Every New Year’s Day, I make the resolution to be less of a dork. You’d think after ten years of this, I’d have succeeded, and maybe—just maybe—some guy would look my way and see me as dating material instead of the occasional tryst. But each attempt to transform myself into some suave man-about-town just made things worse, not better.
Like the most recent office costume party on New Year’s Eve where I’d been dressed as a Wookie, gotten drunk because no one wanted to talk to the big hairy geek, and thrown up all over my boss, Mr. Watkins—I’d removed the head from my outfit as it had been stifling and keeping me from the alcohol. Bad idea, in hindsight.
My attempts to apologize to the man who signed my paychecks had been slurred, smelly, and a bit handsy. Well, Watkins was hot and I was inebriated and desperately horny—can you blame me? His husband had not been amused. It was a wonder I’d not been fired. Naturally, I had to pay a ridiculous fee for soiling the costume, too. My coworkers still talked about the “incident.” I was surprised someone hadn’t made a meme out of it. Oh, wait…
Anyway, as far as humiliation and awkward encounters went, that one took the cake. I decided then and there that resolutions were crap and I was better off without them. I would embrace my dorkness and to hell with everyone else. And, no, that wasn’t another resolution. It was simply an affirmative statement of action that…oh, to hell with it.
My roommate and best friend Anderson Mercury—supposedly straight, great abs, sleeps with chicks and watches gay porn because “it rocks,” he says—was always telling me there was nothing wrong with the way I was, and I should be myself—with an updated wardrobe—and to hell with the world. Maybe he was right. And maybe I should tell him he was actually bi-curious and to stop kidding himself.
That not-a-resolution of mine lasted about three weeks until I met the new guy in Finance and immediately wanted to have his babies, along with every other male and female in the company, no matter their relationship status.
* * * *
“Alister Redgrave?” I heard a male voice say behind me. I was in the breakroom, fiddling with the Keurig. The water wasn’t flowing, which meant the damn thing was blocked up again and I’d have to clean it. Why did this always happen to me?
“Yeah, who wants to know?” I asked distractedly as I focused on the task at hand.
“I’m new here and thought I’d introduce myself.”
That so? Wonder how he knew my name. Then again, I was one of only three redheads on this floor, the other two being female.
I pressed the buttons again to brew my hot chocolate, and this time, it worked. I did a little fist pump and turned to face the newbie. It was a good thing I didn’t have anything in my hand because I would have likely made a mess. The man was absolutely fabulous, from his carefully styled black hair, to his well-fitted suit, to the shiny leather shoes he wore. His pale blue eyes were stunning, and a handsomer face I had yet to see in this lifetime.
Oblivious to my inner fascination, he held out a hand. “Jaiden Greyson, Assistant CFO.”
“Nice to meet you,” I replied, shaking his hand in a daze until I saw the slight frown on his face. I quickly let go and mumbled an apology before turning to tend to my hot chocolate. Unfortunately, I’d chosen the wrong-sized cup, and now there was a brown mess on the counter.
Embarrassed in front of the man of my dreams, I cleaned up and headed back to my desk without saying another word. Hot cocoa could wait until my face wasn’t bright red with mortification. And since I was a freckly redhead, that meant I was red everywhere. Way to make an impression on my would-be future baby daddy.
Heather, who sat in the cubicle next to mine, leaned back in her chair and whispered loudly, “Have you seen the new hottie from Finance?”
We weren’t friends, per se, but she would deign to talk to me from time to time, as it suited her purposes.
“Yeah, met him in the breakroom.” It was fortunate no one else had witnessed yet another one of my “moments.”
“I hear he’s one for the ladies and gentlemen,” she said, her smile a bit rabid. Thankfully she didn’t froth at the mouth. “He’s forty-one, though he doesn’t look it.”
“Where on earth did you hear all that?” I asked while I worked on the job analyses Mr. Watkins had requested be on his desk by eleven-thirty, or else. He’d been a bit testy with me lately. I wonder why.
I didn’t see her do it, but I knew Heather was rolling her eyes. It was the way she sighed that clued me in. “I don’t even know why I talk to you. Don’t you keep up with office gossip?”
“I suppose I would, if anyone other than you and my boss spoke to me, unless forced to, or to make fun of something I did.”
“Please, you should be used to that by now. You’re the only non-Millennial in this department, except for me, and you have six years on me, even. You need to grow thicker skin, I keep telling you.” She huffed and went back to typing on her keyboard.
Whatever Heather said, thicker skin wouldn’t change the way things were. Jaiden Greyson, sumptuous specimen that he was and clearly out of my league, would learn all about “awkward Al” and run screaming in the other direction, like everyone else did.
Story of my life.
* * * *
“The Finance department needs assistance for a few weeks with a time-sensitive project, and I volunteered you for the task, Alister,” Mr. Watkins said to me a few days later as I tried and failed not to stare at the new assistant CFO standing next to the boss’s desk.
Did he have to look so good all the time? His hair was neat, as always, but I wondered what it would look like mussed after a sweaty night of sex. He was the same height as me, at six-foot-two, though a bit broader. What would it feel like having him in my arms, breathing in his scent, licking his skin all over…?
“You will be reporting directly to Jaiden, starting this afternoon,” Watkins continued as I caught my temporary supervisor’s eye and quickly looked away, willing myself not to blush. I really needed to get a hold of myself. “You’ll still work at your desk, but you may be required to work longer hours during this period.”
Watkins stood and walked to the door, opening it as he said, “I’ll leave you two to hash out the details.” As soon as we left the office, the door slammed behind us.
“Bit of a character, isn’t he?” Jaiden asked.
I was so stunned he spoke to me, I tripped over something invisible on the carpet and fell flat on my face.
“Are you all right?” Jaiden asked as he helped me to my feet. Naturally, this had happened in front of the entire HR department, and I didn’t hear the snickers, but I knew they were there, somewhere.
“I’m fine, thanks,” I said on a sigh as I led the way to my desk. When we got there, Heather chose that opportunity to introduce herself.
“Heather Antwerp, Senior Associate,” she practically purred, slowly releasing his hand. “I’ve heard wonderful things about you, Jaiden.” She flipped her long brown hair over a shoulder, arched her back, and gave him a smoldering glance from clear gray eyes. I wanted to punch her.
“We should do lunch sometime so I can tell you all about the little quirks in this company and get to know each other better.”
I’d seen Heather work her magic on other male coworkers. It hadn’t bothered me until today.
She glanced at me. “I hear you’ll be working with our Alister.” She winked. “Lookout, he can be a bit of a klutz, but he means well.”
Way to make me look good, Heather.
Jaiden smiled, though it seemed forced. “I’m a bit busy right now, getting to know the company and coming up to speed on projects. I’ll take a raincheck on that lunch, okay?” Then he turned his back on her. “Why don’t we go to my office and I’ll show you what I need help with?”
I saw Heather’s glower over Jaiden’s shoulder, but made no comment. I simply nodded and followed him to the elevator, then up two floors to the Finance department.
The layout was similar to that of HR, and I recognized a few of the staff, though they were all buried in spreadsheets and such, from what I could tell as I passed. Once we reached Jaiden’s office, he indicated a chair and I sat as he got comfortable behind his desk.
He immediately launched into the specifics of the project, and I did my best to follow what he was saying, instead of wondering how firm and full his lips might be when kissed, the resonance of this voice, the smell of his cologne, the way his long, thick fingers seemed to caress the monitor like a lover…
“Alister?”
