by Sean Michael
Groaning, AW brought their mouths back together again. He was shit at talking and feelings, but this he could do. This he excelled at.
They rocked together, both of them hard as diamonds, both of them biting and moaning. He backed Reid up slowly, aiming to get him up against the nearest wall.
Reid managed to pull a glare up for him. “Not doing this. Go away.”
“Your mouth is saying no, your body is saying fuck me now.”
Someone hadn’t been treating this amazing slut with the attention Reid needed. AW could change that. He could make Reid sing and purr.
Biting at Reid’s lower lip, AW made Reid jerk and push against his body.
God, he wanted to hear Reid beg.
He got them to the wall, his body pushing hard against Reid’s. Then he grabbed Reid’s hands, putting them up over Reid’s head before going in for another kiss.
How many times had he plundered this mouth and tongue-fucked Reid into insanity?
Three years was a long time to be together. The years in between were even longer. He’d fucked up, thought an easygoing twink was the way to go. He’d been wrong. Over and over again he’d been wrong. For too many years he’d been wrong.
He was making up for it now, though. He’d make up for it as long as he still had breath in his body.
Pressing Reid harder against the wall, AW rubbed all along the sweet body.
“We can’t do this,” Reid insisted. “This is a mistake.”
“Doesn’t feel like a mistake to me.” It felt fucking good.
Yanking his hands away, Reid planted them on AW’s chest and shoved him back. “I’m not ready to play these games with you.”
Not ready. That wasn’t a get lost, it wasn’t a go away. AW would fucking take it. He’d take it and run with it.
“Okay.” He cupped one of Reid’s cheeks, changing tactics. “Come to dinner. You’re going to love this place.”
“What?”
Fuck, Reid looked good, lips swollen from kisses.
“You told me to back off, I’m backing off, but I still want to take you to supper. You need to eat, I need to eat. Let me treat you.” See? He could be reasonable. He sure as hell wasn’t giving up, though.
“We are not going to be friends, Walt.”
“That’s not my end game.” He wanted to be more than friends. Way more.
“I need to get out of here.” Reid grabbed his satchel, some keys.
“That’s what I’m trying to say. Let’s have supper. There will be a whole table between us, other people there.” A small table and if he was lucky, they’d be in a more or less private room, but there was the waitress, the other customers just around the corner…that counted, right?
“Fine. If I do that, you’ll back off?”
“This evening.” He wasn’t promising anything else.
“Fine. Let’s go. Fucking hate this bullshit.” Oh, grumpy now instead of angry.
AW would bet Reid hadn’t eaten much today. Good thing he was about to fix it.
Reid might be in a bad mood, but AW was buzzing, so fucking turned on it hurt, and he reminded himself, this was about seduction. He was playing for the long term. He could slow things down and have supper.
“Grandma’s Table is just down the street. We can walk.” It was one of the reasons why he’d chosen it.
Reid looked at him, but didn’t say a word. Instead he just locked the door, headed down the road.
“Babe. Stop. It’s in the other direction.”
Reid stopped, closed his eyes. “Is it new? I haven’t seen anything down there.”
“I’ve been going to it for two years, but it is kind of tucked away.” He put his arm around Reid’s waist and led him down the street. He could feel Reid’s muscles, jumping and jerking wildly. “It’s on the second floor of a converted house, just off the main drag.”
“What kind of food do they serve? Homey stuff?” It was a good guess, based on the place’s name.
“Yeah. They change up the menu every day depending on what’s in season, what they bought at the market.” He knew that was important to Reid, sustainability, local food.
“Neat. I live the other way.” Reid jerked his head back the way they’d come.
“You’re close to the coffee shop? That’s cool. I’m in the building.”
Reid went totally stiff against his arm, but all Reid said was, “It’s easier, to be close.”
“I imagine so.” They turned the corner and went to the little duplex with a sign on the lawn. There was a designer’s office on the ground floor. Closed for the day.
