Chapter 22
Jamie
We finished dinner, and I tried not to think about how gorgeous Jamie the hostess was, or what might have happened if Hank had been matched with her as intended.
He was here with me. He said he wanted me. And the way he looked at me was…convincing.
Hank had always been this easy-going guy who was hot as hell but down-to-earth and sweet. Tonight, he was all those things, sure, but there was an added level of intensity to every look he sent my way.
It made me a little nervous, but in a good, butterflies in the stomach sort of way. It was still hard to believe I might actually get to have this. Hank had been the forbidden fruit I couldn’t taste for weeks, and I’d fantasized about him so many times it was a little embarrassing.
Now, here he was, saying it could all be real. But Silas was always telling me not to believe in fairy tales, and now that my Prince Charming was across the table, smiling at me like he wanted to strip off my clothes item by item, I found myself flustered and off-balance.
Could this really happen for me—or would the fantasy shatter once it got too real for Hank?
“Doing okay over there?” Hank asked. “You look a little lost in la-la land.”
I smiled quickly. “Sure. That steak of yours looks good.”
Points for stellar conversation, Jamie.
“It’s delicious. Want a bite?”
“Oh, um—” Hank held his fork out, waiting, so I leaned in and took the bite from the tines, humming appreciatively as the flavor of well-seasoned beef and caramelized onion hit my tongue. “That’s good.”
“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “Looks even better when you eat it.”
I flushed as I licked my lips clean of the juices from my last bite. “Uh, thanks?”
He smirked. “I love your blush. I might have to make it my new pastime to put it there.”
I kicked his ankle, making him laugh.
“You’re not really…” I raised my hands to my hot cheeks.
“Not really what?” he asked.
I shook my head, unable to put the thought into words. It just seemed impossible that Hank would be attracted to me that way after weeks of indifference.
“Nothing,” I murmured. “This is just an adjustment. You looking at me like that.”
He nodded in understanding. “I guess I didn’t consider you might need time to wrap your head around it.” He shrugged. “I, um, was in denial for a while. I’d never been into a guy before.”
“You weren’t into me either,” I pointed out.
“Maybe not at first. I thought you were cute, though.”
That surprised me. “Really? You didn’t show it. You seemed more uncomfortable than anything else.”
“Well, I was caught off-guard by the mix-up. I expected another kind of Jamie.”
I waved my hand toward the front of the restaurant. “That kind of Jamie.”
“That’s what I thought I wanted, anyway. I was wrong. I’ve been thinking you’re adorable, Jamie. I’ve been wanting to spend all my time with you. And I did a lot of thinking these past couple of days. Did a lot of, um, research into my desires.”
“Research?”
Hank glanced around the restaurant, his cheeks a little pink this time. “Let’s get out of here and I’ll tell you all about it. Or even better, I’ll show you.”
My stomach somersaulted. Show-and-tell with Hank Reeves? I couldn’t resist that.
“Check please,” I called as Marco passed by.
Once we were in the car and headed back toward my house, I turned in my seat. “Okay, spill it. What did you mean by research?”
“Well, I did the obvious things. Watched some gay porn. Fantasized about what it might be like with you.” He cast me an almost shy look. “Favorable results, by the way. Not that I was too surprised after kissing you. I would have stayed the night then and there if you’d let me.”
“That’s…so you liked the porn?”
“Eh. Less favorable results there. I realized something as I was reflecting on my past relationships.”
“Yeah?”
He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, lost in thought for a moment. “I, uh, have only had one really good relationship in my life prior to this. It was in high school.”
“Oh?”
“We were best friends.” He shot me a wry smile.
“We got really close, and I started to feel things for her, you know? More than friendship. She was dating another guy when we met, so it wasn’t anything I’d considered, but the closer we got the more I wanted her.
And when she broke it off with him, we got together.
We dated our whole senior year, but she went to college in the Northeast and she broke it off when she left. ”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m over Tracy now, obviously. It’s been years. But none of my relationships with women after that measured up.”
“Because you loved her,” I said softly.
“Because she was my best friend,” he countered. “My other girlfriends were hookups or casual dates first. We didn’t build on that same foundation, and I don’t know, I think…maybe I need that?”
“So, the way you feel about me…” I said carefully.
“It’s not casual.” Hank turned onto my street.
In just a few blocks, we might find out how very not casual he felt. I licked my dry lips. “Do you, um, want to come in?”
“I really do,” he said. “But only if you’re ready for that.”
I glanced at him in surprise as he pulled into my driveway, parking next to my Beetle. “You’re the one new to all this.”
“I know,” he said. “But you never expected this from me, and if you need more time to—”
I surged toward him, only to be yanked to a stop by the seat belt. “Ow.”
Hank chuckled and released his belt, then leaned in and cupped my face. “Did you want something from me?”
“Only everything,” I murmured, tilting my face up for a kiss.
His beard was soft against my chin, tickling the skin. I’d only kissed men with stubble, so this was different. A lot nicer, actually. I parted my lips, encouraging him to deepen the kiss, and Hank didn’t disappoint.
His tongue met mine, and like a switch had flipped, his hands tightened on my face and he pressed forward, kissing me harder.
I moaned, a deep raspy sound that could never be confused for a woman. He responded by sweeping his tongue deeper into my mouth, one hand sliding down my chest and straight to my hard dick.
He cupped me over my pants, feeling out the shape of me.
I broke the kiss with a gasp. “Stop.”
He lifted his hand away. “Too fast?”
“No, just… we’re in the car.”
He gazed around as if he’d forgotten where we were. His eyes were fogged with lust. Lust for me.
My head swam at the realization that Hank really did want me. That of all the people he could be with, I was the one who’d triggered the desire for more.
“Let’s go inside,” I said. “If you’re ready?”
He laughed and adjusted the hard-on in his jeans. “More than ready. I might not make it to the house if we wait any longer.”
I smiled. “That would be a shame. I’d really like to see what I’m working with.”
His eyes flared as he swept his gaze over me. “Same here.”
I hesitated. “Once the clothes come off, there’s no ignoring the fact I’m not a woman.”
“Jamie, don’t you think I felt the hard-on you were grinding on my thigh when we kissed the other night?”
I flushed and bit my lip. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“I know you’re not a woman. I don’t need you to be anything but who you are. That’s who I care about. That’s who I want. You. Nothing else really matters. I’m just sorry it took me so long to realize that.”
I smiled tentatively, nerves settling. “Well, you’re here now. That’s good enough for me.”
We got out of the car, and Hank followed me to the door. Pressed close behind me while I fumbled for my key. He brushed kisses to the nape of my neck, and his hands squeezed my waist, sending heat spiraling through me.
His sizable dick was digging into my lower back. Damn, the man was big everywhere.
I got the door open and was immediately assaulted by my yapping dogs. Hank stepped away, patiently waiting while I fed and watered them, showered them with pats and kisses, and settled them down enough to escape.
I grabbed his hand and yanked him down the hall. “Hurry, or they’ll cockblock us all night.”
Hank followed me to my bedroom, shut the door behind him, and hauled me into his arms for a fiery kiss.
“I think we’ve both waited long enough,” he murmured. “Can I have you?”
“Yes,” I gasped against his lips as his big hands cupped my ass and squeezed. “Anything you want.”