Page 12

Chapter Twelve

TYLER

I wanted to hate tonight.

It’d be a lot easier if I’d had a terrible time. But, no. Graham planned a perfect date. Plants and good beer? He already knows the way to my heart. I got to relax and not overthink anything. My hands and mind were too busy crafting my terrarium.

Now that we’re back in the confines of his car, my brain kicks into overdrive. When we were inside, he kept a hand or a thigh against me. As much as I hate to admit it, the touch grounded me. Now, he’s got both hands on the steering wheel, and the fucking console puts too much distance between us. I can’t even play with my new plants since they’re stashed in the trunk for the drive. That leaves me twiddling my thumbs—literally—in the front seat, trying to think of something interesting to talk about.

The silence is killing me. The least he could do is turn the radio on to fill the space. “So, how are you liking Sprouting Joy?” It’s a stupid question, one he’s answered several times already, but the best I can do right now.

“I love it there. I don’t know much about the plants, but the staff and volunteers are all wonderful. I’ll be a little sad when Steph returns.”

“Have you spoken to her?” I hold my breath, waiting for the response. I adore Steph, but she’s known me a long time. Not that I think she’d spill my secrets, but Graham isn’t just anyone. Maybe she thinks he needs to know the details of how I ended up volunteering there. Then again, he took me out on a date. If he knew my volunteer hours had originally been court-appointed, he’d have rescinded the offer.

“I stopped by last week to say hi and meet the baby. I’m trying to give them space while they adjust to being a family of three. Though, you know Steph, she has a hard time taking her foot off the gas with work.” He drums his fingers against the steering wheel. “I didn’t mention anything about us, if you were worried.”

I’m a bit relieved. At least that didn’t open the door for her to give him my details. She’s wonderful about me being at Sprouting Joy, but I’m not sure she’d be as happy to hear I was dating her friend.

Dating . That’s what we’re doing, right? I’m not sure if there are rules around that. At my work or his. That’s a new layer of anxiety for me to add to the growing pile. It must pose some conflict of interest. I can’t think of any way to use this for personal benefit, but I’m sure someone can. God forbid the two of us become the reason for the rules. The Graham-Tyler Rule does have a certain ring to it, though.

His car turns onto my street, and I suck in a breath. I want Graham to come upstairs so I can strip him out of those clothes. I haven’t seen him naked yet, and I would love to get a better look at what he’s hiding under those suits. This is also the part where my dates tend to derail. Quick hookups, no problem. But when there are actual feelings involved? Much more complicated. There are very few guys who will date a side long-term. Trust me, I’ve had plenty of men say those exact words to my face.

“Do you think Gulliver will be upset if you stay out a little longer?” I’m feeling brave, so I’m willing to try and hope I don’t regret this in the morning.

“I fed him before I left, so he won’t care where I am until it’s time for breakfast.” Gulliver seems like the type to want to cuddle up in bed, but what do I know about cats?

“Would you be interested in another drink? I don’t have quite the selection that the brewery has, but I have a few options in the fridge.” That’s a bit of an understatement. I probably have at least as many options as the brewery, but the full truth tends to make me sound like an alcoholic instead of a beer connoisseur.

“I’m sure I can find something to my taste.” He gives me a quick glance before turning his gaze back to the road. I swear I see his tongue dart out of his mouth, and I really hope he’s hoping to taste more than beer tonight.

My stomach tightens. Fuck . Maybe I should have spent a little more time cleaning up and less time picking out an outfit.

He starts to pull up to the curb outside the apartment building. “You can drive a little further and pull into the garage.” Graham doesn’t say anything but steers the car in the direction I pointed. When he gets to the gate, I punch a few buttons into an app on my phone, and the gate opens. A few seconds later, we pull into one of the guest parking spots near the elevator.

“Fancy,” he says as he shuts off the car.

I shrug. It is. I don’t make a habit of telling people that I have money, but the building tends to clue people in. I’m not hiding it. I don’t like to talk about finances. Only Matthias knows the details, and that’s because he’s my financial advisor. Some of it comes from work, but a lot of it’s from the inheritance I got when my grandfather died.

I make sure to grab my terrarium from the trunk before we head inside.

“Have you lived here a while?”

“The last five years or so. It’s convenient. Close to work and downtown. I walk to work if the weather’s nice.” I love clearing my head on the way to and from work. The walk creates distance and allows me to let go of the day before relaxing better. Most of the time, I stick my earbuds in but don’t listen to anything. It keeps other people from talking to me and drowns out some of the city noise but leaves me to focus on my thoughts.

When the elevator opens, I click the button for the eighth floor. I look over at Graham, and he stares back at me. The space isn’t large, but it somehow feels too big and too small simultaneously. “Do you think Gulliver’s happy living in Cardinal Falls?” Apparently, the cat is the only safe topic my mind can come up with. Graham’s going to think I’m only dating him to get to his pet.

