his libido and returned to the discussion.

"Well, yes, I mean we're best friends, aren't we?" There, that was safe enough. Peter could only hope that Adrian would drop it now.

"Yes, of course we are. But..." Adrian swallowed.

"What?" Peter's heart started beating faster, partly hoping that Adrian was going to return his feelings and partly fearing that he would. "What are you trying to say?"

"I-I don't know." Adrian looked flustered and confused.

Even though Peter felt sorry for him, it was a very good look, sort of adorable. Not that he'd ever say that out loud. He didn't want to make Adrian feel worse than he already was.

It had sounded almost as if Adrian wanted more than friendship. Could it be true? Was Peter not the only one feeling more? Only one way to find out. He took a deep breath for courage and stretched his arm until he was able to touch Adrian's hand. His friend's fingers were cold but curled around Peter's immediately, as if happy to have found a home.

The tingling excitement that travelled from Peter's fingers up his arm made him feel warm all over. They'd touched before while doing homework or working on class projects, but that hadn't been intentional contact, and it had never felt like this. It was as if Adrian and he were the only two people in existence. The rest of the world didn't matter. Peter twined their fingers together, liking the image of their hands so closely linked. It looked right. It even felt right, and touched him deep down inside.

Peter looked up, straight into Adrian's blazing eyes. Was he really going to do this? Was he finally going to find out what it was like to kiss Adrian's plump lips? He'd certainly fantasised about it enough.

Just to make sure they weren't being watched, Peter turned around to check the living room that was adjacent to the large garden terrace. Everything was totally deserted, the party obviously still in full swing in the basement.

When he turned back, Adrian was still staring at him, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Peter slowly leant forward and brushed his lips across Adrian's. They both gasped. The contact was electrifying. He wanted more.

He kissed both corners of Adrian's mouth before pressing their lips together for a closed-mouth kiss that made him tremble. Adrian's lips were soft and warm. His hot breath fanned across Peter's skin, and when the other boy opened his lips to sigh into Peter's mouth, Peter felt his groin tighten in response.

He pulled back for a moment, trying to catch his breath. But Adrian didn't give him a lot of time. Before Peter knew what was happening, Adrian slid his free arm around Peter's shoulders and pulled him closer. Peter went to his knees as he moved between Adrian's spread legs. He slid his left arm around Adrian's middle to keep the swing from moving. Their clasped hands still between them, they were now pressed tightly together. The swing hung just low enough for their groins to touch. From the feel of things, Adrian was just as hard as Peter and with a mutual sigh, they moved their open mouths together for another kiss.

Hesitant at first, since he'd never done this before, Peter moved his tongue along Adrian's lower lip. The careful caress made Adrian respond with his own tongue and soon they were duelling for the best spots to explore in the other's mouth. Arm tightening around Adrian's responsive body, Peter moved as close to the other boy as possible, wishing they could do more than kiss. The heat between their bodies was incredible. Adrian was just as excited as Peter and within a few moments, he was pushing his stiff erection into Adrian's equally hard one, trying to get the friction he needed.

He wanted the other boy naked, wanted to feel his skin and to explore Adrian's whole body, not just his mouth. It was as if a fire was burning inside him that could only be made bearable by touching Adrian.
It soon got to be too much. The tingling in his balls warned Peter that he was going to come from just this kiss if he didn't stop. He pulled back, trying to catch his breath, as he admired Adrian's swollen lips.

"We can't..." Adrian shook his head. His gaze flickered to the house, then back. "I'm not...we can't do this."

Adrian retreated from their embrace, and Peter felt as if someone had pulled the ground out from underneath him as his hopes came crashing down. It had been too good to be true. Unfortunately, Adrian was probably right. They shouldn't be doing this at all, never mind outside where anyone could walk into the living room, look out the window and see them.

"Nobody can know about this." Adrian tugged on his hand as well, but Peter wouldn't let him get away.
He was enjoying the skin-to-skin contact way too much. It was the only thing left.

"We'll be careful." Peter doubted they could ever be cautious enough as soon as he said the words.

