Kiss Me

by Joseph James Hunt

  “The thought crossed my mind. You could squeeze the life out of a man with those arms,” Blake said, and at the mention of it, he looked at the shirt around Chris’ biceps. He licked at his lips slightly.

  “Free weights.” He laughed. “You’re not doing too bad yourself. A little less cardio and a bit more protein and you’ll be good to go.”

  Blake shook his head. “And have to buy new clothes?” he rolled his eyes. “I mean, yeah, new clothes, but no, I don’t want to go up a size.”

  Chris waved a hand at him. “But seriously, I’m interested in knowing how you got the job?”

  “Nicole offered it. I was doing well online. Wasn’t full-time pay, but I was scoring some really great sponsorships.”

  “So, you can always go back to that?”

  He shrugged. “Part of the contract I signed said I could only post to their website. It’s stupid, I should’ve negotiated, but it’s been what—two years? I don’t think I could revive a dead website easily.”

  The barista approached their table. “Two coffees, and some biscotti, a little extra for you two cuties.”

  They both blushed slightly as they thanked her and she left.

  Chris sipped at the hot coffee. “I watched some of your stuff online.”

  “You did?” Blake sank his neck into his shoulders, dipping his chin to his chest. “That’s embarrassing.”

  “I get it. You have a personality.”

  Blake tilted his head to the side and smiled. “I hope I’m just more than a personality.”

  “Not what I meant.”

  “Okay?”

  “I mean, people like you.”

  Blake accepted that, repressing the smile on his face. “We should call off our assistants before they can do anymore damage.”

  Chris hummed. “I think they’ve done enough. I had a sandwich today, with extra red onion, guess who hates red onion?”

  Blake laughed. “You?”

  “So, I haven’t eaten much.”

  Blake grabbed at his stomach. “Me either. Had to work overtime to catch up.”

  Chris chomped on the biscotti, rolling his eyes and moaning. “Not as good as my grandma makes, but it’s nice.”

  Blake dipped his into his coffee. “It’s just a biscuit.”

  “Just a biscuit?”

  “Isn’t it?”

  “It’s a way of life.”

  They laughed together.

  Several minutes passed as they discussed their week and what had happened last week, especially what had been going through their minds when they found out about one of their pages being cut, still a sore subject, like pouring vinegar into an open cut.

  Chris tipped the rest of the coffee down his throat. “So, you make no secret about it—when did you come out to your parents?”

  Blake’s eyes opened wide as he pressed back in his chair. “Um. Like, ten years ago. When I was 16, maybe, 17. I don’t know. I was at college.” He sipped the coffee.

  “I came out to mine when I was ten.”

  A spit take of coffee shot out of Blake’s mouth, splattering Chris’ shirt. “Sorry?” A large grin formed across Chris’ face. “You’re being serious?”

  “Yeah,” he chuckled, grabbing at napkins. “It’s nobody’s business, except mine, and the person I share my life with.”

  Blake wiped his mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

  “I never told you, so.”

  “But like, you’re a guy kinda guy.”

  Chris pressed the napkins to his shirt and smiled. “And?”

  Blake clenched his jaw, trying to keep his internal organs from being vomited upstream. “I thought you hated me because I was openly gay and wrote about gay stuff.”

  Chris tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at Blake. “Sometimes, you piggyback on gay things, like your identity revolves around you being gay.”

  “So, you don’t like me at all then?”

  “I never said that. Just questioning whether the person you are at work is the real you.”

  Blake laughed. “Maybe we should skip coffee and go straight to alcohol.”

  Chris glanced at his watch. “I have an early morning run, so I have an early night.”

  Blake shrugged. “I thought cardio reduced muscle mass.”

  He grinned. “One drink.”

  They stood and wrapped up in their coats before leaving. They headed to Manhattan, the only cocktail bar worthy of spending money in. Every night of the week, people queued outside to get in.

  Blake pulled Chris’ arm, guiding him to the front of the queue.

  “But people are waiting.” Chris tried to protest.

  Blake approached the doorman and handed him his company ID. “Show him yours,” he said, tugging at Chris.

