by Gen Ryan
“So we’re flirting?” he asked.
“Horribly, but yes.” We both laughed.
“What’s his name?” Brad asked, the smile not leaving his face.
“Whose name?” He turned his head and looked at my dick again.
I nearly stumbled at the brazenness of it after how nervous he’d been. Ah, flirting. Such an art form, all about give and take. Push and pull. Like sex. You had to lube up first. Test the waters, so to speak. And I had myself a surfer. I was sure he was mighty slippery when wet.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I said teasingly as Brad stopped.
“I would like to know. And maybe even use these.” He tugged at the handcuffs that were linked to the other side of my belt and then walked away again, leaving me stunned and completely fucking turned on. God, I wanted nothing more than to shove my cock in his teasing mouth. Show him how badly he turned me on. All thoughts of Ben and the comfort that he’d brought were gone. Because comfort could get lost. Brad and I were fucking flirting. I had a giant throbbing hard-on and I loved it.
8
___________
BRAD
I didn’t want to seem too eager and excited about going on this date with Colton. Melanie had to open her mouth and tell him I’d been talking about him. He probably thought I was some loser who never dated. I didn’t, but he didn’t need to know that.
I needed a cold shower after all the flirting as we walked to lunch. He wasn’t quite what I’d expected. He had a hardened exterior. I’m sure being a cop made him that way. But his mouth, it was dirty, and the shit that came out of it made me want to rip his pants off and suck him until he came in my mouth. It was more than physical attraction though. Colton had so much to offer. A good job, a stellar personality. I couldn’t help but wonder why he was single.
“Tell me about yourself,” he said. I put down my sandwich and stared at Colton. I hated this question because it always made me think of Taylor and why I was in Rhode Island in the first place. It was nice and all, but California was my home. The water, the waves, the laid-back attitude. It was bliss.
“I’m from California. You know where I work.” I shrugged and took another bite of my sandwich. Colton leaned back in his chair and stared at me. “Nothing exciting,” I added.
He nodded, seemingly hurt. All conversation abruptly ended. It was different with Abby. I could tell her what had happened to Taylor and not be fearful of judgment, but with Colton, I wasn’t so sure. Everything about us was so new. Hell, we weren’t even an “us.” Dropping the bombshell that I’d let my sister drown probably wasn’t a good first date conversation.
“I have things that aren’t the best from my past. Things that have brought me here from California.” I took a deep breath as Colton gave me his full attention. “I don’t want you to think I’m being vague on purpose. I don’t have a hidden husband and fifty kids running around, but I do have something that weighs me down.” I smiled, trying to loosen up the heaviness of my words. “But I’m working on it.”
“Thanks for that.” Colton said. “I have shit too. We all do. Let’s just promise to not hide who we really are from each other.” He held out his hand. “Deal?” he asked.
“Deal.” We shook. I started to draw my hand away, but Colton gently rubbed his thumb across the base of it, and I shuddered. I loved knowing that his simple touch sent my body into a state of arousal. It made the flirting that much better.
I let his hand go and studied him for a moment.
“Do I have something on my face?” Colton said as he laughed.
“No. Just trying to figure you out.” I took a sip of my drink.
“That can’t be done in one sitting. I’m a complex man.” His face turned serious as he placed his sandwich down.
“Oh.” I put my hands in my lap and wrung them together. Complex man? He didn’t seem like that to me. Maybe I’d read him wrong. Shit. Last thing I needed was someone else’s baggage. As my mind wandered off with all the possibilities of how Colton was complex, he started laughing.
“I’m kidding,” he said. “I’m an open book, really. I was in a long-term relationship a little over six months ago. I bought a house for us, and he didn’t love me anymore. He said I loved work more than him.” Colton shrugged. “Par for the course with the work that I do. I work a lot. Even when I don’t want to I have to. That’s really all there is to know about me and my complexities.”
“That’s just life. My past has left me scarred. Sometimes I think I’ll never heal,” I said. I didn’t want to talk about any of this, but Colton made it seem so easy.
