All That and a Bag of Chips

Chapter 35

Collin and Heather grasped each other's hands as they navigated through the tightly packed crowd. The last block of Pacific Avenue had been cordoned off, and they had set a stage up in the street between the cafe and the smoothie shop. Collin was glad he didn't work nights, because a line of drunk partiers filled the brightly lit lobby.

"I've never seen so many shirtless men in one place!" Heather shouted as they pushed past the mass that was crushing around the stack of speakers, Madonna's Like a Prayer blasting.

"And look." Collin pointed. "There's a man without pants."

Heather turned her head. "Oh my God, you're not joking!" she shrieked.

"I guess this really is your first pride march." Collin laughed. "Just wait until the end of the month when we go up to San Francisco."

The past three weeks had been an exciting blur of movie dates and dinners. Of holding hands and making out. They'd gone dancing at the gay club with Sam and had gone back to the Irish bar with the Onicas. Things were beginning to feel settled. To feel right. Instead of straddling two separate worlds, they had combined into one more colorful one.

Even as they walked through the wooden police barriers that had been set up in the crosswalk and were back on the stretch of Pacific Avenue that wasn't shut down to automotive traffic, their hands remained tightly gripped.

Collin rubbed the back of Heather's hand with his thumb as they continued down the block. "You know," he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I was thinking..."

"Yeah?" she asked, turning her head and quickly kissing his cheek.

"I'm not really feeling the club tonight."

"No? What did you have in mind?"

As they approached the next corner, Collin pulled her down the side street and into the shadows. He pressed her back against the wall of a building and let his hand trail from her cheek, down her neck, and along the length of her body before leaning against her and kissing her.

Heather's hands grasped his waist and pulled him closer as she opened her mouth to deepen their kiss.

When he pulled away, Collin looked at her, his eyes searching hers for any hesitation as he asked, "Want to go back to my place?"

She bit her bottom lip and nodded twice. Then she grabbed his hand and led him down the street. "I wish you lived closer."

Collin picked up his pace. "Me too." He looked over at her and his chest filled with helium. His feet felt lighter, and he thought he might float all the way back home.

After two more blocks, he couldn't stand it any longer and he stopped.

"Why are you stopping?" she asked.

"Because I needed to kiss you." Collin drew her in, feeling how she melted into him. "You are my oxygen."

"Fuck," Heather took a steadying breath before pulling him down the block. "Only a little further to go."

By the time they reached his front door, they were panting from how quickly they had walked. He leaned in and kissed her as he opened the front door with a turn of the knob, pushing her along as the door opened and then leading her up the stairs. Heather closed the front door with a kick.

Once in the bedroom, the door locked, they collapsed onto the bed.

Breathing heavily, Collin buried himself in her neck, running one hand through her hair, his other hand slipping under her shirt. Then he pulled back, gazing into her kaleidoscope eyes, which were amber and sage in the low light. "Is this okay?" he asked, low and breathy.

"Shut up," she said as she grasped his face and pulled him close, taking his breath away.

He closed his eyes and relaxed into her, never wanting this feeling to end.

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