by James, J. P.
“You drive a hard bargain,” I say coyly.
“I stop at nothing to get what I want. That’s always worked for me in business, but right now I hope it works when it comes to your heart,” he growls, suddenly serious. I want to cave in and let Bryce whisk me away to places I’ve only ever dreamed of, but that’s a dream. After all, Bryce and I are really different. He’s a sophisticated billionaire, while I’m a country boy that takes pride in teaching toddlers their ABC’s and 123’s. He makes it all sound so simple and I want to believe that it is, but the truth is that nothing is that simple. He’s made something of himself, whereas I’m still a nobody from Smithtown.
“I just don’t know,” I admit. “Everything’s happened so fast.” He holds me tighter and his arms provide comfort.
“I know, but I can’t just go back to Manhattan and forget all about you, Conor,” he says. I wouldn’t be able to forget about him either, not after the intense week we just spent together. I’m falling in love with him and it would break my heart if things ended between us. It sounds horrible, but what I feel for Bryce is stronger than the way I felt about Ryan. I think Bryce might be the love of my life, and the man I’m really meant to marry. But how would we make this work? It just seems impossible given the circumstances.
But my billionaire is a hard-headed alpha male, and he charges on ahead.
“This has been the best week of my life,” he says.
“Mine too,” I confess.
“Then let’s find a way to make this thing work. I’ll do whatever it takes,” he says. I’m silent for a bit, unsure of what to say. Bryce makes my heart pound, definitely, but our relationship would make the residents of Smithtown gossip. He’s not of this life anymore, whereas I am very much steeped in the rural hinterlands. So what now?
I don’t know what to do and it’s driving me crazy. With Ryan things were so much easier, but also really boring and routine. There was no spice and life with him was dull. By contrast, Bryce makes everything feel brand new and there’s never been a boring moment between us. I know things are still fresh, but he excites me in new ways every day and he’s everything I’ve ever wanted.
“We’ll make it work,” I say, still a little uncertain. But I trust Bryce, so I’ll stand by his side.
“Are you sure?” he asks. I’m not, but I can’t see myself living life without him either.
“I’m sure,” I say. “But I still don’t want anyone to know about us.”
“Okay, we can keep our relationship a secret for now, but eventually I want the world to know how I feel about you,” he says, staring into my eyes. That piercing blue gaze has control over me, and I just can’t seem to tell him no.
“Alright,” I agree. I don’t know how long we can keep our affair a secret. After all, I’m not in a rush to tell anyone that I’ve been secretly seeing someone. It’s not that I’m ashamed of our budding love, I’m just worried about everyone’s reaction to it.
But for now, the only thing that matters is the love that blooms when we’re together. Everything else seems to fade away when I’m in Bryce’s arms and all of my worries disappear. What we share is magical and I can feel the Earth shake when our lips touch because our kisses are so powerful. He makes me feel alive and the world seems so much different ever since he walked into my life. The sun shines brighter, the air smells fresher and the birds chirp a little louder, singing melodies outside of my window. It scares me that I’m falling so hard and fast for Bryce, but his warm embrace will catch me when and if I fall. I know it. I have to believe it, because he means everything to me now.
12
Bryce
The sun shines brightly overhead and it already feels like the perfect day. I sit parked on a side road in a wooded area with a lot of trees. It’s the road I usually park on when I come to visit Conor because it doesn’t get much traffic. I glance in the rearview mirror, but there’s no sign of my lover yet. I anxiously wait in my rented convertible, hoping no one drives by and sees me here. If anyone notices, they’ll have a lot of questions about why I’m still in town a month after Ryan’s funeral.
I just can’t seem to leave, not without Conor. I want him to come back to New York City with me, but his whole life is here. I can’t just ask him to drop everything to be with me. He’s a dedicated pre-school teacher, and his small students adore him. Plus, all his family and friends live here. I care about him too much to rip him away from the only home he’s ever known. It would be selfish.