AW held the door open for Reid, the followed him up the stairs and into the restaurant itself.
“It’s tiny.”
It was. It was also very private. “Eight tables. It’s quiet and intimate and delicious.”
Reid looked up at him. “I’m in a T-shirt and jeans.”
“There’s no dress code, babe. You’ll be fine.”
Teresa came over, smiling, arms open. “AW! It’s so good to see you.”
He gave her a hug. “Hey, Teresa. This is my friend Reid.”
“Please. I have the private room in the back for you. Please, follow me.” He’d called at five thirty to book a table, but he wasn’t surprised she’d managed to make the private room available to him. He was one of their best customers, often picking supper up to eat at home if he wasn’t entertaining.
AW grabbed Reid’s hand and tugged him along through the little front room. Only a couple of tables were full, but it was early and only Thursday.
The room in the back was lit by candles in clumps set at strategic points. The wallpaper was old-fashioned and dark, as were the matching curtains on the window. But it was the table set for two that was the focal point of the room. It was the first time he’d been back here—this wasn’t the kind of place he brought his usual dates. “Oh, this is lovely, Teresa. Perfect.”
She was clearly pleased by his response, smile getting wider. “Good deal. Would you like the wine list?”
“No, I’ll let you choose.” He didn’t need to impress his wine choosing abilities on Reid and Teresa was really good at her job. He knew the wine would be perfect for whatever they chose to eat.
“Would you like something to drink to start with, then?”
AW looked at Reid. “You want something?”
“Water, please.” If Reid got any tenser, he’d shatter.
“You don’t drink gin and tonics anymore?” AW thought that would go a long way to helping Reid relax. He didn’t want to get Reid drunk, just more at ease.
“You remembered.” Reid didn’t have to look quite so shocked.
He nodded, though. “Yep. And extra lime.”
“So…two?” Teresa asked.
“Yeah, that sounds good.” It did. He could use a little relaxer himself, though he most assuredly did not want to be in any way impaired. He would need to be on his toes to convince Reid to give them another change.
“I’ll be right back with your drinks.” Teresa set two single page menus on their table and left.
AW held Reid’s chair out for him. He was going to give Reid the full-on experience, make the Reid feel like the center of his universe.
“Thank you.” Reid sat down, looking confused.
“What’s the matter?” AW asked.
“I just…it’s been an odd day, man. A bit.”
“A good day, in the end, I think.” He was going to put a positive spin on this no matter what Reid threw at him. After all, he wanted it to be a positive thing to Reid. No, he needed it to be.
“Why did you ask me to supper?” Reid blurted the question out.
That one was easy. “So we could spend time together.”
Apparently Reid still chewed on his bottom lip, tore at it with his teeth. Doing that used to earn Reid a punishment. Reaching out, he pulled Reid’s lip out from between his teeth and rubbed it with his finger.
Reid flushed a deep rose and he knew
—knew—Reid’s cock was hard.
“Leave that poor lip alone.” His words were soft, his voice thick.
Reid’s breathing sped, the dark eyes searching his face. AW kept watching, looking into Reid’s eyes, holding that gaze.
Reid stood. “I can’t do this.”
“Sit down, Reid.” He just flat out made it an order.
Reid sat, eyes wide.
AW made an approving sound. Those instincts were still right fucking there. Reid needed this, just like he did. “Take a look at your menu, or I can order for you.”
“I…” Reid stammered and trailed off.
AW reached over, one hand on Reid’s thigh. “Easy. This is just dinner.”
“Nothing’s ever just anything with you.”
“For right now, let’s say it is. The food is too good not to enjoy.” He needed Reid to relax, to actually enjoy their dinner.
“What…what’s good?” That was a good faith effort on Reid’s part.
“Everything. Seriously. I’m happy to order for you.”
“Go ahead. I.” Reid waved one hand, dismissing everything.