I blinked and looked at Jaiden, noting the frown on his face. “Sorry?”
“Did you hear what I said?”
Er, no. “Sure. I’ll get access to the files from IT and get to work right away.”
Jaiden seemed exasperated. “Not that part. I asked you to have lunch with me so we could go over a few documents.”
“Oh.” I was blushing, I just knew it. Why a thirty-seven-year-old man still turned burgundy at the drop of a hat was beyond me. “My apologies. Sure, that’s fine. What time?”
Jaiden shook his head. “One o’clock. Sorry it isn’t earlier, but I have a meeting at twelve with the CFO.” He stared at me for a few seconds. “Are you always like this? Head in the clouds?”
No one had ever really described it that way. They usually saw the clumsy and the awkward and zeroed in on that. “Sometimes. I’ll try to keep that to a minimum, sir.” But it wouldn’t stop my dreams at night, though.
I stood hastily and managed to catch the chair before it fell over. “See you at lunch, then. I-I’ll meet you in the lobby?” I left before he could answer and sat at my desk minutes later, completely mortified.
I could practically feel Heather’s jealousy through the partition that separated us, but that was the least of my problems at the moment. I was going to make a fool of myself whenever Jaiden was around, and there was nothing I could do about it. Who was I kidding? A man like that would never look at me twice when he had people like Heather throwing themselves at him.
How was I ever going to survive the next few weeks?
* * * *
Lunch wasn’t that bad, in the beginning. Jaiden had chosen a sandwich shop about two blocks away that had wide tables where customers could eat and work, which was what we did.
The cashier flirted outrageously with him, as did the guy who made his sandwich. By the time we sat at our table, he looked annoyed.
“You seem to have a fan club wherever you go,” I said jokingly before biting into my bacon guacamole. Yum.
“I suppose I should be used to it by now, but it still gets on my nerves.” That surprised me.
“You don’t like being adored by men and women?” I’d never experienced that, myself.
He took a bite of his Cuban sandwich and chewed for a bit before replying, “I prefer to be adored by one person, and it needs to be real and not based on looks, my Armani suit, or my bank account.” Huh.
“I see.”
We finished our meal before delving into the documents Jaiden had brought with him. This time, I made sure to pay attention to what he was saying, though it was distracting as hell being so close to him.
When it was time to go back to work, I thanked him for lunch and grabbed the folder we’d been reviewing. Unfortunately, when I stood, I bumped into one of the customers who’d been typing on her cell phone with one hand and carrying her sandwich in the other, her drink held under an armpit.
The drink went all over my suit, and in the ensuing madness, I stepped on her sandwich and skidded on the floor, landing on my butt. All I heard was laughter and the screams of the woman calling me an asshole and saying I needed to pay for her meal, and so on.
Somehow, the folder remained dry. I got up, noting the state of my attire, and decided it would be best to go to my apartment, which was only a few blocks away, and change. I looked up to see Jaiden pacifying the woman, charming her with his smile and buying her another meal. I left them to it.
* * * *
I returned to my desk forty-five minutes later, freshly changed and ready to put the debacle behind me. I didn’t even want to know what Jaiden thought of me right now.
“You’re back late. Something happen at lunch?” Heather asked, her smirk informing me that she already knew. God, how many people from the company had been at the sandwich shop?
“Nothing more than the usual,” I mumbled and focused on my computer. When I tried to get to the Finance drive on the server, I remembered that I needed to get IT to give me access. At least it gave me an excuse to get away from Heather for a few minutes.
I headed for the first floor where IT was housed and found Melvin, the guy everyone went to for help. I hated him because, as good as he was, he was a mean sonofabitch with a caustic tongue. At least I knew he wasn’t just picking on me. He did it to everyone.
“What’s up, Awkward Al?” was his usual greeting, and he didn’t disappoint this time.
I rolled my eyes. “Need access to Finance on the server. I’m working with Jaiden Greyson.”
“Oh, yeah, I got an email from him. Give me a sec.” He set aside the tiny screwdriver he’d been fiddling with and typed on his keyboard for a minute. “You now have access to Finance,” he said as he pressed the “Enter” button. He swung around his chair and grinned at me. “So, you getting up close and personal with the new guy?”
“What—no! He’s my boss, and I just met him.” This was turning into a very surreal conversation.
“Wouldn’t blame you if you did. That man is all kinds of fine. But you really need to work on the klutz and the confidence, man. I used to be just like you, when I was a teen, but I learned fast that being mean got me respect.”
At my dubious expression, he said, “Well, it keeps people at arm’s length, anyway. And who are you to judge me anyhow? You should try something new, like maybe lose the bowties and try to find a suit that fits you. If you want, I can get my boyfriend to give you a discount. He works at a men’s clothing store.”
I gaped at him. “You have a boyfriend?”
He winked. “Wonders never cease, right?” He swung his chair back around and picked up his screwdriver again. “Get lost, Awkward Al. I’ve got work to do.”
I left quickly and got back to my desk, focused on impressing the hell out of Jaiden and thinking up ways not to be a total failure in front of the man. This would take some doing.
* * * *
When I got home that night, I heard grunts and groans coming from the laptop in Anderson’s room, which meant he was whacking off to gay porn again. He did this so often it had become like white noise in the apartment. I’d offer to take him to a gay bar so he could experience the real thing, but my own forays weren’t that noteworthy and I’d only end up embarrassing both of us.
I heated up leftover spaghetti and meat sauce while I showered and dressed in a threadbare white T-shirt and red Star Trek boxer shorts. Yes, I have a thing for Star Wars and Star Trek, okay? I piled the food on a plate and sat on the old couch in front of the TV, ready to catch up on my shows.
Halfway through Gotham, Anderson finally stumbled into the living room and collapsed on the loveseat. “I didn’t hear you come in,” he said on a sigh as he ran his fingers through sweaty hair.
“I’m not surprised,” I replied before turning back to the TV.
“How’d it go with lunch today?” Oh, great, he’s chatty.
“It was fine until some woman bumped into me and I ended up on the floor after slipping on her sandwich, and her drink ruined my shirt and jacket. I really impressed Jaiden, let me tell you.”
“Geez, Al. It’s like you have a cloud over you or something.”
“Probably,” I grumbled. I stared at the TV for a few minutes before asking, “Do you think I need to change the way I dress? Someone said something to me today and I’m not sure how to take it.”
Anderson’s eyes lit up with glee. “Oh, thank God! Yes, you need to stop dressing like your grandfather. I know you like to save money, my friend, but shopping for blazers and pants at the secondhand store isn’t always the best way to go when you’re trying to make an impression.”
“What difference would a fitted suit make? I’d still be the same boring klutz, like always.” It wasn’t that I couldn’t afford nicer clothing. I simply never thought about it. But now that Jaiden was sort of in the picture…
“But you’d be a klutz in a suit, and that would make a big difference, let me tell you.” He stood and went to the kitchen. “Let me take you shopping on Saturday, alright? We’ll get you a new wardrobe that will make those assholes you work with think twice about making fun of you.”
“You don’t really have to do that. I can do this by myself.” And probably get laughed out of the store by the sales people.
“Yes, I do. I’m so happy you’re finally taking a step into the twenty-first century, at least clothing-wise.”