As a result, it’s easier if I stay here so we can be together. I’d rather be the one making the sacrifice anyways because the thought of hurting Conor pains me. Eventually I will have to return to the Big Apple, but for now I’m staying put. I don’t want to leave his side, not yet. We’re falling in love, and I don’t want to be alone in Manhattan without him.
I’ve been keeping my head low around town, and as a result, I don’t think anyone realizes that I’m still in Smithtown. It’s kind of weird. Conor is really hush-hush about our relationship and I understand why, but two adults sneaking around seems really immature at times. I’m the kind of man that likes to show his partner off on his arm. I want to shower Conor with gifts and take him out to eat at expensive restaurants, but we never leave his house and he’s afraid people will see and start talking. I get why he doesn’t want to be open about our romance, but still. We can’t even do simple things like grab a burger and some fries at the local diner. I appreciate his home-cooked meals, but sometimes, it gets old.
Today I’m finally getting my chance to take Conor out on a real date. It took a lot of searching, but I found a museum three hours away from Smithtown all the way in Indiana. It’s a good distance away and it’ll be impossible for us to run into any of the locals here. The drive is far, but it’s well worth it. I gassed up the car and even brought along some snacks for our little road trip. I haven’t been this excited since I was a kid and my dad took me to my first major league baseball game.
A rusty pickup truck slowly approaches from behind. Shit, I was hoping we’d be out of here before anyone could spot me. I keep my eyes forward, hoping whoever is in the truck drives by without noticing me. My efforts fail and the rusty vehicle slowly pulls to a stop next to me. An old man in a straw hat and plaid shirt rolls down the passenger window.
“Bryce? Bryce Black?” the man says. I slowly turn toward him. The man looks familiar, but I can’t remember his name. “It’s me, Mr. Greene. Jack Greene. You kids used to sneak on my farm and joy ride around in my tractor. Scared my horses good. Poor Betsy still gets worked up when I turn the damn thing on.”
“Mr. Greene?” My teenage years come rushing back to me in a flash. He’s right we use to scare the hell out of those horses because we were just teenage boys being chumps.
“Yup. I thought it kinda funny that such a fancy car would be sitting here by the woods. I thought maybe someone abandoned it, and then I saw you,” he chuckles. “I said to myself ‘Now that’s Bryce Black.’ I never forget a face.” I glance in the rearview mirror again and luckily there’s still no sign of Conor yet. I can’t let Mr. Greene see us together.
“It’s good seeing you Mr. Greene,” I say trying to politely end the conversation.
“It’s good to see you too Bryce. What are you doing back in this dump? I thought you moved away to the big fancy city,” he says. Dammit, this is exactly what I wanted to avoid.
“I’m just here on some business,” I lie.
“Business in old Smithtown?” he chuckles. “What business could you possible have here?” The old man is prying too much and Conor will be here any second now. Urgency sets in. I have to say something to get him on his way.
“I’m thinking about opening an office down here so I can be closer to my folks. You know, they’re over in the Milson, about thirty miles away,” I say, hoping the conversation will come to an end soon.
“You’re a good man Bryce. They’re lucky to have you,” he says. “Welp I should get going, my cows need m
ilking. Good seeing ya.”
“Good seeing you too Mr. Greene,” I say. His rusty pickup truck rattles as he drives away. Phew, that was close. He turns left up the road and now that he’s out of sight I feel relieved.
I take another look in the mirror and this time my eyes are graced by the most welcome sight in the world. It’s Conor. The wind ruffles his short, dark hair, and he’s wearing jeans and a casual shirt untucked. His stride is smooth yet sexy, making my mouth water.
I step out of the car, and his eyes flash when he sees me. We’re in each other’s arms in an instant.
“I missed you,” I say.
“I missed you too,” he replies, his eyes twinkling like crystals of brown sugar. I help him into the car, and then slide into my side. This feels right. We’re on our very first date.
Revving the vehicle, I pull from the curb and start driving along the country lane. I admire the bucolic scenery as we breeze down the road. “Man I sure missed this place. I always loved the outdoors,” I say.
