Lane chuckled. “You really are funny sometimes. I don’t think you’re one of those guys who would have made a comment or had an issue with what I was wearing.”
“I think you’re right.” I thought about asking him to wear something nontraditional next time just to see how it would feel. But that felt a little bit like telling him I wanted to run a science experiment, so I kept my mouth shut.
I was luckily saved from looking even more awkward as the waitress came over. She asked us about dessert and questioned how the meal was. Neither of us were interested in more food, so in minutes I’d paid the bill and we’d headed out of the restaurant.
Lane gave me a teasing grin. “You know, on our second date, it’s going to be my turn to pay.”
A layer of worry that I hadn’t been aware of faded away at the mention of a second date. “I think that’s fair. Where are you going to take me?”
Lane considered for a moment. “How about my place, tomorrow night? Dinner and a movie? I’ll cook.”
I wanted to tease him about that clearly being a Netflix and chill kind of invitation, but I restrained myself. I didn’t want him to think that I’d have any expectations. Lane, however, must’ve seen something on my face, because he laughed. “No, not that kind of evening.”
“I didn’t say anything. You seem to be the one with the dirty mind.” I shrugged and gave him an innocent smile.
He chuckled. “I don’t believe that at all. You’ve got a pretty expressive face when you’re not trying to look unapproachable.”
“I’m always approachable.” Most of the time.
“Not when you’re reading, then you don’t like interruptions. Except for the kids.”
Okay, maybe he had a point. “I’m going to plead the fifth on that.” I looked around the lot. “Where are you parked?”
He pointed in the opposite direction than I was parked. As he led the way, I let my hand bump against his. Not taking it exactly, but kind of testing the waters. It felt nice. The heat from his body and the soft caress of his skin as his fingers brushed against mine felt right.
When he stopped beside a small, darkly colored compact, I frowned. I wasn’t ready for the date to be over yet. Taking a deep breath, I tried to figure out what to say. “Okay, this is one of those awkward moments where we both said that we were going to be honest about things. Well, I had a wonderful evening with you and part of me wants to kiss you, but I’d rather not do that in a parking lot. Don’t think I’m hiding or ashamed of this or anything, it’s just—”
Lane jumped in, nodding with a smile on his face. “That our first kiss doesn’t need to be in the parking lot surrounded by strangers and traffic?”
When I nodded, his smile grew bigger, and he leaned in close, pressing his shoulder into mine. “No, I understand that completely. And I had a wonderful time as well.” Even in the low light of the dark parking lot, I could see his blush rising. But Lane just ignored it and kept speaking as he let his fingers caress mine. “If we had more privacy, I’d definitely be encouraging you.”
As I looked at the light in his eyes and the tempting smile on his face, I wasn’t sure I would need much encouragement.
Chapter 8
Lane
The ringing of the doorbell made me jump, and I frowned at myself. Straightening, I shook my head. “No, you’re going to relax and enjoy the evening.”
It would’ve helped if I could have decided if I was nervous or excited—but I was a crazy mix of both.
Giving everything in the kitchen one last look, I started heading for the door. The open plan of the apartment made it feel bigger than it really was, but it wasn’t too small. Hopefully, Wilder would like it.
Taking a deep breath as I reached the door, I pushed my nerves away and focused on the excitement. Two dates in two days might have been a little bit much, but I’d been glad when he’d agreed. Waiting another week to see him again would have been entirely too hard.
Especially when stalking him wasn’t an option any longer.
Opening the door, I smiled. “You found it. I hope you’re hungry, I might’ve made too much.”
Stepping back, I gestured for Wilder to come in. Wilder moved closer and gave me a hug. His strong arms lingered around me, making it clear it wasn’t just a platonic gesture. As his arms relaxed and he stepped back, his lips brushed my cheek in the barest of kisses.
It was tender and sweet and sent a shiver down my spine. Wilder just gave me a smile and looked around. “Something smells delicious.”
I wasn’t sure if he wanted to ignore it, or if he just wanted to treat it as an everyday occurrence, so I didn’t say anything. But that one moment bolstered my confidence. He had to be at least somewhat comfortable in the direction everything was going to greet me like that. Trying not to let my mind wander down that road, I focused on what he’d said.
“Thanks. You said you liked Italian, so I went with that.” Our conversation at dinner the previous night had bounced from topic to topic, and I’d been grateful he’d given me ideas about what to make.
His smile widened, and he nodded. “I love it. Most of the time I don’t make dinner for myself just because my schedule is weird, so I appreciate it when anyone else cooks. Although, I do a mean breakfast.”
Giving him a teasing grin, I tilted my head. “That’s good to know.”
He shook his head. “No hints, just information.”
Not sure where to take that, I turned the conversation in a different direction. “Come on. I’ll show you around. I have just a few things to finish up in the kitchen and it’ll be ready. Why don’t you find something we can watch later?”
Wilder nodded as I led him through the apartment. It was small enough that it was clear there was a bedroom and single bathroom down the hall. But Wilder’s focus seemed to be on my desk. It was set up in the living room, taking up one long wall. Charts and papers were spread over it and even up the wall. The fact that I also had two calendars on the wall probably made it look even more interesting.
