"Oh, yeah. We have a whole area full of all kinds of party favors for bachelor and bachelorette parties." Wilder pointed toward the back wall.
"You guys have fun looking around, and don't be afraid to ask us if you have any questions. We've tried pretty much everything in here at one point or another," Ace added.
Wilder swatted at his partner's chest. "Okay, big guy. That's enough. I'm sure they don't want to know everything we get up to."
"Thanks. We’re just going to look around a while," Miles told them.
My pulse raced as he took my hand and pulled me behind him to the back of the store. I struggled to keep my face neutral so he wouldn't see how much that simple touch was affecting me. He let go as he reached out to pull an item off a hook, and I immediately missed the feel of his work-calloused hand.
"Think Jayce would like this?" He held up a set of fake glasses that looked like a pair of boobs.
I laughed, immediately getting into the idea. "Only if he has this as well." I showed him the t-shirt on the rack directly behind him that looked like a woman's torso dressed in a bikini, the breasts spilling out of the flimsy, pink, polka-dotted top.
Miles joined in the laughter, and soon we were showing each other the craziest things while constantly trying to one-up each other. By the time we'd finished in that area, we had everything we needed for the bachelor party, including a penis shaped hat, a sippy cup shaped like a butt plug and silly straws with tiny plastic women attached to them that you could slide up and down making it look like they were on a stripper pole. I had no doubt Jayce was going to love it.
We wandered around separately for a bit, seeing if there was anything else we wanted to get. At one point, Miles and I both held up identical butt plugs with rainbow tails coming out of the end of them. This of course, made us both crack up as we realized we had the same idea.
As I came to the end of one long aisle, my footsteps slowed, and my heartbeat sped up. I glanced over my shoulder to see where Miles was, and found him deep in conversation with the two storeowners. I turned back to the display of Fleshlights in front of me. I'd seen them used in some of the porn I'd watched and had always been curious about them, but I had no idea there was such a variety of them, white, black, pink, large and small. Some were shaped like vaginas while others were shaped like asses or mouths with big puffy lips surrounding the tiny hole.
I shivered at the thought of having one of those, and before I could talk myself out of it, I grabbed one off the rack and slipped it into the basket of party favors I was carrying.
I quickly looked and saw that Ace had taken Miles down another aisle and was busy showing him a row of handcuffs and blindfolds. My brain nearly short-circuited at the thought that he was interested in that kind of thing, but I didn't have time for that. I'd never bought a toy for myself before, and my heart was nearly pounding out of my chest as I hurried to the front of the store to pay for my purchases before Miles could see what I'd bought.
Wilder made polite conversation as he rang up my order on the cash register, his hands slowing when he got to the Fleshlight. He looked up at me then glanced over my shoulder before speaking quietly. "Would you like me to bag this separately for you?"
My shoulders sagged, thankful he’d thought of it. "Yes, please."
He had just finished putting everything into bags when Miles walked up. "I would've been happy to get those or even split it with you."
I waved him off with a flick of my hand. "It's no big deal, really."
Miles shook his head like he was frustrated, but he grinned at me all the same. "Fine. Then I'll just have to buy you a late lunch." I smiled back at him, suddenly excited to have an excuse to spend more time with him. Who would've thought?
After a few hours, he pulled up outside my apartment. He’d kept his word, taking me to a little café where we’d stayed for much longer than what a casual lunch should’ve been. We’d spent a long time talking, discovering even more things we had in common and just enjoying each other’s company. The more time I spent with him, the more I realized how much I genuinely liked him. He wasn’t at all the overbearing, dumb jock I’d convinced myself he was over the years. In fact, the opposite was true.
He was quite intelligent, speaking in depth about his views on politics and current affairs; views that were mostly similar to my own. Those we hadn’t agreed on, we were able to debate in a friendly, thought-provoking manner. The way he challenged me was refreshing and left me feeling energized.
“Are you sure you don’t need help getting the bags inside?” he offered.
