Yeah, I was being ridiculous, but deep down, I didn’t think I was wrong. I knew I had stars in my eyes when I looked up and met Connor’s sea glass gaze. “No, I’m fine. I moved the umbrella to shade the table, so I should be good for another hour.” I bit my lip and noticed him glance down at my mouth. Making a decision, I slowly licked my lower lip, watching Connor’s eyes follow the movement. Then I softened my voice, “That was very sweet of you, Connor. I really appreciate you wanting to take care of me.” I lowered my head and grabbed my tea glass, hand trembling slightly.
I took a sip and set my glass down, then felt Connor’s heavy hand land on my shoulder. Looking back up, I was captured by the intense look in his eyes. I felt the heat from his hand on my shoulder slowly slip down my arm to stop on top of my hand resting on the table. Never breaking eye contact, Connor sat down in the adjacent seat curling his fingers inward to clasp my smaller hand in his. The contact was light, could even be seen as casual by a passerby, but this was anything but innocent. In conjunction with our intense eye contact, my suddenly racing heart and the heat building between us, this was arguably one of the most intimate moments of my life.
“Ladd, I need to talk to you about something.” He looked for me to agree, so I just nodded, not wanting to interrupt the moment. “I don’t know what you’ve been feeling these last two weeks, but I have to tell you how I feel. I don’t actually know for sure if you’re gay, or even if I’m your type if you are, but I really like you. I want the chance to get to know you outside of work. Honestly, I think you’re sexy as hell.”
Oh my God, he really likes me!
I was so excited, and I could feel the flush spreading up my chest and face. I looked down at our clasped hands and couldn’t contain my grin. Connor moved his free hand and used just his index finger under my chin to raise my head back up to meet his eyes again. Leaning in, he left that finger under my chin and lightly caressed my jaw with his thumb while letting his eyes roam all over my face, a slight reverent smile emerging on his lips.
“God, you’re perfect,” he seemed to whisper to himself softly. Finally meeting my eyes, Connor asked me, “Ladd Eldridge, would you go out with me tonight? Would you take a chance to get to know me? Would you give me the chance to get to know you?”
I couldn’t believe the heat held in those beautiful eyes was all for me. I searched them for any sense that he was less than sincere, but I found nothing except honest desire. I slowly let out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. Connor’s face was so close to mine that the air ghosted over his lips. After a couple of seconds, I finally got my brain back online enough to respond. “I would like nothing more in this world than to go out with you, Connor McDaniel.”
Connor immediately let out a huge sigh, and I realized he had been bracing himself for possible rejection—as if I would ever turn down someone like Connor. My impression was confirmed when he said quietly, “Thank fuck. I have no idea what I would have done if you’d said no.” He let out a little laugh, and I noticed there was a nervous energy coming from him now with his relief. Wow, this gorgeous man was really that excited to go on a date withme.
Then my mouth chose that moment to embarrass the hell out of me, “God, Connor, there’s no way I would have ever said no to you. You’re built like a Greek god come to life. Jesus, you could manhandle me for days and never get tired. You have seen yourself, right? I mean, look at you and then look at me.” All during my verbal vomit, I had leaned back taking careful inventory of all things Connor without realizing what I was saying. When I regained my senses, I slammed my mouth shut and shot my eyes back up to meet his.
He wore a smirk now and made a show of letting his gaze travel all the way down my body, then slowly back up again, making me squirm in my seat. His voice was a sexy rumble in my ears when he finally spoke, “Yeah, I’ve seen you all right, but I can’t wait to see more.” He let out a little growl, “Fuck, I love that smooth pale skin, that thick, fiery hair, and those eyes that are so blue I could drown in them. Yeah, I’ve seen you, Ladd. Fair warning though, I like what I see, but I’m not gonna stop until I see it all.”
I was stunned speechless, and I might have even whimpered a little as eyes filled with unbanked lust met mine. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I was going to spontaneously combust right here on this patio. If I thought I was prepared for all things Connor, I was dead wrong. He was at a whole other level from the guys I had encountered before. His intensity was off the charts, but I abso-fucking-lutely loved it! I wanted it all, too. Connor’s hand, which had been holding mine on the table this whole time, lifted both our hands up to his lips and he placed a gentle kiss on my knuckles. His demeanor cooled, and he got more serious, “I more than like everything I see, Ladd. And the more I get to know you, the more I like. Believe me, this isn’t just physical for me, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a huge fucking part. I know this is a little weird and sudden, but I think I could see something more between us, and I’d really love the chance to see where we can go.”