"It'll never work." Adrian pulled at his hand again and this time Peter didn't stop him. "Have you forgotten about David and Elliot? They'll probably never see each other again now that Elliot's parents have moved the family away. Nobody will even talk about where they went."

"Yeah, but those two were caught kissing." Peter shook his head. "We can be more careful than that."

"It's too risky." Adrian made his stubborn frown, the one he used when there was no reasoning with him. "I mean, my father hates gays. He already watches me like a hawk, trying to make me into more of a man by pushing girls at me. He's going to kick me out just like David's parents did-then what? I'd be on the street without a way to pay for culinary school. Or anything else for that matter."

"You're right." Peter looked down at the scuffed grass between his knees, feeling very empty and lonely. To have had such hope that Adrian returned his interest, only to have it dashed was crushing him. "So we just forget this ever happened?"

"Yes. We can't be more than friends." Adrian pushed his long brown hair back out of his face. His hand was shaking and a small tear rolled down one cheek.

"It's so unfair!" Peter wanted to hit something.

"I know." Adrian sighed. "I wish it was different."

"So do I. Crap."

Peter stood up with an almost superhuman effort, ready to go back inside. It didn't look as if Adrian thought they were going to be able to explore this until possibly after college. That was an eternity. All those years without being able to touch Adrian again. How was he going to survive?

* * * *

"Is that you, Peter?" Nick's voice coming from the darkness was low.

"Yeah, sorry I woke you." Peter closed the door of their shared bedroom and started feeling his way towards his bed. "Go back to sleep. It's late."

"I can't sleep." Nick switched on his small bedside lamp.

His brother's face was pale under his shaggy dark hair, his eyes large and scared. Was that a bruise on his cheek? Peter's stomach cramped and bile rose in his throat. When would his mother ever learn?

"I-I'm sorry." Nick covered the bruise with a trembling hand and looked away. "I should have been more careful with the milk."

"Did she hit you again? After she promised not to?" Peter took the three steps to his brother's bed and took him into his arms. "I swear, I'll cut off her spending money this time."

"But that'll make her really angry." Nick slid his thin arms around Peter and held on. "Then she'll hit all of us, like she used to before your eighteenth birthday."

"We'll see about that." Peter didn't understand why his mother had broken the agreement they'd made just two months ago. "I'll have a talk with her in the morning, when she's sober."

Nick nodded but kept clinging to Peter.

"Has she done anything to Helen?" Peter didn't know if he could keep it together if he found out she'd hit their baby sister. Shit, Helen was only ten.

"No, I stopped her." Nick started crying.

"That's very brave of you." Peter ground his teeth. He wished he could save Nick from having to go through the same thing he had when he was fifteen.

"Why did Dad have to die? It was all okay when he was still alive." Nick's little sobs tore at Peter's heart.

"I don't know, Nick. I wish he'd never gone to work in that stupid factory."

Peter knew there hadn't really been a choice when their dad's previous employer went bankrupt nine years ago. Dad hadn't been qualified for anything much beyond a menial job, so he was lucky to find employment when he did. The accident had never been properly investigated, no compensation had been paid, and the entire family had struggled for the last eight years.

So far, Peter had been able to earn enough money to help them survive, but it had been hard. Their mother's alcoholism didn't help. But she'd gone too far now. She'd promised to stop the physical abuse if Peter kept handing over enough money for her to pay for her drinking habit. What might happen when he went to college and wasn't able to check her on a daily basis? He was going to have to find a way to make her behave herself once he moved to Dallas in August.

It looked as if his struggle wasn't over yet.

* * * *

Riverside, Texas
Saturday May 3, 2003

Peter was exhausted. He pushed the pedals for all he was worth, trying to make it up the final hill, and let out a whoop of triumph when he crested it. Letting his mountain bike run itself down the other side, he lifted his face into the wind and enjoyed the free ride.

He loved going for small excursions north of the medium-sized town. Riverside was as flat as most of Texas, the low tree-covered hills adding a much loved variation. The paths were muddy even in summer, because the forest's foliage was so dense. The quiet under the old trees was relaxing, interrupted by nothing but bird song and the occasional buzzing from an insect. The couple of hours he got to spend on his own every few weeks helped him keep his sanity in the face of his mother's stupidity and growing violence, the pressure to do well in school, and the worry about his younger siblings' future once he left for college in August.