Anderson was a clothes horse, believe it or not. He’d been bugging me for years to do something about my wardrobe. What could I say? I grew up with my granddad, God rest his soul, and I emulated the way he’d dressed. He’d been a cool guy, though stern, but he’d taken me in when there’d been no one else.
“Fine, I’ll go. But don’t get too excited, okay? I might veto everything.”
“And I won’t let you,” he retorted.
He returned to the living room with a beer and a sandwich, and we spent the next couple of hours watching shows until it was time for him to meet his date. He showered and dressed, then grabbed his keys and motorcycle helmet before heading for the door.
“It’s ten o’clock at night!” I exclaimed as I watched him leave.
“That’s when things start hopping, baby. Later.” He blew me a kiss and shut the door behind him.
I shook my head as I gathered all the dirty dishes and bottles and carried them to the kitchen.
That was the difference between Anderson and me. He loved to party all night long, despite having to work the next morning. I preferred to be in bed by ten o’clock for a good night’s sleep. No wonder people thought I was boring.
As I got ready for bed a few minutes later, I wondered whether a new wardrobe would make Jaiden see me as more than just the awkward, frumpy man he was working with. All our conversations had been about the project, except for that little insight into his feelings about being seen as himself and not just for his clothing or money.
It couldn’t hurt to try, right? What did I have to lose? Aside from the rest of my pride…
* * * *
I was nervous on Monday morning. Anderson and I had spent hours going from store to store Saturday and Sunday as he’d given me a crash course in fashion and what worked best for my body type—slender almost to the point of bone thin—and my hair color, along with pale, freckly skin. He also made fast friends with one sales guy who asked for his number so they could “hang out.” It would be interesting to see how things progressed on that front.
I’d never paid much attention to grooming and such, apart from the basics, but what Anderson had said made sense, and when I saw myself in the mirror at the end of it all, I almost didn’t recognize myself. As for my hair, he’d taken me to a salon to give me an overpriced haircut—in my opinion—which did things to my face that I didn’t think were possible.
Gone was the ordinary, uninteresting face I grew up with. And my green eyes seemed brighter, somehow…Still, I might look a sight better than I had before, but I was the same Alister I’d always been.
And now, it was Monday, and Anderson had gone off to work, wishing me luck and leaving me to face my judgmental coworkers alone. God, I hoped I didn’t spill anything on my new clothes today.
When I entered the building, the woman behind the security desk who always ignored my greetings practically launched herself over the counter to wish me “a happy good morning to you, sir.” I mumbled something in reply and tried not to run to the elevator, though I really, really wanted to.
As I rode up to my floor, I realized that some of my coworkers were next to me, and their looks of shock weren’t exactly encouraging, though it made a change from being ignored or laughed at, perhaps.
I walked by the usual cubicles and noticed that conversation became subdued as I headed for my desk. I could feel sweat running down my neck, even though it was probably fifty-five degrees in the building.
Heather hadn’t arrived, so at least I didn’t have to deal with her comments just yet. I still felt eyes on me, but I did my best to ignore them and settled behind my desk, fingers tapping away at the keys as I started my workday.
“Fuck me, Alister. Is that really you?” Shit, did she have to be so loud?
I groaned internally as I looked up from the computer screen to see Heather gaping at me. It wasn’t a pretty sight and she had a lot of fillings. “Yes, it’s me. Something I can help you with? I’m kind of busy.”
“Someone’s feeling snooty,” she said and sniffed. “You’re the talk of the company, man.”
“How is this unusual?” I retorted, focusing again on my work.
But she wasn’t done. “Everyone’s in a tizzy over how hot you look, though frankly, I don’t see it. The hair’s nice, though.” With that, she flounced back to her seat and ignored me the rest of the morning.
Why did I tolerate this woman? With a sigh, I worked on the spreadsheet before me until my cell phone buzzed. I took it out and read the text message. Jaiden wanted to meet for lunch again to go over what I’d done so far and assess delivery expectations. How did he get my…? Oh, right, the company directory.
I texted that I was free, and after some back and forth, we decided to return to the same sandwich shop. I was left with a queasy stomach until lunchtime, hoping I wouldn’t embarrass myself yet again.
A few members of staff who never talk to me stopped by from time to time, wanting to borrow something or ask where to find a document. The amount of attention I received was very distracting, and when I looked at the time on the monitor, I had to hustle to get what I wanted done before lunch.
* * * *
I joined the line just behind Jaiden, who was one person away from the cashier. “Sorry I’m late, sir. I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”
“No worries, Alister,” he said over his shoulder before addressing the woman behind the counter who had flirted with him the last time we were here.
When it was my turn, I was surprised to see a flirtatious look come into her eyes as I stammered through what kind of sandwich I wanted. Her fingers lingered in my hand when she gave me the change, which left me even more flustered as I moved down the counter to give the specific ingredients for my order.
Sitting down was never such a relief as it was right then. “What is wrong with people today? Everyone wants to touch me, for some reason,” I mumbled to myself as I arranged my food and handed the folder to Jaiden.
“That’s what happens when you dress like that,” he replied as he took note of what I was wearing. “Hugo Boss, right?”
I nodded, and I probably shouldn’t be surprised that he knew suits.
“Nice haircut, by the way.”
“Th-thanks. My roommate dragged me out this weekend to do some shopping and grooming, obviously. I wouldn’t normally do this myself.”
“Well, you should, not that there was anything wrong with the way you dressed before. I mean, to each his own. But if you’re going to keep this up, be prepared for being harassed and flirted with constantly. If you need some tips, I’d be glad to help you out.” Really? I could certainly use the help, if he was willing and not blowing smoke up my ass.
Jaiden took a bite of his chicken salad sandwich and chewed. “Anyway, tell me about the project. Any problems so far?”
We spent lunchtime discussing strategies and I made a few suggestions that he seemed to think were brilliant.
“You’re made for this kind of work, Alister. I don’t know why the hell you’re in HR.” I didn’t kiss ass, for one thing.
I shrugged as I swallowed a bite of my Southwest BLT sandwich. “I started there as an intern and never left.” I’d never thought of leaving, either. Figured, with my track record, socially speaking, I would remain where I was until they fired me or something. It was the shiny, friendly people who didn’t trip over their laces or spill coffee once a day that got ahead. Funnily enough, I hadn’t done either of those this morning. Huh.
“Well, I think you’re wasted where you are.” He smiled at me, then cleared his throat. “So, one more week? We should do something to celebrate once this is over. I’m throwing a party at my house next Saturday. You should come. Bring a friend or two, if you like.” As if I had more than one.
My eyes were probably as wide as saucers. “Me?” I squeaked. “You’re inviting me to a party?” That had never happened to me before.
Jaiden frowned. “Yeah. Is that a problem?”
“No! I…sorry, I’m just…surprised is all. Sure, thanks, I’ll come.” And drag Anderson along with me so I wouldn’t embarrass myself too much.
Jaiden smiled, seeming relieved, for some reason. “Great! I’ll make sure you have my address closer to that date.” He finished his sandwich and wiped his mouth with a napkin, which just drew my eyes to his lips and wishing I knew what they tasted like. Would his tongue curve around mine as we kissed hungrily, no breath to spare? Would he…?
