8. Jaxon
I don't know what came over me. As soon as Mira suggests a dating app, all I see is red. He's not going out with a complete stranger, let alone fucking him. I narrow my eyes at her and she fucking winks.
“I guess I could…”
“I’ll do it!”
Everyone stops eating, and now all eyes are on me. Alex looks stunned, mouth hanging open, eyes wide.
“Oh my God! It's happening!” Spencer shout-whispers. I hear Finn chuckle next to me, but my gaze is set straight ahead.
Alex downs his glass of wine. Shit!
I clear my throat. “You need to be convincing and that will be hard to pull off if you bring a complete stranger to a business meeting.”
It's a valid concern, and probably better to say than the thought of another man's hands on him makes me ragey.
“He has a point,” Dom says
“I could do it,” Beckett says, before wincing at what I’m assuming is a kick to the shin from Dom. “Ohh, you know what? I might have to taste test some dishes that day. I’m sure Jaxon has you covered.” I scrub my hand down my face as I shake my head. Did I teach him nothing?
Alex studies me for a moment. “Okay,” he says softly.
I return a gentle smile, “Good.”
The individual conversations pick back up around me as everyone finishes eating.
“I’m gonna grab another glass of wine. Anyone need anything while I’m up?” Alex asks.
I down the remaining contents of my beer before tilting the neck in his direction. “I'll take another beer.”
My gaze drops to his delectable ass as he walks away. He's wearing his skin tight white jeans which are rapidly becoming my favorite.
Dom leans in next to me, “Like what you see?”
“Yes.” It’s as simple as that. If I took away all the extra bullshit going on in my head and honestly answered the question, then yes, I very much liked the man walking away from me.
“I just don't want him going out with some stranger he picked up on an app. He doesn’t know who these people are. We both know there are a lot of creeps out there. I don't want to see him get hurt or have a complete stranger mess with his chance at more funding for his game,” I say, because all of that is true.
“And it has nothing to do with the fact you might be coming around to the realization that you really like him,” Dom counters, because of course he can't just let me have that.
“I do really like him and I want him, but sometimes…” I say trailing off, not knowing how to explain it. “You can't say that you would just dive in head first with someone that much younger?”
“I wouldn't jump into any relationship regardless of age. But you have known Alex for a while now, I don't think you would be jumping into anything. In the end, what actually matters is who they are as a person on the inside. Listen, you can't go through life stuck on a number. You should be stuck on the person. If it was the right person for me, I would have no problem with the age difference.”
There is a clatter of silverware when Beckett drops his fork, spilling his beer.
“Shit, sorry.”
“You're fine, sit. I’ll get something to wipe this up.” I get up from the table, using this as my excuse to check on the person in question.
Alex has been gone longer than you would think it would take to pour a glass of wine. Maybe he needs help opening a bottle?
Dom’s words are lingering in my mind. He's right, and deep down I know this. The real reason Ben and I didn’t work wasn’t because of his age, it was because he was an asshole of a person… But Alex? He's nothing like that. He's sweet and kind. He fought hard to get where he is. Being kicked out of your home at a young age, his life could have gone in a very different direction… My thoughts trail off at the sight of the man before me.
It looks like he does need my help after all.
Standing on a stool trying to open the cupboard above the refrigerator is Alex.
With his arms stretched over his head, his shirt rides up, exposing the smooth patch of skin that my thumb itches to glide over. My dick thickens, which seems to be its standard response anytime Alex is in my orbit as of late.
“Yesss!” Alex exclaims, obviously he found what he was looking for.
“Need any help?”
Alex gasps, turning on the stool as it wobbles.
In two long strides my hands are around his waist as I steady him. His free hand lands on my shoulder while the other holds on to a bottle of tequila.
“Is the idea of being my fiancé that bad?” I say, nodding my head towards the bottle.
“What? No, that's not it.”
My thumb finds that delectable piece of skin and finally gets the chance to skim over it, before lifting him to the ground .
“Are you sure, because you only reach for the tequila when you are freaking out…”
“Pfft! I’m fine. I'm not freaking out,” he says, with a strained laugh and I arch my brow.
“Okay, yes, I’m freaking out, but it's not from the idea of you being my fiancé. It's just that… Ugh, I can't lie to save my life. What if we are not convincing? I mean, what if kissing me is like kissing… Beckett.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa… never speak those words again.” I shiver at the brain poke. “Just… no!”
He chuckles. “Noted.”
I slowly pry his grip away from the neck of the bottle, before placing it on the counter behind me.