None of that was relevant now. Here, he could just be for a while.

When he reached the little clearing by the pond deep inside the woods, he plonked down his bike, dropped his backpack and sat down on the soft moss, letting a tree trunk support his back.
Blessed silence.

A twig cracked, then another. The initial sound came from farther up the hill, but each subsequent noise was a little closer.

What the hell?

He knew the forest was public land, and anyone could make their way here, but he sort of regarded this as his territory for now.

Was he doomed never to be undisturbed?

He squinted up the path and discovered another boy approaching him. He was smaller than Peter, had a tight grip on his bike's handlebars as he pushed it down the path, and looked an awful lot like...

"Adrian?" Peter jumped up and took a step towards his friend.

Adrian was sweat soaked and gasped for air, but his smile was wide as he crossed the last few feet of distance. He stood close enough for Peter to feel his hot exhales on his cooling skin.

"Hey." Adrian smiled and dropped his bike next to Peter's.

"What-how did you find me?" Peter's heart beat so fast, he was afraid it was going to fly out of his chest at any moment.

"It wasn't hard." Adrian tilted his head. "You've been coming here for years, even took me a couple of times when we were younger, and I figured it would be the one place you'd feel safe."

"It is." Peter took a deep breath to try to calm down.

"So, I was hoping you wouldn't mind being safe together." Adrian stepped close enough for their chests to touch. "I've missed you."

"I always miss you." Peter closed his eyes. That sounded way too needy, but it was the truth. He opened his eyes again, only to see his feeling mirrored in Adrian's.

"I don't know what to do." Adrian looked down. "I know what I said last week, about having to be careful. My parents can't find out about us."

"Neither can my mother." Peter slipped a finger under Adrian's chin and slowly pushed it upwards until he could see his eyes. "But we both knew that. What's changed?"

"I can't forget the kiss." Adrian fisted his hands. "Every time I close my eyes I can feel your arms around me and your lips on mine. I want that back."

"What are you saying?" Hope made Peter's breath come faster.

"I want to kiss you." Adrian grinned.

"I want that too." Peter lifted his arms and slid them around Adrian's middle.

Adrian's arms came up and around Peter's neck as he bent his head so he could touch Adrian's lips with his. They were so soft. The other boy welcomed him with a sigh, opening up and letting their tongues tangle. Peter lost himself in the kiss, exploring Adrian's mouth until he needed oxygen more badly than the next caress.

He pulled them both onto the ground. Side by side, they ground their groins against each other as the kisses grew more and more urgent. With the last bit of awareness, he managed to open their shorts, pulling out their hard erections and fisting them both in rhythm to their kissing.

"Fuck, yes!" Adrian threw back his head and fucked Peter's hand for all he was worth.

The strong friction Adrian gave Peter's cock was so much better than anything his own hand had ever provided.

"Shit. I'm gonna..." Peter stared into Adrian's eyes and lost it.

He shot into Adrian's hand, spasms of ecstasy travelling along his spine and making him groan with the pleasure. Adrian was right behind him. A second splash of hot semen coated his hand as the other boy covered him in more spunk.

Too sated to move, he tightened his arms around Adrian and closed his eyes.

"Wow." Adrian snuggled closer.

"Yeah." Peter smiled.

* * * *

Riverside, Texas
Wednesday May 14, 2003

Adrian Shrader was happy. It was totally ridiculous, but sitting next to Peter in his family's small kitchen doing homework made him feel cheerful.

It had been a month since Rick's party, when they'd both realised they felt more for each other than friendship. Adrian had been ecstatic to find out that his good-looking friend with the wide shoulders, narrow hips and muscled legs returned his interest. Showing anyone else what they were beginning to mean to each other would have been suicidal, though. So, driven by the necessity of keeping those feelings hidden, they'd managed to return to being best friends. Except for last week's encounter in the forest and the warm thigh rubbing against his leg under the table right now.

"Stop that." Adrian kept his voice low, not wanting to attract attention from Peter's ten-year-old sister who was watching cartoons in the nearby living room.