“Alister?” I blinked and tried not to blush as I realized I was daydreaming again. I looked at Jaiden but realized he was staring at someone to my left, mouth slightly agape. When I turned my head, my stomach dropped to see Heather all dolled up, her hair a mass of perfection, and that outfit—she hadn’t been wearing that skirt this morning. And it was so…short.
“Heather,” I said, not sure what was going on. “You having lunch?”
“Duh,” she replied with an eye roll. “When I saw you here with Jaiden, I thought I’d come over and say ‘hello.’” She cocked her hip and winked at him, leaning over slightly so her cleavage was very visible. Jaiden seemed decidedly uncomfortable.
“Well, we’re, uh, having a lunch meeting, but it’s nice to see you.”
Jaiden still hadn’t said anything.
She looked a bit put out. “Oh, well I…I was having lunch by myself and I thought it would be nice to have company. You don’t mind, do you?” She batted her lashes at Jaiden, who, though he seemed annoyed, dutifully invited her to sit with us.
Smiling triumphantly, Heather scurried back to her table and brought the remains of her salad and an open can of soda to join us. I quickly put the documents we’d been discussing on the floor, and left Heather to take over the conversation and completely ignore my presence.
She also somehow managed to spill the can of soda all over my new suit, and her fake “sorry” didn’t fool me for a minute. I sopped up the liquid as best I could, my temporary high for a morning without accidents now deflated, and my ego was back to its regular low.
Whenever Jaiden tried to include me in conversation, Heather swooped in to make it all about her. After a few minutes of this, I decided I’d had enough and excused myself from the table. I needed to go home and change anyway.
Jaiden tried to catch my eye as I left, but I couldn’t bear to see pity or anything else in his gaze.
At home, I pulled on a new black turtleneck and gray pants, then headed back to work. Heather wasn’t at her desk, which was a relief for me. If she had been, I might have lost my temper, something I hadn’t done in over a decade and preferred to keep under wraps. It took a lot to provoke me, but Heather was really at the tipping point.
What a bitch.
* * * *
The night of the party at Jaiden’s house, Anderson dressed me in a long-sleeved pin-striped shirt with black leather pants that were a bit snug. When I complained about this, he ignored me.
As for my roommate, his shirt was shimmery and pants just as shiny. The guy he’d met when we’d gone clothes shopping—Albert—was at our apartment a lot, and he would be coming to the party tonight. He was dressed similarly to Anderson, and he wore eyeliner, which Anderson demanded he wore as well. Whatever was going on with the two men, they seemed to be having fun.
I was nervous when we arrived at Jaiden’s home using Lyft. The house was a two-story deal and it had shutters on the upstairs windows. I’d love to see it in daylight. It appeared huge to me, compared to my modest apartment.
The music and voices coming from inside were overwhelming, but then, I didn’t get invited to things like this, unless it was an office party of some sort. And I’d like to put the Wookie incident behind me, thank you very much.
Since the front door was unlocked, we let ourselves in and were immediately engulfed by a sea of people, most of whom I recognized from work. I lost Anderson and Albert to the makeshift dancefloor and disco ball overhead, which left me to find something to drink and a corner to hide in to keep from embarrassing myself, inevitably.
Before I could make it to one of the bars, however, a firm hand grabbed my arm and pulled me through the crowd to a relatively quiet corner near the stairs. When we stopped, I lost my footing and slammed into…Jaiden.
“Sorry,” I mumbled as I stepped away, willing myself not to sink to the floor. He looked hot and handsome in his snug designer jeans and dark purple fitted turtleneck, which molded to every muscle I hadn’t even guessed had been hidden beneath those fancy suits of his. God, he was so out of my league.
I knew my mouth was hanging open and I was likely drooling like an idiot, but I said, “You…uh…you clean up well.” Jesus, really? And I hadn’t even had alcohol yet. Maybe I should just sew my mouth shut.
Thankfully, Jaiden thought it was funny. “Thanks, I guess. You look good, too.” And the way his eyes smoldered—smoldered, I tell you—was enough to keep my fantasies going for a long time.
“Uh, thanks,” was the best I could come up with.
He smiled again and said, “You don’t take compliments well, do you?”
“I don’t get them often enough to practice, I guess.” I looked away briefly, not wanting to see pity in his eyes. “I brought my roommate, Anderson, and his friend along. Thanks for the invitation. Great party, by the way. Everyone looks like they’re having fun and—”
“There you are!” a familiar female voice shrieked, and I wanted to slap myself for thinking that Jaiden was treating me special by inviting me to this party. He’d invited everyone, including Heather. I was such an idiot.
Heather hung onto Jaiden’s arm like a lifeline, already swaying slightly on her ridiculously clad feet. “I couldn’t find you, Jaid. I thought you were hiding from me.” She smiled up into his face and I could smell the alcohol fumes from where I stood.
“Oh, hey, Alister. Not dressed like a Wookie, I see.” She laughed herself silly. “You should have seen it, Jaid. Our last office party, Alister threw up all over the boss. It was the funniest thing ever. Someone made a meme about it…wait. She fumbled with her phone and almost dropped it twice before she brought up the meme and showed Jaiden. At least for his part, he didn’t seem amused.
I felt my temper rising. I’d been having an okay evening, and had Jaiden’s attention, and now…I was pissed. I clenched my fists and took deep breaths, but nothing helped to calm me. Finally, I just snapped.
“You are such a bitch!” I yelled, causing Heather to startle and actually drop her phone this time.
Conversation nearby hushed, though the music still blared, and Jaiden was looking at me like I had two heads, but concerned. Way to impress the dude, man. I was beyond caring, though.
“You make fun of me and other people like none of us have feelings. You act like you’re so superior all the time, putting people down so you can look better. Is that what it takes for you to feel good about yourself?”
Heather swallowed, her face white with shock. “Al, it was just a joke. I—”
“It’s not fucking funny! It never is! I’m sick and tired of your bullshit. You think every man wants you because you wear a short skirt and push your breasts in his face. Could you be any more of a skank whore?” Okay, maybe that was a little too far.
She gasped and became furious. Stepping away from Jaiden, she got up in my face and poked my chest with a pointy fingernail. “How would you know, you fucking faggot? You moon over Jaiden like some lovesick idiot, hoping he’ll see you as the only one for him. A guy like you could never get a guy like him. Go back to wearing your fucking ugly blazers and crooked bowties, you little cunt. Nobody cares about your new wardrobe. It doesn’t change anything. You’re a loser. You’ll always be a loser.”
I shoved her back hard, causing her to stumble against Jaiden and squeal in outrage. Jaiden had remained silent the whole time. His expression had become unreadable, but I had no illusions about our “relationship.” We’d worked together for a short time, it was over now, and I would go back to working in HR. Life would go on.
My anger deflated right then and left me hollow. Was that how Heather had really felt about me? How everyone felt? I couldn’t…
I excused myself quickly and sought out Anderson and Albert. But they were currently holding court with a bunch of people on the other side of the room and looked to be having too much fun to deal with my non-issues. I sent a text to Anderson and headed outside to wait for Lyft to pick me up after I scheduled a ride.
It was time to get out of my dream world and back to reality.
* * * *
Except, on Monday morning, I decided, to hell with everyone. I liked my new clothes and haircut and they made me feel good about myself, for the most part. Fuck Heather and all the rest if they couldn’t handle it. I was doing this for me, not them.