Colton leaned closer to me and whispered, “Want to know a secret?” He flashed me his dazzlingly crooked smile. “Everything’s just life. All that happens to us. The good, the bad, the ugly. Some things scar us worse than others.” He leaned back in his chair and looked me right in the eyes. “It’s about how we overcome them. Do we push through or let them define who we are?”
Damn. Colton was a philosopher or some sort of word guru, because everything he said resonated deep within me. I didn’t want my past to define me. Not anymore. And something told me that I was going to be able to push through it.
“So, what’s your favorite color?” I gave him a wide smile.
“Seriously?” Colton asked. We both laughed, the tension and nerves dissipating. I found out his favorite color, black; his favorite food, cold pizza; and how much he adored his sister and his niece. It was much better conversation than death and loss, because everything Colton talked about was life, love, and family. Something I so badly missed.
After lunch, I took Colton back to get his car. The good-bye was awkward; neither of us knew what to do and we both kind of just stood there shuffling our feet. Did I hug him? Swat him on the ass and yell “go team?” Who the hell knew? All of it was new to me. Not because I hadn’t dated before, but because of the way I felt. Everyone says they get butterflies in their stomach when they meet “the one.” When I first saw Colton, sure my dick took control, but it was deeper than that. My palms got sweaty, my mouth went dry. It was more than butterflies; it was such a visceral reaction. My mind went numb and for a second, there was only him.
Since I’d started seeing Abby, I was more in tune with what I wanted and what I needed. I wanted someone like Colton. The take-charge type. I wanted to be handcuffed to his bed while he trailed kisses down my stomach. I wanted to squirm as he licked the tip of my dick all the way down to the base, as he kneaded my balls and taunted me. Was there an emotional connection? I wasn’t sure yet. Only time would tell what else there could be between Colton and me. But fuck, I knew the sex would be great.
In just a few short days we’d be seeing each other again. I was nervous about meeting his sister, someone who meant a lot to him. Meeting the family usually happened once I was in a relationship, not before one even had a chance to get started. Apparently we were skipping all those steps. Thinking about all the what-ifs, my future, my past, I wanted only one thing: to talk to my mother. It didn’t matter how old I got, even after the years I’d spent apart from my parents, my mother had always been my confidante. The one person I knew would give me sound advice without any agenda attached. Moms were good that way. Finally having made my way back home and settling in, I grabbed my phone and dialed my mom.
“Hey, Mom.” I smiled into the receiver as I plopped down on my bed.
“Brad, it’s so good to hear your voice. How are you, sweetie?” The creak of her chair rose over the sound of her voice.
“I’m pretty good.” A lump formed in my throat. I missed them. Everything about my parents. Their kindness, their love. The way my mother knew what I needed before I even did.
“What’s wrong, baby?” There it was, her knowing mind.
“I miss you guys.” I fought back the tears. “And I met someone but I don’t know how to turn everything else off and focus on him.”
She gave a small laugh. “Aw, Brad. We miss you. Anytime you want to come he
re….” She paused, waiting for my reply. Usually at this point in the conversation I’d quickly say I had to go. It was different this time. I wanted to say yes. “We’ll get the ticket and everything.” I didn’t reply, but I didn’t have the urge to hang up. Progress, as Abby would say.
“I started swimming again.” She gasped. “It’s teaching little kids to swim. It’s pretty great.”
“That’s where you met the young man, isn’t it?”
I grinned. She knew everything. I swear mothers were secretly telepaths.
“Yeah. His niece is one of my students. He’s a cop, and funny, and the chemistry between us is just… wow.” I paused, taking a deep breath. “He’s big into family, so I’m going to a cookout this weekend. I’m nervous. I don’t want to screw it up. I can get so weird sometimes still. I drift off thinking of Taylor.”
My mother was silent on the other end. We didn’t openly talk about Taylor. Actually, we hadn’t since her funeral. My parents had tiptoed around that topic since I’d started speaking to them again. Abby said it was best to open up when I was ready. At that point, I was ready.
