by Ari McKay
“What do you think I’m ready for?” he asked archly, knowing they weren’t talking about knitting anymore.
Jason slid one arm around Tomy’s shoulders and lifted his free hand to caress Tomy’s cheek as he looked down into Tomy’s eyes. His gaze was searching, but he seemed to reach a decision. “This,” he said softly, then bent his head and pressed his lips to Tomy’s in a light, almost questioning kiss.
Jason’s lips were warm and soft, and Tomy closed his eyes, leaning against Jason as he returned the kiss just as lightly. It was sweet and safe, but Tomy knew there were going to be more kisses in their future, kisses that were bold and passionate, not safe at all—and the thought didn’t make him want to run away screaming.
After several long moments, Jason pulled back, and he stroked Tomy’s cheek again as he smiled down at him. The light in Jason’s eyes spoke of his own awareness, of his own desires, but he didn’t press Tomy for more. “Do you want to go out with me tonight?” he asked. “We could have dinner, maybe catch a movie?”
Tomy didn’t have any evening lessons scheduled, and his only plans had involved working on the hat, but dinner and a movie with Jason sounded more appealing than spending a few hours with a cable needle. “I’d like that.”
“Great.” Jason pressed a swift, firm kiss to Tomy’s lips before releasing him. “Beth’s coming in at five, so we can leave directly from here, if you’d like. What do you think of trying the new barbecue place that opened down the block? I don’t know how good they are, but it sure smells wonderful.”
“Sounds good to me. I’ll join the ladies in the knitting circle and work on my hat.” Tomy gave Jason an arch look. “I won’t even tease you about looking forward to sucking on a juicy rib bone.”
Jason went still, and his eyes gleamed as he gave Tomy a heated look. “If you do, remember there could be payback involved,” he drawled. “Just think about what other things I could wrap my lips around.”
Tomy felt his face growing warm, but not from embarrassment, and his toes curled at the naughty thoughts Jason’s words evoked. The teasing reminded him how long he’d been celibate, and he was starting to wonder why he was bothering to hold out.
“Oh, I have an idea or two,” he murmured.
“I thought you might.” Jason’s smile was wicked, and he smacked Tomy lightly on the ass. “Go on, hang out with the ladies, or I’ll have to go home for a cold shower before dinner.”
It was on the tip of Tomy’s tongue to offer to take care of any desperate needs, but he wasn’t quite ready to go that far just yet. Almost, he thought, but not quite. But that didn’t stop him from putting an extra bit of sway in his hips as he walked away, shooting a mischievous look over his shoulder. He was rewarded by a hungry look on Jason’s face—and he didn’t think it was barbecue Jason was hankering for.
The ladies greeted him warmly, and he settled in to knit, but before long Jason came over to the group.
“I called Beth, and she came in a little early,” he said. “Sorry, ladies, but I’m going to steal Tomy away from you. He promised me dinner, and I’m starving.”
Jason’s expression was all innocence, but more than one lady chuckled or gave them knowing looks. Jason held out his hand. “Are you ready to go?”
“I’m ready.” Tomy bade his companions goodbye before clasping Jason’s hand and standing up. “Your hot pork awaits,” he murmured, careful not to let the ladies hear him.
Jason’s eyes widened, then narrowed speculatively, but he didn’t say anything until they were out of the shop and walking down Peachtree Road. Then he slid his arm around Tomy’s waist and leaned in to nuzzle his ear.
“If you’re trying to drive me crazy, it’s working. You’re lucky the ladies were there.”
Tomy laughed and jostled Jason playfully. “I’m not trying to drive you crazy…. Okay, maybe a little crazy.” He smiled sheepishly up at Jason. “Sorry, it’s nice feeling wanted again without having to work for it, you know? Sean was kind of high-maintenance.”
“Sean was an asshole,” Jason said fervently. “But I’m not, and I appreciate you—all of you. Including the fact that you’re the sexiest man I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve wanted you from the moment you stepped into my shop all those months ago.”
Tomy stopped in his tracks and turned to face Jason, searching his face intently. “Really?”