Teresa came back with their drinks before he could respond. “Have you decided yet?”
Seeing as he was ordering for both of them, it only took a second to scan the small menu. “Yes, we’ll start with the mussels in white wine sauce, then have the bison steaks with local vegetables, please.”
“How would you like your steaks, sir?”
“Rare and medium-rare, please.” He assumed that Reid was still a mid-rare man. Reid offered him a single nod, proving he was right.
He leaned back, regarding Reid as Teresa left. “You’re looking good.”
“Thank you. I work hard.”
“It shows.” He took a moment to just sit and admire what he could see of Reid. Even in a T-shirt and jeans, Reid looked classy, suave. “Business looks like it’s doing well too.”
“I turned a profit after year two. I’m pleased.”
“Wow, that puts you ahead of a lot of business models.” Reid always had been ambitious.
“You know me. I like to make things work.”
“You do. You’re good at it.”
Reid shrugged, offered him half a smile. “And you’re still buying huge things.”
“Yeah, I’m still a spoiled brat.” He always had been and that had been what got him in trouble with Reid. He hadn’t known what he’d thrown away until it way too late.
“Some things never change.”
AW couldn’t argue with that. “Some things. Other things do change.”
Reid nodded. “This is true.”
“The attraction between us is one of those things that hasn’t changed.” No, it was like a livewire, sparking and dangerous, between them.
“I don’t sub anymore. I don’t play.”
“You mean you haven’t found anyone to take you where you need to go.” AW could read the man sitting across from him, he knew Reid still needed it.
Reid shook his head. “It’s not my thing.”
He chuckled. Reid never had been a very good liar.
Reid snapped at him. “Don’t laugh at me.”
“Then don’t say ridiculous things.”
“I was young, stupid. I took risks.” Reid could try to deny his inclinations all he wanted, that didn’t make it true.
“I was young and stupid and didn’t care about the things I should have,” AW countered.
Reid looked at him, lips twisting. “Yeah. It was probably good for both of us, everything ending like it did.”
“Maybe.” He probably never truly appreciated what he had with Reid if he hadn’t lost it. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t start over.”
“Okay, explain it to me. What happened? Why me? Why now?”
“Because you said no to me and because I’m ready to deal with that now. Because I’m tired of meaningless and I want something real.”
“So…” Reid’s teeth went back in his bottom lip again. “Someone broke up with you?”
He shook his head. “No. I do the breaking up.”
“Yes, you do.”
He winced. He hadn’t meant to remind Reid of how they’d ended—he was sure Reid needed no reminders.
“I’m sorry.” His words were softly spoken, but he met Reid’s eyes as he said them.
Reid’s reply was just as soft. “Thank you.”
“Thank you?”
“You never apologized when we were together. Never.” Reid shrugged. “So thank you.”
“I was a real brat, huh?” Maybe he still was.
“I was obsessed.” Reid took a long drink of his gin and tonic.
“We could put it all behind us and start over again.” If he put it out there often enough, Reid might stop denying it.
“You’re into vanilla sex and long conversations by the fire now? Because my last guy and I never ever progressed to intercourse.”
What? What? No way. That hard, amazing little ass and someone didn’t tap it?
“Was he impaired?” He had to ask, had to.
“Like, drunk?”
“No, like unable to get it up. You’re fucking sexy and that ass of yours… Maybe he wasn’t gay.”
Reid blinked and then started laughing—hard, raw, belly laughs that made AW smile. Something caught in his throat. He hadn’t realized it, but he’d missed that sound, a whole lot.
“I don’t know. We broke up over my sofa. I mean, we weren’t over the sofa, but he didn’t like my sofa and wanted me to get rid of it.”
AW stared. This was the kind of man Reid had been seeing? Reid was passionate, wicked, sexual. Not…so domesticated.
“Sounds like a lucky break, in the end.” There was no way a relationship like that would have made Reid happy and AW wasn’t the only one who knew it.