“Brad, listen. It’s going to be fine. You are healing. It takes time. But putting aside your past, you have a great personality—which you get from me, by the way—and are handsome as all sin. What’s not to love?”
Well, when she put it like that, it seemed silly for me to be having this conversation, but even though moms knew everything, they also thought their kids were the best.
“You always know just what to say, Mom.”
“That’s what moms are for.” She laughed.
“You ever wonder what life would be like if Taylor were still here?” I rested my head on my pillow and looked up at the ceiling.
“I try not to. It’s too hard to think about. It’s better to just accept what happened and remember the good times we had.”
“It hurts to remember the good times.” My voice cracked.
“It does, sweetie. But it’s worse to force yourself to forget. To hide all that pain away isn’t healthy.” It was my mother’s way of telling me that running to Rhode Island and thinking distance and time would make it all just disappear hadn’t been the smartest thing to do. The longer I was away from California, the more I realized my mistakes. I had Abby to thank for that.
“You’re right, Mom. I’m sorry it took me so long to get help. It wasn’t fair to you or Dad. You were grieving too.”
“We were grieving the loss of both of our children.”
A sob escaped my mouth. I’d shut my parents out, not thinking of how my absence would impact them. I’d been selfish, and that’s something I could never take back.
“I love you, Brad. So much.”
“I love you too.”
“I’ve got to go finish up dinner for your father. I hope we can see you soon.” She sucked in her breath waiting for my reply. Usually this was the point of the conversation where I rushed off and didn’t call for weeks. I didn’t have that urge. All I wanted was to see them.
“I’d like that.”
We ended the conversation and I didn’t cry. I remembered the good times. I fell asleep with her laughter in my mind and had the most peaceful sleep I’d had in a long time.
9
___________
COLTON
“Are you free tonight? Olivia’s got a swim meet and Lee and I both have clients late.”
I glanced at the clock. A little after five. I was home, one of my rare nights off. It was a Wednesday, which meant I had absolutely nothing to do other than sit and stare at shows on TV.
“You know I’m off tonight.”
She laughed. “All right, Olivia may have mentioned that you said you were off tonight. Pretty please?”
I grunted. “You know I have nothing to do, and I love my niece. I’ll get her from camp by five thirty and take her to her swim meet.”
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! She’s got her stuff with her.” She paused for a minute. “Plus, she mentioned that you were in love with the new swim instructor.”
I clutched the phone and cursed Olivia.
“He’s the one I’m bringing by Saturday to the cookout. Love is a bit premature, don’t you think? I just met the guy.” My response was met with silence. “Okay then. Guess I’ll see you tonight when I drop Olivia off. Don’t work too hard. I’m rubbing off on you.”
She snickered. “I’m the big sister, so that’s not possible. Take care of my fish of a kid, will ya? And Colt?”
“Yeah?” I said with a sigh. Here came the epic ending to our conversation. The revolutionary advice my sister always had to give in an effort to change my life.
“Give love a chance.”
I shook my head and said good-bye before I headed off to get Olivia. I wasn’t opposed to giving love a chance. I wasn’t a man who hid his feelings. I had trouble expressing myself sometimes, but I knew the right man would come along and I wouldn’t have to hide behind my dirty mouth and gun. Was that man Brad? It was a little early to tell. But I would be open-minded. Not because my sister told me to be, but because I wanted to be. For myself.
***
“You’re going to do great tonight. I can’t wait to cheer you on!” I helped Olivia put on her swim cap and goggles as she rolled her eyes.
“Don’t roll your eyes at me, young lady.” I scowled at her. I hated having to reprimand her. The more I helped my sister out with pickups and swim meets, the more I was becoming involved in her discipline. I wanted to be the fun uncle, not the “don’t eat in my car, do your homework, no junk food before dinner” uncle.
“Sorry. I just want Mom to be here.”
I sighed. I felt like a jerk.
