“I wasn’t thinking that at all. I think you sound like wonderful parents and Brooklyn’s very lucky to have you. What I was going to ask was if Gayle was the beautiful woman you were with at the last party?”
“Yes, that was her. It was actually her idea to go to a swap party. Neither one of us wanted to join a dating app and we’re not the type to hang out at bars. A client of hers invited us to the party so we went. It was a way to test the waters while having someone there as moral support.”
“I love that. Gayle sounds like an amazing woman.”
“She is,” I told him.
“Well, I for one am very glad you came to the… Oh, crap!” He shocked me when he suddenly jumped up and ran to the window. I followed over to where he was as he pulled the blinds apart and peeked outside. “Dammit. You missed the bowl being passed around. I’m so sorry, Samuel. Everyone already paired off while you were in here talking to me.”
Oliver was frowning when he turned around and it looked all wrong on his beautiful face. Without even thinking, I reached out and cupped his cheek. His skin was creamy and smooth and felt just as silky as I’d imagined it would. He stared at me with those big chestnut-colored eyes and a swarm of butterflies erupted in my stomach.
“I didn’t miss out on anything. I’m exactly where I want to be,” I whispered.
Oliver leaned into my touch as his hand came up, his long elegant fingers circling my wrist. His other hand came up and slid around the back of my neck, applying just enough pressure to urge me closer, while allowing me to escape if I wanted to. His tongue came out to wet his lips and I couldn’t wait any longer.
For years, I’d waited to find out what it felt like to press my body against another man, to feel his strong arms wrapped around me and to taste his firm lips as they opened up to me. I had waited a lifetime forthismoment, but I couldn’t wait any longer.
I leaned down slowly at the same time Oliver raised up, meeting me halfway. His eyes fluttered shut and I had just enough time to register how long his lashes were and the feel of his breath against my lips before we came together in the sweetest, most tantalizing kiss I’d ever shared. He made a sound in the back of his throat, somewhere between a whimper and a purr and I felt something inside me fall into place.
Everything I’d ever imagined this moment would be, everything I’d ever dreamed of, fell short of the reality of kissing Oliver. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pulling me in closer. His tight little body wasn’t at all what I was used to, but it fit against mine like it was always meant to be. His lips were soft and warm, and my legs began to shake as his tongue swiped over my bottom lip, urging me to open to him.
My arms went around his waist and my hands slid up and down his spine, feeling the taut muscles in his back and the warmth of his skin seeping through the thin layer of his shirt. I felt the first sweep of his tongue against my own and my body felt like it was going to burst into flames. Someone moaned. It might have been me, but I couldn’t be sure because my head felt dizzy and my skin felt too tight. Neither of us were in a hurry to end the kiss, but an unexpected rumbling had me pulling back. The look on Oliver’s face was pure mortification and his head landed on my chest.
“I’m sorry. That’s so embarrassing. I didn’t have time to eat today,” he said, his voice sounding muffled as he spoke into my shirt. I pulled away from him, so I could see his face. His lips were wet and swollen and it took everything in me not to haul him back in for another kiss.
“Why didn’t you eat today?”
“I just got back from a business trip this morning. I was so tired, I fell asleep right away. When I woke up, it was getting late, and I didn’t want to miss…” His eyes widened, and his words trailed off as if he hadn’t meant to say that much.
“You didn’t want to miss what?” I urged.
“You,” he answered. I felt like my smile was going to split my face in two, so I leaned in and gave him another kiss instead.
“I would’ve waited for you,” I whispered in his ear. He shivered against me and started to pull me in for another kiss, but his stomach made another noisy plea just then.
“Alright, get your shoes on,” I told him. “I’m taking you to get something to eat. That is, if you’re comfortable with that.” Oliver nodded his head without any hesitation then he brushed past me as he walked over, sat down and began sliding his boots on.
“I can drive us, if you want. I never bothered to drop my keys in the bowl,” he admitted shyly.
“That’s okay. Neither did I.” I held mine up, so he could see them, and we exchanged grins. No one paid us any attention as we slipped out of the pool house and around the side of the house to where the cars were parked.
We drove through In-N-Out Burger and I ordered burgers, fries, and chocolate milkshakes for each of us then I drove to a nearby scenic lookout and parked. We sat on the hood of my car and looked out over the glowing lights of the city. Oliver’s eyes were as wide as saucers as I opened the bags and began handing him his food.
“Is this okay?” I asked him.
“Yes, of course. I just don’t normally get to eat stuff like this.”
My brow wrinkled in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“My job requires me to eat as healthy as possible,” he said with a shrug.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” I felt like an idiot and began gathering the food back into the bag, but Oliver pulled his arm back, holding his fries out of reach.
“Don’t you dare be sorry and don’t even think about taking these away from me unless you want to lose a hand,” he warned.
I looked at him, startled as he popped a few fries in his mouth for good measure then we both started laughing. He grabbed the bags out of my hand and finished laying our food out between us as he explained that he was a model. I suddenly realized where I’d heard his name before and his eyes lit up when I told him that I’d heard my coworkers talking about him before over lunch, saying that he was the next fresh face in fashion.
We continued talking well after we were finished eating. He told me about the different places he’d traveled for work and I told him about Brooklyn and my work at the ad agency. The sun was coming up when I finally drove us back to the party, so he could get his car. There were still a few cars in the driveway, but most of the guests had gone home. Gayle had insisted on calling an Uber, saying that it was only fair since I’d done it last time.
As I pulled up alongside his car, Oliver pulled out his phone and asked for my number. I gave it to him and a few seconds later, my phone chirped in my pocket.
“Now you have my number too. Just in case you want to call or text,” he said with a shy grin. Then, he leaned over the armrest and kissed me.
I was still smiling as he slid out of the car. I made it until he climbed into his own car before I was scrambling for my phone and bringing up the text from him.
Thank you for an unforgettable evening. I’m already looking forward to the next one.
My mouth tingled from the feel of his lips and my mind went over each and every perfect detail of that night as I drove home. Oliver was even better than I’d imagined after seeing him at the first party and I felt a bit like a teenager, knowing I’d be counting down the minutes until I could see him again.