“He’s marrying an interior designer. I think he’ll be happy.”
“As long as they pick the right couch,” AW noted dryly. “And for the record, I have no problem with long conversations by the fire, or vanilla sex for that matter. I just happen to think there’s more to life than the right sofa.”
“Absolutely. There are drapes, linens… Did you know they have fancy sprays so your sheets smell like flowers?”
“Any of them smell like sex and leather?”
“No!” Reid grinned, cheeks pinking. “I have a leather candle.”
God, Reid looked amazing, enticing. AW wanted him more than ever. “Ah, see? Not all vanilla.”
“Sometimes a guy likes to remember.”
His answer was interrupted by the arrival of their appetizers and he stretched out his leg, touching Reid’s foot with his own beneath the cover of the table.
As soon as Teresa left, AW pulled both plates over to him. “I want to feed you, baby boy.” They had loved that when they’d been together; it was so intimate.
“Walt…”
No one called him that but Reid. No one. Ever.
“Yes, Reid?”
Reid just stared at him, wide-eyed, so he speared a mussel out of its shell and held the little fork to Reid’s lips. Reid opened, those chewed lips already raw. He let it go for now. When he got Reid to come home with him, to stay overnight, then he could re-implement the rule about lip chewing. Reid clearly still needed him even if he wouldn’t admit it.
Hell, the way his belly kept going tight, he clearly still needed Reid. But then he’d been pretty sure about that before he’d started this campaign.
The mussel slipped into Reid’s mouth and Reid moaned, swallowing. AW wanted to feel that around his cock.
Tearing a piece of bread from the little loaf that came with their mussels, he dipped it in the sauce and raised it to Reid’s mouth. That sweet little tongue flicked out, catching a drip.
Fuck. He was already hard—he was going to be insane by the time their dinner was over. “I want to fuck you, baby boy, until you’re screaming to come.”
Reid’s eyes went wide, the iris nearly overta
ken by black.
“Over this table, in my bed, in the office of the coffee shop.”
“Shh.” Reid’s nostrils flared, eyes widening.
“Why would I hush when talking about how I’m going to fuck you into oblivion makes you hard?”
“I don’t play anymore.”
Reid kept saying that.
AW wasn’t buying it. “From what you told me about your last boyfriend you don’t do much of anything anymore. Which is a fucking shame—that ass was made for fucking.”
Reid took a piece of bread, dipped it, feeding him this time. “Shh. You make me want things.”
“Good. I want you to want things.”
Reid didn’t have a comeback for that, which suited AW just fine.
The food was delicious and AW went for another mussel, eating it himself this time. They fed each other, and soon they were licking garlicky broth from one another’s fingers. Every time Reid’s tongue touched his skin, his prick jerked and by the time the mussels were gone, he was moaning.
“Good appetizer.” Reid’s voice sounded utterly blown. Mmm. Blown.
“Even better tasting man.” AW would pick Reid over any food every single time.
Teresa came to remove plates, bring wine, and promise entrees. She wanted to know if there was anything else they wanted.
AW couldn’t wait for her to leave.
She finally did, though, and he raised his glass. “To new beginnings.”
“To…” Reid shook his head and just clinked their glasses together.
Reid was still here, and they’d talked about the past, about sex. He was taking it as a win.
Chapter Three
“Thank you for supper. It was very good.” No sex. No sex. You have work in the morning. Work.
“It was entirely my pleasure, Reid.” God, Walt’s voice was pure fucking sex.
No. No sex.
This was the weird place, the awkward spot. The End of the Evening. “So…” Reid had no clue how to finish that sentence.
“I’ll walk you home.”
“It’s past your building.” Reid couldn’t believe AW had no only bought the building the coffee shop was in, but lived it in it now, too. Actually that was a lie, he could. It was a strong, confident move, and it told Reid as much as anything else had that Walt was dead serious about all this.
