"Happy New Year!" Everyone else shouted, blew obnoxious horns, and began kissing those next to them. Nathan leaned down and captured my lips. I was still grinning and he used that to slyly slip his tongue into my mouth for a French-kiss. Not that I was complaining at all. It was absolutely fantastic.

I felt his hand tangle into my hair and I tilted my head a bit so I could sneak a breath in while he kissed me. The boy really was exploring my mouth with tongue and I could taste a strange combination of bacon and chocolate on him from the snacks in the dining room. I decided at that moment it was now my favourite.

I felt his hand snake around my waist and pull me against his body. Others had music playing and were swaying gently to it in the room. His kissing had backed off to nipping at my lips and nuzzling my face tenderly. My head was dizzy from reduced oxygen, but my grin had never left my face.

I let my head drop onto his strong shoulder and felt his rest against mine. He tilted us back and forth in a rocking dance step as we snuggled. I closed my eyes and breathed in the scent of his cologne. I felt more calm and content than I had for months. I had no idea how much I missed touching him, hugging him, until that night. Now I didn't want to let go.

"Aw, aren't you two just the cutest." I heard a feminine voice say. Nate chuckled under my ear and I swear I shivered from the feel of the rumble.

"Same to you, brat. Looks like you worked up the courage to ask?" He commented. Now I was curious. I raised my head to see who it was he was talking to. My eyes widened as I took in Shanta dancing with a cute little brunette girl. Wait, that was a girl.

"Yep, she came over for our Christmas party just after school let out. I managed to get it out boxing day when we all went shopping. Melody, I want you to meet my GBF Nathan. Guys, this is my girlfriend Melody." She was smiling down at the blushing girl who was swaying in her arms.

"Pleased to meet you Melody." He said without offering a handshake.

"Hi. Nice to meet you." I muttered. She waved an arm at us but Shanta spun her around. They both laughed.

"So what about you?" She asked, staring at me.

"Oh he just asked me tonight, but I kissed him first." I piped up. Nathan gave me a fake glare as Shanta laughed at him.

"That's great Brad. I'm happy you two worked things out. Are you going to hang out with us at lunch now?" She inquired thoughtfully.

"I don't know. Maybe." I replied while looking up at Nathan. He smiled gently.

"We haven't talked about it yet." He rumbled back. "What about you Melody?"

"Oh, I don't go to your school. Sorry." She said in a soft voice that barely carried over the music.

"Eh? Too bad. Will we see you on weekends sometime then?" I asked expectantly. Nathan looked a little surprised, but happy, and I knew I said the right thing. For once.

"Sure! We can double date. I wanted to take you to my family's restaurant." Melody turned back to Shanta with a big smile.

"Okay, I would like that. We can have a gay double date." She grinned at her.

"What kind of restaurant do you have, Melody?" I was suddenly worried. I wasn't exactly picky about my food, but I knew Nate was fussier than I was. He saw my concerned look at him and snuggled into my neck.

"Aw, are you worried about me?" He whispered in my ear. I shivered and teased him back by kissing his neck. Ha. So there. Two can play that game.

"It's the Mediterranean buffet on Walker Street." She told us. I sighed in relief and Nate shivered. I blinked in realisation. Oh ho. I grinned like the mischievous boy I was. I was so going to mark that in my memory banks. My dearest boyfriend got a little squirmy when I breathed in his ear, huh? That was kind of sexy.

"Great. It's a date. After we have our first date, that is." Shanta piped up. Nathan chuckled at her a little breathlessly as I tested another theory. I was rubbing myself up against him. He used to roll away from me when I did it during sleepovers. Now I just saw his neck get a little red. Uh huh. That's what I thought.

It wasn't that Nathan was shy or didn't like cuddles and hugs, it was because he must have been turned on before. Instead of being creeped out by the thought, I thought: 'Wow, he is a really good guy. He didn't pounce on me once!' I don't know if I could have restrained myself so much. I am so impulsive and thoughtless after all.

I probably would have done something stupid back then if the roles were reversed. I suppose I did do something stupid, or rather oblivious, but at least I figured things out and had him now. It felt kind of surreal to me that we were standing here basically hugging in some new friend's house. When I looked up at him, he was still Nathan... but he wasn't at the same time.

It was like I was seeing him for the first time, again. His hair looked shiny and soft. I wanted to run my fingers through it. His frame was bigger and muscular. I wanted to rub my hands over it and press myself against him harder. His arms were wrapped around me. I wanted those big biceps to crush me against him tightly.

My body remembered all the times we had touched before and amplified my feelings. I could remember each time we wrestled, went swimming, or laid next to each other on our beds. A raunchy part of my brain wished that I had been paying attention when we had been changing, or thought to slip in while he was showering.