“No, I can get them but thanks. And thanks again for lunch. I had a great time today,” I told him.
His smile did funny things to me. “I did too. I can’t wait to see Jayce’s face when he sees all the stuff we got.”
I snorted out a laugh. “He’s going to die. Especially when he finds out he has to wear them all night. Ace and Wilder definitely have some interesting items in their store. Some of it was even a little intimidating. Did you see the size of that one strand of anal beads?”
“Hey, don’t knock ‘em till you’ve tried ‘em,” he responded with a shrug.
“Um… is that… have you?” I sputtered and then slapped a hand over my eyes. “Never mind. Don’t answer that. It’s none of my business.”
He tugged on my arm, moving it away from my face. When I dared to look at him, I saw that he was grinning. “Damn, you’re sexy when you blush.”
There it was again, that word: sexy. I sucked in a gasp as he suddenly leaned across the console, his gaze lowering to my mouth. “To answer your question, no. I’ve never used anal beads on anyone before. But I’ve always thought it would be sexy as hell to try… with the right partner.” Heat pooled low in my belly, and I licked my lips as he leaned in closer then reached across me and pulled the handle of my door. “You have a good night, Cole.”
I narrowed my eyes at him as I saw the hint of a smirk forming on those perfect lips. He knew exactly what he was doing to me, but instead of being annoyed, I decided two could play at that game. Sliding the bag out from where I’d hidden it inside my jacket, I pulled the Fleshlight out and held it up in the air. “Oh, trust me, Miles, I will.”
I winked at him then slid my door open the rest of the way and jumped out. I quickly snatched up the rest of the bags and closed the door on him, but not before I heard his loud curse and tortured-sounding groan. I laughed the whole way into the apartment, quite pleased with myself.
I left the stuff for Jayce on the table and walked back to my bedroom, where I shoved the Fleshlight into the bedside drawer. Then I grabbed a pair of sweats and a comfy t-shirt to change into since I’d be staying in the rest of the night. As I got settled on the couch and began flipping through the TV for something to watch, my mind wandered to my day with Miles, and I realized that I couldn’t remember the last time I’d laughed so much.
Chapter Five
MILES
I hopped in my truck and tossed my hard hat on the passenger seat. Between finishing the bank project and the other jobs running smoothly, it had been a good week. Although, I'd been too distracted to enjoy most of it. Thankfully, Brian was there to make sure things ran smoothly, but I didn't miss the concerned looks he kept shooting my way. He'd never seen me so on edge, and to be honest, neither had I.
The reason for my distraction was simple: Cole Morris. It was crazy how comfortable I'd become around him in only a few short days. When I was with him, I found myself laughing more and opening up about things that truly mattered to me. Likewise, I was genuinely interested in what he was thinking and the things he had to say.
When we were apart, I found myself constantly thinking about him, wondering what he was doing and when I'd get to see him next. The truth was, Cole had managed to get under my skin in a way I'd never experienced before. It also didn't hurt that he was incredibly good-looking.
I hadn't been lying when I told him he was sexy, but I saw surprise on his face, and
it made me wonder if no one else had ever told him that before. The thought was mind boggling. With his gorgeous green eyes and that plump bottom lip, he was sexy without even trying. He was crazy smart and had an innocence about him that drove me wild. Of course, I knew he wasn't nearly as innocent as he appeared.
I'd only been having a little bit of fun a few days before when I'd decided to tease him. But seeing his reaction—his breath coming out in short bursts and his pupils dilating as he stared at me—it took everything I had to not lean in and take the taste I so desperately craved. Then, without warning, the tables had turned on me, and he'd left me utterly speechless and aching with need.
Seeing Cole holding up that Fleshlight had scrambled my brain while also confirming that he was no longer the shy kid I'd known in the past. The man I saw that night was bold and brave and clearly knew exactly what he wanted. And that had pushed all my buttons.