Anderson hadn’t come home until Sunday afternoon, when he told me he and Albert had gotten frisky at his friend’s apartment. He didn’t seem weirded out by it at all. In fact, he decided that Albert would be his fuck buddy and teach him all he needed to know about gay sex. I was happy for him.
When he’d asked me about my evening, I’d been vague, and he didn’t push, thankfully. Now it was time to go to work. I straightened my tie and adjusted the collar on my dark teal shirt before adding the jacket and heading out the door.
Everyone stared at me as I walked by, but it wasn’t in a mean way, surprisingly. A few people even nodded at me, and I nodded back. Whatever was going on, I didn’t care.
I got to my desk and set my messenger bag on top before going to IT and asking Melvin to remove my access to the Finance directory on the server. He smiled at me in a friendly way and patted me on the back.
“I’m gonna have to call you ‘Balls of Steel Al’ from now on,” he said before turning to his monitor and tapping a few keys. “You ripped Heather a new one, man. Nobody’s ever done that. And she called in sick today, too, so I heard. Dude, you are awesome.”
I didn’t feel awesome. “Uh, thanks?”
“Oh, and nice suit, man. I’m glad you took my advice. Don’t let those idiots walk all over you. Their petty lives are just that. Petty. Hold your head up and keep on walking. We should do lunch. Now get lost, I’m busy.”
I went back to my desk and got to work. I learned later in the week that Heather had transferred to another department. Of Jaiden, I neither saw nor heard a word from him. What did I expect? It had been only a temporary working relationship, after all. And the things Heather had said in front of him about me, and what I had said? There was no reason to believe he’d want to associate with the disaster that I was unless absolutely necessary.
It was strange, though. Over the next few weeks, people who’d ignored me or had made fun came up to my desk every so often, and they seemed to really want to be around me. Many apologized for their behavior toward me in the past and I wondered if Heather had been the poison in the department. Still, it was nice to be asked to lunch, or if I wanted to hang out after work. I rarely said “yes” because, hey, I was a guy who preferred to stay at home and watch my shows and go to bed at a certain time. That hadn’t changed.
If Jaiden asked…well, I hadn’t seen the man, so it hardly mattered. I’d been tempted to text him or email a dozen times, but it just didn’t seem the right thing to do.
But on Valentine’s Day, I found a red envelope on my desk with my name on it. The department was decked in red ribbons and white balloons. It was what they normally did, but the card was new.
I sat down and logged into my computer before opening the envelope. It might be a prank, but Heather usually did those and she wasn’t here anymore. In fact, the new guy who now sat next to me was kind of nice.
I pulled out the card. It had a red heart on the outside. Inside was written, Have dinner with me tonight? The handwriting looked familiar, but I wasn’t sure why. It had a date and time of this evening at seven for a swank Italian restaurant. It was signed Jaiden. I’d never seen Jaiden’s handwriting. I almost dropped the card when I read his name. He wants to have dinner with me?
After calming a bit, I quickly sent a text saying “yes, I would love to have dinner.” He didn’t respond, but I assumed he was probably in a meeting or something.
I could hardly keep my mind on work the rest of the day, as you could imagine. I left at five on the dot and rushed home, took a shower, and consulted my resident fashionista, who was shockingly not watching gay porn.
“Is this a date with Jaiden? Because you need to dress to impress and put out.”
“What? No!” I replied. “I haven’t had sex in so long I might as well be a virgin. Dinner is more than enough for now, thank you very much.”
Anderson rolled his eyes. “You should always be prepared. Maybe you should watch some gay porn. Loosen you up a bit.” He winked and I groaned.
“No.” As usual, he ignored me and helped me pick out a pale pink shirt and gray slacks with a matching blazer. Then he went to the bathroom and brought back two condoms.
“You never know,” was all he said before shoving me out in the hallway with my wallet, keys, and cell phone. “Go get ‘em, Tiger,” he said. “Albert will be over later, so take your time coming home, or wear earplugs.” He grinned and shut the door in my face.
* * * *
The restaurant was elegant and luxurious. I told the hostess I was waiting for someone and she led me to a secluded corner with candles on the table. It was February 14th, after all. I thanked her and asked for sparkling water as I settled in to wait. And wait.
Three hours later, after sending numerous texts without getting a response, I gave up on the evening and ordered a salad and more water for myself. Was this some kind of joke? Jaiden hadn’t seemed to be the kind of person to do something like this, but then, what did I know? Apparently, I was a poor judge of character.
I left the restaurant and decided not to go home right away. I didn’t want to deal with Anderson and Albert going at it, or their sympathetic glances when the story came pouring out. Instead, I wandered the streets, taking in the sight of couples huddled together in the cold, some kissing, others holding hands.
I didn’t even seem to feel the snowflakes as they started to fall an hour later. I wasn’t dressed for the weather, but I was numb to my surroundings. Would I ever find someone who would take me as is, dork and all, and live happily ever after? I should get my head out of the clouds. Up there, in my dreams, everything was perfect. Down here, reality kicked my ass every single day. But at least I knew it was real.
When I finally got home, it was after midnight and I was shivering almost violently. The door to Anderson’s room was shut, and I couldn’t hear anything, so he and Albert were probably sleeping.
I opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of Perrier. I carried the sparkling water to the wide window that gave a great view of the city—a city full of people with loved ones and secure in their happiness. When would I ever have that? I hoped I wouldn’t have to get cats when I turned forty. I was allergic.
I sat on the ledge, lost in thought, until my phone buzzed in my pocket. Frowning, especially since no one ever texted me so late at night, I looked at the screen and almost threw the phone across the room.
Jaiden: What dinner are you talking about and why the frantic texts?
Really? He was going to pretend like nothing happened?
Me: I got a card signed by you saying you wanted to have dinner tonight.
Ha! Let him try to worm his way out of that.
Jaiden: I didn’t send you a card, though I should have. I’ve been in Toronto for weeks and I won’t get back until March.
Oh. fuck. If he didn’t send it, then who…?
Shit, this had Heather written all over it, that vindictive little viper.
I went to the kitchen to grab the card off the counter and look at it more closely. Yes, that was her handwriting. Goddamnit. I felt like such a dumbass as I texted Jaiden again.
Me: Never mind, I just figured it out. It was just some prank. Sorry to bother you.
Instead of sending a message, Jaiden called. “You’re not a bother. You never were. I wish I was there to prove it to you, but the day after my party I had to leave town for work, and it had to do with that project you worked on for me. Great job, by the way.”
I swallowed and decided to lay my cards on the table. “What’s there to prove? Heather was right about one thing. You are way out of my league, and whatever silly dreams might have been running through my head were just that. I don’t even know if I want to stay with the company. I’ve spent so much of my life there I don’t know who I am anymore, or what I want.” I sighed and rubbed my eyes with my free hand. “Sorry to dump this on you. I guess I’m tired. It’s long past my bedtime.”
He was silent for a minute before asking, “At which restaurant were we supposed to have had dinner?”
“Gino’s.” The memory of sitting there alone for hours still burned.
“Wow, that would have been perfect.” He cleared his throat before continuing. “You are worth a thousand Gino’s, Alister, and I would love to take you out when I get back in town. Maybe not there, but somewhere just as nice. I want to get to know you better. Would…would you like that?”
I took a few calming breaths. “Are you sure? This isn’t some kind of pity date, is it?”
“Not even close. I like you and I think we could get along well together.” He likes me? Really? I sounded like a teenager, in my head.
