Chapter 3: Backyard Reckoning
Derek shoved through the crowd, elbows sharp, shoulders tense. The bass from the speakers thumped in his chest, but it wasn’t enough to drown out the noise in his head. Someone spilled beer on his sleeve, and he barely registered the sticky wetness. The frat house was a blur of faces he didn’t care about, voices he didn’t want to hear. He needed out. Now.
The back door slammed shut behind him, cutting off the noise like a switch. The air was cooler out here, damp with the smell of grass and smoke from the grill. A couple of guys lingered by the picnic tables, their laughter ringing hollow in the dark. Derek didn’t look at them. He just kept walking, his boots crunching against the gravel path.
A hand grabbed his arm, yanking him back so hard he stumbled. “Hey!” he barked, spinning around, fists already clenched.
It was Nate. His jaw was tight, eyes blazing like he’d been waiting for this moment all night. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?” His voice was low, almost a growl, and his grip on Derek’s arm didn’t loosen.
“None of your business,” Derek shot back, jerking his arm free. His heart was pounding, but he wasn’t sure if it was from anger or something else. “Just back off, Nate.”
Nate didn’t back off. Instead, he stepped closer, his body crowding Derek’s space. “The hell it isn’t,” he snapped, his voice dropping even lower. “You don’t just walk away from this. Not from me.”
Before Derek could respond, Nate grabbed him again, dragging him toward the edge of the yard. The shadows of the oak tree swallowed them, the faint light from the house barely reaching them. Nate shoved him against the tree, the bark digging into his back. Derek winced, his breath hitching.
“What the fuck, man?” Derek spat, his chest heaving.
Nate leaned in, his face inches from Derek’s. “Don’t play dumb,” he said, his voice rough, like he was holding back something explosive. “I saw you in there.With Ben. You think I didn’t notice?”
Derek’s stomach dropped, but he forced himself to hold Nate’s gaze. “So what if I was?” he shot back, his voice steady despite the way his hands were shaking. “You don’t own me, Nate. You made that pretty fucking clear.”
Nate’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening like he was holding himself back from saying—or doing—something he’d regret. “Don’t,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “Don’t act like you don’t know what this is.”
“What, this?” Derek gestured between them, his voice rising. “This isn’t anything. You made sure of that.”
Nate’s hand shot out, gripping Derek’s jaw hard enough to make him wince. “You don’t get to say that,” he said, his voice a harsh whisper. “You don’t get to pretend this isn’t real.”
And then Nate kissed him. It wasn’t soft or gentle. It was raw, desperate, like he was trying to prove something. Derek’s hands came up, pushing against Nate’s chest, but the fight didn’t last. The heat of Nate’s mouth, the way his body pressed against him, it was too much.
Derek kissed him back, his hands fisting in Nate’s shirt, pulling him closer. Nate’s tongue slid against his, his breath hot and uneven. For a moment, nothing else existed—just the two of them, the tree at Derek’s back, and the weight of everything they hadn’t said.
When Nate finally pulled away, they were both breathing hard. “I want you,” Nate said, his voice rough, like the words were being ripped out of him. “I want you so fucking bad it hurts.”
His hand slid down, gripping Derek through his jeans, and Derek’s hips jerked forward involuntarily. A low groan escaped his lips, his head falling back against the tree. “Nate,” he breathed, his voice barely audible.
Nate’s lips brushed against his ear, his voice a low, desperate whisper. “Tell me you want this too.”
Derek didn’t hesitate. “I do,” he said, his voice shaking. “I want you.”
And then Nate’s mouth was on his again, his hands everywhere, and the world outside the shadows disappeared.
Nate’s lips were relentless, his tongue pressing into Derek’s mouth with a hunger that left him breathless. His hands roamed Derek’s body, fingertips digging into his skin as though he was afraid Derek might vanish if he let go. Derek’s shirt was shoved up, the cool night air brushing against his exposed stomach, but Nate’s heat was everywhere, overwhelming. “God, you feel good,” Nate muttered, his voice rough against Derek’s lips, and Derek’s knees nearly gave out.
Derek fumbled with Nate’s shirt, his fingers trembling as he tried to undo the buttons. He managed to rip it open, the sound of buttons hitting the ground barely registering. Nate’s chest was solid, warm under his palms, and Derek traced the lines of muscle like he was memorizing them. “Fuck, Nate,” he breathed, his voice shaky, and Nate’s hands tightened on his hips in response.
Nate groaned, low and deep, his body pressing harder against Derek’s. His hand slid down, fingers brushing against Derek’s belt buckle, and Derek’s breath hitched. “You’re so ready for this,” Nate murmured, his voice thick, and Derek couldn’t argue. Nate’s hand was inside his jeans now, his touch electric, and Derek’s head fell back against the tree with a thud. “Please,” he whispered, the word barely audible, but Nate heard it.
Nate didn’t hesitate. He yanked at Derek’s jeans, pulling them down along with his boxers, and Derek kicked them off, the cool grass under his feet a sharp contrast to the heat of Nate’s body. Nate stepped back for a moment, his eyes roaming over Derek like he was trying to commit every inch to memory. “You’re beautiful,” he said, his voice husky, and Derek’s chest tightened at the words.
Nate’s hand was on him again, his fingers wrapping around Derek’s cock, and Derek’s hips jerked forward involuntarily. “Nate, I can’t—” he started, but Nate cut him off with a low growl. “Can’t what?” he asked, his hand moving faster, harder, and Derek’s breath came in ragged gasps.
He was so close, the pressure building inside him, threatening to explode. Nate released him for a moment, reaching into his own pants, and when he pulled himself out, Derek’s eyes widened. “God,” he breathed, his voice filled with awe, and Nate’s lips curled into a smirk.
“I’m going to fuck you so good,” Nate whispered, his voice a promise, and Derek shivered. Nate positioned himself, his cock sliding between Derek’s thighs, and Derek’s legs wrapped around his waist instinctively. “Please,” Derek begged, his voice raw, and Nate didn’t need to be told twice.
The pain was sharp, intense, but it was fleeting, quickly replaced by a pleasure so overwhelming Derek couldn’t think. Nate’s thrusts were deep, powerful, driving Derek further into the abyss. He closed his eyes, surrendering completely, his body consumed by the heat and the need. In that moment, there was nothing else—just Nate, the tree at his back, and the raw, desperate connection between them.