Jason nodded, a worry line appearing between his brows. “You don’t mind that, do you? First you were taken, then you were hurting, and I didn’t want you to feel rushed or pressured, because I knew you needed time to recover from what that jerk did to you. But I was willing to wait until you were ready to date again, because you’re special, Tomy. If Sean couldn’t see that, then he was blind in every way that really matters.”
“I don’t mind,” Tomy replied, shaking his head. He could scarcely believe that Jason had been interested in him from the start. He’d thought maybe Jason’s attraction to him had grown during their dance lessons. But to know it had been there all along and Jason had chosen not to act on it out of respect for Tomy’s feelings…. “You’re special too,” he murmured as he framed Jason’s face and drew him down into a kiss that wasn’t light or sweet or questioning.
Jason went still with obvious surprise, but only for a moment. Then he wrapped his arms around Tomy and kissed him back, apparently not caring who saw them or what they thought. Tomy didn’t care either, and he slid his arms around Jason’s shoulders, pressing close as the kiss continued. He wanted to deepen it and get his first taste of Jason, but they were out in public, so he resisted the urge to seek more. He didn’t draw back in a hurry either, though.
Neither did Jason, until the wolf whistles and catcalls got loud enough to be annoying. Then Jason raised his head, but his focus was still on Tomy. “Wow,” he said softly.
“Definitely wow,” Tomy replied, feeling little tingles all the way down to his toes. He licked his lips, wishing they were somewhere more private so he could go back for more.
“God, that’s disgustin’!”
“Hey, we don’t want to see that shit!”
The hostile voices came from behind Tomy. Jason turned them quickly, putting himself between Tomy and what looked to be two belligerent “good ole boys,” who were scowling at them threateningly.
“Then you don’t have to watch,” Jason said in a tone unlike anything Tomy had heard from him before. There was an edge of challenge to it and more than a little anger, and Tomy realized this was the first time he’d ever seen Jason even close to pissed off.
Tomy moved to stand beside Jason and glared at the interlopers, wanting to present a united front. He could defend himself if he needed to, although he’d prefer to avoid a fight if possible. One of the jerks looked like he was going to press the issue, but the other one—probably the smarter of the two—noticed the crowd gathering around to see what was going to happen. Obviously some people wanted the punks to start a fight, but other people were glaring at them.
“Come on, Cal, let’s go,” the smart one said. Likely he had noticed that not only was Jason big and intimidating, but Tomy didn’t appear to be an easy mark either.
For a moment, it appeared Cal was going to argue, but then he shook his head. “Fairies ain’t worth gettin’ our hands dirty,” he snarled, and the two slunk away into the crowd.
Jason watched them go, then drew in a breath and turned back to Tomy. “Assholes,” he muttered darkly. “Spoiling a beautiful moment with their hate.”
“We’ll have other beautiful moments,” Tomy replied, wrapping his arms around Jason again. “They have to live with their hate.”
Jason’s frown faded as he slid his arms around Tomy in return. “You’re right,” he said quietly. “Come on, let’s go have some dinner and forget about them.”
Pushing himself up, Tomy brushed another warm, lingering kiss to Jason’s lips. “Okay, now we can go. This may be the first time I’ve kissed you in public, but it won’t be the last, and they have
n’t spoiled anything for me.”
“Good.” Jason kept his arm around Tomy as they continued up the street and into the restaurant. He drew in a deep breath as they waited for their table, then gave Tomy a playful look. “Smells good. Not as good as you, but good enough for dinner.”
“You sure you don’t want to throw me over your shoulder and carry me back home?” Tomy bumped his hip against Jason’s and grinned up at him. “I saw you go all caveman back there.”
“Caveman? Me?” Jason asked, widening his eyes. “But I own a yarn shop! I’m hardly Neanderthal material.”
“Maybe more like the Hulk instead?” Tomy teased. “They wouldn’t like you when you’re angry?”
“That might be closer to the truth,” Jason replied. He hunched his shoulders and grunted. “Good thing I don’t get angry very often.”
“Whatever it was, it was pretty hot,” Tomy admitted.