I had never met anyone so forthcoming with their feelings before. He was just the opposite of me. He didn’t mind laying his feelings out on the line. It was scary, but at the same time, I really liked it. He wasn’t giving me any bullshit, no games and nothis is too sooncrap. He knew what he wanted, and he was going for it full throttle. And what he wanted was me. I was one lucky son of a bitch and as I thought about it, really thought about it, I wasall in. Having made my decision, I needed to unbend, as Taylor said, and tell this man how I felt.
“Believe it or not, Connor, I feel the same way. Yes, it’s quick, and I’m a little freaked out by the intensity of my feelings, but I really like you, too, and I would love to see where this can go. I just have one request. Let’s take it slow. We seem to have this combustible chemistry, but I don’t want us to blow up quickly and then fade away. Can we take some time to really get to know each other?” I held my breath and waited for his answer. If he really was committed, then he would agree.Please don’t bail.
Before I was even finished, Connor was already nodding his agreement. “I agree completely. I want this, all of it, and the thought of doing unspeakably dirty things to you has me so hard I can barely sit still right now, but I really want the whole package. I want to experience everything with you and enjoy the entire journey, not just the finish line.”
I was caught in a haze when I heard Connor pour out his feelings, and I couldn’t hold in my excitement anymore. I launched myself at him, throwing my arms around his neck, surprising both of us. I quickly kissed his scruffy cheek before jumping back into my own seat, mortified that I’d just jumped the man. “I am so sorry. It’s just that what you said was so hot and sweet at the same time, you kind of melted my brain there for a minute and I went on instinct. I didn’t mean to…”
Connor placed his thick index finger over my lips, silencing my rambling apologies. “It’s fine, Ladd, feel free to throw yourself at me anytime. But right now, I’m going to do my best to ignore this hard-on you’re giving me.” I looked down, and sure enough, there was a bulge growing down one leg of Connor’s jeans that made my mouth water. Oh, how I wanted to get ahold of that.
I had a vision suddenly hit me. There I was on my knees, Connor was standing over me as he stroked that thick cock just out of my reach. Then he was grabbing me by the hair, tightening his grip until I felt the sting. My eyes dilated with the feeling. Then he was pulling my head back and slowly feeding his cock to me until it hit the back of my throat. He pumped it deep, again and again, and again, making me choke until tears slid down my cheeks. And I loved every second. He would fuck my mouth with his hands wound into my hair until he came, filling my throat with his hot seed. Jesus, I wanted to feel that control.
But at this moment, I wanted to show him, just a little, how he was affecting me. I let my eyelids get sleepy and put all the heat I was feeling in my gaze. Then, pulling up my inner slut, I ever so slightly opened my mouth and lapped my tongue out, licking his finger that was still held over my lips. Connor groaned and slowly pushed the tip of his finger through my lips. All of his focus narrowed to my mouth as I closed my lips around the tip of his finger and began sucking like I imagined sucking his cock. Honest to God, I had experienced full-blown sex that had been less intimate than this one moment. Our eyes locked for just a second, then Connor pulled his finger out with an audible pop and quickly stood, running his hand through his hair leaving it sticking up in every direction. He looked so cute all messed up and horny.
He mumbled to himself, “Fuck, this is gonna be harder than I thought.” Then he put his focus back on me, pointing his finger in my direction. “We’re having lunch, and then I’m picking you up at seven tonight, and we’re going to dinner. Text me your address.” His frown was so cute and sexy. I couldn’t help but smile up at him.
I felt light and playful, so I gave him a mock salute, “Yes, sir, Mr. McDaniel.”
Connor said something under his breath, then chuckled, “And make no mistake, Ladd, no matter how sexy as sin you are, we’re taking this slow, you hear me? Don’t you try to seduce me with your wicked charms, Mr. Eldridge.” He rumbled that deep laugh of his and the smile on his face was infectious.
Connor sat back down, and we finally ordered our lunch. I couldn’t help flirting a little with him, but we mostly just talked about neutral things like his brother’s adventures house sitting for his mom and stepdad. Lachlan sounded like as much trouble as Remy which was really saying something. After we were finished and I paid the bill, Connor gave me a quick goodbye, which included a sweet peck on my cheek. After he left, I sat looking out over the water for a little while longer as the patio began to fill with the regular lunch crowd. It was a beautiful morning, but the sun was moving, and I would need to move soon, too. I thought about everything that had just happened, and I was extraordinarily optimistic. I knew there were risks, like with anything, but I was ready for something real. It was going to be difficult to be good with this incredible attraction we seemed to have. Yet even though it was going to be hard, I had a feeling that it was absolutely going to be worth it.
