Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 6

teases.
    He points to the bottle of oil sitting next to the blanket and smiles. I can feel the heat rise in my cheeks. I had planned to seduce him before I told him my news. If it is to be my last time with him I want it to be memorable and special.
    "Gods, you make me happy," he says before he leans forward to kiss me again. It is amazing to me how I have come to crave this man like oxygen. His kisses, his touch, the way he holds me in his strong hand and brings me to release before he ever takes care of himself.
    CHAPTER 2
    Thomas
    I sensed something was wrong with Nico the moment I approached him here by the lake. 'Our lake' as we like to call it. The only place we have found where we can be together like this and no one can see us. In the nine months since I have been a part of his pride, I have never known such joy and yet such sorrow at the same time. We are not like the others, he and I. We do not feel what they consider to be "normal", even though it is "normal" to us. I have never been attracted to a female, not even when I was a young teenager just learning about my body. It was always males who caught my eye. And though I knew it was dangerous to feel such things, I could no more be attracted to women than I could draw my last breath.
    When I found Nico and his pride on their trip down to Georgia, I had been alone, wandering the back roads and small towns looking for employment. My father and I had been the only ones left of our pride back in Germany, so we took off for America in search for a better life. We had heard rumors of others like us over here and had hoped we would have been welcomed. Unfortunately, my father succumbed to an illness on the ship, leaving me all alone in the world. I miss him every day, but I am a survivor and in the three years since he died I have managed on my own. I am true to my gypsy nature, never needing anyone; well, until I met Nico.
    He is everything good in the world, kind and gentle yet strong in that quiet way of his. He looks at me with such love in his eyes, something I never knew I needed. It has not always been easy living this way; the world is a very unaccepting and cruel place; even here among our own kind we are not accepted. It is why we must hide who we are, who we love, from the others. Not to mention it is illegal to be a homosexual, so we live in constant fear of detection. Sometimes I wonder if the risk is worth it, then I look into his eyes as I move within his body and I know that it is. I am consumed by the fire that grows between us; my animal ever close to the edge of my mind, wanting to run free with him.
    He breaks into my thoughts with the words I crave but for some reason tonight, I am not sure I want to hear them and that bothers me.
    "I love you Thomas, I have never said that to another and I never will."
    The finality of that statement cuts deep into my heart, as if this is to be our last time together.
    "What is going on Nico? I can see that you are upset about something. As much as I have adored making to love to you, we usually spend time talking first– not that I am complaining," I hasten to add because I do not wish to hurt his feelings.
    He hesitates, then starts to dress, but I am quick to grab his arm stopping him. I know now that he is keeping something important from me and I will not allow that to continue.
    "Talk to me Nicolai, we have no secrets you and I, right?" The look he gives me would bring me to my knees had I not already been sitting on the ground. I can see the torment behind his beautiful brown eyes. The pain reflected there unsettles me.
    "What is it? You are worrying me, pet, have I done something to upset you, did I hurt you in anyway?" I know sometimes I can get carried away with him and the thought that I could cause him pain makes me sick.
    He spins his head and tackles me onto my back. He crawls on top of me and grabs my face in his hands.
    "You could never hurt me. Do you hear me? Never! You are everything to me!"
    I cannot help myself, I must kiss away the pain in his eyes and yet I know when he is ready to tell me what is going on, it will be my eyes that show sorrow.
    CHAPTER 3
    Nicolai
    Oh Gods, how can I do this to him, to tear apart this man's world? He is kissing me again and I have no strength to stop where he is concerned. I return the kiss with a fevered need, knowing in my mind I must stop him, but not having any willpower. Then he makes the decision for me by gently lifting me off of him and laying