“You said you did something with numbers in your spare time, but this looks like more than just a small business.” He glanced at me, confused. “This is impressive.”
“Thanks, it’s growing really well. I worked in the finance industry for a while in college. It was easy to see that the finance guys were really just salesmen, and they needed help understanding some of the reports they were getting. I take the raw data they’re given from their back office and turn it into reports they can more easily understand. It sounds boring, I know, but I like numbers.”
“I don’t think it’s boring. But I’ll admit, I don’t have a head for numbers. How do you have time to do this and the modeling?”
I shrugged. “A lot of the work I do is just running the information through programs that are already set up. That was actually the hardest part. Now, it’s just a matter of running the reports and emailing the information back. Each client really only takes a few minutes.”
“I think you’re downplaying how much effort you put into setting up those programs. Is your goal to be able to do this full-time?” Wilder pointed to the desk and leaned against the couch.
“A few years ago when I was first starting the business and desperately trying to figure out a part-time job that would pay the bills, I would’ve said yes.” Back then I thought I’d had everything worked out and the modeling would just be a step on the ladder of my success.
“Now, I can’t imagine leaving Leashes and Lace.” I wasn’t sure if someone outside looking in would understand. “It probably doesn’t make sense, but they’ve become my family. They give me a lot more than my biological one does, and I can’t imagine walking away from them.”
Wilder nodded and seemed to understand, so I kept going. “Maybe there will be a point where I can’t do both, but I’m hoping I won’t have to choose.” There were a lot of reasons I liked doing the modeling and the numbers, some personal and some practical.
As both companies gr
ew, my financial situation had improved, and even though that wasn’t one of my biggest priorities, it was nice. And then there was the fact that it was fun. I liked having the chance to feel sexy and dress up. Letting people see a side of me that I didn’t usually share in real life. It was freeing.
Wilder’s thoughtful expression made me think that he was really listening to what I said before he spoke. “I can understand that. I feel the same about my artwork and tattoo business. Over the past couple of years, I’ve built up a business doing artwork for children’s books. But I couldn’t imagine walking away from the tattoo shop. My boss isn’t exactly family to me, but I like my customers and the art that goes into the tattoos. I wouldn’t want to have to pick which job to keep.”
Glad he understood, I glanced over at the table. “I like the fact that I get to explore different things that I enjoy. I wouldn’t want to be pigeonholed into just one thing.”
Turning back to Wilder, I gave him a teasing look. “You’re going to have to show me some of the books you’ve illustrated. I’ve never met someone who did that. Most of the people I know can’t even draw a straight line. Including me.” As much as I loved art and appreciated it, even the way the photographs were taken, I’d never managed to actually create any. My brain just didn’t seem to work that way.
Wider looked slightly embarrassed but nodded. “How about you come by my place later this week and I’ll show you?”
That sounded suspiciously like an invitation for a third date. Trying not to smile too widely, I agreed. “That sounds like fun. I can’t wait to see them.”
I wasn’t just excited for the date. It was more than that. I’d been around enough creative people to understand that it was their way of sharing themselves with someone. Wilder wasn’t trying to hide anything away from me, and that, more than anything, said how seriously he was taking us.
“Are you going to cook for me?”
He laughed. “I’m not going to try to compete with whatever smells so wonderful. How does Chinese sound to you?”
“Delicious.” Pointing to where the remote was hiding, I stepped away. “Okay, I’m going to get things finished up, because I think the timer is going to be going off any minute.”
He glanced hungrily toward the kitchen. “All right, anything in particular you want to see?”
“No, although I’m not much for comedies.” Most of them just weren’t funny.
He nodded and moved to sit on the couch. “Okay, I’ll see there’s anything new out. What’s your opinion on sci-fi?”
“That feels like a trick question. Am I going to have to debate Star Trek versus Star Wars with you?” Was he a closet geek as well as tattoo artist?
He laughed, shaking his head. “No, I’m one of the few people who can appreciate both. It just depends on what kind of mood I’m in.”
Yep, he was a closet geek too.
“I don’t mind sci-fi, so you can pick.” I was really curious to see what he would choose. People revealed a lot about themselves by the things they read and watched. That seemed to be even more true for Wilder.
I headed toward the kitchen while Wilder started exploring the television. I heard him mumbling to himself as I moved around the room, but he didn’t seem to realize he was doing it. The timer started to go off just as I walked over to the stove. The manicotti looked perfect. As long as he liked it, it made all the time and mess worth it.
The meal was quickly finished up with salad and garlic bread, and soon everything was ready. Bringing it over to the table, I smiled when I saw Wilder flicking through the TV options. He was very intense. I wasn’t sure if it was how he normally watched television or if he was just trying to pick out the right movie, but either way, it was cute.
“Dinner’s ready.”
Wilder set down the remote and stood. “I’ve got it narrowed down to a couple of things, but you’re going to have to pick. Most of the time, I get sucked up into my work in the evening, so I don’t watch that much television.”
