Chapter 13
Lewis
Ispent most of the rainy weekend cleaning my flat, and then had lunch with the LFD family. More than once I almost caved and called Noah, just to hear if he was okay, but I didn’t want to appear needy.
We spent most of Monday morning working on the plan for our beer brewing workshop and then I caved. I lingered outside the staff room for a moment to text Noah before my lunch break. A minute longer of not hearing from him after that date and those kisses and I’d flip the fuck out.
Lewis: Hi, I just wanted to check in real quick. How about I come over later and take you shopping? Hope you’re not out of food yet x
I slipped the phone into my pocket and entered Lone Fox’s pub, assessing the room.
Ariah cradled a bottle of rhubarb pop in their hands on the far end of the table. They had one foot propped up on their chair and their sleek black tail furled and unfurled behind them.
Perla sat across the corner from Ariah. Seeing her chatting happily with our Pooka colleague filled my heart with joy.
Something had changed with Perla. She’d been a bit of a recluse for most of her first year with us. I’d put it down to her being the only water creature on our team.
Looks like she’s finally starting to feel at home here.
A gentle buzzing next to my cock made me flinch and I wrestled my phone out of my jeans.
Noah: Hey, Lew
Noah: How was your weekend?
Noah: I’d be super grateful if I could top
You what?
Noah: lol hit send too fast
Noah: If I could top up my groceries
Noah: I’m running low on a few things
Noah: Maybe we can hang out a bit afterwards?
Noah: unless you’re busy obvs
Noah: no worries
Noah Bright blew up my phone as if he’d just waited for me to open the flood gate, and I absolutely loved it.
Lewis: Not busy, hanging out sounds like a good idea. Do you play video games at all? I could bring my console and we could play some Alphaforce if you want?
Noah: Dinner and video games? We have a date
I caught myself giving my phone a soppy grin. Embarrassing, Sinclair.
But his choice of words made me feel like I’d won the lottery.
When was the last time you had a second date with someone?
I guess it was when I’d been in a situationship with Callum who, like most of the human guys I had fucked, looked a lot like Noah.
Oops.
Cal was amazing, though. He’d been the first one I’d been sad about when things didn’t work out between us.
It was good for something, though.
We were still friends and now I had the opportunity to be with the right person
My bright person.
Lewis: Pick you up when I get off work? Four thirty?
Noah: sounds perfect
Noah: hope you have a great rest of your day
He sent a little kissy face emoji and I almost melted on the spot.
“Hey, Lew. You want some Moroccan chicken?” SweetPea asked from right behind me.
“Sure thing.” I turned around and patted my stomach. “I hope you are proud of all the work you do for this body.”
He saluted me and spooned a portion out for me. “I’m sure the girls, gays, and theys are thankful for the hard work I put in.”
I snorted and accepted the plate from him.
“Bet they do. You okay?”
“Yeah, you too?” He followed me to a chair a couple of seats down from Perla.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“What are you doing tonight?”
“Oh, uh, I promised a friend to take them to the shops. They don’t have a car.”
“A friend?” SweetPea cocked a thick eyebrow at me.
“An old buddy from school.” I cringed inwardly at calling Noah that.
My fake boyfriend slash winter husband. Well, not just for winter if this plan works.
“Ah cool. I was going to suggest a movie night with ….” Our chef cleared his throat.
“Hey you two. Movie night? I’m in.” Clara had just appeared in the staff room, and SweetPea’s face ignited as it always did. Gods, I hoped one day he’d get his head out of his ass and tell her that he liked her.
At around three I got another text from Noah.
Noah: How about we start on our fitness journey later?
Noah: Want to go on a run?
Shit, I’d forgotten about that.
Noah: come on, don’t chicken out, Sinclair
Lewis: You wish
Lewis: Alright, if you can bear to lose, Bright
Noah: we’ll see about that
I packed my console and the only pair of gym shorts I had, thanks to my brother, and a T-shirt into a backpack for the run. Then I put on my favourite faded Alphaforce merch shirt, paired it with the ratty jeans he’d liked so much on his first day back and set off to the Bright family farm.
“Hey, Puppy,” I greeted him when he climbed into the truck.
“Hi, Lew.” He leaned over the middle console and gave me a quick peck on the cheek that made my toes curl.
He’s got me wrapped around his finger.
The way Noah eye-fucked me when I drove us over to Dwarfoods gave my ego the boost I didn’t know it needed.
These jeans deserve a pay rise.
I strutted across the car park, grabbed a trolley, and followed him into the shop.
