by Grace, Kenna
“Just because Leon was a cheating piece of shit doesn’t mean you have to be bitter about dating and relationships for the rest of your life.”
My heart throbbed in my chest and my stomach felt like it was doing somersaults. A mixture of morosity and anger consumed me. I immediately regretted bringing up my ex-fiancé, Leon. I was completely over him, but the scars he left never fully healed.
We met junior year of college and I thought for sure he was going to be the love of my life. A couple months after he proposed he told me he wanted to go to Paris for a few weeks. He wanted to find himself before the big day. The only thing he found in Paris, though, was himself shacking up with young foreign omegas. The day he proposed was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, but now it was just a constant reminder of how vulnerable and blind love can make you.
I had a great time with Clay. We joked. We laughed. We got along. But maybe that was all that was supposed to be in our cards. Maybe it was best that it ended the same night it started, before either of us got seriously attached. Ending on a high note before it could ever come back down.
I cleared my throat and reached for my coffee on the table with a shaky hand. Distracted by the painful memories, my fingers bumped into the cardboard cup. It tipped over to the side and began spouting hot liquid all over the table.
Panic overtook me as I jumped from my chair. I reached for my phone and pushed it down the table towards Adam where the coffee hadn’t pooled. “Shit,” I muttered.
Adam placed a few of the napkins he had tucked in his pocket onto the table and began to soak up some of the liquid. “You good?”
Sighing, I gave him a nod. “Yeah, I’m good. I’ll be right back, let me grab some more napkins.”
I made my way towards the other side of the store to the counter with the napkin dispensers and cup lids. I grabbed a stack of the napkins and made my way back to the table.
Adam took half of the stack I set down and helped me wipe up the mess. “So,” he said.
I glanced up at him. “So?”
“If he does end up messaging you, think you’re going to go out with him again?”
My lips pressed together as I thought it over. Finally, I nodded my head. If he did end up asking me out again, it meant one of two things. Either he hadn’t found out I wasn’t Charlie yet, in which case, I could tell him myself and take it from there. It would be his call what he wanted to do. Or, and much less likely, he had found out, and was still interested in another date. I cracked a hint of a smile at the unlikely possibility of a second first date if that was the case.
I look back down at the table and continued to wipe up the mess. “If he messages me to go out again, great. But I’m not going to hold my breath, you know?” I looked back up to Adam.
His lips tugged up into a big smile. “Didn’t you take swimming in high school? Would have thought you’d be good at holding your breath.”
I started to laugh while shaking my head. “One, high school was years ago. And two, I’m pretty sure I was the one with the worst lung capacity on the team. Doubt I could even make it two minutes.”
I drew in a deep exaggerated breath and puffed out my cheeks. Jokingly, I held my breath and raised a hand, counting down the seconds.
Adam gave me a wink when I had three extended fingers. He raised my phone from the table and held it up so I could read the screen. “You can breathe now.”
Slowly, I exhaled while reading a message notification that I had received.
“Hey, it’s Clay. Sorry I didn’t hit you up sooner, but my phone died and Bentley, as much as I love him, can be a bit of a pain in the ass sometimes. Chewed up my phone charger. Just got a new one and figured I’d see if you wanted to come over tonight? Already have a date idea in mind! Was thinking around seven. Let me know if you’re free.”
“See, you were totally able to hold your breath long enough,” Adam said, in a matter-of-fact tone.
I rolled my eyes. I took the phone from his hands and reread the message. My heart raced the entire time. I looked back up to Adam.
He looked at me with wide, judging eyes. “What are you waiting for? You said that if he asked you out again, you would.”
“I did say that, didn’t I?”
Adam nodded.
I clicked on Clay’s message and began typing out a reply.
“Hey Clay, happy I heard back from you. Seven works for me, just let me know where you want to meet.”
I read my message over a few times and hovered my thumb over the send button. “Maybe I shouldn’t,” I said to Adam, but keeping my eyes on the screen of my phone. “I mean, I have a lot of work to catch up on. I wasn’t even planning on my coffee break taking this long.”
“Well, if you have a lot of work to do…” Adam replied.
My brows rose in suspicion. Just minutes ago, he was so adamant that I needed to do whatever it took to see him again. There was no way he was going to agree with me that easily. “Really?” I looked at him.
Adam nodded his head. “Yeah, dude. You got to do what you got to do. Then this weekend, we can go out and blow off some steam,” he said. “That guy I introduced you to was asking about you. I can see if he’s free.”
My face went blank. “Andddd,” I replied, immediately tapping the send button on my phone, “It’s sent.”
He gave me a wink. “Guess you’re going to have to stay in this weekend and finish up that work now, eh? I’ll have to tell that guy you won’t be coming out this weekend.”
As soon as my message showed that it was delivered, I had a mix of emotions. At first, excitement. I really was looking forward to seeing Clay again, and I had to admit my curiosity was piqued at whatever date idea he had in mind.
Then, anxiety. I was looking forward to seeing Clay, but the way his message read came off as though he was looking forward to seeing Charlie. He didn’t know yet, and I needed to tell him. Tonight.