Yeah... I felt a blush raising on my cheeks and buried my nose into his shoulder to hide it. I felt like my dirty thoughts were written across my face. Hopefully he couldn't read me that well. I wasn't gonna take the chance though. I guess it wasn't too hard to switch your thinking once you really saw someone's attractiveness.

"Bradley?" I heard him murmur in my ear.

"Hmm?" I looked up sheepishly.

"The music has stopped." He raised a brow at me and I looked around a little dazed at the others who were just playing games or talking.

"Oh. Yeah. Okay. I was just enjoying hugging you. Sorry." I admitted embarrassed.

"You don't have to apologize for that." He squeezed me tight and I laughed as I tried to hitch a breath in.

"Ouch. Alright. This is less enjoyable now. I need to breathe Nate." I complained. Nathan just laughed at me and then dragged me out of the room. He went to a guy about his height and whispered in his ear. The guy grinned and whispered something back, gesturing with his hand. Nate shoved him and then dragged me back out of the room.

"Come on. I want some alone time. We can grab first dibs on the rooms." He said as he pulled me up the stairs to the second floor. There were three people talking in the first room we passed, and one of them waved at Nate.

"Are you sure it's okay if we stay in one of these? Aren't they family rooms?" I asked in a quiet voice.

"Yeah, it's fine. All of Mike's brothers have moved away from home so they are all spare rooms now. His parent's room is locked and so is his little sister's room. She is staying at a friend's sleepover. The parents will be home around three." He explained as he peeked into the other remaining rooms. He gestured at a neat room with a brown plaid comforter on a double bed in askance.

"This will do. It's about the same size as your bed." I shrugged and pulled him in behind me. The mattress didn't squeak when I sat on it and crawled to the other side. Nathan waited while I got comfortable. "What are you waiting for? Get over here."

"You... Did you want to sleep in our clothes?" He asked hesitantly. I grinned at him and bit a lip, exaggerating the seductive look.

"Why is that? Hmm Nathan? You want to see me naked?" I teased him, popping a button on my shirt. He gaped at me and spluttered.

"No... well... yes... but..." He scratched the back of his head and looked back at the door. It was opened a crack and the sounds of the party were a quiet background noise.

"I'm just teasing Nate. Come on. We'll sleep in our boxers like we usually do." I did not even hesitate as I whipped off my slacks and threw them away. I slipped my sock feet under the covers and ignored the rather heated stare I was getting.

"I should probably keep my pants on." He muttered as he approached the bed. I laughed at him.

"Whatever makes you comfortable, Nathan." I propped myself up on one arm and watched as he hesitantly reached for his belt buckle. I watched the emotions warring with themselves on his face with interest. Ah, my dear gentlemanly friend. Just take them off, would you?

"Alright." He blew out a breath and I inwardly cheered as he slipped out of his slacks and slipped under the covers with me. He sat awkwardly with his back against the headboard and glanced over at my grinning face. "What are you smiling about?"

"Sorry. I was just thinking that it is funny how a change of title can make things so different." I replied to him with a smirk.

"What?" He looked at me confused.

"Well, boyfriend, you look rather nervous all of a sudden." I giggled as he rolled his eyes and a little pink tinted his cheeks.

"You are a tease." He accused me. I rolled onto my back and put my arms behind my head.

"Yup." I wiggled my brows at him. He laughed and tucked down under the sheets, rolling onto his side to look at me.

"When was the last time we did this?" He asked me softly. I smiled at the memory.

"Your fifteenth birthday. We watched scary movies for half the night and I refused to sleep in the guest room." I admitted. He smiled back.

"Yeah. You waited until you thought I fell asleep before clinging to my back." He told me. My mouth fell open.

"You knew?" I accused him. He snorted.

"Of course I knew. I couldn't sleep with you so close to me. I nearly had a heart attack when you pressed yourself against my back." He looked down at the bed and bit his lip.

"Oh. Sorry." I said gently. He looked up at me wryly.

"It's okay. You didn't know. I didn't know how to tell you then." He was staring at me. I stared back at him, shifting back on my side so we were facing each other. There were only a few inches between us really. I could feel his breath ghosting across the space.

"I'm sorry I was an idiot. I should have known. Maybe if I was smarter..." I gulped, still feeling guilty.

"No, you don't need to be anything but you. It was endearing when it wasn't making me miserable." We both laughed under our breaths, trying not to make too much noise.

"I'll try not to make you miserable in the future." I promised. He snorted.

"Alright." He rolled onto his back and I stared at him for a full minute before talking again.

"Do you want to cuddle?" I asked with a shy look.

"I thought you said you were going to try not to make me miserable?" He mumbled darkly. I tilted my head, not caring that he probably couldn't see it in the dark.

"Hmm? How would that make you sad?" I crept forward slowly, hoping he would meet me in the middle. He sighed and scooted over a little, wrapping his arm around me so I could put my head on his shoulder and snuggle into his warmth.

"Never mind."