“Listen, I don't think we are going to have any issues being convincing, but if you are worried about it, why don't we go on a couple practice dates, get any awkwardness out of the way.”
“Okay, I guess that could work. But when? The fundraiser is in two weeks.”
“Well, I have an idea,” I say, pulling his hips forward, watching his eyes for any signs of warning. “I think we should get something out of the way first.”
I don't know what comes over me, but the need to claim him and wipe away all his worry takes hold. And the only way to do that is to…
His mouth parts on a sharp inhale seconds before my lips crash down on his. Alex stills before his lips move and he melts into me, snaking his arms around my waist. I take my time, wanting this etched into both our memories. The kiss is soft and gentle before it deepens into something so much more that I can't get enough of. It's the kiss of all kisses and I don't think I will recover from it.
Alex’s arms move to my shoulders, his fingers threading through my hair. His throaty moan vibrates through me, reaching the base of my spine, setting my dick into motion. My hands cup his ass, squeezing his cheeks as we grind together.
“Ouch, you're stepping on me.”
“Oh my God, I can't see.”
“Told you fuckers it was happening.”
The commotion breaks the moment, as the realization sets in that we are not alone. I mean, it probably was not the best idea to dry hump each other in the kitchen, but it’s my fucking house.
I break the kiss, resting our foreheads together, giving us a few seconds to catch our breath before we turn our heads to see our idiot friends and their mother fucking faces plastered against the kitchen window.
“I was just getting the tequila,” Alex says before grabbing the bottle and lifting it up. Everyone's eyes go wide.
“Oh, fuck,” comes from Jules as Spencer just nods his head.
“Pssh, I’m fine, it's fine,” Alex says, then walks back outside.
Six sets of eyes stare back at me.
Yeah, nobody in this group is ever fine . It's becoming a running joke. The higher the octave, the more not fine they are.
The sun goes down and we all end up around the fire pit. Alex, Spencer and Jules are all dancing around, Alex still with the bottle of tequila tucked in close. Mira is playing DJ, finally landing on Got Me Started by Troye Sivan much to the excitement of the three yahoos shaking their asses.
Jasper plops down in the chair next to me.
“Hey.”
“Hey Jasper, how is it going, buddy? I feel like we have had barely any time to talk, we have been so busy at the shop.”
“Yeah man, business has been crazy. But that's good, right?”
“Very good.” I nod. And it is, I could not be happier with the way the shop has been running. I finally feel like we are a well oiled machine.
“So, what are you up to this weekend?”
“Oh boy, I’m so excited. I’m going to jump out of a plane tomorrow.” I laugh at his joke until… Oh God he's not kidding.
“Wait what?”
“Yeah man, it's going to be so fun. The thrill of rushing back to earth at a million miles an hour and then the sudden jerk as you float peacefully the rest of the way. Throws my senses into a tailspin. ”
And that right there, pretty much sums up Jasper.
“Why in God's name would you be so reckless!” Olly says from his chair next to Jasper. “So many things could go wrong. You're being held up in the sky by a thin piece of material. You could die!”
“I agree!” shouts Dom, while he doesn’t take his eyes off Beckett burning a marshmallow. “You know, for a chef you have questionable taste in marshmallow cooking,” he says.
Beckett huffs, “The char is the best part.”
“See, even Dom thinks it's a dumb idea!” Olly says, turning our attention back to Jasper.
“Pssh, you guys worry over nothing. It's a very reputable place over in Seaport called The Sky Zone.”
Alex gasps. “Oh, I love that little town. It’s so fucking cute. Jaxon and I went to eat at the cutest place called The Malt Shop. Spencer, you should have seen it. They wore these cute, little, tiny paper hats.”
Everyone goes quiet. Dom, Mira and Jasper all have wide eyes on me. I sigh, not liking where I know this conversation is about to go.
“What? What did I miss?” Alex says, catching on to the tension.
Mira turns down the music. “Jaxon hasn’t been to The Malt Shop since the night his parents died.”
I give Mira a stern warning look. I did not want to get into this conversation. I’ve barely processed this fact, I am definitely not to the point of wanting to share it with the group.
“Oh,” Alex says. His head tilts, forehead creasing as he studies me. “I didn't know that.”
I just shrug. “It's not a big deal.” There is a deep wrinkle of concern on Alex's face and I wonder if he's going to call me out.
“Come on, it's supposed to be a party. Let's not talk about this now. Mira, turn the music back up.”
