~Prologue~
Christian was hammered. He had a great time dancing and laughing with his family, but he hadn’t seen Shea in about an hour, so he went looking for him. Christian found him at the bar, talking to Jared Walsh, Sebastian’s new brother-in-law. He went over and slung his arm around Shea’s shoulders.
“Hey, guys.” Christian greeted them.
“Hey, Chris,” Jared smiled.
“Hey, buddy,” Shea said, turning his glazed brown eyes toward Christian.
“Listen, I gotta piss. I’ll see you guys later,” Jared said and left them to find the bathroom.
Christian took a deep breath, he had something he wanted to tell Shea, and it was now or never. “Shea, can we go somewhere quiet to talk?”
“Yeah, sure, man.”
Shea pushed away from the bar and Christian dropped his arm. They headed out into the lobby and out the front doors. Christian led them over to the little grassy area where the gazebo was. It was dark and quiet in the gazebo; no one else was outside - perfect for what he needed to tell Shea. He stepped into the gazebo then turned and waited for Shea, who ended up tripping as he stepped into the gazebo. Christian caught him, but since they were both drunk, they stumbled until his back bumped against one of the poles, and Shea was pressed against his front. Christian’s eyes slid closed. Jesus, he couldn’t remember what they even came out here for. He has been dreaming about Shea being in his arms like this for too long.
“You know, I have always wondered what it would be like to kiss you,” Shea murmured huskily into the dark, his mouth mere inches from Christian’s.
Christian’s eyes flew open. He was about to ask Shea what the hell he was talking about, but instead Shea kissed him. Christian sucked in a sharp breath through his nose, his eyes fluttering shut. Holy shitballs! Shea was kissing him! Christian fisted his hands in the back of Shea’s shirt and kissed him back, all of his pent up desires bursting forth. Their tongues met and Christian thought he was going to come in his pants. He moaned into Shea’s mouth, and he responded with his own moan, as he pressed Christian more firmly against the pole.
The kiss was urgent and messy. Shea’s goatee scraped Christian’s skin and he loved every minute of it, never wanting it to end; but of course, it had to. Shea pulled back only enough to press their foreheads together as they both sucked in much needed air. Christian could feel Shea trembling against him. Yeah, he was just as affected as Christian was.
“Damn.” Shea breathed.
“What was that about?” Christian asked quietly.
“I don’t know,” he said, swallowing hard.
“Was it just the alcohol?” Christian asked.
“I...I don’t know,” Shea murmured.
Christian sighed heavily, his heart shattering into pieces. He gently pushed Shea back. “Well, when you figure it out, I’ll be here,” he said and started to leave the gazebo.
Shea grabbed his arm. “Hold up! What did you want to talk about?”
Christian hung his head for a moment before he glanced back at Shea. “I was going to tell you that I’m in love with you.”
Shea flinched as if Christian just slapped him across the face. “But...but...”
“Yeah, I know, you’re straight. You don’t have to remind me,” Christian muttered and pulled his arm out of Shea’s grasp. “I’m going back inside.”
Christian left Shea standing stunned in the gazebo. He didn’t know what he expected when he first went out there, but that was not it. He now had a taste of Shea, and nothing was ever going to be the same between them. He didn’t think he could go on just being friends with him anymore, it was too painful. Christian’s stomach protested and he ran for the bathroom. He locked himself in a stall and puked his ever-loving guts up. Thank god, no one else was around.
Christian pretty much avoided Shea for the remainder of the night. However, when the limo stopped to drop Christian off at home, Shea got out, too. Shea followed him into his house before shutting the door and locking it behind him.
“Chris, we have to talk about this,” Shea murmured as he followed Christian up the stairs.
“Talk about what? I’m gay, you’re not. I’m in love with you, but the feelings aren’t mutual. There is really nothing else to talk about,” Christian muttered, dragging a hand through his hair as he walked into his room.
“What about our friendship?” Shea demanded.
Christian sighed and dropped down to sit on the end of his bed. “I don’t know what to do about that, Shea. All I know is that I can’t go on like this anymore, it hurts too much.”
Christian glanced up at Shea where he was standing just inside the door, the look of pure agony on his face. “You...I...we can’t just throw away decades of friendship over a kiss,” he whispered.