“Me too. I used to camp out in the woods every summer with my folks, but it’s been awhile,” Conor smiles.
“I haven’t been camping in years. I think I can still pitch a tent though,” I laugh.
“I’m surprised a city boy like you would sleep in a tent and not one of those big RV trucks that looks like a house on the inside,” he jokes.
“I’m no city boy,” I chuckle. “No matter where I go, I’ll always be a Smithtonian at heart.” Conor laughs, but then goes quiet.
“I hear New York City is nothing but skyscrapers and big giant buildings,” he says.
“Yeah, that’s kind of true. We have some really nice parks, but it’s nothing like being down here,” I say.
“It must be hard not having a lot of nature around you,” he says while opening a bag of potato chips.
“It can be, but I own a house in Connecticut, a couple of hours away from Manhattan. Whenever I start to miss Mother Nature I take a trip up there to get some fresh air and to go fishing. I even have a couple of apple trees on my land, so I usually go up there around this time of year to pick up some fresh fruit,” I say.
“That sounds really nice,” he says with one eyebrow raised. “Kind of like paradise.” I chuckle.
“It is. I want to take you there one day, Conor, you’d love it. We can spend a whole weekend there, far away from Kentucky, and I’ll have you back here in time for school on Monday morning,” I say. He smiles slowly.
“Really?”
“Yeah, really. How about next weekend? While we’re up there I can stop in at my office and take care of a few things quickly. It’ll be perfect.”
Conor nods a bit, crunching a potato chip.
“This could work,” he muses. “I can cook us a big dinner while you’re at the office and pick some apples to bake a fresh apple pie.” My stomach growls in anticipation of his homemade apple pies. They’re insanely good, and my stomach starts rumbling.
“Sorry, I’m just a little hungry,” I apologize as I place my hand on my stomach. Conor laughs.
“Here, open wide,” he says, taking a chip out of the bag. I open my mouth as I keep my eyes on the road, and he places the snack delicately on my tongue. “You drive, and I’ll feed you.”
Damn. Conor is so considerate and always thinking of others. No one is perfect, but he’s damn near close. He takes care of me like a mother, we have fun with each other like best friends, and he satisfies all of my sexual needs. I’m falling in love with this man, hard and fast.
Plus, Manhattan is filled with selfish biatches. The last man I dated didn’t really want me, he only wanted my money. He wasn’t happy unless I was buying him an expensive gift, and when I wasn’t showering him with lavish presents, he was constantly nagging and whining like a child. It would get to the point that I would buy him something, anything, just to shut him up. Finally things ended between us when he met an old geezer who gave him his own credit card. That did the trick.
Since then, I’ve tried to stay away from the men that hang around country clubs and that attend swanky parties. Those type of men are only after one thing, which is a paycheck. But not Conor. I can tell he actually gives a damn about me. He couldn’t care less about my money, the penthouse I live in back in Manhattan, or the foreign cars I drive. The only thing he wants from me is my love and I’m more than willing to give him all of it and then some. I’ll give him anything he wants without having to think twice about it.
One of my favorite country love songs starts playing on the radio and I can’t help singing along. Every word in the songs describes exactly how I feel about Conor. He’s quiet as I sing, and for a moment, he’s so still that maybe he’s fallen asleep. But when I glance over at him, Conor’s looking at me with a smile.
“What’s wrong?” I ask. “Is my singing that bad?”
“Not at all,” he utters. “You have one of the most beautiful voices that I’ve ever heard.” His compliment flatters me and I’m sure I’m probably blushing right now.
“Thank you,” I say.
“I didn’t realize you listened to country music,” he says, surprised by my taste in tunes.
“Yeah, it’s all I listen to. There’s nothing else in the world like it,” I say. “When I was a little boy I wanted to be a country singer when I grew up,” I admit. I’ve never told anyone before, not even my best friend Ryan because it’s kind of a sissy goal. Most guys we knew wanted to be farmers or lumberjacks, whereas I wanted to get into a sparkly costume and prance around onstage while belting tunes. But I feel safe revealing my old dreams to Conor. Something about him makes it really easy to open up.