“I’m pretty sure he can be happy anywhere as long as there are windows with sunlight and plenty of food.” Graham takes a step toward me and smiles. And, oh god, why is this elevator so slow? “I swear you get along with him better than anyone else. Are you sure you aren’t a cat person?”

“Maybe Gulliver’s special?” This is why dating is hard. Hookups are easy. There are agreed-upon rules. Tonight is a free-for-all. Are we supposed to continue this ridiculous cat small talk? Make out?

“I think the opposite might be true. Gulliver seems quite taken with you. And so is his owner.” Graham leans in before I can process the statement and brushes his lips against mine. The kiss only lasts a second before he pulls away. It’s the most innocent kiss I can imagine, but my whole body is on fire. Thank fuck the elevator chooses that moment to stop.

I clear my throat and lead Graham down the hall toward my apartment. After getting the door open, I wave him toward the couch. “What can I get you?”

“I’ll let you pick. Just nothing too hoppy.” He doesn’t immediately sit down on the couch. Instead, he walks over to my bookcase and starts looking through the various titles and knick-knacks that line the shelves.

“Where do all these little figurines come from?” He picks one up and holds it between his thumb and forefinger.

“Oh, um, a little bit of everywhere. When I travel, I like to find something to bring back as a reminder of the trip. I try to pick ones that are about the same size and generally match the rest.” In some places, that was easier than in others.

“Do you travel a lot?”

“Some.” It’s not an answer, but I don’t want to discuss my personal life. I open the fridge and let the cool air wash over me. The door blocks my view of Graham and gives me a much-needed opportunity to reset. “Do you want a wheat beer or a stout?”

“Either is fine.” Okay, not helpful. “Do you have a favorite place?” Graham asks, apparently not letting the topic go.

“If I had to pick, London.”

“Really, how come?” He puts the little koala figurine down and searches the others for a second before picking up one of the British soldiers.

“I guess I like the history.” I grin, thinking about my trip last year. I spent nearly the whole weekend in museums, getting lost in the people and stories from centuries ago. If work hadn’t gotten in the way, I could’ve spent another week wandering through the corridors and reading the placards. “And beer.” I pass him the stout.

“I’ve never been, but it’s on my list.” He takes a first sip and hums his approval. “Is this local?” He puts down my little soldier and settles on the couch.

“Semi. The brewery’s about ninety minutes from here. They’ve got a great tap room that looks out over a river.”

“Maybe you can take me some time,” Graham says. That sounds like a second date. Or maybe some future number. Instead of responding, I take a long drink of my beer. “Tyler?”

“Yeah?” I perch on the edge of the armchair. I swear I’m not usually this much of a crazy person. But now that he’s here, I can’t figure out where I’m supposed to put my hands. Or how close I should get. It’s easier when it’s just sex. Everyone knows their role without having to worry about these details.

“Do you want me to leave?” Graham’s face is tight, and his eyes are full of concern. Fuck, I’m screwing this up.

GRAHAM

“What?” Tyler slides into the chair he’s been leaning against. “No, of course not.”

“You seem really uncomfortable.” The date had been going so well, but as soon as we left the brewery, things felt more forced. I’m not sure where things went wrong, but it’s clear that Tyler’s a ball of nervous energy. Maybe we should have gone to my place instead. Maybe I shouldn’t have kissed him in the elevator. Maybe I should have kissed him more.

“I’m not used to dating,” he mumbles.

Okay, that I can work with. “Well, I’m happy to be your teacher.” I keep my voice light, not wanting to come off as sarcastic. “We don’t have to do anything tonight. I can go, and we can go on another date later this week. I can stay, and we can talk and get to know each other. It’s your choice.” I make sure the second date sounds like a sure thing, even though I won’t be surprised if he kicks me out and blocks my number.

“What if I want to do something else?” His voice is barely a whisper but sends a tingle down my spine.

“I think we can make that happen.” I’ve wanted Tyler in my arms all night long. The need to maintain public decency got in the way of doing anything more than a hand on his thigh. Though it may have inched a bit high by the end of the class. “You’ll need to get a bit closer to me to make that work.” I motion toward the empty spot next to me on the couch. “I’d also like to get to know you better. Maybe talk a bit?”

“What would we talk about?” He moves to a spot on the couch—a full foot away from me. It’s closer, though, so I’ll take it. I’m a patient man. Tyler can have all the time he wants. As eager as I am to taste him, I want him to lead, to show me what he’s comfortable with tonight. Even if that means I don’t get more than the chaste kiss in the elevator.

“Why don’t you start by telling me more about your travels? Are they mostly for work?” I nearly spill my beer when he barks out a laugh. “It wasn’t meant to be a funny question.”

