Like Two Parting Seas

by Zhara Freytes

  Thousand Springs State Park was a great place to visit and look at the scenes Idaho had to offer as well as hike, fish, or boat ride, if the day allowed for it. Leo and Nathan visited three of the five areas: Malad Gorge, which had a self-guided tour they thoroughly enjoyed, as well as Niagara Springs, where they spent most of the day watching the clear flowing water. They ended with Ritter Island, where they dipped their toes in the crystal-clear water but hadn’t packed accordingly to be able to have a nice swim, though the hot day really did beg for it.

  About halfway back to the bed-and-breakfast, there was an excellent restaurant named Snake River Grill, where Leo and Nathan dined on seafood before ending their long day sitting on the patio that overlooked the river. Leo, of course, had his glass of wine while Nathan was perfectly content watching him enjoy his drink, snuggling up beside him on the lounge chair.

  “Did you enjoy yourself today?”

  “I had an amazing time,” Leo confirmed, smiling around the wide rim of the glass before setting it down on the table beside them. “Would’ve been nice to swim in the water, though. It was beautiful.”

  “It was, but you’re beautiful too, so that made up for the buckets of sweat we collected today.”

  “It wasn’t that bad, babe, but thank you for calling me beautiful.”

  Nathan chuckled and buried his face in the crook of Leo’s neck, kissing the space underneath his chin. “Like you didn’t already know you are.”

  “It’s because of you that I do. People don’t just go around calling men beautiful, you know?”

  “Well, they should. Men are just as capable of being beautiful as women are. Case in point.” He ended with a peck against his cheek, nuzzling against him.

  Leo smirked before he cleared his throat, shifting slightly on the chair and hugging Nathan closer to his side. “Hey, Nathan, can I tell you something?”

  Nathan responded with a simple nod, nearly dozing off against Leo’s warm body.

  “I don’t want you to freak out or feel like you have to say it back, but I think I’m falling in love with you, and I’ve been wanting to say it for the longest time now, but I was scared you’d close yourself off to me, and I didn’t want to risk that. You’re too important to me, Nathan.”

  The world felt as if it stopped for an entire minute as silence filled the air between them, and Nathan had to lean back to look up at the man he’d idolized and almost obsessed over for the past two years. He knew in his heart Leo was telling him the truth, that he wouldn’t come all this way and wait an entire week to tell him something like that if it weren’t true, but fear still prickled within him since Nathan had never found love in anyone else that wasn’t his blood. He was terrified of giving his entire heart over to someone, though every fiber of his being knew Leo was the one for him.

  A soft sigh fell from him as he broke the stare that intensified between them, then stared down at Leo’s chest before leaning forward to rest his forehead against it. He didn’t know what to say. Words often failed him, but right now he couldn’t form a sentence that sounded even the slightest bit coherent to mask the level of courage it took for Leo to tell him what he’d just uttered.

  Instead Nathan did what he thought could best describe what he was feeling. He kissed the other man deeply between light gasps that were required to fill the ache in his lungs that grew with every passing second. He barely felt himself being lifted from the lounge chair and carried over to the bed, the mattress hugging his every curve as Leo stripped him of his boxers, leaving him completely naked.

  Dragging his teeth along Nathan’s thighs, Leo took his time caressing nearly every inch of him with soft, wet lips, kissing from the bottom of his stomach to the crease where hip bone met leg bone. He trailed his tongue sinfully around the base of his throbbing length before hiking up the space of his torso until their lips met again in a hungry embrace.

  The heat of Leo’s body disappeared for a few seconds, and Nathan watched the god he was so infatuated with strip down to nothing and reach for the small bottle of lube they’d set on the nightstand for easy access. Nathan stretched his hand out for Leo to spill a healthy amount in the center of his palm, then closed his eyes and moaned as Nathan applied the warm liquid to his sensitive hard member, stroking him eagerly with his fingers, every inch taken care of.

  They made love slowly, and it differed from any of the other times, and Nathan knew exactly why. Though words couldn’t express what he felt, he tried to reciprocate the feelings that held his heart hostage as well as he could with every kiss, every sweet plea, every touch, and every look that steamed out of that night. He hoped Leo understood he loved him too, and one day he’d gather up enough courage to tell him the words he felt magnifying with every second that passed between them.

  Chapter 6

  Leonardo

  THE WEEK stretched on with long days while Nathan was away at work and short nights when they were together, making more memories before his trip inevitably came to an end. He spent his time watching shows or jogging down Nathan’s street, trying to keep his mind off the fact that Nathan still hadn’t responded to his admission of love. He wasn’t expecting it, didn’t want to push Nathan into feeling or revealing something he didn’t want to, but it still begged the question if he did feel something at all. The last thing he wanted to do was leave Idaho without knowing where the two of them stood, especially their relationship was only meant to last the duration of this trip. Either way Leo would hold the time they shared fondly in his heart and make the most of what they did have whenever the seas parted them once again.

  “Hey, there you are.”

  Leo turned at the sound of Nathan’s voice and smiled softly, leaning against the railing of the patio. He wrapped his arms around Nathan as he closed the space between them. “Sorry, lost track of time.”

