It certainly put an end to our conversation anyway. He was probably trying to figure out what the hell I meant just as much as I was. I contemplated adding something but figured the hole I’d just dug myself was big enough, so I switched my phone off and put it out of my mind.
But my still-aching dick wasn’t going away on its own, so I made good on that hot and soapy shower, thinking about him, and I came so damn hard I had to lean against the tiles so I didn’t fall over. I climbed into bed, smiley and sated, and fell asleep thinking of blond hair, pink lips, and those feisty blue eyes.
“You what?” Terrence stopped walking and I had to pull him to the side of the footpath so the people walking behind didn’t run into us.
“I think I kind of told him I liked him,” I repeated. “Kind of. Not directly, but I did.”
Terrence’s expression went from confused to annoyed. “My god, Bryce. I mean, it’s great that you’re seeing someone and things are progressing for you. But you’re about to embark on a serious business venture. You need to get your head in the game.”
I growled out a sigh. “You sound like my old man. That’s exactly what he’d say.”
Terrence clapped my shoulder and smiled apologetically. “Sorry. But . . .”
I groaned this time. “But you could both be right.” I scrubbed my hand over my face. “I know. The timing sucks. But he’s . . . he’s different.”
Terrence shook his head, back to annoyed. He nodded up the busy street. “Come on, they’re waiting.”
They were Antony and Valene, a real estate duo with some huge company, showing me the three places today. The first place was a hard and fast no from me. I didn’t need Terrence’s input at all on that one. Venue number two was more promising. Better location and floor size, new electrics, awesome natural lighting, with great foot traffic.
“This is not bad,” I said to Antony and Valene, standing in the middle of the empty floor space. “It could work.”
Valene spouted off some stats and figures and I hoped Terrence was listening. And that thought right there stopped me. I was checking out potential business locations and my mind was stuck on Mr Bossy Michael and what we were going to do tonight.
Or more to the point, what I was going to do to him tonight.
I really did need to get my head in the fucking game.
The third site we checked out was okay too. It could work if it had to, but the second site was better.
And at least it was a productive day. I was very upfront with Valene and Antony, saying I had two more sites to check out the next day, but the second venue we’d seen today was a contender. I was given all the information they could give me on it and I told them I’d call them in twenty-four hours.
I was home by four, read everything I could about the venue and the lease, sent the specs to my design team as a possible site, showered, and was ready to leave by half-past six.
I picked up Italian takeaway, as promised, and was at Michael’s building at 7:24. He said 7:30 and to not be late, and I was definitely not being late tonight.
He buzzed me through and I had butterflies in the elevator ride up to his floor. I was just about giddy walking to his door, and when he opened it and stood there like sex on a plate, I had to make myself not grin.
“No robe today,” I said, though I was hardly disappointed. He was wearing what looked like gym clothes, his hair was wet and combed back, and as I walked past him, I could smell chlorine. “Mm, been swimming?”
He closed the door and leaned against it, all smug and gorgeous. “I was considering having a shower.”
“Or I could lick it off you.”
“Yes, you could . . .” He inhaled deeply and eyed the takeaway bag. “But I’m famished. The last thing I had to eat or drink today was a coffee at ten this morning. You said Italian food, right?”
I told my dick it’d have to wait. The man needed to eat first. I held up the bag. “Yep. We better get you fed. Can’t have you passing out on me.”
He smiled, and as he walked past me, he gave me the gentlest of touches on the arm. “Thank you.” It sent a thrill through me. His touch, his smile. I’d envisioned me taking him straight to the bedroom, bending him over the side of the bed, and taking him hard and fast. But somehow that kind of gentle touch was better.
I unpacked the bag on the kitchen counter, he grabbed plates and cutlery, and he quickly dished out some food. I don’t think he even cared what it was. God, he was really hungry. “This is a lasagne that uses zucchini and eggplant instead of pasta,” I said. “I thought I should get one thing that’s easy on the carbs.”
He ate two quick mouthfuls and groaned. “My god, it’s divine.”
I ignored the sounds he made as he devoured half his plate. Instead, I opened the second container. “This one’s a chicken, ricotta, and spinach ravioli. They make it in-store and it’s amazing.”
He stabbed a forkful and devoured that, moaning like a porn star.
I swallowed my mouthful and ignored my still-aching dick. “Busy day then?” I asked. “If you didn’t have time to eat.”
He nodded and sipped his water. “Flat out. I got in at seven, managed to swim a few laps because I missed yesterday.”
“You probably shouldn’t swim when you haven’t eaten,” I offered lightly. “You could have passed out in the pool.”
He smiled and licked his lips. “You said you were bringing Italian food. I didn’t want to spoil it. It’s amazing, by the way.” He ate some more ravioli and hummed. “God, that’s good.”
I put my fork down, stepped in close, and slid my hand to his cheek. I tilted his face so his eyes met mine. “You keep moaning like that, and I’ll fuck you right here.”
His pupils blew out; his chest rose and fell. “I wasn’t moaning,” he whispered.
I thumbed his bottom lip, his lips parted with a gasp, and I crushed my mouth to his for a bruising kiss. His mouth was hot and welcoming, his cool fingers raked through my hair, and I pressed him against the kitchen counter.
Feeling how turned on he was almost buckled my knees. “Have you had enough to eat?” I asked, kissing down his neck. The taste of salt and chlorine on his heated skin was like heaven.
He slid his hands up and under my shirt, skimming down my back to pull me closer. He ground against me. “For the time being. Now I’m hungry for something else.”
I pulled his shirt over his head and kissed his pale shoulder, goosebumps rising in the wake of my hot mouth. “I’ve thought about this all damn day,” I admitted. “Trying to concentrate at work, and all I could think about was being inside you.”
He groaned, leaned into me, pulled my face back, and claimed my mouth with his. He kissed me until we were breathless, our erections pressed together. His eyes were dark, his lips swollen. “So take me to bed and do whatever you want to me.”
I grinned like the devil. “You shouldn’t say that to me.” I lifted him onto my hips and he was quick to wrap his legs around me, and he laughed as I carried him to his room. I had every intention of throwing him onto the bed but he clung to me, so I knelt on the mattress and gently laid him down.