“You should’ve, you have a really great voice,” he says sincerely.
“You think so?” I ask.
“Yeah, I could listen to you sing for hours,” he smiles. I’m probably as red as the devil’s tail right now and I can’t seem to stop grinning.
“What about you? Did you always want to be a teacher?” I ask.
“Hmm,” he says playfully. “Yeah I did. I had this teacher in the second grade, Mrs. Norbury. She was the nicest woman I’ve ever met and she always found new and exciting ways to teach us stuff. She’s the one that inspired me to go into education. I’m glad I did because I love my kids.”
Dammit. Conor really does love his job and he’s wanted to be a teacher his whole life. I can’t take him away from his students. But I also can’t survive hundreds of miles away from him. My office and entire staff are in Manhattan, so I can’t just move my company down here either. Eventually we’ll be apart from each other and that thought leaves a sour feeling in my stomach. Now that I’ve found love with Conor, it seems cruel to ask me to give it up because of circumstance. He’s the partner I’ve been waiting for my entire life.
I shake the thought of being miles away from him out of my head and focus on the here and now. I pull into the museum parking lot as Conor marvels at the large marble complex. Smithtown’s largest building isn’t even half the size of this one. If he’s this impressed with the outside, I can’t wait to see his reaction when we actually go inside. The museum is filled with ancient artifacts from all around the world, like the gold pendants the pharaohs in Egypt wore and the spears the Vikings used for hunting. I can’t wait to share these experiences with the love of my life.
I quickly pull into a vacant parking spot, ready to hop out of the car and stretch my cramped legs. Conor gets out too, and we share a smile. I grab a hold of his hand as we stroll towards of the museum and it feels right. We belong together, out in the open. I feel so proud to have him by my side.
Once in the museum, we both stare in awe from behind a red rope at the ancient artifacts encased in thick glass. He leads the way around the museum as if he knows it like the back of his hand, even though I doubt he’s been here before. I follow blissfully, impressed by my man’s cultured ways and intelligent comments. Even though no one is paying us any attention, I’m glad I get to show him off. Conor’s incredib
ly smart, and he’s all mine.
As he rattles on about a particular gold artifact, I listen raptly. He laughs and turns toward me.
“What is it?” he asks, shooting me a naughty grin.
“You’re so gorgeous,” I reply as I continue to gaze at him. Conor smiles, showing off his pearly whites and my heart leaps and shudders. I pull him close to me and gently squeeze.
“Bryce, people are watching,” he laughs, a little scandalized.
“Let them watch then,” I say. “You’re mine, sweetheart.” I lift his chin and softly kiss his lips.
The contact is electric, and we’re both panting when we pull away. “You give me butterflies,” he breathes, grinning and blushing simultaneously.
“And you make me the happiest man on Earth,” I profess. “Maybe it’s too soon, but I think I’m falling in love with you.”
Conor goes mute, eyes wide. Maybe it’s too soon to say those words. Dammit, I hope I don’t scare him away. Have I messed everything up already?
But then my lover speaks.
“I’m so glad you said that,” he says. “Because I’m falling in love with you too.” Oh thank fuck, for a second I thought I’d put my foot in it. He pulls me close and this time, Conor kisses me in front of all the museum patrons
“Conor,” I manage to get out in the middle of our lip lock. “Everyone’s watching.” He breaks away for a brief moment.
“Let them watch,” he says devilishly, pulling me back into our intense kiss. Damn I love this man because he’s absolutely amazing.
We kiss in the center of the museum like no one is watching, and if they are, we sure don’t give a damn. Our love needs to be on display for the world to see, that way they’ll know what real passion looks like. I wish we could show this same type of affection in Smithtown. If the townspeople saw the depths of the love we share, they would want us to be together. But right now, it seems impossible. Ryan just passed away, and people will detest Conor if they find out that we’ve been dating. I guess we’re stuck in no man’s land for a little while longer. It’s unfortunate, but only time will tell.