My Brother's Keeper

CHAPTER SEVEN

The sound of the shower woke Jared from a sound sleep, he rolled over and grabbed his cell phone and double tapped the screen. Nine o'clock he couldn't believe he'd slept that late. He was usually a pretty earlier riser and woke before his 6 am alarm went off on school days. He could clearly hear Colin moving around. They'd gone to Elitch Gardens after they left the restaurant. On a previous telephone conversation, he and Colin had discovered they were both fans of steel roller coasters so for a surprise he took him to test his limits on the coasters there. Colin's favorite had been the Brain Drain they rode it like five times last night and basically shut the place down.

Jared sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed they'd eaten so much junk food at the park that now his mouth was dry he needed something to drink preferably water after the sugar fest last night. He slowly rose from the bed and walk out into the kitchen in his boxer briefs to grab a bottled water. He couldn't believe how drained he felt he was not accustomed to hanging out all night. In the dorms, they had a strict ten o'clock curfew regardless of the night of the week. Staying in the Inn was giving Jared a taste of how his life was going to change in a few weeks after he graduated and moved back home. He would be an adult and free to come and go, stay up if he wanted, and hell, he'd stay out all night if he wanted the thoughts of his freedom made him a bit giddy and dizzy.

Jared jumped at the sound of Colin clearing his throat. "Finally, up I see." Colin said pointing out the obvious.

"Yeah." Jared chuckled. "The late night must have worn me out."

"Light weight." Colin joked. "I've been up since seven did a 3-mile run, ate breakfast and had a shower."

"What?" Jared asked shocked. You're on vacation why would you wake up that early and better why didn't you wake me to join you? You know I'm trying to be like you when I grow up and be a muscle bound geek."

"Well, being healthy doesn't take a vacation its a way of life and when I tried to wake you all I got was grunts and then you just turned your back to me. To be like me you're going to have to work a lot harder, you wrecked my diet last night now I can't have carbs for a month I'm still on a sugar high."

"Oh, yeah totally my fault." Jared chuckled. "Every time you took a sip of soda or ate anything with sugar your eyes would roll to the back of your head. You were in pure ecstasy go ahead and admit it."

"Nope, sugar is the devil." he laughed.

"Whatever, let me take a shower and we can get started on the sightseeing tour."

"Sounds like a plan." Colin agreed.

Jared's shower woke him and gave him a much-needed energy boost. He dressed simply as possible in jeans and a Denver Bronco's t-shirt he loved any day he didn't have to put on his school uniform. He added navy blue Chuck Taylors, stuck his wallet in one back pocket and his cell phone in the other. He raked some styling gel through his hair to keep his messy hair look. Grabbing his leather jacket off the bed he walked out into the living area. Colin sat on the sofa with his eyes closed, he wasn't sleeping Jared could tell because he watched Colin's fingers tapping lightly on his abdomen then he noticed the earbuds in ears he was listening to music.

Jared stood quietly and watched Colin, he seemed so at peace the look of serenity on his face was beautiful. After a few moments of admiring him, he stared at every detail of his face and the way he was sitting relaxed not a care in the world. He wanted him to stay that way, it made Jared's heart ache for him when he thought about what he was going to have to do about the marriage he didn't want. They hadn't talked about it since Colin's admission but they both knew he had to call it off even if neither of them had actually said it this is one fact that can't be avoided.

Finally, Jared walked over and sat down next to Colin and watched as his eyes opened. Colin turned his head and just looked at Jared without removing his earbuds.

What you listening to Jared asked loudly. Colin smiled and removed one of his earbuds, he leaned over and put the bud in Jared's ear and turned to face him while he listened. Jared returned his gaze and slowly recognized the song that was beginning to play it was Adele's song Hello. Jared stared into Colin's eyes and then watched as they slowly drifted closed.

He continued to watch his face this close he could see details he hadn't noticed like the delicate point of his nose, the high cheekbones that were relaxed when he wasn't smiling and the smell his cologne he wondered what kind he wore. Jared took a deep breath and held it in and realized it wasn't just the cologne but a mixture of Colin's own personal scent that had him leaning in closer.

His eyes drifted to Colin's lips and he shudder internally when Colin's tongue peeked out and licked them which made them shiny. They looked even softer this closeup and Jared wondered if they were as soft as they looked before he could think clearly he leaned in and pressed his lips to Colin's. They were everything he'd imagined and more and when Colin didn't pull away Jared deepened the kiss and wrapped his arm around Colin to pull him closer. Colin's responded by gasping and relaxing in Jared's arms and slightly parted his lips.  Jared took this opportunity to taste Colin and he wasn't disappointed. Their tongues wrestled against each other each trying to gain the most entry into the other's territory. Jared decided he was going for broke if Colin pulled away and punched him, at least, he wouldn't say he wished that he had handled their kiss any other way.

Jared's hand glided up and down Colin's back and once he touched the waistband of the joggers Colin wore he dipped his fingers under the shirts hem and rested his palm on Colin's smooth flesh and he felt the heat of Colin's lust. Slowly he guided his hand down and dipped his fingertips under Colin's waistband and he didn't stop until his palm fully gripped Colin's ass firmly and he slowly guided Colin to his back.

A loud knock at the room's door caused both of them to jump apart. "It's the door." Colin volunteered. "Someone's at the door," he repeated. Jared groaned and lifted up off Colin and headed to the door.

"Yes?" He answered through the door. "Housekeeping." the female voice replied. "No, thank you," Jared responded.

Jared turned from the door and look at Colin, he was now sitting up looking at him hopefully but the moment was broken. He slowly walked over and sat next to him. "I don't know what to say Colin, I'm sorry if I offended you, I just um I don't know...

"Colin interrupted him. Do worry I know you don't feel that way about me I suppose you were just interested or tempted to see what it was like to kiss a gay guy, right?"

"No, that's not It I-I'm attracted to you Colin don't doubt that okay. If I'm honest I have been since we met but I think our family life is complicated enough right now. Don't you think so?" he asked hesitant.

"No I don't think so. You said it best Jared we are victims of their jacked up decisions. That marriage if it happens, God forbid that it does but it will not last a year. I know my father and I know he has motives of money in marrying your mom. I'm sorry to tell you this but it's true and the guilt in knowing that has been eating me up almost as much as my own pending marriage."

"I know that's true Colin but they are adults so we have to let it run its course. The only stipulation I've put on my mom is that she has to sign a prenup and to my knowledge she hasn't even begun the process and I'm sure that Joseph has no idea the situation is an issue."

"No, I can tell you he doesn't or I would have heard about it. Look Jared I don't want us to live according to what decisions they are making. I mean why should we they certainly didn't take our feelings into consideration. Look at how your mother handled the engagement to my father. What I'm saying is if we are attracted to each other I think we deserve the right to go with it and see where it leads us regardless of our parents."

Jared smiled. "Are you attracted to me?"

"Oh, God Jared." He looked him in the eye. "I can understand your confusion because of the way I was fighting you off."

Jared laughed really loudly at that comment.

"Okay now what?" Colin asked. "Where do we go from here?"

Jared stood and pulled Colin to his feet and kissed him on the lips. "From here we go get some lunch and do a little sightseeing and then tonight I want you in my bed."