Chapter 21
Once he was dressed and showered, Rhys went downstairs to begin setting out the charcuterie. He set aside the box of pastries for them to select from later.
Caleb came down a few minutes later, carrying a bottle of Prosecco and a tote bag filled with plates and utensils.
As he walked out from behind the service counter, he turned down the lights in the cafe, making the already cozy atmosphere much more romantic.
Then he added more ambience by plugging in some leaf-shaped fairy lights, switching on the tea lights inside the ceramic pumpkins in the windows, and turning on soft music.
Was this going to feel like a real date?
The man just ate your ass and fucked the hell out of you. Why are you worried about a dinner date?
That’s different. This is so… intimate.
And his tongue up your ass isn’t.
Sex was different. Or at least it always had been. With Caleb, everything had felt… more. Caleb had taken over his body completely, but now, he was back to overanalyzing, and he didn’t know if he could handle that.
“Is this good for you?” Caleb asked, holding up the bottle.
Rhys nodded. He was already drunk off the incredible sex. A glass of wine couldn’t cause much more damage. He was beginning to wonder if they were going to make any progress on the festival entry tonight.
“Wow.” Caleb studied the multiple trays of meats, cheeses, spreads, olives, and fruit. “This looks amazing. You really went all out.”
Rhys looked away as his cheeks heated. He didn’t know if he could handle the romantic atmosphere plus compliments. “I just wanted to do something different.”
“I like it. Thank you.”
“And what’s this?” He lifted the lid on the dessert box.
“Pastries, as you can see.”
“You brought me more dessert.”
Caleb’s smile sent heat all through Rhys. “I thought you’d like them.
“I do. These look amazing. They’re not from Driftwood Doughs, are they?”
“No, they’re from an Italian bakery in Portsmouth.”
“You went all the way to Portsmouth for these?”
Rhys shrugged. “It’s not that far. Have you ever had a sfogliatella?”
Caleb shook his head.
“Then you have to choose that one.” He pointed to a flaky, cream-filled pastry. “Unless you don’t like cream-filled things.”
Caleb grinned. “Trust me, I like cream-filled things a lot.”
“Oh my God, I didn’t mean that like it sounded.”
“I know. I’m just teasing you. I got you all relaxed. I want you to stay that way.”
Rhys realized that was part of the reason for the lights and the music. Caleb wanted him to feel comfortable. He appreciated the gesture, even though he wasn’t sure he could be.
Caleb handed him a plate and a wineglass. Real ones, not paper like he’d expected. “This is fancy.”
“It’s just regular plates, not fine china or anything.”
“I know, I just thought since we were eating down here…”
“You made dinner. I’m not going to have you eat it off a paper plate.”
“I didn’t cook anything. I just—”
“Putting all this together takes time. I know that.”
Now that he was here in this room in the soft glow of the fairy lights, looking at this man he’d just been in bed with, he didn’t want to admit exactly how much time he had taken or how hard he’d worked to make the charcuterie boards look nice.
“I didn’t have enough space for everything, so I had to split it up. ”
“There’s no reason to have it all on one tray.” Caleb started opening the wine. Rhys braced himself, but he still jumped with the cork popped out.
“Sorry. I always do that.”
“You don’t like surprises.”
“No, not really, and I don’t like loud sounds, especially if I don’t know when they’re coming. Balloons are the worst. I can’t stand waiting for someone to pop them.”
Caleb smiled. “No balloons. I’ll keep that in mind.” Most people would have said that sarcastically, but Rhys was fairly sure Caleb was sincere.
Caleb poured each of them a glass of Prosecco, then checked out the spread. “Tell me what everything is.”
Rhys described each of the cheeses and meats. Caleb listened intently, never once seeming to wish he would hurry, even though in Rhys’s mind, he heard his explanations going on for far too long. Caleb was starving. He didn’t need the full origins of each piece of cheese.
He hurried through the last one and explained the different mustards and the chutney he’d added. “I think the fruits and nuts and stuff are self-explanatory.”
