“And you’re stubborn.”
Allen huffed a quiet laugh because it was true, then let Rick open the passenger door for him and got in. As Rick drove, Allen sat watching him.
Rick had a nice side profile. A straight nose and a chin that didn’t jut forward. Allen had once dated a man whose jaw jutted forward. One date, actually. One had been enough. It hadn’tbeen the jaw; people couldn’t help the way they looked, but the smell? Yeah, having a shower and being clean was a must for Allen. So, yeah, one date.
Rick didn’t turn the music on right away, and he didn’t fill every gap with conversation, which made the quiet feel less awkward and more intimate in a way Allen couldn’t explain.
The restaurant Rick chose was small and dim. It wasn’t fancy, but it was nice, and Allen noticed it was the kind of place where people kept their voices down and didn’t stare at strangers, which Allen assumed was why Rick had picked it. Rick led Allen to a booth near the back, and Allen slid in first. Rick sat opposite him, close enough that their knees touched, and Allen became aware of every move he made.
They ordered, ate, and talked. Rick asked questions, and Allen didn’t feel as if he was being cornered into answering. He’d had dates like that in the past where he’d been put on the spot and forced to answer when he didn’t want to.
When he tried to shrug things off, Rick didn’t push; he just waited, and somehow that made Allen fill the silence. They talked about work and friends, about the stupid things customers said. Rick didn’t act like Allen’s job was beneath him, and he didn’t act like his own life was better. It surprised Allen how down to earth Rick was, and he found himself opening up more because of it.
At one point, Rick said something about Allen being kind. “Kind people assume the best,” Rick said, and Allen frowned without meaning to.
“That’s not a bad thing,” Allen said.
Rick’s mouth tightened for a second, then he nodded. “No. It isn’t.”
When they finished, Rick paid again. Allen reached for his wallet, but Rick shook his head. “I asked you out.” Allen found himself letting it go because it didn’t feel like some power play. Itfelt as if Rick wanted to do it, and Allen didn’t know what to do with someone wanting to treat him to a meal out. He wasn’t used to it, but then again he wasn’t used to a man like Rick giving him attention.
Rick drove toward Allen’s building, then turned off two streets early, and Allen glanced out the window.
“Where are we going?” Allen asked.
“A short walk,” Rick said. “If you want.”
Allen hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah.”
They walked through a quiet stretch of streetlights and houses, the kind of neighborhood that went still at night. Allen didn’t know what to do with the silence, and it didn’t help that Rick kept glancing at him like he was waiting for something. Eventually, Allen turned his head and looked at Rick.
“What?” he asked.
Rick’s eyes held his. “Nothing.”
“You’re looking at me,” Allen said.
Rick didn’t deny it. “Yeah.”
Allen’s pulse picked up. He stopped walking without realizing it, and Rick stopped too, turning to face him. “Why?” Allen asked.
“Because I like you,” Rick murmured.
Allen swallowed, and he forced himself to breathe. “Okay,” Allen whispered.
Rick’s mouth twitched. “Okay?”
Allen lifted his chin. “I like you too.”
Rick watched him for a few seconds, then nodded. “Good.”
Rick stepped closer and lifted his hand, brushing his fingers along Allen’s cheek. The touch made Allen’s stomach tighten, and his breath caught.
“You don’t have to,” Rick said quietly.
Allen blinked. “Don’t have to what?”
Rick’s gaze dipped to Allen’s mouth for half a second, then returned to his eyes. “You don’t have to keep saying yes just because I’m asking.”
