Chapter 2 #2
“It looked like you weren’t enjoying your drink, so I got you another,” he said in a whiskey warm tone, his breath blowing over Kenji’s neck.
Goose bumps skittered along his skin, and he bit back another moan. He couldn’t stop the tremor that washed through him, though. Hopefully the guy hadn’t seen it.
Or maybe it would be good if he did? Kenji had failed Flirting 101 and soon been kicked off campus at Dating U. He rarely noticed someone was hitting on him unless he was struck over the head with it. In this case, his usual level of obliviousness was no match for the man at his side.
“I promise I didn’t slip anything into it.”
Kenji knew better than to take an open drink from a stranger, especially one who said, ‘I didn’t spike it, I promise.
’ He was a bartender, for fuck’s sake, and had watched more than one idiot do something stupid because a really hot guy was paying attention.
Sadly, rational sense had already fled the minute he’d locked eyes with the man, and it was his turn to do the walk of stupid.
He accepted the beer and gave it a look over.
There were no excess bubbles, off color, or fogginess.
He took a tiny sip and found no off taste or bitterness.
It was actually one of his favorite beers. Nice call.
He smiled to himself as he lowered his hand.
“That definitely looks like an improvement, going by your expression,” the man said.
“It is,” Kenji replied. “Thank you.”
“No problem,” the stranger said. He offered a hand. “I’m Skylar.”
He took the hand, the warmth of it spreading through him like wildfire. “Kenji.”
Skylar said something in what sounded like fluent Japanese.
“I don’t speak Japanese,” Kenji said, his face warming.
“Sorry. I heard your name and saw hints—and assumed. My apologies.”
“You weren’t wrong. I’ve… never learned the language.”
“A shame. It’s a beautiful one,” Skylar said, his gaze capturing Kenji’s.
Kenji’s heart quickened, the electric sizzle returning and zipping along his veins.
He felt a bit off, his body on high alert.
His breathing grew strained. The fine hairs on his body lifted, the tingle all over sending him spiraling.
If he hadn’t started feeling those sensations before that sip of beer, he might’ve assumed it had been spiked.
There was something pulling him towards Skylar and he wasn’t quite sure what it was.
Skylar gazed down at him with eyes so expressive there were no doubts where his mind was going. Kenji had never known a simple stare could feel so scandalous. His cheeks warmed while his mind flashed erotic images born from Skylar’s provocative perusal.
He dragged his gaze away with difficulty and took another sip, considering his response to Skylar’s obvious intent.
Kenji was bound to mess it up, his nerves getting the best of him at the worst of times.
When standing behind the bar, he could talk shit to just about anyone, but when on the other side of it, he too often lost his courage and composure.
It didn’t help that it wasn’t his scene there, nor his usual brand of man.
It was only going to be a matter of time before Skylar realized Kenji was out of his element and eased his way out.
He is so fucking hot.
Say something interesting…
“It’s been awfully hot, hmm? I don’t know if you’re from around here, but it’s never this hot in the summer.”
The weather? What the fuck, Kenji? You were supposed to say something interesting.
“Yeah, it’s pretty bad. And I live here,” Skylar replied, the hint of a smile returned. “By the way.”
What a way to break the ice, dumbass. But at least you know he’s a local now. Nice.
“So… how tall are you?”
Jesus. Now just combine the two and ask him how the weather is up there. I’m sure he’ll love that.
Kenji hoped his inward cringe wasn’t outwardly displayed.
“Six-eight.”
“You’ve got a full twelve inches on me,” Kenji said, before blushing at the unintended double entendre.
Skylar chuckled, a small flash of white teeth somehow adding to his allure.
Even as he reddened, he wondered if things would align right with that kind of size difference. He’d been with some big guys, but Skylar was past big. Kenji glanced down at the floor and noticed how huge Skylar’s feet were.
Shit! Look at the size of his hands, too!
Everything’s bigger on him.
Kenji’s gaze dipped to the thick outline of Skylar’s package inside the leather pants. It was clear it wasn’t small, either.
Would I even be able to take a guy that big? No idea.
“Can you handle twelve extra inches?”