What else could I say but “Okay.”
“That’s a ‘yes’?”
I laughed. “Yes.”
“Oh, good,” he replied, sounding relieved. “I didn’t want to have to fly down there and bang on your door on bended knee, though I would, if I thought it necessary.”
My face heated. “Well, it’s not, so don’t even think about it. I should go to bed. Have a good night, Jaiden.”
“You, too, Alister. Sweet dreams,” he whispered at the end before hanging up. I held the phone to my chest as I stared at the night sky.
A real date with Jaiden. I was too tired to run around the apartment screaming, but I did a little fist pump. Even with the Heathers of the world, a silver lining was possible.
I finished my water before heading to bed.
* * * *
I was at lunch two weeks later when I received a text from Jaiden, asking me if that evening would work for dinner. I replied that yes, it would work, and we sorted out where and when.
I grinned as I enjoyed a spicy turkey sandwich, only to have the mood change when Heather seated herself uninvited at my table. She looked the same as she always did, but I knew her true character now.
“So, how was dinner at Gino’s?” she asked, her smirk saying she knew good and well what she’d done.
“Oh, it was fine,” I replied with a smile, slowly wiping my mouth as I had the last bite of my sandwich, then taking a sip of my ginger ale. “I had a salad, which was fabulous.”
Her look of triumph faltered at my careless response. “You…I thought you’d be…”
“Crying in my beer, maybe? Not at all, especially since I’ll have the real thing tonight with Jaiden. You have a nice afternoon, hon.” I stood and gathered my trash before leaving her gaping at the table. Heather would never have that much power over me ever again.
I was a little late leaving work, but I made it home with enough time to get ready for my date. Jaiden would be picking me up at the apartment. Anderson was spending the week at Albert’s place so it was up to me to pick out an outfit. I figured I couldn’t go wrong with a dark blue long-sleeved shirt and khaki pants, along with a brown blazer. I added a USS Enterprise Insignia badge to the left pocket of the jacket. Jaiden might as well know what he was getting into, if he was really interested in getting to know all of me.
I had just grabbed my keys and tucked the wallet in my pocket when the doorbell rang. I took a deep breath, shook out my shoulders, and headed for the door. When I opened it, I about passed out at how handsome Jaiden looked in his navy suit and crisp white shirt—no tie. He had a pink rose in his hand.
“Hi,” I said, somewhat breathlessly.
“Hey, yourself,” he replied, smiling as he handed me the rose and leaned in to kiss my cheek. When he pulled back, his fingers brushed the insignia on my jacket. “Star Trek fan, are you?”
I flushed as I nodded. “Be warned. It’s a thing, right down to the underwear.”
He laughed. “Thanks for the warning. You look wonderful, by the way. Are you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be, and you look fantastic, too.” I locked the door behind me and took his arm.
When we got to his car, he opened the door for me and waited until I was settled before heading for the driver’s side. Once we were on our way, he said, “I have Sirius. What kind of music do you like?”
“I like a lot of things. Choose what you want.”
He ended up settling on a blues station.
“How was your trip to Canada? Fruitful?”
“Oh, yeah. The company wants to expand, and they sent me to look into some possibilities in Toronto.” He turned left at the traffic signal. “We’re laying the foundation now and it could happen in the next six months or so.”
“Wow. Do you think they’ll move some of the staff around, once the merger takes place?”
“It’s possible. Too early to say.” I hoped that Jaiden wouldn’t be transferred.
“So, this place we’re going for dinner, have you been there before?”
“No. First time. I heard about it from a friend and thought we’d try it out.”
“Cool.”
We pulled up in front of the restaurant fifteen minutes later and Jaiden handed the keys to the valet. When we got inside, the hostess seated us quickly. The atmosphere was subdued, and a violin trio played on a raised platform in the middle of the floor.
“This place is…I had no idea,” I mumbled, hoping I wouldn’t embarrass myself here.
“It’s marvelous, isn’t it? I’ve seen pictures of the place, but in person, it’s something else.” He grabbed the wine menu. “How about champagne to start with?”
I nodded just as a young man came to take our drinks order and fill our glasses with water and ice. Once he was gone, we decided on appetizers and the main course so we would be ready for the waiter when he returned.
“Tell me about you,” Jaiden said, leaning on his elbows. “I want to hear everything.”
“I’m not sure you do,” I replied. “There’s not much to tell, really. I grew up an only child, raised by my grandpa, who died just as I finished college. He was my family and I miss him dearly. I won an internship to the company where I still work, and I live in a nice apartment with a roommate who thought he was straight but recently discovered he’s a little bent and is enjoying the hell out of that.”
Jaiden laughed. “I see. What about hobbies? Though I suppose being a Trekkie would be one of them?”
I grinned. “Can you tell? I love all things Star Trek, from the shows to the movies to the books. I also like to watch things like Gotham, Arrow, anything in the Marvel / DC universe. I’ve been that way since I was a kid. My grandpa was a Trekkie before the term became cool. Maybe I do it in honor of him, but I do enjoy the genre. And now, feel free to run away screaming.”
After sipping his water, Jaiden said, “A couple of my exes were into cosplay and Comic-Con, all that stuff. I’ve been to a few conventions, though I’ve never dressed up. I enjoy the shows and movies, but I’m not as into it as you are. I’m always busy with work and travel, especially lately, and then I’m too tired to even turn on the TV when I get home.”
The waiter returned at that moment with our champagne, then took our food order. When he left, Jaiden raised his glass in a toast. “To friendship, and maybe more.”
I raised my glass to his, then clinked it. I was a bit too enthusiastic, however, and caused us both to spill champagne on our hands and the tablecloth.
Trust me to ruin a perfect moment.
I was subdued the rest of the meal, though to give Jaiden credit, he didn’t seem to care about the mess I’d made. But I did, and I felt so stupid. Things had been going so well…
“Alister,” Jaiden said, his tone sharp.
I looked up at him, surprised.
“Stop worrying about the champagne. I don’t care. So you’re a little clumsy sometimes. So what? No one’s perfect.”
“But I wanted to be…to impress you. And now…”
“We’re having a nice meal and enjoying each other’s company. Has that changed?”
I shook my head.
“Did I run away screaming when the champagne spilled?”
I shook my head again.
“Then there’s no problem, is there?”
“You don’t understand. The day we met, I spilled hot chocolate on the counter. Our first lunch, I had an incident with a sandwich. And now, the champagne. It’ll only get worse.”
“Or it may not.” He put down his fork and grabbed both my hands in his. “Don’t worry about it. And I repeat, I don’t care. I like you just the way you are, spills and all.” His slow smile made me want to believe it.
“You’re sure?”
“Absolutely.” He kissed my hands, then went back to eating. “I have two older brothers—Joseph and Jeremy—and a younger sister, Beth. They live on the other side of the country, all of them married and with kids, adopted or otherwise. My eldest sibling, Joseph, is gay, and he and his husband have five children. His oldest kid, Hank, just graduated from college, top of his class. We’re all overachievers—Joseph is a lawyer; Jeremy is a chemical engineer; Beth is a pediatrician. My parents are retired university professors. We can’t seem to help ourselves.”
I smiled reluctantly. “I guess not.” I fiddled with my fork. “Do you visit your family often?”