  Once they made their way inside, Chris looked around, smiling to himself, only in the way being surrounded by fancy lights could make you.

  “Is this where we had the Christmas party?” Chris asked, removing his coat and holding it over an arm.

  Blake nodded. “I come here all the time.”

  He looked at the large board of drinks. “And what would you recommend.”

  “How drunk do you want to be?” he laughed.

  “So-so.”

  Blake raised his hand at the bar, calling to one of the bar men. “Two of whatever’s the strongest.”

  The man behind the bar grinned. “We call that absolutely.”

  Served in a hurricane glass, the one shaped like a vase, their drinks were made of three layers; orange, pink, and purple, with a sugar rim, and a lemon zest rind. Blake presented the cocktail to Chris at their standing table.

  “Whoa.” Chris accepted the glass. “Now, I remember.”

  “Remember?”

  “This place. These drinks.”

  Blake clinked glasses. “Take a drink.”

  Chris sucked through the straw, pulling away moments later, smacking his lips together and biting at the tang on his tongue. “What—is—this?”

  Blake shrugged. “The strongest they have.”

  “I’ll only have the one, then.”

  Blake sucked harder on his, sucking through each of the different layers of taste and alcohol. “So, tell me more about you being gay, like, this is important news.”

  “About that, it’s not a secret, but don’t make a huge deal over it. I’m more than my sexuality.”

  Blake tapped Chris on his shoulder, resting a hand in place as he balanced himself. “So, why have you never hit on me?”

  “I have, actually.” Chris chuckled to himself. “A few months back, I asked if you wanted coffee, and you straight up told me no, you were busy. I tried again, and you shook your Starbucks coffee to show me you had one already.” He took a heavy sip through the straw.

  Blake closed his eyes briefly and shook his head. “A few months?” He groaned. “I was with some guy then, but that’s not hitting on someone. If you’re going to hit on someone, you need to be like, hey, I like you, let’s go out.”

  Chris hummed. “Now, not so much after you put laxatives in my coffee.”

  “I thought we were putting all of that behind us?”

  “We are?”

  “Yes.”

  Chris grinned and nodded. “Okay then.”

  “Okay.”

  “And what if I said I wanted to kiss you?”

  Blake looked around and smiled. “I’d say kiss me.”

  Chris lowered his head as Blake craned his head. They met in the middle with a single kiss before pulling back and staring into each other’s eyes. Everything else outside of them was white noise.

  “Can we go somewhere more private?” Chris asked.

  Blake nodded, his eyes transfixed on Chris’ face.

  Chris took Blake’s hand and led him across the floor until they reached the men’s bathroom and pushed their way inside to a stall. The lighting was bright, fluorescent white. They were alone.

  Chris reached out behind Blake’s back and pulled
him into his arms, he pressed his lips against his, while Blake continued to hold the cold cocktail glass between them. Blake pulled away and gulped hard.

  “Wow. Well—” He stared into Chris’ hazel eyes and placed the glass on the toilet seat before pressing his lips to Chris’ once again.

  Chris pulled his head back. “I don’t do this.”

  “Me either.”

  He took a deep breath. “Just wanted you to know that.” Chris kissed Blake again, sticking his tongue down his throat, their tongues connecting, back and forth.

  “You’re not doing this to stop the competition, right?”

  Chris groaned and slipped his hand up the back of Blake’s shirt. “I’m doing this because I saw you in the gym once, wearing these tight shorts.”

  Blake pressed his hand up through Chris’ shirt, his fingers tracing the muscles in his abdomen. His heart raced, thumping in his throat. “And every day, I see you in that—” He cut himself off, pressing his lips to Chris’ once again.

  “It’s been three months since I—”

  Blake broke away. “No, it hasn’t. Really?”

  Chris nodded. “I really don’t do this.” He grabbed Blake’s drink and took a large gulp from the rim of the glass, taking in the sugar into his mouth.

  “I thought you were kidding. I guess your anger was frustration?”

  Chris kissed Blake again, this time, biting at his lip. “If that’s what you want to call it.” He whispered, their faces locked together; forehead-to-forehead and nose-to-nose. “You want to come back to mine?”