“Really? I’ll have to remember you like a little macho testosterone from time to time.” He leaned closer and growled softly close to Tomy’s ear.
Tomy couldn’t repress the shiver that rippled through him at that. “My favorite dance is the tango, remember? My second favorite is the paso doble. I think it’s safe to say I like to go head-to-head with macho testosterone once in a while,” he said huskily.
Jason looked rather smug. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
The hostess approached and led them to a table, and after that they focused on the excellent food and talked about the next dance lesson and what project Tomy wanted to knit after the hat.
The movie theater was just across the street, and Jason seemed to pay more attention to nuzzling Tomy and stealing popcorn than to the plot of the film. For his part, Tomy was quite happy to return the nuzzling, tucking himself under Jason’s arm and leaning over. If Jason was this attentive and affectionate on a regular basis, Tomy thought he could easily get used to it.
When the movie ended, they walked back to Jason’s shop. It was closed, of course, but Jason stopped beside Tomy’s car and pulled Tomy into his arms.
“I can’t seem to get enough of you,” he said, caressing Tomy’s back, his hands warm through the fabric of Tomy’s shirt. “I guess I should say good night while I still have the willpower to do it.”
Sliding his arms around Jason’s neck, Tomy couldn’t help arching against Jason’s hands. It felt so good to be touched again, even through his clothes. “Do I get a good-night kiss at least?”
“Oh, yes.” Jason smiled, and then he pulled Tomy hard against his body, bent his head, and claimed Tomy’s lips in a kiss far more passionate than before.
A soft moan escaped Tomy as he parted his lips and tightened his arms around Jason, eagerly giving himself over to the kiss. He shocked himself with how quickly and easily he responded, but then again, he and Jason had never lacked chemistry. Jason seemed determined make the kiss a thorough one. He explored Tomy’s mouth, tasting and teasing while he stroked Tomy’s back. Then he moved his hands lower, cradling Tomy’s ass and giving it a squeeze. Tomy gasped, feeling dizzy with desire, and wiggled provocatively as he clung to Jason.
Jason moaned into the kiss, then slowly pulled back. He looked down at Tomy, breathing hard, his face flushed and his eyes dark with arousal. “You’re incredible,” he said huskily. “I feel ready to explode just from kissing you.”
Tomy smiled, feeling sexy and powerful in ways he hadn’t in… oh, far too long. “You’ll really be in a mess once I get to the point of touching you, then.”
“Throw me in that briar patch,” Jason replied, chuckling as he leaned in to kiss Tomy on the nose. “But not tonight. Not until you’re really ready.”
“Soon, I think.” Tomy gave Jason a squeeze before releasing him and stepping back, because if he didn’t, he might end up making a rash decision. In the short term, he couldn’t see any potential problems with dragging Jason off to his condo for a night of unbridled passion. Come to think of it, he couldn’t come up with any problems in the long term either, but that was his libido talking. It was a big step, one that said their relationship was real, and he wasn’t ready to commit to that yet. “Not tonight, but soon.”
Jason rested his hand against Tomy’s cheek. “However long it takes,” he said. “I’ve waited all these months, and I’m willing to wait longer. I want you to be completely sure.”
Tomy leaned into the touch, amazed that someone was willing to be so patient and wait for him. “You’re too good to be true, you know that? I keep thinking I’m going to wake up and realize I just dreamed you.”
But Jason shook his head, smiling. “I’ve got plenty of faults, believe me, and you’ll undoubtedly be ready to strangle me from time to time. But I’ve been waiting for someone like you to come along for years, and patience is one of my virtues.”
“Lucky for me.” Tomy turned his head and brushed a kiss to Jason’s palm before unlocking his car and opening the door. “I’ll see you soon?”
“Oh, yes. Lesson on Friday, but if you can’t wait that long, you know where to find me.” Jason grinned. “Now to go home and take a cold shower. I may be patient, but I’m still human.”
For a moment, Tomy wanted to invite Jason over so they could take a hot shower together, but he wasn’t that brave yet. Instead he offered an apologetic smile as he got into his car, although he couldn’t quite resist teasing one last time. “Feel free to think about me in that shower. Whatever your fantasy is, I’d probably be willing to do it in reality.”