“No, I’m sorry.” He takes a few deep breaths. “A bit surprised that you think my job involves any travel, let alone somewhere overseas. The best I’ve managed was two nights in Chicago for a conference.”

“Chicago’s a great city.”

“Fuck. Are you from there? I didn’t mean it’s a bad place.” Tentatively, I put a hand on Tyler’s shoulder. He doesn’t immediately shrug me off, so that’s a start.

“Relax, I’m giving you a hard time. I’m from nearby here, remember?” Tyler leans into my touch, his cheek grazing my hand. “So then you must travel for fun?”

“Yeah, my parents fly off somewhere at least once a year, and they still let me tag along.” He bites his bottom lip.

“That sounds like fun.” A trip like that with my family would be a nightmare. Love them to death, but the whole clan can barely manage to make it to the same restaurant for dinner. An international trip is out of the question. “Between my two siblings, their significant others, and their children, anything with my family is sheer chaos.” And as the youngest and the only single one, I get the worst accommodations. “We usually meet up in smaller groups, but every year, we go to this campsite near Lake Stonewater at the beginning of summer.” Everyone has their own space, and the kids have plenty of room to run wild.

“I’ve never been camping.”

“Well, we rent cabins, so it isn’t really camping. We used to set up tents at the campsites when we were younger.” Tyler’s face drops at my response, so I add, “Maybe we could go camping together sometime?”

“With your family?” His voice is so high it’s nearly shrill. I put my beer down on a coaster and inch a little closer. Honestly, I have the same reaction every spring when we start making plans. Spending that much time in close quarters with them is not easy. It’s much easier to appreciate them from a distance.

“That’s one option, but I thought we could go alone. It would be a lot quieter.” My idea of romance does not involve my nieces and nephew crawling into bed with us first thing in the morning. “And more private.”

“What camping activities require privacy?” Tyler untucks his leg and leans in a little closer. My dick can think of about forty different options right now. I shift in my seat, trying not to make my hard-on obvious. I meant it when I said we could just talk the whole evening.

“Hmmm… you might have to come camping with me to find out.”

Tyler sets his beer down next to mine and closes all but the last inch between us. “Any chance you could give me a preview? So that I know what I’m signing up for.”

I cup his face, my thumb brushing against his stubble. Tyler presses against my touch, nuzzling into my hand. It’s all I can do to start slow, kissing him gently. Even in the softness, he sets my whole body on fire. He tastes like coffee and caramel, the remnants of his beer lingering on his lips. When I stroke his jaw, he opens for me, his tongue slipping into my mouth.

This isn’t like the kisses we shared last time. Those were foreplay, kisses meant to lead up to something more. These are the main event. I could die happy like this, my lips pressing against Tyler’s, our tongues tangling together. When a moan slips out of my mouth, he slides a hand behind my head, threading his fingers through my hair, and pulls me in closer. It’s a small move, his hand somehow gentle and forceful at the same time.

Despite the heat and intensity between us, I’m in no hurry to speed things along. If we did nothing but kiss all night, I’d go to bed a happy man. Fine, I’d go to sleep a happy man after I got myself off. Still, very happy.

When was the last time I did nothing but kiss? Probably high school. Fuck . What has Tyler done to me?

While I might be content to stick to kissing, it’s becoming evident that Tyler has other plans tonight. He nudges at my shoulder and encourages me to lie back on the couch. As soon as I comply, he covers me with his body, never pulling away. He presses himself against me, his hard cock pressing into my hip. He’s not heavy, but the sensation of him pinning me down, using me to get off, is heady.

Maybe it’s the beers or a lack of oxygen, but my head is starting to spin. I break the kiss so I can get a little bit of air, even though I’m sure it won’t help. It’s being in Tyler’s orbit that throws me off-center.

I shift my focus to Tyler’s neck, kissing bits of skin and finding all the places that force a sharp inhale of breath. God, I bet there are dozens of places I could lick and suck that would make him moan and writhe. It becomes my sole focus to find each and every one and to figure out how to make him feel good. I tug at his collar, trying to get access to his collarbone.

“Can I take this off?” I ask, my hands already reaching for the hem.

“Yeah.” His voice wobbles, and I stop.

“I don’t have to,” I whisper as I pepper kisses behind his ear.

Instead of answering, Tyler yanks his shirt over his head. I follow his lead and unbutton my shirt. It gets caught behind me when I try to pull it off, and Tyler has to help me get my arms out of the sleeves.

“God, you look incredible.” He’s got smooth skin with a smattering of dark hair leading up his abdomen and spreading across his chest. The need to prove to him that I love everything I see overtakes me, and I lean in and suck a nipple into my mouth.

“Fuck. Graham.” Tyler winds his fingers through my hair and pulls me in tighter. “Please.”

