Max
My long hoursat the hospital and the volunteer work I did took up most of my time, and my best friend Joel took up the rest, so it wasn’t often that I found myself so enthralled by another person, but Isaac had something special. We’d had a fun day out and didn’t get too personal, but I felt a kinship with him that I couldn’t explain.
After our near-miss at the ice rink, I was determined to explore this strange chemistry between us. I call it near miss because I didn’t quite get to do what I wanted, which was to hold him tighter and kiss him right there and then.
Again, once we got to the Empire State Building, I could have just taken him right on the front steps as he looked at me with his star-struck eyes like I made dreams come true. We had fun at the gift store until he mentioned someone called Alex during the elevator ride.
I won’t deny that jealousy reared its ugly head. And fuck me if I knew just where that jealousy was coming from.
First of all, I only ever hooked up with guys on rare occasions when I needed to connect with another human being on a physical level. Second of all, they were all strictly no strings attached.
My heart and head only had space for three things, the hospital, the center, and my relationship with Joel and his family.
I’d been a complete ass all the way up the elevator and on the main deck, and I knew it. I’d completely ignored Isaac, responding to anything he asked with one-word answers.
Isaac was an intriguing man, and despite my behavior, I did want to know more about him. Even when I wasn’t speaking to him, I observed as he carried himself with intrinsic shyness and a hidden strength that radiated from him. I wasn’t even sure he was aware of it, and I wished I could take some of it for myself.
Because everything about Isaac was making me want more, I didn't even consider that he might be in a relationship with someone at home in Portugal.
Then we got to the top deck, and the colors of the sunset were amazing. The low light framed Isaac perfectly. We were standing so close I could smell his shampoo, and it was all I could do to stop from running my hands through his soft curls, so I put them in the pockets of my coat.
I needed answers. Two things I knew to be the truth. I wouldn’t do anything if Isaac had a boyfriend, and I needed to apologize for being an ass.
I nearly lost it when Isaac mentioned Alex was his brother, but when he stopped my next question with his lips, I knew I was utterly and completely screwed. It was a quick kiss that made me chase after his lips when they parted from mine.
“Did you have a question?” he whispered, the corners of his mouth curling up in a smile. He put his hand on my chin to lift my head up so I could see the mistletoe that hung all around the deck.I knew there was a reason I loved Christmas.
“I had a full quiz,” I said, looking back at him breathless and wanting that mouth on mine again, wanting to taste him properly.
He put his arms around my shoulders, pulling me down to him again and saying, “I’m good with quizzes.” And then he kissed me again, this time slower, his lips parting and taking in mine, his tongue, soft and sweet, seeking permission to enter. It didn’t take me long to go from the spectator in this show to full-on participant.
I pressed Isaac further against the wall, feeling his arousal against mine. He moaned, rolling his hips against mine and driving me insane. His tongue dueled with mine and his hands fisted the back of my sweater, as though he was consciously stopping himself from undressing me.
“Christ, Isaac.” I stopped the kiss before we got arrested for public indecency. Even in a city like New York, I was pretty sure no one wanted to see this much action between two people. I didn’t pull away, though. In fact, I pressed closer to him. The feeling of his erection against mine felt far too good to make it stop. He let out a sexy, raspy groan.
Isaac was breathless, and his tanned skin looked flushed as though he had just been kissed within an inch of his life, which he had. I’d made sure of it.
“This is the best day ever,” Isaac murmured against my lips, coming closer again.
“And you haven’t even had cookie dough.”
“Clearly, I haven’t lived,” he said with a chuckle, but then looked down and flushed a glorious shade of red.
“What’s the matter?” I asked, finally running my hands through his hair like I’d been dying to do since I’d first touched it last night.
“Will you…um… come back to the hotel with me?”
This was a clear invite to spend the night, not on the couch, but with him in that king-size bed. I wanted to jump at the chance to have Isaac naked and pressed against me in bed. My mind quickly pictured all the things I wanted to do to him, and those I wanted him to do to me.
“You’re leaving tomorrow.” I wasn’t sure why I felt I had to remind us. Or was it that I had to remind myself?
“There is still tonight, Max,” he said in earnest. “I have a feeling that a chunk of me was stolen a minute ago. You can give it back right now, no consequence. Or you can hold it with me tonight, and tomorrow, you get to keep it forever.”
This felt big. How did I meet this man less than a day ago and now it felt as though we’d known each other so much longer? I held his face with both my hands and caressed his cheeks with my thumbs.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Isaac.” I felt I was on the brink of something so precious, and I was scared shitless of breaking it, of ruining the best thing I’d ever had. What if giving us this would just make it all worse?
“Let’s just explore this chemistry between us and have a good time. It doesn’t need to be anything more.” And then with a playful squeeze of my ass, he asked, “Did you say something about cookie dough?”
A sudden lightness came over me. He got it. He knew what I was feeling and understood. Heck, maybe he even felt the same way.
I winked, and then to prove my intentions for later, I kissed him a bit more before I grabbed his hand and led us out of the building via the two elevators and then into a cab.