“They are,” Caleb said. His smile was so big. He looked truly happy, and that made Rhys’s chest tighten. This all felt like too much, like this was so much more than just a fling while they worked together.
Caleb selected a piece of baguette and topped it with soppressata, brie, and spicy mustard. Rhys took a sip of Prosecco and just watched him.
Caleb looked over at him, apparently sensing Rhys’s eyes on him. “You’re supposed to be eating too. Don’t tell me you aren’t hungry after all that.” He glanced up toward the ceiling, and Rhys felt heat rush into his face.
“I’m hungry, but I was just… I wanted to watch you.”
Caleb smiled. “I could watch you all day, but we need fuel.”
Rhys placed some Port Salut and prosciutto on rosemary crackers. As soon as he ate it, he realized how much he needed food. They continued to devour the items on the trays until less than a quarter of it was left. Maybe Rhys hadn’t gotten too much food after all.
Rhys took a sip of Prosecco and realized that, once again, he felt far more relaxed than usual. Caleb had worked his magic. Rhys had almost forgotten that they were right there on Front Street, where anybody might look in and see them having a romantic dinner.
It was late for a weeknight in Frostwick Harbor, and there weren’t that many people out. It was also dim enough in the store that it would be hard to really see them, but someone could.
The more time he spent with Caleb, the more he realized that Caleb wasn’t just a hot guy he was lusting over.
Rhys really liked him. Sure, he was even hotter in bed than Rhys had imagined, but he was also kind and gentle.
But Rhys remembered what it had been like anytime he’d gone on a date in town.
He’d gotten way too much advice and too much scrutiny when he’d preferred not to be perceived at all.
He’d also seen what happened with his friends and their relationships.
When Finn and his high school girlfriend had broken up, Finn couldn’t enter a business in Frostwick Harbor without the conversation stopping because everyone in town had an opinion about what had happened.
The whole town had expected Finn to propose to his girlfriend, not break up with her.
Marianne had gone through a similar hell when rumors reached the town that her college girlfriend had cheated on her. Then the woman came to Frostwick Harbor to try to win Marianne back. There was a public spectacle, and it was all anyone talked about for ages.
Rhys was scared enough about letting himself get invested in a relationship with Caleb. He didn’t think he could stand having an audience for it.
“Rhys, are you still with me?”
He realized he’d been lost in thought for a long time. “Yes. Sorry. I was just thinking.”
“Do you want to share your thoughts?”
Rhys shook his head. He was not ready to share any thoughts about how hard he was falling for Caleb.
Caleb grabbed one more olive, and Rhys took the last strawberry. “We really were hungry, but maybe we should work some before dessert.”
“Work?”
“We’re supposed to work on the pumpkin latte.”
Caleb smiled. “We are, but we could also take the night off. I’m enjoying spending time with you.
Rhys was enjoying it too, maybe too much, and that made him nervous. “We really shouldn’t do that.”
“Okay, but we will stop for dessert. I want that sfogliatella.”
They tried a few tweaks on the pumpkin chocolate chip latte, but they agreed that so far, nothing had improved it.
“Maybe it’s okay like it is,” Caleb said.
Rhys shook his head. “No. It still needs something.”
“Why don’t we eat dessert, then see if we can figure it out.”
He thought Rhys was going to insist they keep working, but he glanced at the bakery box, then back at Caleb. “Okay.”
When they were seated again, Rhys handed Caleb the flaky lobster tail pastry.
Caleb bit into it immediately, and cream squirted out.
Rhys stared at him wide-eyed, like he wanted to lick the cream off Caleb’s lips.
Caleb made a show of swiping his tongue over his mouth to get every bit of the sugary cream.
Rhys sat the almond croissant he’d chosen onto his plate without taking a bite.
“Are you hungry for something else?” Caleb asked.
Rhys sank his teeth into his lower lip. “Maybe, but we’re supposed to work now.”
“I think we’ve done enough for the night.”
“But you’ve got a hockey game tomorrow night, then we’re both going to Jonah’s birthday party.” Jonah was turning thirty, and his family wanted to throw a huge party for him.