She hesitates, looking at Dom before doing as I ask. Thankfully, the conversations pick back up with Olly yelling at Jasper about his grand idea of skydiving, and the attention is back off me. Jasper gets up to grab a beer with Olly following right behind him.
My gaze snags on Alex, who is back to dancing and swaying his hips to the music. He looks over his shoulder, his eyes meeting mine once more. I can see the desire building as I watch. My dick takes notice and is definitely on board with the way his whole body moves to the beat. I’m not much of a club person, but the thought of him all sweaty and grinding up against me is doing it for me.
“So it looks like things have progressed?” Dom says in his low growly voice.
I look up at him, “I think so.”
He takes the seat next to me that Jasper had vacated.
“Alex is worried that we won't be convincing as a couple.” Dom scoffs and I chuckle. “So we are going to go out on some practice dates.”
This time it’s Dom who chuckles. “Whatever you two want to tell yourselves.”
Alex comes back into the kitchen after walking out the last of our guests.
“What can I help with?”
“Can you put the pasta salad into a smaller container and then I can wash that bowl?” I say, rinsing off a serving tray I just washed.
Alex grabs a plastic container from the stack I already have on the counter and starts transferring the pasta. We work in silence; me doing the dishes and him putting away the leftover food. A couple times I thought he was going to open his mouth to say something, but he just clamps his lips together and carries on with his tasks.
Alex got quieter as the night went on and I can't help but wonder about all the things fighting for space in his head right now. The apartment, his car, the fundraiser, his fiancé, the new piece of information about me and The Malt Shop. The list goes on forever.
I’m drying the last of the dishes when he finally speaks.
“You can back out, you know.”
I turn to face him, but his back is to me as he puts the last of the food in the fridge.
“Why would I want to do that? ”
“I don't know,” he says, closing the fridge but still not facing me. “Look, I know that you have not been real hot on the idea of me in the past. And I...”
Nope, this won't do. I move to stand in front of him, his eyes fixated on the floor. My finger brushes under his chin, lifting it so he meets my gaze.
“Oh Alex, it was never that I didn't want you. God, I want you! But I had some things I needed to work through. Probably still do, if I’m being honest with myself.”
“Right, okay, I understand,” he says. turning to walk away.
Shit!
“Wait,” I say, and he stops, turning to look at me. There is uncertainty in his eyes and it's like a gut punch knowing I just put it there. “I’ve dated younger men before, in fact most of the men I have dated were younger than me, but the last guy… he kinda burned me. I decided to take a break from dating younger men, well, all men in general, and then you came along. It's why I was so hesitant.”
“What happened? Why did you break up?”
I sigh. “I think in the end, Ben wanted someone to go out and party with. I’ve been there and done that. Eventually he just found someone else who did. I’m a homebody. I like to come home after work and relax.”
“So you worry about that with me?” Alex asks.
“Yes… No… I don't know.” I reach out for his hand. “It’s different with you. When you go out it's with our friends. Most of the time…” I arch a brow, “you are not going out to get drunk, you are going out to spend time with them. I see the difference.”
Gently tugging on his hand, I pull him closer and he comes willingly. “I want to get to know you, Alex. I want to know what makes you laugh. What makes you go shy? What makes you give that crooked grin you sometimes get when I know you are up to no good.” With each sentence we move closer until we are inches apart. “And I want to know what it’s like to memorize the feel of your lips on mine.” And with that, I seal the deal.
My heart is pounding in my chest like it desperately wants out. The kiss starts off slow like the kiss earlier, giving me time to lick my way through every inch of his sweet, delectable mouth. My cock starts to thicken, pressing against the rough fabric of my jeans.
“This,” I say, rocking my hips, “is me wanting you.”
He whimpers as he grinds into me, both of us feeling the frustration of too many clothes. The kiss deepens and I feel Alex’s fingers lace through the hair at the base of my neck. It seems to be his favorite spot and it sends shivers down my spine. This feels so good, so right. Why did I wait so long to give into my desires? The connection is there, and it's strong.
My body and soul are at war over breaking the kiss, but I finally muster the strength to pull away. I hear the small whine that leaves him and we are both left panting. A date, I need to take him on a proper date.
“Tomorrow at 7pm,” I say, leaning in for another kiss, this time short and sweet. “But before that, tomorrow morning we are going to your apartment to see what the damage is.”
His shoulders sag, “Yeah, okay.”
“Go get some rest, I’ll finish up here.”
He nods his head, turning to leave, and I curse the look of his ass in those jeans.
“Fuuuck.”
“Did you say something?”
“Nope. Goodnight Alex.”
“Goodnight.”