“Twice a year on Thanksgiving and Christmas. If I don’t see some of the family on one holiday, I’ll see them on the next one. It’s always noisy and chaotic, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Sounds lovely.” I probably sounded wistful, but I didn’t regret the quiet and fervent times my grandpa and I had when we celebrated the holidays. And I still remembered those times fondly.
“It is.” He grabbed the dessert menu. “I think I’ll have tiramisu. What about you? They have cannoli, cheesecake, gelato—”
“Definitely cannoli. I don’t care if I have to run three more miles than usual this week, it’s worth it.”
Jaiden grinned as the waiter showed up to clear our table. He gave the man our dessert order and asked for more champagne. When he disappeared, Jaiden said, “Let’s talk about exes. I have a few, but none of them were ugly breakups. Just, time to move on, you know?”
“I really don’t. Uh, I’ve never had a boyfriend. All my infrequent hookups are just that. It never happened for me.” And there I go being pathetic again.
“Nothing wrong with that. Some guys prefer it that way. And others are just biding their time until the right moment, which I think, for you and me, is now.” Well, that was bold.
“Is that right?” I said after our dessert was placed before us.
“I guess we’ll find out.” He winked at me and took a bite of his tiramisu. His moan matched mine as I chewed the cannoli. “This is to die for.” He cut another piece with his fork and held it in front of my mouth. “Taste it.”
I did, licking my lips slowly, eyes locked with his. “You’re right. It’s good.”
He swallowed. “Unless you want me to do something that would get us thrown out of this restaurant, you need to stop.”
“Party pooper.”
We finished our dessert, and after he paid the bill, Jaiden drove me to my apartment.
“I had a wonderful time,” I said as we stood outside my door. “I’d invite you in, but I’m going to be a dork and say I have to work tomorrow and I need my beauty sleep.”
“Can I get a kiss good night?” he asked while crowding me into the door. I didn’t mind in the least.
“I would do you bodily harm if you didn’t—” And then all thought was lost as my mouth was taken in the best way possible.
When Jaiden finally pulled back, my eyes were shut and my mouth was slightly open. I felt him place a finger under my chin and I opened my eyes. “On second thought,” I said, after catching my breath, “maybe you should come inside, and screw my beauty sleep.”
He chuckled and kissed me again before taking two big steps back. “Tempting, but I am still recovering from my trip and many late nights, so let’s do this again, say, Friday night? Bring an overnight bag ‘cause you’ll be staying over.” He started walking backward down the hallway. “Lunch tomorrow?”
“Sure.” My voice was a little hoarse, so I cleared it. “See you. Have a safe trip home.”
“I will.” He blew me a kiss, then headed for the elevator. I waited until he got on, then let myself inside the apartment.
The evening had gone well, despite my snafu with the champagne. Maybe we could make this, whatever it was between us, work.
* * * *
Naturally, my high from the night before disappeared abruptly when Mr. Watkins called me into his office out of the blue at ten in the morning. I hadn’t done anything I could think of to merit a meeting, but, who knew? I hoped it wouldn’t affect my lunch date with Jaiden.
I presented myself with seconds to spare in my boss’s office. He wasn’t scowling at me, which was a first. “Sit down, Alister.”
I sat.
“I’ve heard nothing but good things about the work you did in Finance and how instrumental it was to the company. I think you’re wasted in this department and I have recommended you for the Analyst position that has just opened up in the Finance department.”
I was probably gaping at the man, but he either didn’t notice or didn’t care.
“You will have an interview with the CFO this afternoon at three, and a decision will be made by the end of the day. You may be awkward and socially inept”—gee, thanks—”but you are an excellent analyst, and it’s time you moved on. HR has nothing to offer you and you’ve suffered here long enough.” As I remained speechless, he cracked a smile. “Nothing to say?”
“I-I…I don’t know what to say, Mr. Watkins. I’ve been feeling a bit restless lately and was considering changing jobs, but this…this is unexpected.” And I would be working in the same department as Jaiden. My heart did a little happy dance at the possibilities ahead.
“You’ve earned it.” He gathered the documents on his desk and stashed them in a folder. “You can go back to your desk. Make sure to have those documents you were working on to me by noon.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir,” I said as I stood and walked to the door. Before opening it, I added, “And I’m really sorry about the incident at the party on New Year’s Eve.”
“I’m in a good mood, Alister. Don’t spoil it.”
“Sorry, sir.”
I closed the door behind me and tried not to skip back to my desk. If I got this job, it would change my life in so many ways. I couldn’t wait to tell Jaiden. I forced myself to focus on the tasks at hand so I could enjoy lunch with my sort-of boyfriend?
When I got a text at twelve-thirty to meet in the lobby, I dashed to the elevators so fast I almost ran into a few people. I laughed at myself as I rode down to the lobby. Had I ever felt this giddy about anything in life? Probably not.
I calmed myself as I walked through the lobby, on the lookout for Jaiden. When I spotted him at the security desk, my calm disappeared once more. Why such a wonderful man ever saw me as dating material, I didn’t know, but I wasn’t about to question it.
“Hey, Jaiden,” I said in greeting.
He turned to me and smiled. “Alister.” With his hand on the small of my back, he led us out of the building and across the street to the Thai restaurant a few blocks away. “I love that tie you’re wearing. Was that one of your purchases on that shopping spree with your roommate?”
“Yeah. I have enough clothes to last me awhile.” Once we were settled in at the restaurant and had placed our order, I said, “Mr. Watkins recommended me for a job in the Finance department. I have an interview at three today.”
“That’s great!” he practically yelled, causing people to turn and stare. “Sorry, I’m just so excited for you. I told my boss about the great work you did and how pivotal it had been for Toronto, and he said that we needed more people like you in the department.”
I blushed. “I appreciate you saying that about me. I hope I interview well. Sometimes I get so nervous, I spout stupid shit and just ruin everything.”
He took my hand in his. “You’ll be fine. Just keep in mind that we’ll be working together, and we may travel, too, since I will sometimes need help with some of the presentations and meetings I have in various cities.”
“Wow, really? I thought I’d just be a desk jockey, though that’s not all bad.” He let my hand go and I sat back as our orders were placed before us. The coconut shrimp smelled divine.
“No. This position has about fifty percent travel, so be prepared for that. There may be some late nights, too, so your beauty sleep may suffer. You hardly need it anyway, as handsome as you are.”
“Charmer, aren’t you?” I said, trying not to blush again. This sort of attention could go to a guy’s head.
“Where you’re concerned, certainly. Tell me if I’m coming on too strong, though. When I’m interested in someone, I’m all in and it can be overwhelming, I’ve been told.”
I smiled. “You’re doing fine so far.”
* * * *
Friday night, Jaiden and I decided to check out a movie, then have a late dinner. We watched Logan, which we loved, and ended up at a Greek place afterward.
My overnight bag was in the trunk of his car, and halfway through the meal, my nerves started to get the better of me.
“What’s wrong, hon?” Jaiden asked as I spilled some ouzo on the tablecloth for the second time. “You should be jumping for joy. You got the job, sweetie.”
“I know, and I am happy about that. Ecstatic, even.” I sighed. “Sorry, it’s just…I shouldn’t be nervous, but I’ve never done this”—I gestured between the two of us—”before, not this way and, while I definitely want it, I’m scared, too.”
“There’s no timetable for sex or getting serious, Alister. We can go as slow as you want.”