  “It’s okay, babe.” Nathan smiled as he kissed him, humming softly against his lips. “I brought Chinese home.”

  “Mm, did you get me the shrimp lo mein?”

  “And egg rolls since I know you’re absolutely obsessed with them.”

  “Don’t act like you don’t love them too.”

  “I suppose they’re okay.” Nathan kissed him once more before grabbing his hand, then dragging him into the house that now smelled of the Chinese food sitting on the kitchen counter.

  While Nathan changed, Leo set everything out on the coffee table so they could sit on the couch and watch something while they ate their dinner.

  “Were you able to talk with your dad today?” Nathan called from the room before appearing in the doorway, wearing nothing but black-and-gray-striped briefs.

  “I did, yeah. He said the meeting went well.”

  “That’s great! So he’s planning on selling earlier than planned?”

  “Maybe.” Leo smiled up at Nathan before he busied himself with opening food cartons and grabbing one of the egg rolls from its packaging.

  What he wasn’t telling Nathan was the fact his dad wasn’t only selling his store to retire, though that was his main goal. But when Leo told his dad he was falling hard for Nathan and decided to come to the States to see where their relationship went, Jose Reyes had known the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Leo’s father met his soul mate, Leo’s mother, Clarissa, at a young age, and within six months of knowing each other, he relocated his life to Italy to start a family with the woman of his dreams. Though their marriage was short-lived at five years before cancer took her life, Jose never once regretted his decision to follow his heart. He told Leo he should do the same, that he would help him, and if it took selling the shop to do it, so be it.

  “Well, I think he should. From what I’ve heard, he’s worked his ass off all these years. It’s time for him to just kick back and enjoy retirement.”

  Leo agreed with a nod, biting into his egg roll before Nathan leaned over to take one too, much to his protest. “Hey! I thought you didn’t like them.”

  “I said they were okay. Plus the
y’re a lot better since they’re yours.”

  “You’re so odd, you know that?”

  “Yeah, but I think it’s one of my most endearing qualities, don’t you agree?”

  “I could think of about one or two more endearing qualities than that,” Leo stated and wasn’t shy about letting his eyes wander below the hem of the briefs hugging Nathan’s lower body perfectly.

  “Do tell, Mr. Saint,” Nathan purred, reaching out to tilt Leo’s head up with a finger under his chin.

  “You fish for compliments so much I’m surprised you don’t come with a fishing rod and hat.”

  “Oh, fuck you!” Nathan slapped Leo’s chest and pushed his face away. Leo doubled over in laughter, and Nathan quickly pinned him down on the couch. “Can’t believe how much of a jerk you are to me. After I clothed you, fed you, gave you a warm bed to sleep in.”

  “Okay, Dad. Tone it down on the guilt, geez.”

  “You’re bordering on being reprimanded to the couch, sir.”

  “Will you be joining me in my banishment from Castle del Nathan?”

  “Perhaps.” Nathan paused, leaned back to drag his hands down Leo’s chest, and bit into his lip, a hum of approval radiating from him. “On one condition.”

  “Absolutely anything.”

  “When you make love to me tonight, you can only speak to me in Italian.”

  Leo tried to hold back the smile that was now spreading over his lips, and he let his head drop back to the couch with his lids fluttering closed. “What makes you think I’m making love to you tonight?”

  “Because you’re practically demanding it already, mister,” Nathan said, wiggling his hips side to side. Leo’s groin ached in response. “Plus you and I both know we wouldn’t be able to survive one night without sinning.”

  “A week ago I would’ve been able to. As a matter of fact, I did.”

  “Mm, yes, and yet you still found yourself in my bed because I’m irresistible.” Nathan put a finger over Leo’s lips to keep him from disagreeing. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”

  LATER THAT night, after they made love, they clung to each other breathlessly as if they world would come apart once they untangled. It was then that Nathan finally expressed how he felt about Leo.

  “I love you too. You know that, right?”

  “I do now,” Leo whispered back, unable to hold back as tears pooled in his eyes, everything slowly clicking into place. “Took you long enough to admit it.”

  “I had to be sure. I didn’t want to tell you, then take it back the next minute.”

  “What made you finally decide to tell me?”

  Nathan shrugged, lifted his head to press his forehead against Leo’s, and rested it there for a minute before speaking again. “I’ve loved you for a while now, L. Saying it and feeling it, though, are two completely different things. Saying it makes it real. My heart’s exposed now; you have the chance to hurt me because I’m vulnerable.”

  “I won’t hurt you.”

  “I know. I know you won’t, but I just—I’ve never loved anyone before. I don’t even know where to begin.”

  “There’s no starting point, babe. It just happens, and you don’t realize how much it’s changing you until you’re in too deep, but you shouldn’t let it keep you paralyzed. Loving someone and being loved in return is life’s greatest gift.”

  Nathan took a shaky breath, closing then opening his eyes and leaning back to stare down at Leo. “And what happens when you leave?”

  “We’ll figure it out. It doesn’t matter where I am, Nathan. I’m still going to love you as I do right now in this moment. And don’t people always say distance makes a heart grow fonder?”

  “Those people obviously never spent a night with you in their bed.”