I don’t know what he’s asking for, but I’m happy to try everything I can until I figure it out.

Tyler thrusts against me, and I let out a long groan. My erection is achingly hard and pressing against the zipper of my jeans. I lick my way across Tyler’s chest until I reach his other nipple, teasing for a few minutes before sucking it into my mouth.

My hands trail down his back until they reach his ass. I cup his cheeks in my hands, encouraging him to grind against me. There’s too much fabric in the way for either of us to get what we want, but it doesn’t stop me from trying.

“Jesus.” Tyler pulls me in ever closer for a second before loosening his grip on my head. He moves away, and for a second, I think he’s about to ask me to stop. I would—in a heartbeat—but I hope he won’t ask me to.

It takes only a second before I realize he’s moving down my body, positioning himself between my thighs. I part my legs for him, making room for him to kneel between them on the couch.

Tyler loops his fingers under the waistband of my jeans before he starts working on the button. “Is this okay?”

“Anything.” Just please do it soon. My impatience pushes me to help him with the button and fly before lifting my hips enough to yank my jeans down enough to give him access.

A grin spreads across Tyler’s face as he leans in and begins mouthing my cock through my briefs.

“Fuck yes,” I say. It takes all of my self-control to keep from pushing my hips up toward him.

Tyler takes his time—way too much time—exploring over the fabric. My cock is leaking against my skin, and I can see the wet spot spreading across the light blue fabric, a mix of my precum and Tyler’s saliva.

“Please, Tyler.” I’m not above begging. My cock is desperate to be in his mouth. I’ve been thinking about it since our first encounter, and now my fantasy is so close to coming true. Having him this close but separated by a layer of cotton is killing me.

In an act of mercy, he tugs the waistband of my briefs down and pulls out my cock, swallowing me down to the root in one go.

“Fuck, Tyler. Fuck!” My head falls back against the arm of the sofa. If I watch him suck me, I’ll come in two minutes flat. Even with my eyes closed, it’s not going to take long.

Tyler’s mouth pulls off occasionally, his tongue teasing over my sensitive head and slit. I’ve often wondered if I remembered the whole thing wrong between that first night and now. Maybe developed some fantasy that inflated how good Tyler’s mouth felt.

Now I know. I must have misremembered because this is so much better. It’s like he has a map that leads him to all the best places.

His hand slips between my thighs, and he fondles my balls in his palm. “Yes. Yes.” It’s the only word I can manage to say. My mind is entirely offline. As he takes me into his mouth again, his throat constricts around my cock as he swallows. All I can do is moan and whisper profanities.

“Fuck, I’m close.” I’m trying to hold on longer, but it feels too good. My body is racing toward orgasm.

At my words, he doubles his effort, sucking me and adding a hand around my base to stroke my cock. I’m defenseless against it, and my orgasm bursts through me.

It feels like I come forever with my cock pulsing in Tyler’s mouth. He takes every bit of cum I give him, swallowing around me and then licking me clean. As the feeling turns toward oversensitive, Tyler sits back on his heels.

His lips are red and puffy, saliva clinging around the edges, and his wavy hair out of place.

“Fuck, that mouth of yours…” My brain is still waiting for the return of blood flow, so I can’t finish the sentence.

“Good?”

I raise my eyebrows at him and glance toward my softening cock sitting against my belly.

“Come here,” I say. He crawls up and kisses me, the taste of my cum lingering on his lips. “What do you need?” I ask.

“Can I… would it be okay if I jerked off on you?”

“Yes. Fuck.” My cock twitches against my thigh at the thought. There’s no chance it’s going to get hard again in the next few minutes.

Tyler sits up and works his jeans open quickly before pulling out his cock. The head is an angry shade of purple. He spits in his hand, then starts stroking himself.

“Shit. I’m close,” he says, eyes closing as his head drops back. “Feeling you come in my mouth nearly undid me.”

“Yeah, you like swallowing my cum?” I can’t take my gaze off him. He’s so beautiful like this, completely caught up in his pleasure.

“Yeah. So. Good.” He manages to get out between pants.

“I like the way you look sucking my cock.” Tyler shivers as I run my hands up the sides of his body.

“Fuck. Graham. Gonna.”

“Come for me, Tyler.”

It only takes a second before he groans and shoots thick ropes of cum over my stomach and chest. I run my finger through his spend and bring it up to my mouth, licking it off.

“Fuck that’s hot,” he says hoarsely.

Tyler rolls off me and grabs his shirt from the floor. He uses it to clean us both up a little. We’ll need showers, but this buys us a little time. When he drops the shirt back to the floor, he cuddles into my side, resting his head on my chest. The couch isn’t built for two grown men to lie side-by-side, but we make it work.

“So,” I start after both our heart rates seem to be back to normal. “Do I get a second date?”