It took me a moment to catch up to the conversation.Right.We’d slid into the hot tub connected to his pool a half hour ago, and we’d spent the time talking about our lives. He’d told me about his job as a dentist and how kids were terrified of him. We’d laughed about it because I remembered when Mom forced me to go get my teeth checked and I’d thought my dentist was the devil as well.
“What do you want to know?” I ran my hand over my wet chest and down to my belly, tickling my fingers over it. Nicky promised he hadn’t told Wayne about my kinks and I trusted him. In the end, he cared. But I couldn’t stop thinking about Dare. He’d been so worried about me. I’d ignored his calls and messages. Guilt gnawed at me as I thought about calling him and telling him I was okay before I talked myself out of it. I was on adate.
He’d have to wait.
Wayne laid his arm along the edge of the hot tub, circling around my back until I felt the hairs on his forearm on my skin. I held back a shiver because there was no denying Wayne was hot and sweet and everything I’d wanted in a boyfriend. He was the epitome of silver fox, with short spiky hair in different shades of gray that grew down his cheeks to a point, a little longer than traditional sideburns. He was handsome, with a solid nose and bright green eyes. If only I could stop thinking about Dare for a few minutes, which seemed to be impossible. Worry ate at my gut.
“Nicky told me you were into the same stuff I was.” He slid a little closer on the bench of the hot tub until his knee touched mine. My gaze dropped to his chest, to his brown nipples on tanned flesh with a smattering of gray hair between hard pecs. Not like Dare—he was softer, cuddlier.
“What are you into?” I ran my hand over the top of the bubbles. A jet of water pounded at my lower back and felt good, like a massage. The pool glistened in the late afternoon sun, and the green lawn surrounding us was beautiful under the light.
Wayne was well-off, there was no way to deny it. The house he owned wasn’t the fanciest or the biggest I’d seen, but it was a beautiful two-story Georgian-style home with pillars that shouted Southern. We’d barely spent any time inside before he’d shown me to the bathroom so I could get in my swim shorts, and then we’d come outside to the pool.
“I’m a Daddy,” he whispered, brushing his fingers across my jaw. I craved touch, but this didn’t feel right. As great as Wayne was so far, I didn’t want him. I couldn’t have the man I craved, though, and it was stupid to back away from something good right in front of me. “I want to find myself a sweet boy like you. Nicky knows I don’t like brats, and he says you’re the sweetest boy there is.”
I shivered because Wayne was what I’d always wanted, but that didn’t stop my mind from flipping back to Dare. He was probably at home right now, stressing about me and if I was okay. I should have texted him back, told him I was all right.
I sighed.
“What’s wrong, pretty boy?” He pulled at my chin with his thumb but didn’t close in like I expected. He frowned, his silver brows furrowing closer together. “Tell Daddy.”
“I’m in love with my best friend,” I breathed out, wincing. “Straight best friend, and I thought I could do this. I really wanted to do this.”
Wayne smiled gently. “But you can’t,” he finished.
I laughed at the absurdity of the situation. “You are exactly what I’ve been looking for. I’ve been through so many boyfriends trying to find a Daddy like you.”
He nodded and his mouth turned downward. “Being in love with someone isn’t easy, especially when they’re a friend.”
“Do you….” I chewed on my bottom lip. “You talk about it like you know.”
He chuckled and shook his head, grabbing my shoulder and dragging me closer. There wasn’t anything sexual in the way he held me against his side, more comforting, like I’d expect from a friend. Dare’s cuddles were more erotic. “Tell me about your friend, and I’ll tell you about mine.”
I snorted softly. “He’s… amazing and infuriating at the same time. He’s always there for me when I have a bad breakup. Once, I got up at two in the morning because I couldn’t stop thinking about my ex and painted the walls of the living room, and he came out and helped me. He’s that fantastic.”
“Sounds like a keeper,” he murmured. “So, have you told him how you feel?”
“Are you kidding?” I laughed. “He’s straight.”
“You know what Nicky says about that.” His eyes twinkled. “I’m sure he’s said it to you. He makes his opinions very well known.”
I groaned and ran a hand over my face. “Yes, I’ve heard all about how he thinks sexuality is as bendy as a straw. I love that man, I swear.”
“He’s one of a kind.” Wayne leaned back against the edge of the hot tub and sighed. “I have no advice for you, other than tell him. Keeping a secret like that can destroy friendships.”
“What do you mean?” I worried my lip between my teeth again, then remembered Dare chastising me about doing it. He always said I would split my lip open, so I let it go.
Wayne gave me a thoughtful look and finally sighed. He squeezed the shoulder he still held in his hand and released me. Standing, the water cascaded down his muscular, tanned body, and even though this date was clearly over, I couldn’t help but stare and compare him and Dare. Wayne obviously spent hours and hours in the gym to get that body, and he looked a lot like all my previous exes with their sculpted muscles. None came close to being as perfect as Dare’s, though. He didn’t have hard muscles, but his soft edges made him the body type I needed. So why did I date men like this? At least Wayne was a hundred times better than all the other guys I’d gone out with.
“Come with me.” He held out his hand, and I took it, standing and stepping out of the warm water.
Wayne turned off the jets before he grabbed a towel and passed it to me. The last of the afternoon sunlight peeked out over the tops of nearby trees that ringed the yard, and it was beginning to get cool, even though it was summer. I let Wayne lead me back into the house and smiled in thanks when he waved his hand at the bathroom.
“Can I take a shower?” I asked, blushing.
“Of course.” He winked. “I’ll take one upstairs, too.”
I bathed as quickly as I could, washing the chlorine off my body and shampooing my hair before I got out and dried off. I dressed and met Wayne in the living room. The entire place was beautiful, with brown tiles and bronze marble everywhere. The sofa he sat on was white cloth, but it matched the neutral tones of the living room. A stone fireplace sat in front of him.