8
Clay
I checked my phone for the third time in the last ten minutes. Charlie said he was able to make it over at seven, but it was now seven-fifteen and I still hadn’t heard from him yet. I was just about to send him another text when Bentley started to bark by the front door.
My eyes shot over to see the dog jumping up against the door and looking through the window. A rush of excitement took over me. “What is it, boy?” I asked. “Do we have a guest?”
Suddenly, someone, who I could only assume was Charlie, knocked.
My stomach started to flutter. It had only been a few days since I had last seen him, but it felt like I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him. I made my way to the door and pulled it open.
His eyes beamed. “I’m so sorry I’m late,” he apologized.
I leaned in and gave him a quick hug. “I mean, if you recall, I was the one who was late to our first date,” I joked. “So, I guess you can consider us equal now.”
Charlie let out a nervous laugh. “So, what did you have planned for tonight?”
My eyes went wide and I stepped to the side. “Oh, right. Come on in.” He walked in and I shut the door behind him. “I actually just finished getting everything ready not too long ago.”
He arched his brows and gave me a quick up-and-down glance. “Getting everything ready?” he asked. “I thought we were going out, I hope I didn’t over dress.”
I let out a little chuckle. I could imagine his confusion, walking in and seeing me in a pair of sweatpants and an old T-shirt. He was a little overdressed for what I had planned tonight, but I wanted it to be a surprise. “Actually, I have a change of clothes for you to wear. Not that you don’t look amazing, you absolutely do, but I wouldn’t want your outfit to get ruined.”
He scratched the back of his head and looked at me with an even more confused look on his face. Suddenly, his lips pulled up into a smirk. “I hope this isn’t your attempt to tell me you have a leather fetish.”
A roar of laughter escaped me. “No,” I replied. “No
t exactly. You will understand what I mean when I show you though.”
“Well, you definitely have my curiosity.”
I nodded my head down the hall to my bedroom. “Come on, you can get changed in here.” I started down the hall and Charlie followed closely behind. When we got into my room, I grabbed the spare clothing I left out on the bed and handed it over to him. “Come on out whenever you’re ready.”
Charlie nodded.
While he slipped into the new clothing, I made my way to the kitchen and grabbed the bottle of wine I had chilling in the fridge and a couple of long stemmed glasses from the cupboard.
“Clay?”
“Yeah, just in the kitchen.”
He made his way to the kitchen and stood at the door frame. “Well, what do you think?”
The pair of gray sweatpants and white shirt were both at least a size too big for him, but despite the baggy outfit, he looked stunning. There was something about seeing him in one of my old shirts that put a smile on my face. “It’s perfect.”
His face started to blush. “So, are you going to tell me what this is all about?”
I nodded. “I could,” I answered. “Or you can follow me to the living room and see for yourself.”
“Why not, I’ve already come this far.”
I passed him one of the glasses of wine and led him into the living room. When we got there, his eyes opened wide.
My heart started to race in my chest. I put a lot of thought into what would be a good second date idea when it hit me. Nick had mentioned Charlie was into art when he was first telling me about him. I figured a fun, or at least memorable date, would be to set up a sort of at home paint night. I purchased a couple large canvases, some brushes, and some acrylic paint.
When Charlie didn’t respond, I started to get nervous. I wiped one of my sweaty palms along my pants. “What do you think? Nick told me you’re really into art and painting.”
A nervous smile spread across his face. “Did he happen to mention if I was any good or not?”
“No, just that you’re into it.”
He exhaled a large breath and his stiff body seemed to relax. “Thank God.”
“Was it a dumb idea? You could always get changed back into your clothes and we can go out somewhere instead.”
“No, this was really thoughtful of you.” His lips tugged up into a smile. “I’m just not the greatest painter, so I hope your expectations weren’t too high.”
I let out a sigh of relief. He didn’t seem very enthusiastic at first, so I was glad to know it wasn’t because he thought it was a dumb idea. Nick had told me he was into art, but I was nervous I read into his statement too much. “Honestly?” I replied. “Neither am I, so I’m glad I will be put to shame.”
Charlie took a sip of his wine. “So, what are we going to paint?”
I reached for the TV remote on the couch and clicked the power button. A YouTube video I had already loaded popped up onto the screen. “Figured we could follow along with a guided video. I already scanned through it and it’s aimed for beginners, so hopefully it won’t be too tricky to keep up.”
His face warmed with a smile. “Didn’t you just think of everything.”
Charlie and I each took a spot behind one of the canvases and I clicked play on the video. We had to rewind and pause a few times, but by the twenty-minute mark, and half a bottle of wine later, our paintings somewhat started to resemble the mountain landscape.
“You know,” Charlie said. “This really was a thoughtful idea. I’m having a great time.”
I wiped my brow with the back of my hand. “So am I. I’m glad you were able to make it.” I took a break from trying to add snow to my mountain peaks and glanced over to Charlie’s canvas. I started to chuckle. “Even if your mountains look like a pair of tits.”
Charlie gasped and opened his mouth wide. “They do not,” he exclaimed. “You think yours are better?”