  Leo laughed and shifted their positions on the bed, Nathan lying on his back as Leo hovered over him, and their lips met in a short embrace. Though the worries about him leaving loomed over them at the moment, he didn’t want to lay it on too thick by admitting his decision to move to the States to be with Nathan. For now he was content where they stood, and it was enough for him to be hopeful about what the future held.

  “YOU GOT everything?”

  “Yeah, I think so,” Leo said, then quickly went into the bathroom to make sure he didn’t forget anything. He met Nathan at the front door and the two of them went downstairs to the car.

  They drove to Hyde Park to meet with Nathan’s father at Java Hyde Park for coffee and breakfast. Edward brought along his old scrapbook from his time in the Army when he was stationed in Italy. In his younger years, he had looked a lot more like Nathan than he did now, but the one and only picture of his ex-wife Leo ever saw confirmed Nathan was the spitting image of his mother. Edward was ecstatic when Nathan said he was planning on going to Italy next year and looked like a little kid as he continued to relive his glory days throughout breakfast.

  They met up with Samantha later that morning during her lunch break to hang out and briefly saw Derrick before he left town for San Diego, where he was attending some convention for the weekend.

  By five o’clock they were at the airport, and though he had promised he wouldn’t cry, Nathan was having a hard time holding back his tears as they found an empty spot in the short-term parking area.

  “Babe.”

  “I know, I’m sorry.” Nathan laughed it off as he waved a hand toward Leo, then shut off his car and pressed his fingers against his eyes. “It just went by too fucking quickly.”

  “Hey, look at me.” Leo reached over to grab one of his hands and cradled his chin with the other. “It’s not the end. We’re going to see each other in six months.”

  “Might as well be a lifetime.”

  “I bet you it’s going to fly by, and you’re going to feel absolutely silly for crying right now.”

  Nathan scoffed and reached his other hand up to wipe away a single tear that slowly rolled down his cheek. “I’m not crying.”

  “Sure you’re not, you adorable man. Come here.” The kiss lasted longer than either of them had intended, and when they finally pulled away from each other, they got out of the car to gather Leo’s bags from the back.

  The airport was busy, as per usual, and they wove through the crowds of people hanging around the entrance. They finally made it to the long lines at the check-in. Leo recalled the conversations they’d had the days following Nathan’s admission of love, when he finally told him about his plan to move to the States. Nathan, though completely on board with the plan, told him he should go home and think about it first. Especially since he’d be leaving behind his dad, who had family, but it wasn’t the same as having his son there to help him with anything he needed. They decided six months was long enough for him to come up with a definite decision, and Nathan would come to Italy at the end of that time to either help Leo pack up his life in San Leo to relocate to Boise, or to extend their long-distance relationship. What they both agreed on was the fact neither of them wanted to end what they had together and had been building for two years and cemented in the last fourteen days.

  “Babe, your turn.”

  Leo stepped forward to the baggage check-in before following the signs that led him toward the line of passengers waiting to go through the security gate. It was the point where he’d have to leave Nathan behind and wait over sixteen hours until they spoke again.

  “Here we are,” Nathan stated.

  “Here we are,” Leo repeated.

  Nathan smiled up at Leo, reached to drag his thumb across his cheek, leaned in to kiss his lips gently, then lingered for a second longer until he dropped back down to his height. “I’m going to miss the hell out of you, Leonardo Anthony Reyes.”

  “And I’m going to miss you way more than you’re going to miss me, Nathan Edward Wilder.”

  “I don’t think that’s possible, but we’ll see.”

  “There you go, always doubting me.”

  “Shut up,” Nathan growled, tugging him down to kiss h
im once again as time continued to tick on. “Six months.”

  “And you’re mine again.”

  “You promise?”

  “I promise, babe.” Leo dropped his bags to wrap his long arms around Nathan. He hugged him tightly and wished he could somehow mold Nathan into him so they wouldn’t have to be apart. It felt as if he were leaving a part of himself behind, and he wasn’t sure how he would get through the lonely nights without physically feeling like something was missing. Two years aching to be by Nathan’s side only granted him the anguish of having to be without something he’d desired for so long. It was like getting his first taste of food in years before it was taken from him again. He wondered if Nathan was feeling the same ache he was in that moment.

  “I have to go.”

  Nathan nodded against his chest, and their lips met again. “I love you so much.”

  “I love you too, baby.”

  “Call me as soon as you land? No matter what time.”

  “I promise.”

  A few more kisses later, Leo turned and got into the line that was moving at a quick pace. He turned to wave to Nathan once more before disappearing behind the security check-in area. Leo wouldn’t let Nathan see the tears that fell from his eyes or know he was hurting to be apart from him, but six months from now, they would never be apart again. Two seas would meet once again and would forever be molded into one.

  ZHARA FREYTES is a Florida native who loves to sit and watch every drama series on TV while watching her three-year-old nephew throw things across the room for fun. She’s a nanny, dedicated to the growth of her nieces and nephews who she loves more than anything in the world. When she’s not being a super aunt or a couch potato, she’s working out or driving to the nearest Taco Bell to undo everything she just did in the gym.