I'd rushed home after that and immediately began jerking off to thoughts of Cole. I'd pictured the flush of his skin, his long eyelashes fluttering over his cheeks as he closed his eyes, his breathing becoming more rapid as his hand jerked the Fleshlight up and down over his aching cock. That was all it took before I came harder than I ever had in my life.
It wasn't until after that I’d realized I'd just gotten off to thoughts of my best friend's younger brother. I laid there in bed, waiting for guilt to set in but it never did. Instead, I’d found myself wondering when I'd see him again. Unfortunately, work had kept me very busy, and it had been several days since I'd last seen him. That was all about to change though, thanks to a phone call from Jayce the night before, asking me to meet him and Cole after work for our final tuxedo fittings.
When I pulled up in front of the store and saw Cole's car already there, I felt an excited sort of fluttering in my chest. I shut off the engine and closed my eyes, forcing myself to stop and take a few deep breaths. I needed to slow down. I had no idea if Cole even had any interest in me. Especially, after the shitty way I'd treated him in high school. I'd explained my reasons to him, but I'd clearly hurt him and that was something I would always regret.
Just because he'd teased me that night, taunting me with his new toy, didn't mean he liked me. The last thing I wanted was to make things awkward between us again when we’d been getting along so well. Truth be told, I liked his company, so if all he wanted was friendship then I'd be fine with that; although, I couldn't help hoping for more.
My eyes flew open when I heard a knock on my window, and my face flushed as I saw my best friend staring in at me. I quickly climbed out of the truck so I could talk to him. "Are you okay, man? You look tired. You've been working too hard again, haven't you?" Jayce's words were laced with worry. He knew how tirelessly I'd worked to get my business where it was at, and he often voiced his concerns that I wasn't taking enough time for myself.
"I'm fine, really. I was just thinking about a few things," I assured him. I could see that he wasn't quite convinced, so I changed the subject before he pushed any further and discovered the real reason I hadn't been sleeping. "What are you doing out here?"
The distraction worked as his eyes suddenly widened. "Somehow, Evelynn and I got our schedules mixed up, and we're supposed to meet the cake decorator across town in fifteen minutes. I hate to do it, but I've got to take off. I've already tried on my tux; they just need to check yours and Cole's."
I waved him off before he could say any more. "Don't worry about us, we'll get this all taken care of. You just get where you need to be right now and try not to stress about anything else."
Jayce pulled me in for a quick hug. "Thanks. I really appreciate this."
"No problem." I watched as he jumped in his car and pulled out into traffic, narrowly avoiding getting into a fender bender in the process. I'd never seen my friend so frazzled, and I just hoped he'd make it to where he needed to be without getting into an accident.
I turned my attention back to the store, with its large display windows full of sharply dressed mannequins. Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself to keep things cool. The last thing I wanted was to scare Cole off.
A bell jingled above the door as I stepped inside, and my eyes swept over the room. A teenage boy stood in front of a mirror wearing a dark gray tuxedo while an older man kneeled in front of him, marking where the cuffs of his suit legs would need to be altered. The boy was trying not to laugh as his friend stood nearby, making faces at him. Seeing the two of them reminded me of the time when me and Jayce had gone to get our tuxedos for the winter formal dance our school hosted every year. We'd been just as silly and immature as those two clearly were.
"Can I help you?" the man asked, looking up from his task.
"Uh, yes, please. I need have my final fitting done for a wedding I'm in."
"Your name?"
"Miles Butler," I responded.
"Ah, yes. I was expecting you. I set your tux in changing room number three. Another member of your party is already back there. If you want to head on in and get changed, I'll be there as soon as I'm done here."
Nodding my thanks, I made my way to the back of the store, my steel-toed boots making a loud clomping noise on the hardwood floor with every step. The dressing room section of the store was made up of four small changing rooms; two on each side, and a spacious area in the middle with a semi-circle of mirrors so people could see themselves from various angles.