Jason growled. “You’re evil,” he said. “Good thing I like that about you.” He knocked on the top of the car. “Go on. Get out of here while I still have the willpower to let you go.”
Laughing, Tomy closed the door and started the engine. As he pulled away, he was still smiling, and he realized he felt lighter than he had in months. Longer than that, perhaps. Since before the breakup. He was starting to realize his relationship with Sean hadn’t been quite as idyllic as he’d thought now that he had something to compare it to. Maybe a relationship with Jason wouldn’t be perfect either, but he was growing ever more convinced that it would make him happy.
Chapter Ten
JASON LOOKED around the room that used to be his guest bedroom and nodded with satisfaction. He’d moved all the furniture out, along with the throw rugs, which left him with a moderate-size space with hardwood floors. It wasn’t as large as the rooms at the dance studio, of course, but it would do for learning new moves and practicing. He’d finished clearing it out just in time, too. Tomy was coming by so they could work on a paso doble, and Jason was looking forward to it for more reasons than one.
Despite the fact that they hadn’t yet had sex, Jason felt as though he and Tomy were becoming an established couple. They found excuses to spend time together almost every day, with Tomy often dropping by the shop when he wasn’t teaching at the studio, and of course there were Jason’s own lessons. They also had dinner together several times a week, but oddly enough, Tomy hadn’t been in Jason’s house. He’d stopped by when picking Jason up, just as Jason had been to Tomy’s condo, but they’d never spent time together in either place. Jason thought it was because they both were aware that the chemistry between them was growing stronger every day, and the temptation to act on it was becoming almost overwhelming—at least it was in Jason’s case. So by some sort of unspoken mutual agreement, they’d spent their time together in places where sex wasn’t possible. It seemed safer that way, at least until Tomy was ready to take the next step.
But tonight Tomy was coming over for the first time. The studio rooms had all been booked for a “Dance Your Way to Health” fundraiser. Jason had been disappointed, thinking his lesson for the night would be canceled, but Tomy had suggested having it somewhere else, and when Jason had hesitantly suggested his house, Tomy had agreed.
A quick glance at his watch showed that Tomy would be arriving shortly, so Jason did a hurried, last-minute check of the rest of the house. Since he tended to spend so much time at t
he shop, the house stayed pretty neat, and he had a housekeeper who came by once a week to dust and vacuum and drop off staples like bread and milk. But he wanted to make a good impression on Tomy, so he looked everything over with a critical eye, making sure there weren’t any stray soda bottles or errant socks lying around.
When the doorbell rang, he drew in a deep breath and told himself to relax, but he had a feeling his face was flushed and his smile was too wide as he hurried to open the door. Tomy stood on his doorstep, wearing tight black pants and a loose gray T-shirt, which was another variation on his usual practice outfit. He greeted Jason with a smile and a kiss, the little gestures of affection seeming to come more easily for him now.
Jason returned the kiss, then stepped back so Tomy could come inside. “I just finished getting stuff cleared out. Come see the room and tell me if you think it will do.”
“Okay.” Tomy stepped inside and followed Jason toward the guest bedroom, looking around curiously. “This is a really nice place. Did you decorate it yourself?”
“Thanks. Actually, my mother and sister did most of it.” Jason blushed, embarrassed over his next admission. “Um… I’m not very handy. I can knit and crochet, but don’t ask me to do anything with a hammer. I’ll end up destroying whatever it is. I tried to hang a picture over there, and I knocked a big hole in the wall.”
Tomy shot him an amused look. “Well, I’m glad to know you aren’t perfect. I was beginning to wonder.”
Chuckling, Jason shook his head. “Definitely not perfect,” he admitted, stepping into the empty bedroom. “What do you think? Is this good enough for us to practice?”
Tomy surveyed the room, then nodded, appearing satisfied with the space. “It’s a little smaller than we’re used to, but I think it’ll be fine. We don’t necessarily have to cover a whole lot of ground in the paso, especially since we aren’t competing.”