  Blake gulped hard. “Uh—uh—yes.”

  EIGHT

  Sunny side up

  A dull light stream broke through the parting of the heavy curtains, landing on Blake’s face. He tried to swot it away, pawing at his face and light in his eyes. It woke him, slowly, rousing from sleep to food being fried, bubbling, and the smell, clung to the air.

  Blake shot upright, covered in the unfamiliar white duvet. He scratched at his eyes. It wasn’t his bedroom. His room had colour on the walls and he always slept facing his wardrobe. The entire room was covered in light pine woods and white-washed walls.

  A breadcrumb trail of clothes led from the side of the bed to the doorway. Blake groaned as he gathered the duvet around himself. He threw his back in the bed and stretched.

  “You awake?” a soft voice asked.

  “Uh.” Blake poked his head from the duvet to see Chris, standing at the foot of the bed stark naked. Every part of his body enamoured with tanned muscles. “Did we?”

  Chris walked around to the side of the bed, his penis hitting either leg as he moved. “Yeah.” He climbed into the bed beside Blake. “Don’t you remember?”

  Blake nodded. “I remember, but, I’m usually not like this.”

  Chris pushed himself inside the duvet and grabbed Blake’s leg. “Like what?” He pushed his face close to Blake’s face. “Because I had a really nice time.”

  Blake pulled back. “I bet I have horrible morning breath and everything.”

  Chris kissed the end of Blake’s nose. “I made breakfast.”

  “Why are you being nice?”

  “Well, we had sex.” He scoffed. “Doesn’t that mean anything?”

  Blake blinked rapidly. “Usually, it means, grab your clothes and go.”

  “That’s not me.” Chris grabbed at Blake’s legs again, reaching around and touch his ass. “How do you like your eggs.”

  He couldn’t help the burning smile on his face. It had been a while since anyone paid attention to him, and didn’t want anything in return for it. “Runny.”

  “Perfect! I’ve made bacon, and sausages, I went out this morning especially.”

  Blake sat upright. “If I knew, I might’ve asked you out.”

  “I’m not a dick all the time.” Chris stood, revealing his penis, it was a little thicker. He pulled on it, giving it a squeeze while Blake’s eyes were transfixed.

  “So, you went out naked or you got undressed again?”

  He winked. “My apartment, I like to be naked.”

  “Mmm.” Blake butt his lips. “I can see.”

  “I’ll grab your underwear if you want?”

  “Please. And where’s the bathroom?”

  Chris lived in a two-bedroom apartment alone, it appeared large, mainly because of the white and cream colour scheme. In the kitchen and bathroom, grey marble was used for tiling and counters. The second bedroom was used as a study, equipped with a desk and a bookshelf stretching along a wall.

  They sat across from each other at the dining table in their underwear. Chris prepared a spread of toast, bacon, sausages, and different types of egg; sunny side, scrambled, and soft boiled.

  “You really went all out,” Blake remarked.

  Chris shrugged. “I don’t know, I got a little overwhelmed.” He looked at Blake and narrowed his eyes. “Tell me if it’s too much, I can come on strong, I know.”

  Blake placed his leg between Chris’ legs. “I like it. But, I just came out of a relationship, and I’m not sure I—”

  “That’s fine,” Chris said, smiling. “I like casual, makes me feel like I’m in high school again, bringing guys over to the house when my parents were in bed.”

  “You? What?” Blake grabbed toast, creating a sandwich of bacon and sausage.

  He laughed. “When I was younger, I got around.”

  Blake squirted tomato sauce on his sandwich. “How many people?” He wiggled his eyebrows at him.

  “I’m not saying.”

  “More than 10?”

  He laughed.

  “20?” He waited. “30?” He squinted his eyes. “40?”

  “41. You were number 41.”

  Blake raised his eyebrows and licked the sauce he’d spilled on his finger. “I feel like an amateur now. You’re number 19.”

  Chris pulled his lips into a thin smile. “I had an ex who was really into threesomes.”

