Something About Sam

Chapter 29

Taite gives me the single most tender kiss I have ever had in my life.

And when he pulls away from me, he stands up—no jumps—and is smiling like he's about to say, Welp, you've just been Punked!

But he doesn't.

"Do you want to know why I just did that?" He can barely contain his excitement. I don't fight my urge to laugh because quite frankly he looks like a mad fucking hatter. But my bones are jumping in the same way that his are because his lips turn me to putty and a giddy mess of myself, so I nod and say:

"Yes. I'm confused." Because even though I've been thinking about kissing him since he came into the hotel wearing a Burberry scarf, I am still honestly whole heartedly confused.

He licks his lips and his smile stays put. It grows wider, even. "Because I don't care!" He pauses to laugh like this is the absolute funniest thing he has ever heard himself say. "I. Don't. Care." He says the last words while shaking my frail shoulders. I feel my teeth rattle against my skull but like Taite, I don't care. I just smile and laugh along with him because I think I know where this is going and I think my body may explode. He lets me go. "I did it because I wanted to, Sam. I did it because it's the only thing I've been thinking about doing since I saw you. I did it because the last time I did, it was July, inside of a limo in Paris. Five months ago!"

He starts pacing. And pacing. And pacing. "My whole life has been planned out for me, you know that?" He pauses to acknowledge me. I think he had temporarily forgotten I was in the room. I nod because it seems like he wants me to. "Get good grades, Taite. Be strong, Taite. Go to UVA, like your father, Taite." He bites his finger nails. "Stay out of trouble, Taite. Stay out of the spotlight, Taite. Don't speak unless spoken to, Taite. Be polite. Be the best you can be. For your dad, Taite. Think about your father, Taite. Think about how you reflect on him." He stops pacing, finally. He looks me in the eyes and I have a feeling he's searching me for something but I don't know if I have it. I desperately want to have it.

"And I'm tired of it," he says simply. He sits down on the edge of the bed, leaning forward so we're only a few breaths away from one another. "I'm tired of being scared that I'm not living up to my father's expectations. I'm tired of thinking I need to be the perfect son. I'm tired of trying to be the perfect son."

He takes a deep breath. "When you came along, Sam... You threw my world on its axis. Suddenly I wasn't just Taite Jefferson, Hilton's son. I was Taite Jefferson Who Likes Boys. I was suddenly Taite Jefferson Who Has Phone Sex. I was Taite Jefferson on The Late Show. To say the least Sam, you fucking scared me. You threatened my father's perfect image of me. You threatened who I thought I had to be."

"Which is why you dumped me," I finish for him. He frowns slightly, but he nods nonetheless.

"But now..." he shakes his head, staring at the open palms that are resting on his knees. He closes them, his eyes rising to meet mine. "Now I don't care, Sam. I don't fucking care. I mean, even if someone calls me a fag... Just look at me." He motions to the new Muscular Taite Jefferson. I nod. "You know I'll make them regret it."

"Yeah. Look at you." I think I've gone all dreamy and airy and love potion Sam again, because he jumps forward and kisses me again and I'm laughing through the Hulk Hogan grip he has on my face. He smiles into me and kisses me on the lips, on the cheek, on the neck. He kisses me until I'm absolutely a giggling fool. "Taite," I am breathless. "I can not breathe."

He laughs, but he pulls away from me. Again, he's giving me the holy shit! look. Like he has just won the lottery and he can finally pay off his student loans.

I wring my hands out in front of me. Even though the happiness is radiating out of every single pore in my skin like I'm some sort of mutant, I am somehow still logical. Praise be.

"So? What does this mean?"

The only thing he says is, "It means I'm so in love with you, Sam Ford, that I just don't care about anything else in the world."

I keep myself from screaming.

I don't however, keep myself from screaming when he says: "And if you don't take my virginity right this second, I'm going to die."

Needless to say. It was taken.