And didn’t that just make me feel like more of a coward. I shook my head and drank down the ouzo, coughing a little when I slammed the glass back on the table. “I don’t know why you put up with me, but I’m so glad you do.”
“You’re like a breath of fresh air. It’s been a long time since I’ve been drawn to someone, and I’m so glad it’s you.” He took one of my hands again and kissed the back of it. “Now let’s finish our meal and I’ll take you to my house, give you the grand tour.”
I laughed. “Can’t wait.”
We made desultory conversation for the rest of the meal, then left after Jaiden paid the bill and added a generous tip. It took twenty minutes to get to his house, and he held my hand the whole way.
Without the people and the noise from the party the last time I was here, I could better appreciate the surroundings. Again, I couldn’t wait to see the house in daylight. He led the way inside, and after he hung up his keys, he took me on the tour he’d promised, still holding my hand.
“Here’s the kitchen that I almost never see. I tend to eat out a lot or order takeout.” There was a marble island in the middle. The cabinets were dark brown wood, and the whole place looked shiny and untouched.
“Do you have a cleaning service or something?” I asked as he led me down the hall to another room.
“Yeah. They come in once a week. I’m just so busy, if I didn’t do that, this house would be a pigsty. Here’s the dining room, and over here is the living room.”
There was a huge TV and two leather couches with pillows and throws everywhere. It looked inviting.
“You spend a lot of time here?”
“Sometimes I fall asleep on the couch without even touching the remote.”
He led me to two other rooms, one a home gym, the other an office, then we went upstairs.
“There are four bedrooms up here. The master is at the far end.” He turned to face me on the landing. “If you want to spend the night in separate rooms, that’s not a problem. I just want you to be comfortable. Having you here with me is more than I—mmphf.”
I had to show Jaiden how grateful I was to have him in my life, and I couldn’t pussy out now. I loved that we were the same height because neither of us had to crane our necks to lock lips, and his taste was out of this world.
Jaiden’s hand crept into my hair and held my head steady as we plundered each other’s mouths. He pushed me against the nearest wall and I felt every hard inch of him pressing into me in the best way possible.
My dick was like steel. And would you believe it? I was almost ready to blow. “Jaiden,” I mumbled against his lips. “Take me to bed or do me right here. I’m about to burst.”
He cupped my face in his hands before kissing me softly, then dropping to his knees on the plush carpet. “I want to see you come,” he said as he unzipped my pants and pulled it and my boxers down to get at my cock. “I love the Star Trek underwear, by the way, but I want you in my mouth. It’s all I’ve been dreaming about for weeks.”
“I…shit!” I exclaimed as he took me inside, hot, wet, and so tight. He didn’t stop until I hit the back of his throat, then he worked me over in earnest, and it didn’t take long at all for me to find release. He swallowed every bit of it, too.
I would have been embarrassed, except the look of lust Jaiden gave me kept me half-hard. “I want to see your bedroom,” I whispered as I ran my hands through his thick black hair, making it even messier than before.
He groaned as I helped him stand, then he kissed my cheek and led me down the hall as I held onto my pants and underwear with one hand. Jaiden’s bedroom suited him. The bed was done in shades of cream, red, and brown.
The curtains had been tied back so the moonlight shone inside. It was bright enough that we didn’t need to turn on the lamp on the bedside table. There was a chest of drawers against one wall, and a huge closet that was open and seemed to have nothing but suits, and all of them high end.
“Do you even own a T-shirt?” I asked as I wandered over to look at his wardrobe.
He sidled up behind me and put his arms around my chest. “I own several. They’re folded in the drawers. The jeans and shorts, too.”
I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck, my pants and underwear falling to the floor. “You are full of surprises, aren’t you?”
“As long as you like them, that’s all I care about.” He kissed me again, then nuzzled my chin and cheek, likely leaving love bites behind as he removed my jacket and shirt and walked me backward until my legs hit the mattress. Thankfully I didn’t trip over my feet.
“Take off the rest,” he said as he stripped himself.
My cock, still half-hard, became fully erect once more on seeing Jaiden naked before me.
“You are magnificent,” I uttered helplessly, watching the smooth, sexy way he moved toward me, his long, thick legs and muscled torso leaving me without thought.
“As are you,” he said, helping me with the rest of my clothing and shoes since I hadn’t done either. “Lie back on the bed,” he whispered, and when I did so, he crawled slowly up the mattress toward me, finally, finally lying on top so we were skin to skin.
I wrapped my legs and arms around him as we kissed each other, rolling our hips, our leaking cocks rubbing against each other, begging for more.
Jaiden broke away briefly to get supplies from the drawer, then kissed his way down my chest to lap at my outtie belly button and lick at the hairy trail to my cock. “You smell so good down here, you don’t even know.”
I bent and spread my legs so he could do whatever he wanted, which included sucking on my balls—hell yeah!—and preparing my hole with his tongue. I’d never experienced that before and I had to grab the base of my cock and squeeze so I wouldn’t go off again. I wanted us to do it together this time.
He sat back on his knees, wiped his mouth, and smiled. “Intense, right?”
“I never knew…wow.”
“Good to hear.” He leaned over and grabbed a condom and lube. As he rolled the condom down his hard dick, he said, “I want to…shit…make sure you’re well prepared and enjoy this as much as I know I will.” He jacked his cock a little with lube, his hips thrusting, then let go to focus again on my ass.
One cold, wet finger went in, then another. He took his time, touching my prostate only on occasion, which was a good thing, and a means of torture.
“Please, Jaiden. I’m ready, I swear. Fuck me.”
He kissed the tip of my cock before pulling out his fingers and aiming his erection at my hole. Without a word, he pressed inside, and it was like butter, his cock sliding in until he could go no further.
I was so full, it was unbelievable. His cock was thick and I wanted to feel him pounding into me. I wrapped my legs around his waist and squeezed. “Take me for a ride, man.”
“You got it,” he replied, and when he pulled out and thrust back in, I had to put my hands on the headboard so I didn’t slam into it. “Like that?”
All I could do was nod as he took us on a journey that I never wanted to end. By the time we came, grunting, swearing, and begging each other to give it up, I was sore and blissed out.
Jaiden collapsed on top of me and stayed there. I didn’t mind. I loved how he felt on me. I might even love him, but it was too early to tell. I knew I could fall for a guy like this, though.
“Let’s take a nap, sweetie. This isn’t the end, by a long shot,” Jaiden mumbled into my chest.
I ran a hand through his damp hair and yanked up his head so I could kiss him. “You better have the moves to back that up, buddy.”
‘You betcha,” he replied as he rolled off me with a groan, took care of the condom, and disappeared into the bathroom to return with a damp rag to clean us up. He tossed it on the floor when he was done and snuggled next to me, pulling the covers over us.
“Thanks for taking a chance on me,” I murmured, kissing his shoulder.
“I should be thanking you. Who knew I’d have anything in common with someone as a-dork-able as you?”
“Did you really just say that?”
“You said you were a dork, and I think you’re adorable. I just made one word out of it.”
“Shut up, Jaiden.” I would not admit it was cute. I wouldn’t.
“You love it. Don’t pretend.”
I sniffed. “You know nothing of the sort.”
We bickered back and forth in between yawns and finally dozed, to wake up much later and enjoy each other all over again.
Who needed perfection? Jaiden would do just fine.
THE END