Page 24 of Allured (Love and Burlesque #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

ALEK

Sugar grandpa?

I lug the fancy cheese and wine—filled cooler into the backseat along with some blankets and pillows for our picnic date. It’s been a busy ass week, but I can’t complain when I’ve gotten a handful of calls and a ton of texts from Ezekiel. I don’t care if it makes me whipped to say it, but even a simple good morning message from him makes my day.

We’ve talked about anything and everything this week. Our favorite colors, foods, movies, and the rest of the cliche things you talk about when getting to know someone. Ez’s burnt sienna to my hunter green, Ez’s mom’s beef bourguignon to my mom’s pozole recipe, and Ez’s secret love of 2000s rom—coms to my heist flicks.

While our calls have stayed fairly PG due to Ezekiel getting ready for midterms and my extra rehearsals, the highlight of my day has still been talking to him.

Well, they’ve been PG except Wednesday night. You can’t blame a guy for starting to stroke his cock to his boyfriend’s voice when Ezekiel naturally sounds like pure sin, even when he was complaining about grocery store parking lots and the lack of people following the zipper rule when exiting. Getting off to a man’s rant about traffic? Not my proudest wank.

But, It’s been a full week since that video call.

I’m adjusting myself in my shorts sitting in my car just at the memory of it. As much as it brings the obvious shot of arousal, there's also another emotion that I can’t fully wrap my head around. Something changed within me that night. I gave something to Ez that I don’t know I'll be able to take back.

Typing in the address Ez gave me, I start making my way out to the university’s library for our lunch date. I only had a vague idea of how to get there from dropping T off a few times. But I was not super sure, so I figured it was better to type it in. My angel had organized a Saturday morning study session for his students with their exams coming up.

I let the sound of my thoughts and my GPS lead me there while I continue my reflection.

I’ve had sex, a pretty decent amount of it with a pretty decent amount of people, but that’s all it was. Just a quick hookup, sex with a client, or a fun time with someone I was casually seeing.

None of it has made me feel like what I felt with Ezekiel.

It was like every damn cell in my body was screaming to get direction and praise from him. And when I got it— fuck , when I got it— I knew I wouldn’t experience that with anyone else.

This seemingly shy, exceptionally honest, unintentionally hilarious, and bossy man had become the one thing I would pray for, and the only one I would pray to, all at once.

And here I was about to potentially ruin it all.

The quicker I tell Ez my past involvement with Knight, the quicker I can navigate whatever happens after the revelation. I’d like to think I’m prepared for any outcome but I’d be lying if I said I knew what I’d do if Ezekiel called us off because of it.

The steering wheel groans under my tightening grip when I turn the corner to pull into the university. After following a few signs, I park in front of the library and let Ez know I’ve arrived.

Within a few minutes, my angel walks out of the library’s huge double doors followed by a couple of students who smile and wave goodbye before they go off on their way.

Ezekiel spots me immediately and starts a cute half—jog, half—speed walk over to my car. I reach over the center console and pop the door open for him, but I stay leaned over the seat with my head peeking out the car.

“Aleksander, I’m delighted to see you.”

I don’t even get a word in because within a second, Ezekiel’s large hands are on the sides of my face, pulling me into a tender kiss that grows so heated quickly and I’m nearly yanked out of the open car.

I laugh against his lips while trying to balance myself on the passenger seat. It would be a lie to say I wasn’t as eager as him, if not more, at this moment. The fact that he was so excited to see me sends flutters racing through my stomach.

“Ez,” I mumble against him. “Ez, you’re gonna make me fall.”

My angel separates from me enough so he can angle his head down and stare into my eyes. His deep blue meet my brown irises like waves crashing on the darkened shore at dusk.

“I’ll catch you.” The certainty in his voice makes my throat constrict for a second and now, more than ever, I am hoping he means it.

Pressing my lips against him softly, I chase away the anxious feelings rising in my chest. I motion for him to hand me his messenger bag so I can plop it in the back with the picnic supplies.

“C’mon in, angel.” I grin at him, patting the passenger seat in invitation.

Ezekiel settles himself into the passenger seat. While clicking on his seat belt, he notices the blankets and picnic basket sitting in the back.

“Are you courting me with a picnic in the country and perhaps a pleasant promenade afterward?” Ez kids around but I see the truth behind his question. He looks surprised and excited, given the grin on his lips. Unfortunately, the picnic isn’t going to be the biggest surprise he’s getting today.

Swallowing down my nerves, I start the car and chuckle lightly.

“Yeah, sorry dude. I wasn’t able to find a chaperone, so it looks like you’re gonna be compromised.”

“Ah—ah. See,” Ezekiel chastises and waves a finger at me. “That’s precisely the time when you propose to save my reputation.”

I shake my head through full—belly laughter, joining his own as I get us out of the parking lot. As ridiculous as his statement is, I don’t find myself freaking out over the thought of committing myself to Ez like that.

I feel the heat of his stare before I actually see it from the corner of my eye.

“Also, I would say we have gone far beyond what would be deemed as a compromising situation.”

Oh, fuck him and his sexy words.

I do not need to be thinking about those compromising situations right now.

“Keep talking like that angel and you’re gonna compromise our safety.”

An honest to God fucking snort comes out of him.

“That didn’t prevent you from taking me in your throat last time we were in a car together.”

Oh damn, he’s right. The bastard’s got to be getting me back for that. It was after our first date and I was eager. He can’t blame me for it when he was just as thirsty that night.

Keeping my eyes on the road, I smirk and bite down on my lip in anticipation of poking his buttons right back.

“Yeah, well you’re supposed to be the more mature one in the relationship, angel. Y’know— being a lot older and wiser and all that?” I peek at him for a second.

“Aleksander, I am eight years older than you.” Ezekiel crosses his arms and rolls his damn eyes at me. He’s clearly a little annoyed.

Holy shit, why do I find that so hot?

In this moment, I make a promise to myself; I’m going to fuck that sass right out of him someday.

“Yeah, whatever you say, gramps.” I let out a laugh and my lungs struggle to find some relief from my chuckling.

Steadying my breath, I glance down at the center console between us and lay my hand on it, palm up. It’s more the need to feel him that drives me to do it, rather than it being a gesture of apology. But he doesn’t need to know that.

Ezekiel uncrosses his arms and lays his left hand on top of mine, his fingers finding purchase against my own as he interlocks them together.

“Shameless boy.” His tone is gruff, the total opposite of the sweet kiss he places on our intertwined fingers as I continue our drive to Picnic Hill.