Kenji’s face burned at the question, especially when he wasn’t sure his answer. Honesty was the best policy, he figured. “Um… I don’t know but maybe I’ll find out one day.”
Skylar’s smile grew. Kenji wrestled—and lost—a poorly-fought battle with his own.
“Would you like to come home with me?” Skylar blurted.
Kenji eyed him a second before downing the rest of his beer. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and nodded. “Yes.”
After leading Kenji to his truck and opening the passenger side like a proper gentleman, Qylar slipped behind the wheel.
He started the engine to get the air conditioning going—something he’d rarely used in his years living in San Francisco—and then eyed Kenji.
The streetlights outside washed them both in their pale white illumination.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to look the man over again.
As soon as his gaze had landed on Kenji inside the bar, he’d been drawn, the stereotypical moth to a flame.
The guy’s eyes were distinctive, somewhere between brown and hazel and they’d almost looked golden under the lights inside.
One look and he’d been hooked. Up close, and he was even more entranced.
Kenji made his heart beat faster. It had been a long time since someone had done that.
Qylar had gone out simply seeking release, never expecting to find such interesting entertainment.
After the conversation with Cryss, he still needed a day before he was ready to face Alex—or the pity the man would likely have in his eyes.
Cryss wouldn’t have kept the truth from his beloved mate, Qylar was sure of it.
He couldn’t keep his distance long, not with his little substitute family soon leaving him for Nefyria, but before he walked into that house, he was going to find something to calm his raging mind and body.
A rough, hard fuck with a beautiful stranger had sounded like the perfect thing to do just that, but he got the impression Kenji would need a softer touch. While the human was doing his best to play along, there had been too many signs of apprehension for Qylar to count.
What the hell was he doing with this bundle of nerves in black leather?
Even knowing Kenji was likely the wrong man for his current state of mind, the excitement coursing through him was unlike anything he could remember feeling. It had been forever since Qylar could remember feeling this eager to get a man home and under him.
Yet he didn’t stomp on the gas and rush, either.
Qylar wanted a moment to put them both at ease before taking off. It was easier there than at home. The bar had been packed and louder than he remembered it being. In the quieter space outside, he sat beside Qylar as he played with a crease in his leather pants like it was a fidget toy.
Kenji wasn’t one of his usual types. He typically found himself attracted to big, muscular himbo bears who had more confidence than sense, not the reverse image of it.
It wasn’t totally outside his parameters for a cute, slim twink to catch his eye, though.
Even so, there was something inherently different about Kenji.
He couldn’t put his finger on what that something different was. Not yet.
The restless, anxious vibe? Qylar did tend to lean toward self-assured men, so that was a departure. He couldn’t believe that was tonight’s catnip, though.
The fish out of water? Qylar could tell the leather pants and harness were likely borrowed.
They didn’t fit Kenji well at all. The guy wore black leather hi-tops—which wasn’t completely unheard of but most leather fans wore leather boots.
He’d bet all the cash in his pocket that the guy had never stepped foot in a leather bar before tonight.
Maybe that’s it? A fresh face new to leather?
Someone completely unexpected and looking for new adventures.
Though, Qylar had long grown bored with the leather scene, hence the reason he hadn’t been there in months.
“Mind if we talk a minute before we take off?” Qylar asked. He leaned back and got comfortable, laying an arm behind Kenji’s seat. “It wasn’t exactly conducive to conversation inside.”
“It would’ve been easier if you hadn’t needed to bend in half to talk to me.”
Qylar smiled. “That, too.”
Kenji peeked glances at him, fighting a smile each time their gazes met. There seemed a war going on inside the guy. An innate seductive part battled against self-doubt and apprehension. He’d watched the back and forth with interest, curious which side would win.
“Have you been to the Eagle before tonight?” Qylar asked.
“Tonight was a first.” Kenji tugged on his ill-fitting harness and proved Qylar correct.
“This is borrowed.” He brushed his hands over his thighs.
“And the pants, too. My roommate is something of a regular or so he says. He made me come.” Kenji’s eyes widened.
“He made me come out. Tonight. Not, made me come.”
Before Qylar could respond, Kenji continued babbling.