“I can understand that.” Resisting the urge to fidget or move things around the table again, I just watched as he walked over. “What can I get you to drink?”
In minutes, we were both sitting at the table digging in. Wilder was impressed at the food even though it was more messy than difficult to make. But he appreciated it, which made me feel good. Occasionally, people from work would come over for dinner, but the most of the time we went out. It’d been a while since everyone had been over.
Dinner went by quickly, the conversation rolling naturally. Nothing seemed forced or awkward, and I was glad. I’d woken up afraid it had been a fluke or that I’d been remembering it wrong. But no, everything seemed to just get easier as time passed.
With everything going so easily, it made me curious to find out what Wilder thought about it all. Especially the physical side that would happen eventually. He didn’t seem to have an issue with the fact that he was dating a man, but just because I could see it working out didn’t mean the problem wasn’t there.
When dinner was finished, and we were both full, I leaned back in my chair trying to look casual. “What do you think about all this?” I gestured between the two of us. “From the things that you said earlier I don’t think you’ve dated a guy before, so I’m curious to know how it feels to you. If it’s not something you’re ready to talk about, that’s fine. But…”
Wilder shook his head, interrupting. “It’s alright. I don’t mind you asking.”
He took a moment, not quite fidgeting but looking like he was arranging the words in his head. “I’ve never dated a guy, or even seriously thought about it. In college, I was surrounded by all different types of people, but the closest I came to an actual relationship with a man was trading hand jobs with a roommate.”
That didn’t surprise me with the way people were more open to experimenting, but jerking someone off was a long way from dating. Not wanting to interrupt, I nodded and stayed quiet while he continued. “I didn’t identify myself as gay or bi because it was just something casual, and I couldn’t see dating him. Looking back, that was probably because we were really just friends and nothing more than that.”
He paused for a moment, a far-off expression on his face. “Maybe if I’d looked around for ways to explore that side of myself I would have realized that. But I was working my way through college as a tattoo artist, and between that and double majors, it was taking me longer than average to graduate anyway.”
Wilder shrugged and relaxed. I could almost hear the internal criticism fading from his mind. It wasn’t a bad thing that he hadn’t seen it before. People figured that kind of stuff out on their own schedule. “Taking the time away from work or studying in order to date anyone wasn’t something that was important to me at the time. And after college, I started focusing on building up my portfolio and making my art an actual career, so I was still very busy.”
With the way people were starting to perceive sexuality, it made sense. But I still kind of thought it was cute. Or maybe interesting was a better word. “So the physical side doesn’t make you uncomfortable, you just never considered dating a guy?”
Wilder gave a half shrug, half nod that I wasn’t quite sure how to take. “Yes, it sounds nuts, but guys weren’t on my radar before college, and my first experiences were casual things where I was told someone jerking me off didn’t make me gay, so I never looked beyond that.” Then he smiled a little and gave me a heated look. “Until I heard my little stalker.”
I blushed and looked up at the ceiling. “I can’t believe he did that to me.”
“Eli? Yeah, he gave me a wink as you guys were leaving and said that I’d be seeing you on Friday.” Wilder chuckled. “He’s interesting.”
“He’s insane.” I would still have to figure out a way to get him back. Not that revenge was my strong suit. But there had to be somebody around the studio who could help me plan. “He totally played me.”
“I’m glad, otherwise we might never have actua
lly met. I’ve been in my own world lately, and I’m not sure if I would have even realized you were watching me. Much less realize that you’re sweet and cute.”
I was blushing, but I turned my gaze back to Wilder. “Sweet and cute, huh? What if I was hoping to go for sexy and intriguing?”
“That might take giving me a live look at what a photo shoot looks like. I don’t have a camera, but I think sketching you like that would be incredible.”
The photos were almost impersonal for me; I liked it and I felt comfortable and just more me, but I didn’t have the exhibitionist streak Eli and some of the other guys had. But the idea of Wilder sketching me like that was completely different. Something about it felt sexy in a way I hadn’t imagined before.
“You do?”
Wilder nodded, not even attempting to hide how much the idea appealed. “I’ve got these big windows in my apartment that show the whole skyline at night. I pictured you leaning up against the glass. If I could capture it, it would be beautiful. Even just you lying on the bed in something romantic or flirty and teasing. I know they would turn out incredibly.”
I was starting to understand how Eli felt when Roman turned his gaze on the model and started describing the scenes he wanted to shoot. With the extra layer of desire and attraction, it took the discussion to a whole new level. I wasn’t the most outrageous person, but even I wanted to strip off my clothes and throw myself at Wilder.
No wonder Eli couldn’t keep his clothes on.
“I’d be open to something like that.” I wanted the words to sound casual, like I wasn’t desperately throwing myself at him in my head, but it felt like he could see right through me.
Wilder’s smile took a wicked turn, and I almost asked what he was thinking. But I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. He’d seen the site, so he knew what I looked like, which should’ve felt weird but didn’t. I just didn’t know what pieces he was interested in or what didn’t do it for him.
Not yet anyway.
Leashes & Lace Books 1-3: MM Romance Boxed Set Page 41