"What?" Peter glanced at him, obviously trying to look innocent. His bright green eyes were sparkling with mischief.

"You know what!" Adrian tried to stop grinning. These little stolen touches were all they had until they managed some more alone time, and he loved them. How was he going to convince Peter they were not a good idea? He snorted. He needed to convince himself, first, that was the real problem. He hadn't done a very good job so far.

"This?" Peter pressed closer. The intense look in his eyes made Adrian blush.

"Yes, this." Adrian couldn't bring himself to move away. "Your mother could walk in anytime and so could Helen, for that matter."

"You're right." Peter sighed, moved his leg and scooted his chair away. "I'm sorry."

"So am I." The distance made Adrian feel lonely. He almost regretted saying something. "I wish it could be different."

"Yeah." The look Peter gave him was filled with longing.

Adrian reached out to squeeze Peter's hand.

"What the hell is going on here?" The voice came from the kitchen door, right behind him. Peter's mother wasn't even supposed to be back for another ten minutes. "I swear I leave you alone for five minutes to pick up your brother from football practice and I find you what-holding hands? In my kitchen?"

Shit.

Fuck.

Adrian pulled his hand back so quickly he almost fell off his chair. He turned around to stare at the irate woman. Her hazel eyes were riveted on him, red splotches of anger colouring her cheeks.

"I want an answer!" Mrs. Adams took a deep breath before turning around to face Nick who was rooted to the hallway floor, his eyes as big as saucers. "You're going to take your sister upstairs, Nick, and you're going to stay in your rooms until I tell you it's okay to come out."

Nick turned on his heels and stormed into the living room. He grabbed Helen's hand and pulled her upstairs where they both vanished into one of the bedrooms. The door closed with a loud bang. Then there was silence.

"Well, Adrian, I'm waiting." Mrs. Adams tapped her foot impatiently.

"I was just..." How to explain that he'd been trying to comfort Peter? The woman didn't look as though she'd understand or accept that explanation.

"Just what?" Mrs. Adams shoved an errant curl back behind her ear, her full attention on him. "Let me tell you what. You're too close to my son. It's not normal for the two of you to spend so much time together. Peter needs a girlfriend to take out on dates. Instead, he goes to the movies with you. And see what it got him? He hasn't even got a date for the prom and it's next week."

"But I like spending time with Adrian." Peter sat up straight, obviously ready to defend their friendship.

Adrian wasn't sure that was the best approach.

"That's the problem. It's wrong for you to spend all your time with a boy. Not natural. I won't stand for it. Not while you're living under my roof." Mrs. Adams stood in the kitchen door looking like an avenging angel, righteous indignation pouring from every cell in her body.

"You can't tell me who I can or can't spend my time with!" Peter frowned. "Those days are over."

"Oh, but they're not." Mrs. Adams lifted an arm and pointed at Peter. "You have Nick and Helen to think of. I won't have you set a bad example for them. You'll stop seeing Adrian. Start behaving like a man and act your age. You need to date girls, lead a normal life. If you don't shape up you can forget seeing Nick and Helen once you're at your fancy college."

"What?" Peter moved forward in his chair. "You can't tell me to go out! You're never even here in the evenings. You're gone most of the night cleaning offices. Who'd watch them?"

"Believe me, young man, I'll find a solution. Anything is better than them seeing their older brother act like a fag." Mrs. Adams dropped her arm but didn't stop glaring at Peter.

Adrian couldn't stand it anymore. He wasn't going to let Peter risk everything they'd worked so hard for. There was no way that Nick and Helen could be left to their own devices. Not with this woman.

"It's okay, Peter." Adrian was devastated before he'd even said what he knew Mrs. Adams wanted to hear.

"We don't have to spend that much time together. If your mother wants you to date, then that's probably what you should do."

"But Adrian..." Peter's eyes were huge as he raked his black hair with trembling fingers.

"No buts, Peter." Adrian's heart hurt at the thought of seeing even less of his friend. He had no choice though. "It's more important for you to take care of Nick and Helen than it is for us to hang out."

©Serena Yates, 2011
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