I took a step back and motioned to my canvas with a hand. “You’re the expert, what do you think?”
He glanced over to take a look and started to fight back his laughter. “I don’t think it takes an expert to make that decision. Mine aren’t perfect, but they definitely beat out gray and white blotches of paint.”
“Pfff… whatever you say, mountain tits.”
He started to laugh a little harder and turned to face me. Suddenly, his eyes opened wide and he burst out with laughter. “How— how do—” He gasped for air trying to finish his sentence while consumed with laughter.
My brows arched in confusion. “What’s so funny?”
Charlie still couldn’t control his laughing, but managed to point a finger at my forehead before hunching back over and clenching his stomach.
“What?” I asked, dabbing my forehead with my forearm. “Did I get paint on my face?” Sure enough, when I brought my arm back down, a red imprint stained my forearm.
He started to laugh even harder. After a few seconds, he managed to draw in a few deep breaths, and stood back up straight. “How did you even manage to get red paint on your face?” he asked. “You don’t even have any red paint on your canvas.”
“Think that’s funny, do you?”
Charlie nodded, raised his hand to his chest, and pinched his thumb and index finger together, leaving a small gap in between them. “Just a little.”
I dipped a couple fingers into some of the paint I had on my pallet and brushed them across Charlie’s nose.
He gasped. “You did not.”
“What are you gonna do about it?”
Charlie pointed behind me. “What’s that?”
I looked behind my shoulder. “What’s what?” I turned back to face him, but just as I did, his hand reached out and smeared across my face.
His lips tugged up into a smile and he rested a hand on his hips. “Now, we’re even.”
For a second, I stood there trying to keep a straight face. It didn’t last long. I began to laugh. Then, Charlie started to laugh, making me laugh even harder. For what seemed like hours, both of us just hunched over and gasped for air like maniacs until our side started to hurt.
It wasn’t until we had caught our breath that I realized how much of a mess we made. “Aren’t you glad you had something else to change into?”
“Definitely glad I do now,” he admitted, still breathing heavily.
Even covered in paint and wearing clothing a size too big for him, he looked absolutely perfect. Maybe it was his face glowing from the laughter, but vibrancy seemed to radiate from him. I placed my pallet down on the coffee table and took a step closer to him. I leaned in closer and Charlie arched his neck to meet me. I placed a gentle kiss on his lips and ran a hand through his hair.
Charlie pulled back. “You have anywhere I could wash up?”
I nodded. “There’s a shower in the washroom back in my room. Towels are hanging up in the closet next to the sink. The paint should wash off pretty easy.”
“Do you mind?”
I shrugged. “Not at all, go right ahead. I’ll clean up out here, and maybe we can watch a movie after and finish the bottle of wine?”
“Yeah, that sounds nice.”
Charlie made his way back to my room while I rinsed off the paint pallets and moved our canvases into the kitchen near a window I cracked open. I could hear the shower turn on in my washroom and I decided to wash up right in the kitchen with a dishrag.
“Clay?”
I poked my head down the empty hall. “What’s up?”
“Need a little help with the shower.”
Suddenly, I remembered how finicky the hot water could be sometimes. I had no explanation as to why, but for whatever reason, it would sometimes randomly switch from hot to cold. Usually just banging on the faucet seemed to fix the issue. “Be right there,” I called back.
When I got to my room, my jaw hung slack. Charlie stood a few steps into the washroom with nothing except a towel wrapped around his wet body. I swallowed hard. “Hot water?”
He took a step forward, but said nothing.
“If you just give the faucet a couple taps, it should turn right back on. Here, want me to do it for you?”
Charlie dropped the towel and stood in the door frame of the washroom. His naked and glistening body was fully in view. “Thought you said this paint was going to be easy to wash off.”
My heart pounded in my chest and I could hear the blood rushing through my ears. My cock twitched against the fabric of my sweatpants as my eyes explored his receptive body. From his gleaming eyes, down his sweet neck, past his rounded shoulders, along his slim and limber frame, and to his semi erect shaft protruding from a tightly trimmed dark bush.
His body looked absolutely delicious and my eyes traced every inch of him with an intense hunger. My mouth started to salivate and I wiped my lips on the back of my hand. I needed more. I needed to touch and lick and taste. I was gluttonous and his lips pressing to mine, my body pressing to his, was the only thing that could satiate me.
I took a step closer to him. “I can give you a hand.”
He bit down on his lower lip and took a step back into the washroom. “I think I’m going to need more than a hand.” He motioned me closer with a finger.
I inhaled a sharp breath and took another step towards him. “I have more than a hand to give.” I took another step.
He raised his hand and motioned me to stop. “You don’t want your clothes to get wet.”
Freezing on the spot, I gripped the bottom of my shirt and tugged it over my head.
His hand stayed raised as his eyes darted across my chest. A couple seconds later he again motioned me towards him. Another step back.
Another step closer.
Charlie’s eyes traveled back up my chest and locked onto mine. His open palm slowed me back down to a halt. His gaze fell back down to my torso. Then, it went lower, lingering at the bulge growing in my pants.