“Hey, I know. She has a patient, but I’m here and I’ll scream superloud for you.” She smiled at me. “Plus, I think there’s ice cream in your future.”
“Really?” Olivia squealed.
“Yep. Focus hard and swim fast.”
“I will!” she exclaimed.
“You ready, Olivia?” I looked up and saw Brad, wearing his swim trunks and Sharks tank top. “You look ready.”
Brad smiled at her before he looked at me.
“Fancy seeing you here,” I said. Idiot. I must have skipped Flirting 101. I wanted to tell him to lose the shorts and shake what his momma gave him but I figured a kids’ swim meet wouldn’t be an appropriate time to do that, so I’d have to settle for the G-rated version of my flirting.
Brad laughed. “You’re on uncle duty tonight?”
Olivia skipped down the stairs to the pool to join in where the assistant coach was talking to all the kids.
“Yeah, my sister had to work late again. My night off.” He nodded.
“I thought maybe you just wanted to see me,” Brad teased.
“That’s a benefit to coming here now, most definitely.” I let my eyes linger down the length of his body. When I finally found my way back up to his face, I caught a hint of red across his cheeks. See, when I could use sexual innuendo, I was a god at flirting.
“I’ve got to go start this meet.”
I gave him a wink and watched him walk down the stairs, his tight ass pressing against his swim shorts. I’d never cared for swim shorts, but on Brad they were another story. Hot damn, he could make anything look good.
Parents were screaming and cheering for their kids; I was certain I’d be deaf by the end of the night. I watched Olivia get on the diving board and my heart started beating rapidly. I guess Brad caught my nervousness, as he gave me a small smile of reassurance. She seemed so small up there, about to jump into the deep end of the pool.
As soon as the bell rang, she jumped off. She hit the water and was gone. The Sharks were consistently a second-place team. With some hard work this season they could make first. Olivia wasn’t a second-place swimmer, and watching her pass all the other kids, I could see she was easily going to win first.
I hopped off the bleachers and ran down to the divider between the pool and the
parents. I yelled. I became one of those screaming parents and cheered so loud for Olivia. Brad started laughing. When her little hand hit the other end of the pool first and she popped her head out of the water and took off her googles, I jumped up and down. Brad ran over to me and on instinct I grabbed him, bringing him in for a hug. His body stiffened against mine before loosening up. I took a breath. Damn, he smelled good.
I let him go, and he looked at me, shoving the clipboard underneath his arm.
“Sorry about that. I’m a competitive person. I didn’t know she could swim like that.” I laughed, still able to smell his aftershave.
“It’s all right. It’s exciting. She’s a natural. She reminds me a lot of my—” He shook his head and ended his sentence abruptly. I opened my mouth to ask him, but Olivia bounded over to us.
“I won, Uncle Colt!”
“Hell yeah, you did!” The parents around me glared at me and I shrugged, remembering that swearing was probably frowned upon there.
Brad knelt down and whispered congratulations to Olivia before walking away to finish the rest of the meet. I couldn’t help but wonder who Olivia reminded him of. I let it go and for the rest of the meet, Brad and I eye-flirted. If that was even a thing.
My sister’s words crept into my mind. Give love a chance. I’d give Brad a chance. Whatever he was struggling with, I’d be patient. I wasn’t without my own struggles and past that made this entire dating thing challenging. It was a chance, but something told me we both were putting ourselves out there, and that made me a little more hopeful.
10
___________
BRAD
Receiving a message, I pulled my cell out of my pocket.
Colton: See you Saturday. :)
Me: You will. Should I bring anything?
Colton: Just yourself.
Me: That I can manage.
I shoved my phone in my pocket as I plopped down on Melanie’s couch. The swim meet had been great. The Sharks got second overall. Not to mention that I got to see Colton again and eye-fuck him every chance I got. Was it possible for him to be even more handsome in civilian clothes? I wouldn’t have thought so, but when he walked in wearing jeans and a T-shirt, I had to wipe the drool off my face.