“Ollie brought me here a few days ago,” Noah blurted out when we were past the clothing department.
“Oh.” What was I supposed to say to that?
“There were a million people, I forgot half the things.” He rubbed a hand over his nape. “Being here with you is better.”
Shit, Noah. Stop it, or I’ll kiss you in Dwarfoods.
In the end, he didn’t need much, and we were out of the shop after less than twenty minutes.
“Are you sure you want to go for a run? It’s getting dark already,” I asked him when he came out of the bedroom in his yoga shorts and—oh fuck me—my hoodie on top.
Please have mercy on me and let’s just chill and game a bit. Maybe we can have a cuddle.
“Oh yeah, I’m sure. I have excellent eyes and aren’t cats supposed to see well in the dark?” He cocked an eyebrow at me and put his hands on his hips.
You play dirty, Bright.
“I’m not a cat.”
“Nope, you’re a grumpy old man who will eat my dust.” I didn’t hear the rest of his words because Noah bent forward to tie the shoelaces on his trainers and the wide shorts snagged on his biteable glutes.
That I let him run ahead of me had nothing to do with the fact that he looked like a snack on lean legs and everything with how untrained I was.
“Oh. My. Gods.” I gasped for breath and almost doubled over when we arrived back at the shack.
“Yeah, this sucked.” Noah wheezed and held the stitch in his side.
“Agreed.” I groaned. I rested my hands on my knees to catch my breath. “This is definitely not my preferred form of cardio.”
His snort ended in a pained moan. “I think I’m dying. Also, yes. Let’s never do that again, okay?”
I chuckled between rasping breaths. “Deal. I’m not opposed to other kinds of exercise.” I said it with so much innuendo that laughter burst out of Noah.
“Whatever you have on your mind, I’m game, Lew.”
I cupped the back of his neck and pulled him closer.
“I can’t tell if you’re serious or not.” In comparison to Noah’s body my hand was so large that my fingers met at his Adam’s apple. He swallowed under my touch and a nervous tongue darted out to sweep over his lips.
“I’m serious,” Noah huffed and pressed his erection fleetingly to my thighs, and I hummed in reply.
Damn it, Bright. You’re not making it easy for me to wait.
As much as I wanted him, I was determined to get this right.
I can’t afford to make any mistakes.
And this between us wasn’t about a quick fuck.
“Let’s play some Alphaforce, okay?” I pecked him gently on the cheek.
We cleaned up, changed, and had the best evening with my favourite game. I’d got us some more of the White Tiger IPA, and Noah had spotted a new crisps brand we both decided we had to try.
“I love the packaging,” he’d exclaimed, and I’d got one of each variety and then we ranked them by taste.
“The Smoked Ember is my winner,” I said as I licked my index finger and swept the bottom of the bag for the last crumbs.
Cinder Salt was bland but extra crispy, and the Singed Lime did what the packaging promised and singed my throat.
I could never tell my mother that I preferred the ones that were a little less hot.
“For me it’s a tie between the Smoked Ember and the Singed Lime,” Noah mused. “They help me think. It’s an ADHD thing.” He grinned over at me and then took out one of the bad guys who’d tried to creep up on me.
“Cheers.” I eliminated another guy and soon we were stuck in a vicious fight that we managed to win only after five brutal minutes. I held my hand up and Noah high-fived me when our last enemy had gone down. “Oh, we should probably take some more photos.” I paused the game.
“Yeah, good idea.” He dug his phone out from under the empty crisp bags and plastered his body to my side.
What a step-up from our first attempt. I flung an arm around him and waited until he’d opened his camera app. Noah took a few pics, of us arm in arm and me kissing his cheek, but then I nudged his lips on mine and he abandoned his smartphone.
“Gods, Puppy,” I growled when our tongues tangled and his piercing tickled my flesh.
“Fuck, I like it when you call me that.” He huffed and draped his body across my chest.
It took me nearly half an hour to drive home in the dark because my brain replayed the rest of the evening in an endless loop.
Noah’s arms around my neck. The way he kneaded my pec. His gasp when I slipped my hands under his jumper. His soft skin. And restraint.
Endless restraint, and it was so dumb to hold off like that, but inside I was still 14 years old and scared to spook him with the magnitude of my desire.
He’s an adult like you. And he wanted it. Gods, he wanted it.
I sat in the dark outside the staff house for an age and vowed to ask him what he wanted next time. This new thing between us was too precious to fuck up, yes, but five months were too short to waste weeks I could spend with him.