Love Means No Shame - Andrew Grey

the country; he’d get down on his knees and beg him to stay with him if he thought it would help, but it wouldn’t. He loved Eli, heart and soul deep, and 174 Love Means … NO SHAME
    part of what he loved was that Eli was the most caring, giving person he’d ever met. How could he ask him to be any less than himself to stay? He realized he couldn’t. “You sweet, sweet man.” Geoff ran his fingers through Eli’s hair. “I love you so much.” Eli’s sobs began to abate. “I’m caught, and there’s no easy answer. If I stay, I’ll have you, but my family will suffer, and I’d never be able to see them again. If I go, I’ll be giving up the one person I love more than any other, but I’ll condemn my family to possible shunning by the community.”
    “But they haven’t done anything.”

    “That’s the worst of it, isn’t it? They’ll be considered guilty by association and condemned regardless. Not officially, but others will treat them badly. Papa is respected, a community leader, but he’ll be pushed aside, and the family will be forced to live on the fringes.

    People will avoid them on the street. They’ll go somewhere else for their bread. They won’t buy Papa’s furniture or help him when he has a big order.” Eli looked up into Geoff’s eyes. “I don’t see any other way out.”

    Geoff’s heart was breaking. He knew he was going to lose Eli, the man he loved, but it hurt him more to see Eli in such agony. He had to let him go; there was no other choice. “When will you leave?”

    Eli sniffled softly. “I should go right away and not drag out the hurt and pain.”
    “No! You can go in the morning. I want one more night with you, one last chance to hold you and be with you, one last chance to say good-bye. I need something to last me the rest of my life.” Eli stood up, trying to get hold of himself. “I need that too.” Sniffling softly, Eli went upstairs, and then Geoff heard a bedroom door close. Geoff considered following him but thought better of it.
    He needed time to think… no, that was the last thing he needed to 175
Andrew Grey
do. He had just a few hours with Eli, and he was going to make the very most of them.
    Geoff climbed the stairs and knocked on Eli’s door. “Eli, it’s me.” Slowly, the door opened to reveal red, puffy eyes. “Come here.” Tentatively, Eli moved into his arms, and Geoff drew him close. He wasn’t going to turn down anything that got Eli in his arms. “It’ll be all right.”
    “How?”
“I don’t know. I wish I did. Is there anything you need to do?” Eli shook his head. “I don’t have much to take back with me.”
    “Oh.” Geoff leaned to Eli, kissing him. Geoff knew that each kiss could be their last, so he was determined to make each one count, and this was no exception. Eli melted into him, and he went with it, devouring those sensual lips and the sweet mouth before slowly pulling away. “I’ll be right back up.” Geoff turned around and went downstairs, heading to the kitchen. He made a simple dinner, put the food on a tray, and after a stop in the living room, carried the tray up to the bedroom. He knocked, and Eli opened the door wearing the pink micro bikini.
    Geoff’s eyes bugged out. “What’s this?”
    “Raine left this for me, and I really wanted to wear it for you.” Geoff put the tray on the dresser and slipped off his shirt and pants, standing in front of Eli in only his underwear. “I brought us some dinner.” He leaned forward. “Then it’s just us.” Their kiss was almost enough to buckle Geoff’s knees. He led Eli to the bed and made sure he was comfortable, brought over the tray, and joined him on the comforter. Geoff had confined dinner to finger foods. He picked up a bunch of grapes and fed them to Eli one at a time. Then Eli fed him the strawberries, with Geoff licking 176
    Love Means … NO SHAME

    Eli’s fingers every chance he got. Tongue, hands, lips, it didn’t matter how he touched Eli; he just knew he had to, like he needed to get a lifetime of touches in just a few hours.
    Once they’d finished eating, Geoff put the tray back on the dresser, standing at the foot of the bed. Eli looked incredible in the pink bathing suit, the tight fabric leaving very little to the imagination. He wanted to remember, sear the image on his brain for later. Slowly, he climbed on the bed, crawling to where Eli waited for him. Gently, almost carefully, their lips touched, their tongues