8. Chapter 8 #2
Tristan couldn’t believe that Jax was dealing with that. Aside from walking a bit oddly, he appeared fine, although thinking back, Tristan had never seen him in a chair .
“Well, I think that sitting is overrated,” he declared. “I like being on my feet.”
That seemed to be the right thing to say because Jax chuckled, blowing on his tea before taking a sip.
“Hmm, this needs to steep another minute.”
Sniffing the brew, Tristan agreed. “From one tea snob to another? You know what you’re doing.”
“Of course I do,” Jax winked at him. “And that doesn’t apply to just teas.”
His tone had Tristan’s cheeks turning pink. This younger man had ten times more charisma than Tristan did, leaving him flabbergasted and blushing like a schoolgirl. All he could do was try not to stammer as he continued the conversation.
“Thank you, again, by the way.” Tristan cleared his throat. “The rest of the party was a breeze after the groom's cousin left.”
“Like I said, the other guy did all the heavy lifting.” Jax tilted his head, staring into Tristan’s eyes. “I know you can’t yell at jerks like that, but I can.”
“You’re good at it.” Tristan stirred his tea. “And while I appreciate what you did, you probably shouldn’t do it again. We’re lucky it worked out this time.”
“Trust me, I know, I’ve been fired before.
But The Pointe is different. We have each other’s backs.
If I didn’t do it, then Angelo was going to talk to him, and I didn’t want our head chef dirtying his hands.
” Testing his tea again, Jax gave a short hum of delight, removing the teabag.
“It’s perfect now. So, can I see some pictures from your hike? ”
“You sure can!” Pulling out his phone, Tristan opened his gallery, and Jax instantly pressed against his side. Freezing, Tristan realized he’d walked right into that trap, and Jax’s body heat made him want to go somewhere private and touch Jax everywhere.
But he focused, showing Jax the best shots. Genuinely invested, Jax asked questions throughout, and their teas were almost done when Tristan reached the photo of him cheering in front of the Appalachian Trail sign on top of Mount Katahdin, where he finished his journey.
“It looks like you had the best time.” Jax let out a sigh. “My body would never let me do that.”
“You’re in the majority, because most people’s bodies don’t let them.
Seventy-five percent of people who start the trail don’t finish.
I mean, the experience was amazing and it changed my life, but you saw me in physical therapy.
Many hikers end up with permanent damage.
I was lucky. And…” He looked around. “And The Pointe is great, but being out in the woods for months makes capitalism much harder to take.”
Eyebrows rising, Jax nodded. “Yeah. People aren’t meant to work eight-to-twelve hours, five days a week or more. It’s stupid. Especially for people with disabilities.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I know that being able to thru-hike was a privilege, but after being out there for that long? It changes you. I’m still taking long walks in the woods in my dreams.”
“There’s a park across the street.” Jax gave him a fatal grin because it made his face even more alluring, and if Tristan’s heart sped up any more, it would burst. “We could go for a walk now, and you won’t have to wait until you fall asleep.”
“If you’re up to it.” Tristan would love to take a loop around the pond. He’d been there before, and it had a small half-mile trail with no incline. “Isn’t it closed, though? And too cold?”
“Are you afraid of getting arrested? Or chilly?” Jax teased, still entirely too close, and his minty scent teased Tristan’s nostrils, making him bold.
“No, I have gloves. It’ll make it easier to slide the handcuffs off.”
Jax’s eyebrows almost shot off his head, as if he hadn’t realized that Tristan could flirt. Downing the rest of his tea, he waved at the door. “I’m ready when you are.”
On the way out, Tristan realized that this was another one of Jax’s traps - getting him alone.
But he didn’t have any complaints. Staying behind, he protected Jax’s vulnerabilities again, making sure no one bumped into him.
Jax seemed to realize it as they reached the front door, and he glanced over his shoulder with a surprisingly soft smile.
Crossing the street, they entered the tiny park.
With their path lit by the full moon, they walked in comfortable silence, their breath freezing the air.
It was brisk, but not painfully cold, and Tristan glanced slyly at Jax, studying his profile, how the metal in his ears glittered, and the way his skin glowed under the moonlight.
