Chapter 11 Bentley #2
“No,” Tav says. “I’ll walk with you, though. I have a feeling you’re terrible with directions. After all, you found yourself uninvited in my apartment.”
Oof. Instead of being upset by his grumpiness, my cock swells with desire. It’s going to suck to walk with my dick hard for a while, but it’s worth it to be able to spend any time with Octavian.
His marshmallow scent calls to me, and I’ll wait for however long I need to until he gets on board with the fact that I’m not disappearing.
Tav reminds me of the tangled web I saw outside the record store, and I need to make sense of it.
What I think might be a bark rings out through the loft, and I glance down to see a mangled dog beside its owner. It’s a miracle he’s alive. My jaw drops, but Tav gives the dog a scratch under his jaw before disappearing further into the apartment to pick up my guitar.
My eyes narrow on his slightly unsteady gait, deciding I need to pick my battles. For now, I’m going on a lovely walk that I fully intend to turn into our first date.
“This would probably be important to bring with us, huh?” he asks, smirking.
The undertow of sarcasm runs deep inside my omega, and I find it sexy as hell.
“You think?” I ask. “Without the guitar, it’s just a walk full of possibilities.”
“Hmm. The guitar seems safer,” he admits, handing it to me.
I suppose it’s better if I carry it anyway with how wobbly Tav is.
I make sure he locks his door, my gaze on the cameras that aren’t doing jack shit for him.
“Octavian, you really should have your cameras facing out,” I say, showing him the issues.
“They weren’t like that before,” he mutters with a frown. “Who the hell would turn them like this?”
“For the record, I don’t like your answer,” I growl, barely having to reach to turn the cameras. “Do you have any enemies I should know about? You came out swinging for me.”
“I hate everyone. This is my default setting,” he quips, eyes slightly unfocused as he thinks.
Tav still manages to walk down the stairs without an issue, and I fix all the cameras as I trail slightly behind him. If he falls, I’ll grab him around the waist. It’ll at least be an excuse to hold him against me, something I doubt I’ll get unless he’s attempting to beat me up.
I’m not interested in hate sex yet. Call me old fashioned, but it would be nice to kiss him and have him destroy my lips. It’ll be something to remind me of every time I look in the mirror.
Stop being a psychopath.
By the time we exit the building, I’m able to pull back some of my more obsessed thoughts.
“You fucked with my lock,” he accuses, glaring at his door.
“Sure did,” I say cheerfully. “I needed to see you, and you wanted to play hide and seek. I found you. I deserve a cookie.”
“There are some good ones not far from the repair store,” Tav says.
He’s clearly out of his element with me, and I love it. I want to see his blushes, the blank stares when I surprise him, and to hear him grumble. I want it all.
“Food and an errand is a date,” I say. At his confused glance, I shrug. “I don’t make the rules, Love Bug. Pick up the pace. I have long legs.”
I will walk slower for him, but he doesn’t need to know that. I really want him to move in general so he doesn’t decide to make a break for it and return to his too clean apartment.
“You’re so much work,” he says, a smile tugging a little harder at his lips.
“I am a true drama king,” I agree as he walks with me. “I shall insist on being paid homage to with sarcasm and makeout sessions.”
“Slow your roll there, cowboy.”
“Are you saying you’ve done your research too?” I ask.
“You mean the well worn boots and the country music aren’t a dead giveaway?”
“Cute. I’m a little concerned you have my full name and you haven’t cyber stalked me yet,” I say, clutching my shirt over my heart. “What does a man have to do to be noticed?”
“I notice you,” he says softly, and that’s enough.
The walk to the repair store is companionably quiet, and Octavian watches as my guitar is fixed. He makes slight grunts as he nearly glares at the repair man, but thankfully the old man ignores him.
“You came in at a really good time, sir,” he says. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it snapped the next time you played.”
“Hmm. Hear that, Tav? You saved my life.”
The repair man chuckles under his breath before ringing me up and returning the guitar to the case.
“I hear there’s a place with really good cookies. Is that true?” I ask.
Tav’s cheeks burn with a blush, and I grin because it only enhances how sexy he is.
“You heard right,” the man says. “It’s just a block away.”
“Lead away, Tav.”
Saying goodbye, we make our way to get cookies, and I have to admit they’re really fucking good. Tav frowns at me when a crumb falls into my beard. I pretend I don’t notice as I continue to eat, and his hand reaches out to remove it.
Catching his hand, I kiss his fingertips before thanking him.
“‘My beard is a crumb catcher,” I smirk. “This won’t be the first time you have to save me from something getting stuck in it.”
“Why don’t you shave it?” Octavian says as his breath hitches.
Rather, I think it’s more of a rasp because the oxygen is disappearing from his lungs. I’m quite enjoying blowing his mind.
“Do you want me to?” I ask, nipping his fingertips before releasing him.
Tav surprises me by clearing his throat, then glancing at his fingers. At first I worry I may have gotten spit on them, but he covers the slight confusion written on his face by taking a bite of his cookie.
I got a strawberry and white chocolate chip cookie, while Tav chose a chocolate chip one. Both are clearly superior choices. There’s no such thing as a bad fucking cookie unless it’s a burned batch.
We’re sitting in a corner of the bakery, and I can actually see as Tav tries to organize his thoughts.
“Somehow, the beard suits you,” he confesses with a nod. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to save you from all of your crumb incidents, though.”
“Hmm. I’ll settle for some of them then.”
It feels as if we just took an important step, even if I don’t completely understand it.
Our conversation continues to remain casual with an undertow of sexual tension as I walk Tav back to his building, and I hesitate as he opens the door.
“I’ll replace the door,” I promise. “I may have gotten a little over zealous with the screwdriver.”
“You are so odd,” Tav mumbles. “Maybe we can skip the stalking next time you ask me out. I hear that social etiquette appreciates this.”
“Too bad I failed at social decorum. I thought it was boring,” I confess. “I’m too impatient to wait for what I want. I’ll stick to stalking and getting you to growl at me in that sexy way only you can.”
Leaning forward slowly, I project my movement so he can punch me if he wants to. My lips brush his cheek, and he sighs softly as I pull back.
“See you around, Tav. I’m glad to hear there will be a second date.”