“There’s still enough time. We’ve developed two amazing drinks, and we’ve got enough time to improve them. I mean, if you want to work, we can, but—”
Rhys shook his head. “I don’t want to.”
“Good.” Caleb brought his pastry to his mouth, dipped his tongue into the cream filling, and licked some out. Rhys’s mouth fell open, and he gripped the arms of his chair.
“How is that so hot?”
Caleb just smiled, then bit into the confection one more time before setting it down. “I think I’ll finish this later.”
Rhys nodded frantically. “Yes. That’s… yes.”
“You want to go upstairs?”
“Please.”
They tore their clothes off as soon as they were back in Caleb’s apartment. When they climbed into Caleb’s rumpled bed, Caleb pushed Rhys down, then opened his legs and surprised him by swallowing his cock down.
Rhys gasped. “Caleb! Fuck.” He arched up to push further into Caleb’s mouth as Caleb hummed around him. Rhys whimpered in protest when Caleb pulled off him much too soon.
“It’s okay,” Caleb said, running a soothing hand up his torso. “My dick just needs attention too.”
Before Rhys could comprehend that fully, Caleb turned around and straddled his shoulders. His ass was right there in Rhys’s face, so he rose and ran his tongue across Caleb’s hole, making him suck in his breath.
“Suck me,” Caleb ordered.
Rhys took hold of Caleb’s cock and positioned it just about his lips. He lifted his head enough to lap at the precum dripping from Caleb’s slit, then hooked his arms around Caleb’s thighs and pulled him down, drawing his cock deep.
“Fuck, that’s good,” Caleb said, voice hoarse. He wrapped a hand around the base of Rhys’s cock and began to tease him, licking and gently scraping his teeth along Rhys’s shaft before sucking him back in.
Rhys was overwhelmed by sensation, but he still needed more. He was usually more restrained when he sucked off a guy, but he wanted Caleb to choke him while Rhys made him come.
He pulled Caleb deeper, and Caleb gasped around him before taking him deeper too. This was going much too fast. Rhys tried to hold back, but he couldn’t. Caleb was too damn good.
Moments later, he was shooting his load into Caleb’s mouth, and Caleb was only seconds behind him.
When he was done, Rhys let Caleb’s cock slip from his lips, and then Caleb rolled over on his back.
They both lay there, trying to catch their breath.
Once again, Rhys felt like he was floating somewhere above the bed, not connected to reality. He reached for Caleb, and they twined their fingers together. Rhys needed that anchor. He needed Caleb.
Normally, after sex, Rhys just wanted to get up and get out, but he was wondering what it would be like to stay there and spend the night with Caleb’s warm, strong body wrapped around him.
He couldn’t deny it; his heart was involved now.
What the hell was he going to do? He hadn’t even intended to go on any dates this fall.
He needed to focus on his shop and the festival.
“Was that better than working more?” Caleb’s question brought Rhys back to reality.
“Yes. Much better.” Rhys realized he didn’t even feel guilty about abandoning their work.
Caleb squeezed his hand and smiled. “Do you want to stay?”
“Stay here?”
Caleb nodded.
“All night?”
“Yes. If you want to.”
He did, but he shouldn’t. He started to say no, but when he met Caleb’s gaze, he couldn’t. “I… I think so.”
“Good. Don’t move.”
Caleb went to the bathroom, then returned with a washcloth. Rhys used it to clean himself up, and then Caleb tossed it into a hamper and climbed back in bed. He pulled the covers over them and snuggled close to Rhys. “What time do you need to get up?”
Rhys considered. He’d need to go home and change before work. What if someone saw him? “I’m not sure this is a good idea.”
Caleb kissed his shoulder. “It’s okay. I’ll make sure you’re out of here early. I like holding you like this.”
Rhys liked it too. “I’d better get up at five thirty.”
“Okay.” Caleb got his phone and set an alarm.
“You won’t let me oversleep?”
“No, I promise.”
Trusting someone else to wake him was a huge deal for Rhys, but he thought he could do it with Caleb.