Is This Enough ||MxM || Lgbtq+

Chapter 11

Vinnie's P.O.V

The roar of my convertible echoed off cracked asphalt as I sped away from Wes's place.  I hadn't meant to bolt, but I needed air. Wes always had plenty of it.

Engine loud, city louder. I hated it here. Too many people pretending not to see each other. But Wes? He was different.

Even if I wanted to be alone, I couldn't stay away. I pulled up, killed the engine, and stepped out. His front door was already ajar.

"Wes?" I called, my voice bouncing off the hollow walls inside. "Where the hell are you?"

"Out in the yard, Gramps," came the reply.

I sighed. "Call me that again and I'm keying your bike."

He chuckled. I pushed through the living room and slid open the back door.

Wes was hunched over his ancient black motorcycle, grease smudging his arms, that white tank top doing nothing to hide the mess. Oil streaked down the front like he'd lost a fight with the bike.

"Still trying to make that thing run?" I asked, stepping closer.

"Better than ever," he said, voice light. "Just waiting on your pension to buy some parts."

I narrowed my eyes. "You're so lucky I like you."

He grinned, wiping his hands. "You say that like it's a limited-time offer."

The bike groaned as he twisted something near the wheel. A second later, the mirror snapped off and shattered against the patio stones.

We stared at it in silence. Then cracked up like idiots. A few minutes later, we were inside. Wes tossed me a cold beer, then dropped into the armchair opposite mine. The air between us stilled.

"So," he said, eyeing me. "What was so important you couldn't say it over the phone?"

I hesitated, rolling the bottle between my hands. "I don't even know where to start."

"Start anywhere."

Here goes nothing.

"I'm playing host right now. And before you freak out, it's not random. I didn't drag some stray into my house."

He raised an eyebrow. "Okay..."

Wes stared at me with a look of disbelief and worry. "The fuck Vinnie?! What if he's a serial killer"

"Dude chill! His name is Leonardo, and trust me if he was a serial killer, I'd be dead already! I brought him home because he needed shelter. The weather was a nightmare."

Wes gave me his signature side-eye. "Fine. Go on."

I exhaled, rubbing the label on my bottle. "I don't know what's happening, man. We're strangers, technically, but I feel like I can breathe around him. Like I've known him forever."

Wes raised a brow. "Love in the air? Should I start planning a registry?"

I rolled my eyes. "Don't be a dick."

He chuckled but softened. "Alright. Real talk. Do you like him?"

"I think I do. And... I think he might like me back? Maybe? We almost kissed the other day and he didn't pull away. That's got to mean something, right?"

Wes shrugged. "Maybe. You won't know unless you ask. Worst case, you get closure."

After hours of movies, food, and Wes venting about some barista who ghosted him, I checked the clock, almost seven.

Time to head back. We fist-bumped at the door. "Later, dude."

"Go get your man," he grinned. "Fingers crossed I meet the guy who's got you all twisted up."

The sun showed its mettle by attempting to hold back the night. I slid into the driver's seat, palms sweaty. Doubt gnawed at me the whole ride. What if Leo didn't feel the same? What if I'd misread everything?

A honk snapped me out of it. I hit the brakes, sucked in a breath, and pulled into the drive. The house was eerily silent when I stepped inside.

"Leo?" I called. "Where did you go? Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

A shaky voice answered, "I-I-In here."

I found him in the kitchen, curled into a tight ball on the floor, head tucked to his knees. My stomach dropped.

I set the bag of leftovers down and knelt beside him, brushing a hand gently under his chin to lift his face.

"Hey. What's wrong?" I asked softly. "What are you so upset about?"

His eyes avoided mine. Shame clung to him like mist.

"It's nothing," he whispered. "I was just being silly."

"Hey, look at me!" I said, lifting his chin so our eyes met. "I'm here for you, and I care about how you feel. Now tell me, what's going on?"

My anger seethed as I heard him explain what his awful boss had done to ruin his day. I stood up from my hunched-over posture, ready to make up for the time that had been wasted.

I lowered myself back down, ensuring that my legs were firmly pressed together. Then, held him close, embracing him with my arms. The moment was even more magical than it had been before; his vanilla bean scent was captivating, and I filled my lungs with it.

As we reluctantly released one another, I looked into his eyes and said, "I'm so sorry you had to experience that."

He muttered quietly, "We could really use a new mirror in the restroom."

"Oh yeah?" I replied with a coy smile, raising my eyebrows to suggest a whole world of possibilities.

Leo let out a hearty laugh that lit up his eyes, and said with conviction, "You know exactly what I meant."

I caught a glimpse of his hand, stained with blood, and wrapped in tissues. "Let's get that wound all taken care of and bandaged up!"

We both rose to our feet, and I quickly grabbed the first aid kit. He perched on the countertop as I got to work. I dabbed his wounds with a cotton swab and some methylated spirits, coaxing them to heal.

He gritted his teeth through the pain, but I soothed him with a playful peck on the hand after I wrapped it up. His cheeks blushed in response.

"There, much better." I said.

"Thanks, Vin."

"Vin?" I uttered with sheer disbelief! He gave me a nickname?! If that wasn't the ultimate confirmation of his feelings for me, then I don't know what is. Giving someone a nickname is a special thing; it's an honour.

"Sorry. It just slipped out."

I grasped his hand in mine, lightly gliding my fingers over his knuckles, and smiled, "No, I really like it."

I was entranced by him, as if the two of us were the only people in existence.

His beguiling, hazel eyes kept me in a spell-like state, and I was helpless to fight it. He had no clue of the profound effect he had on me. My eyes couldn't stay away from his lips. They appeared so inviting. "Leo, there's something I've wanted to do for a while now."

"What is it?" he inquired, his tenderness and enthusiasm making his voice quiver with anticipation.

I edged closer to him with a sense of both determination and fear. Our breaths were one as I said the word "This." I leaned in and our lips touched in a sweet, gentle kiss.

My heart thundered so loudly in my chest, I was certain he could hear it. A rush of euphoria surged through me as Leo's hands moved to cradle the back of my head.

I pulled him closer, unwilling to let even a second slip away. His fingertips brushed my scalp, and the sensation was electric—like nothing I'd ever felt. His lips tasted like a dream, and I craved more. When I finally drew back, breathless and dazed, I found him staring into my eyes with a look that said everything.

"Do that again," Leo whispered, his voice barely audible. "Please."

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