Page 61 of Body Check
“Well, I’m sure plenty of people would tell you I’m an asshole too. Andyoumight as well, if you don’t make a decision about what you want soon,” Gavin pointed out. “I’m freezing my tits and nuts off here and it’s making me cranky.”
Dakota laughed and stepped forward, trailing his hand along Gavin’s chest as he leaned in, then tweaking a nipple and making him yelp. He snagged a can of seltzer water and the container of chopped fruit. “I’m good. Your tits and nuts can thaw now.”
Gavin laughed, the earlier annoyance slipping away. He grabbed himself a can, shut the refrigerator, then slid open a drawer, pulling out a fork and handing it to Dakota. “C’mon. Let’s go in the living room so we can enjoy the view.”
He shut off the overhead lights as he went, leaving only the soft glow of a lamp in one corner as they got comfortable on the leather sectional.
“This is sustainably and ethically sourced leather,” he blurted out, “In case you were wondering.”
“I wasn’t, but that’s great to hear,” Dakota said with a smile.
Gavin handed him a throw blanket, then grabbed one for himself. By the time he got comfortable and had popped open his seltzer, Dakota was seated cross-legged, the blanket wrapped around his shoulders, eating fruit.
A little surge of pleasure that he’d guessed right went through him, though he supposed Dakota might only be eating it to be polite.
But after a few bites, he glanced up, smiling. “This was great. Thank you. That was very thoughtful of you.”
Gavin shrugged, because if Dakota considered this thoughtful, he’d stroke out at what Gavin was like when he was in an actual relationship and not just hooking up with a guy. Rather than say that aloud, he gestured toward the windows. “So what do you think?”
“Did you order the view for me too?” Dakota teased.
Another little prickle of irritation went through Gavin. Why did Dakota act like him wanting him to enjoy things was such a damn big deal?
“Yes,” he said blandly. “Just for you.”
Dakota laughed. “Thank you then. It’s stunning.”
Honestly, it really was. Gavin’s building was close enough to the waterfront to have a panoramic view of the harbor in the daylight but far enough back he still could see the twinkle of nearby high-rise lights and the glow of the city against the night sky.
The view was what had sold Gavin on the place, Rory hadn’t cared about it one way or the other. He’d been more focused on having an address that made people raise their eyebrows, impressed.
But Dakota was here now, and it suddenly hit Gavin that until tonight, he hadn’t had a guy over for sex since Rory left. He always went to their places or hotels. Since Dakota hosting wasn’t really an option, it had seemed logical to invite him over, but now Gavin began to wonder if it had been the first misstep he’d made tonight.
He knew he’d made several, though he wasn’t sure exactly what they were.
“So, was earlier good for you?” Gavin asked after the silence had stretched on, almost to the point of discomfort.
Dakota looked up from where he’d been inspecting a piece of strawberry, his eyebrow quirked. “Was itgood? Of course it was. Why wouldn’t it have been?”
Gavin shrugged. “Well, I was afraid it might seem tame after everything else we did.”
“Ahh. No, it was great. I’ll admit, the exhibitionist bent to our earlier hookups was hot, but I don’tneedit to enjoy myself.”
“I wasn’t sure how important it was to you.”
“Not very. What about you? Is it somethingyouwant?”
“I wouldn’t mind doing it again in the future,” Gavin admitted. “But it’s definitely not a requirement.”
“Yeah?” Dakota set the plastic container on the glass coffee table, the fork clinking as he set it down too.
“Yeah. Like, I wouldn’t mind fucking you up against that window sometime.”
Dakota opened his mouth, like he was going to protest but Gavin held out a hand. “Not penetration. Like we did in LA or I could blow you or whatever. I mean fucking in the broader sense.”
Dakota released a breath, a fast whoosh of air leaving him like Gavin’s words had startled him. “Oh. Well, that could be hot.”
“Depending on how wild you’re feeling, we could do it in the dark or with some lights on.”
