“You’re so mean to me,” Blake said, knowing it wasn’t true. It’d taken him a while to work it out, but gentle teasing was Rusty’s way of showing affection. He didn’t actually have a mean bone in his body.
Blake figured that was a cultural difference he’d just have to accept.
“You need to worry if Istopbeing mean to you,” Rusty said, confirming what Blake had just been thinking. “I’m mean because I care.”
Blake sighed. At least Rusty was admitting that he cared. That was nice.
He turned his attention to his own cupcake, taking a bite and making a soft, happy sound. Marcus wasgood. He was going to hover by the wedding cake and wait for it to be cut.
When he glanced up, Rusty was staring at him with his jaw hanging open, eyes glazed over.
Blake smirked, licking his lips slowly and watching Rusty’s eyes follow his tongue. “Nowwho’s got a kink?” he asked.
Rusty blinked at him, coming back to himself all of a sudden. For once,hewas blushing. And it was a full-face thing on him. Blake could barely keep his joy to himself.
“Not a kink,” Rusty said. “Just… super gay.”
Blake chuckled. “You keep telling yourself that,” he said, getting back to his cupcake. He didn’t make any attempt to hide how much he was enjoying it, licking the frosting off eagerly and then sucking on his fingers when he was done.
He didn’t dare look Rusty in the eyes again, but the way he was shifting in his creaky plastic chair told Blake he was having the desired effect.
The tiniest spark of arousal made him want to squirm, as well, but he forced himself to sit back and sip his coffee as though none of that had been an intentional show for Rusty’s benefit.
“So, uh,” Rusty began, his voice rough. He cleared his throat, pausing before started again. Uh, what time’s this dinner… thing?” he asked.
Blake had never really seen him flustered before, but he liked it a whole lot. It was good for his ego to know that he could turn a man like Rusty on just by eating a cupcake.
“I think we’re sitting down at six? Maybe a little later. You’ve got time to go do stuff, if that’s why you’re asking,” Blake said, keeping his tone soft and even, pretending as though he still had no idea what was going on.
Rusty shook his head. “Thought I might go exploring a bit, is all. You could always show me the sights.”
Blake smiled at the thought. He could go for a quiet day with Rusty, teasing aside. “I think that could be arranged. Finish your coffee and I’ll take you on the tour.”