Searching the numbers above the doors, I located my changing room and stepped inside, quickly removing my dusty work clothes and replacing them with the formalwear. When I was finished, I walked back out so I could check myself in the full-length mirrors.
One of the other changing room doors opened and my heart stuttered in my chest as Cole stepped out from behind it. Our eyes met, and I heard a soft gasp right before his mouth turned up into a broad grin. And didn't that just make me feel all kinds of good that this man who used to hide from me seemed happy to see me.
"Hey," he said softly.
I grinned back at him. "Hey yourself. You clean up pretty well," I told him, looking him up and down. That, of course, was a serious understatement. Dressed in a crisp, white button-up shirt a jacket, and a pair of black pants that hugged his trim waist and accentuated his tight little butt, he looked incredible. The look was topped off by a black bow tie around his neck that had my dick waking up and taking notice.
Cole's cheeks tinged pink. "So do you. That tuxedo looks really amazing on you. Like James Bond good. Jayce is going to be lucky if anyone pays any attention to him on his own wedding day once they get a look at you."
I thrilled at the compliment coming from him. "I don't care if anyone else looks at me; I'm only concerned with one person." Shit. So much for playing it cool, but I couldn't help myself. There was just something about Cole that had me wanting to take risks and dive right in. Fortunately, he didn't seem bothered by my boldness in the least, choosing instead to play along.
"Oh, really? Anyone I know?" he asked as he took a step forward, closing the distance between us.
"As a matter of fact—" My words were cut off as the store owner suddenly appeared, holding his case of supplies at his side.
He grinned at the two of us. "Well, don't you two look dashing? Just stay right there it'll only take me a few minutes to check that everything fits just right."
My eyes remained fixed on Cole as the man moved around, checking our inseams and making a few minor adjustments here and there. Cole tried to look anywhere else, but eventually, those green orbs strayed back to me, and he offered me a shy grin.
The quick changes between him being bold and shy left me constantly guessing what he would do next. Instead of it being annoying like it might with some guys, I found it exhilarating. Probably because I knew he wasn't doing it on purpose. It was simply who he was; quiet one moment and stating exactly what he wanted the next. Cole Morris was quite easily the most intriguing man I'd ever met.
"All finished," the store owner announced. "I'll make these
last few changes, and you can pick them up next Wednesday." We thanked him as he walked away, and then it was just the two of us again. The air grew heavy around us, making my chest feel tight when I tried to breathe.
"I uh...I guess I better get changed," Cole said, hooking a thumb over his shoulder.
My hand shot out as he turned to walk away, gripping his arm lightly and feeling the tension in his muscles beneath my touch. He glanced down at my hand, then his eyes met mine. They were brimming with questions that I didn't have the answers to. All I knew was that I wasn't ready to let him go just yet.
Coming up with the best excuse I could think of, I held my bowtie up for him to see. "I've never worn one of these before. Do you think you could help put it on?"
"Oh, um. Yeah, of course." His fingers brushed over mine as he pulled the smooth fabric from my hand, sending a spark of awareness throughout my body.
Our height difference made it impossible for him to be able to do up the tie from behind me, so he stood in front of me, and I leaned down slightly to make it easier for him to reach. The tip of his tongue peeked out from between his lips as he concentrated on his task, and I leaned in further, inhaling his clean, minty smell.
He looked up, his eyes searching mine as he finished, but instead of moving away as I'd expected, he placed both of his hands on my chest, the warmth of his skin melting through the thin material of my dress shirt, and I suddenly wished there was a lot less material between us.
I reached out and brushed the pad of my thumb over his bottom lip. He let out the sweetest little mewling sound, and I felt the last of my resolve crumble. Sliding my hand to the back of his neck, I pulled him toward me and sealed my mouth over his. He responded immediately, his fingers curling into my shirt as I swallowed his moan. My tongue slid over the seam of his lips, and he opened up, allowing me entry. My knees nearly buckled with the sweet taste of him.
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