  Blake shook his head. “I’m way too greedy for that.”

  “He did it so it wasn’t classed as cheating.” He scoffed. “He cheated anyway.” Chris clenched his jaw and his grasp around the cutlery.

  “You okay?”

  Chris smiled again. “It was nine months ago. My last ex, we met in the gym.”

  “Speaking of, don’t you go to the gym in the morning?”

  “Only when I’m feeling pent up, and after last night, I’m relaxed.”

  Blake nodded. “Good. Relaxed is good.”

  “You’re a work out.”

  He laughed, chewing on his sandwich. “You’re nicer than I imagined. I thought you hated me.”

  “I hated that I couldn’t have you, and now—” Chris squeezed his knees together, trapping Blake’s leg.

  “Now you have me?” Blake laughed. “I guess it’s true, once you’ve had a taste, you can’t let go.”

  “You’re certainly not the type of guy I usually go for.”

  Blake looked Chris over again. “You have a penis, you have a pulse. You’re my kinda guy.” He sighed. “On a serious note, I don’t want to lose my column. I can’t take a pay cut, if I do, I’m basically poor.”

  “I don’t want to lose mine either.”

  “They should cut someone else.”

  “I’ve asked them, I gave them multiple choices, apparently, we’re expendable.”

  “I’ll speak to Nicole today.”

  Chris nodded. “About today. At work, I don’t want everyone to know. Like I said last night, my private life is private, I don’t want or need everything knowing my business.”

  “They’re going to know if I turn up to work in yesterday’s clothes.”

  He shrugged. “I have clothes in your size, or you can go home, but we have to be at work in forty minutes.”

  Blake rolled his eyes. “I don’t really want to see Dannika. I haven’t texted her all night, she’s going to be so pissed off. Show me what you’ve got. Wait—are they yours, or an ex’s?”


  He chuckled. “Mine, from before I started going to the gym and bulking up. You were really right about that yesterday, you do need to invest in an entirely new wardrobe when you gain muscle.”

  They showered together, saving hot water and time. Chris couldn’t keep his eyes off Blake’s slim twink body and Blake couldn’t look away from Chris’ V-shaped cut in his abs, leading straight to his dick, and low-hanging balls. They were mouth-watering, even if he couldn’t put them in his mouth.

  Blake wore a light blue and white striped t-shirt and yesterday’s black jeans. Chris supplied him with underwear, tight white boxer briefs, keeping his package secure.

  Once they were dressed and before leaving Chris’ apartment, they kissed once. Blake tried to take Chris’ hand, an instinct he’d developed when he was comfortable, but Chris pulled away quickly.

  “Not in public,” Chris said.

  Blake nodded. “Yeah, sorry.” He chuckled to himself. They weren’t exactly together, and it was to be kept on the down low.

  On his way to work with Chris, Blake finally looked at his phone to see several texts from Dannika, at first, she was scared, worried about what had happened, followed by anger, then she filled messages with love hearts and other emojis, encouraging him to get some, because he hadn’t been with a guy since Stefan.

  Danni! I cannot believe what happened. So, you know I was all, help, he’s going to kill me, well, I went back to his place with him, and omg, I had sex. Mm. I don’t really remember much, but I’m having flashbacks. You were right. He was aggressive, but in the way that they make up for with breakfast – which, btw he totally made for me. Blake messaged Dannika.

  BLAKE! She replied. I AM SHOOK!

  You’re shook. Try wearing his clothes. I thought he hated me.

  You’re wearing his clothes? What?

  Just a t-shirt and underwear. I slept over at his.

  Tonight. Wine. Chinese food. You’re buying!

  Chris coughed, pulling Blake away from his phone screen. “Who’re you texting away to?”

  “Dannika, my best friend, and the girl I live with. She was worried, and angry, and—”

  He sucked air through his teeth. “And you told her about us?”

  Blake rolled his eyes. “I can’t not tell her.”

  They reached the Vague office building, both with smiles on their faces as they looked at one another, the burning desire to touch on Blake’s mind, while Chris wanted to find the closest bathroom to tear Blake out of his clothes and see him naked again.