Suddenly, he was overcome with a strange nostalgia-laced contentment, as if this had happened before, as if they’d walked together in other lifetimes. It tapped him on the shoulder, telling him that his hangups about their age gap were trivial.
Halfway around the loop, Jax stopped and cracked his neck, stretching his arms toward the sky.
“Let me know if you’d like to head back.” Tristan tilted his head toward the bar, and Jax’s lips went flat as he nodded.
“It’s that I worked a full day today and went out after. The walk is pushing it, but I wanted to try.” He sighed heavily as they turned. “You know, if I wasn’t in pain, I’d be fucking unstoppable.”
“I think you’re pretty unstoppable already,” Tristan proclaimed. “You’re hurting, but you show up every day, you never complain about it, and according to what I’ve heard through the grapevine, you’re doing a terrific job.”
Jax stopped, and so did Tristan.
“Really?” His deep brown eyes became hopeful and childlike, and Tristan easily fell into their depths.
“Yes!” Tristan nodded emphatically. Of course, he didn’t reveal that Rain was his source, who told him these things between encouragements to get it .
That soft smile made a reappearance, and Tristan’s heart thumped in his chest.
“That’s good to hear. This is my first sous-chef job and I don’t want to mess it up.”
“Trust me, you’re not. Do you want to have a restaurant someday?” Tristan wanted to learn all he could about Jax, his hopes, his fears, his hobbies, his favorite songs, every little morsel, down to the wisps of his soul.
“A lot of chefs want to own but…” Jax looked up toward the moon, studying it. “I like creating menus, preparing five-to-seven courses, and taking my guests on a journey.”
“Like giving them a tour,” Tristan supplied.
“Exactly, but it’s an adventure of the palate.” Jax spoke with enthusiasm and Tristan soaked it all in, watching that deep-brown gaze glimmer. “I don’t have to buy to do that, as long as I can work with the owner. Some are very hands-on, while others are barely there.”
“That’s true.” Tristan had worked in his fair share of restaurants, and they ran the gamut.
“I just really like to cook.” Jax’s smile grew even sweeter.
While he had a sternly alluring resting face, underneath was softness and an enthusiasm that pulled Tristan even closer.
“When you make a meal, you’re creating food but you’re also creating an experience.
You’re creating memories. And I want to bring all of that into my menus, so when people walk away, they remember that night for the rest of their lives. ”
“That’s incredible.” Tristan wished he had something better to say, but his brain and his heart were doing flip-flops as Jax turned back to him, too beautiful for words.
His full lips twitched, and Tristan couldn’t help noticing that the bottom one was slightly larger, perfect for pouting and biting.
All of a sudden, Tristan was overcome with the need to taste them, to explore Jax’s tongue piercing again. Before he could stop himself, he leaned in and gently returned Jax’s original kiss.
Jax let out a little huff of approval, tilting his head and parting those lovely lips. Fingers gently combed through Tristan’s beard as their tongues swirled, and he thoroughly checked out the metal barbell that slipped around. What would that feel like against other parts of his body?
Cupping the back of Jax’s head, Tristan nipped at that full bottom lip, soothing it with his tongue before diving back in again, and Jax let out a small noise of approval.
Being with Jax, kissing him, gave Tristan the same exhilaration he’d felt on the trail, and something clicked inside of him, telling him that despite his doubts, this was right.
Eventually, the cold got to them and they broke apart, their chests heaving as they stared into each other’s eyes.
“I like your beard.” Jax stroked it a few times, and Tristan shivered. “When are you going to ask me for my number?”
Tristan grinned. “Can I have your number?”
“Maybe.” Jax handed over his phone.
“Are you free next week?” While he thought he wasn’t ready for anything, Jax had been placed right in his path, and he felt like he’d be breaking his own heart if he said no over a twelve-year age gap. Yet he was still a bit hesitant.
“Are you asking me out?” Jax smirked.
“I am.” Tristan bit his own lip this time, leaning on whatever fortitude he’d built. “But as I said, I got out of a long, bad relationship last year. Can we take things slow?”
“We can do whatever you want.” Jax’s tone was so suggestive that Tristan blushed again.
He might already be in too deep for slow.