Chapter Thirteen
Alfie
I felt bad about taking advantage of Jonathan’s generosity, but I couldn’t deny how much easier it was to run Lick It! with an extra pair of hands.
Over the next few weeks he was there every weekend with his beautiful smile, ready to help make drinks and take payments. And every single time he dazzled me with his quiet charm and serious beauty, to the point where I found myself stopping and staring at him with increasing regularity.
I insisted he didn’t do whole days with us, because that would be absurd considering he was working full-time hours during the week. And despite his protestations he would be fine, I put my foot down because I didn’t want him setting himself on fire to keep me warm.
But we did always have lunch together when he was at Lick It!
so he got a proper break, where we could breathe and switch off for a little while sitting in the sunshine and eating sandwiches or occasionally walking down to the front to get some chips.
We didn’t always talk, but we didn’t need to.
Just being around each other was enough.
Outside of work, we always tried to meet up at least once for dinner during the week, although it was quickly becoming a twice-a-week thing, and we messaged every single day, sending anecdotes, videos, random thoughts, questions, and whatever else crossed our minds.
Talking to Jonathan was the easiest thing in the world, and with every day that passed we folded into each other’s lives a little more, to the point where I could barely remember what life was like without him.
And kissing him… fuck, I wanted to spend every day kissing him.
From soft, quick kisses when we first saw each other or after lunch, to deeper ones when we had time to ourselves, I was obsessed with the feel of his mouth on mine. His kisses gave me a sugar high unlike any other, and I needed them more than anything.
I’d thought about more too. It was impossible not to think of laying Jonathan out on my sofa or my bed and grinding against him while we made out, or stripping him off and exploring his body, drawing sweet whimpers and moans from those perfect lips. But I didn’t want to rush him.
It was clear Jonathan didn’t have much experience, both romantic or sexual, and I didn’t want him to feel pressured into anything he wasn’t a hundred percent comfortable with. I was happy to go slowly and, if he ever wanted to take things further, then I’d happily explore with him.
Whatever Jonathan wanted, I’d give to him. Because although it had only been a few weeks, I knew what we had was special.
Jonathan
What are your plans for Friday night?
Alfie
Nothing much. Why?
Jonathan
I wondered if you’d like to come to my house for dinner? I thought I could cook us something and we could spend some time together.
Jonathan
But no worries if you already have plans or don’t fancy going out after work. I know Fridays and Saturdays are very busy for you.
I smiled as I looked down at his message, his sweet seriousness making my heart flutter. I didn’t care if it would make me tired or not, spending time with Jonathan was worth it. Besides, I was very curious to see what dinner would be like.
Especially since last time I’d been at his house, we’d ended up making out in his kitchen against the counter until our lips were sore.
“What are you smiling about?” Milo asked as he stuck his head out of the back door of the kitchen, a bag of rubbish in hand.
I was taking a quick break out the back of Lick It!
, sitting in the shade on the chair we’d put just outside the door so we could get some fresh air without having to sit with our customers.
It wasn’t the best solution, since we weren’t far from the bins, but it was good enough.
“Jonathan asked me if I wanted to have dinner on Friday,” I said, watching as Milo took the bag of rubbish out to the bin, biting my lip at the way he looked around to check for thieving seagulls before he hurriedly opened the lid to throw the bag in.
He slammed it shut with a bang, like he was disposing of toxic nuclear waste, and did a little fist pump at escaping unscathed.
It shouldn’t have amused me as much as it did.
Then again, he was also the one who’d gotten into a fight with a seagull last week over a bag of rubbish and had lost. So I could see why he was so cautious.
It hadn’t helped that Rupert from next door had apparently witnessed the entire thing and was now teasing Milo about it whenever they saw each other.
That definitely wasn’t going to help neighbourly relations.
“That’ll be nice,” Milo said as he walked back to me, digging something out of his apron pocket. “He’s such a sweetie. I hope you’re being good to him.”
“Of course I… Milo, what have you got in your hand?”
“Nothing!”
“It doesn’t look like nothing,” I said firmly. “It looks like a burnt cone that should have gone in the bin.”
Milo shrugged, trying to smile at me like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. Unfortunately, I’d known Milo too long for that to be anywhere near true. “I thought of a better use for it.”
“Which is?”
“Bait.” He began crumbling up the cone as he marched swiftly across to the back door of the sweet shop, and began throwing bits of it onto the doorstep.
“Milo! NO!” I shouted, leaping out of my chair and pointing my finger at him like I was scolding a very naughty dog. “Stop that!”
“If he thinks he can get away with calling me names, he’s got another thing coming,” Milo said, darting away from me and back towards the kitchen door. “Specifically, a whole flock of things!”
“Milo, you cannot.”
“Bit late for that now.”
“I…” I let out a frustrated sound as I looked at the shredded bits of cone littering the concrete, as overhead I heard the wheeling call of a gull. “For fuck’s sake! Now you’ve done it. You absolute twat!”
“I plead the fifth.”
“You can’t plead the fifth, we’re in England!”
“I have the right to remain silent though.”
“Yes, but I fucking saw you,” I said as I followed him back into the kitchen, looking around for Darcy.
“Did you? Did you really?” Milo asked with a sweet smile. “Or did you just see me putting the rubbish in the bin?”
“Don’t be a prick. You told me it was bait!”
“What’s going on?” Darcy asked, appearing through the door to the shop with an ice cream scoop in hand.
“Nothing,” Milo said with a practised shrug. “I just took the rubbish out.”
“And you broke up a cone and sprinkled it all over Rupert’s back door.” I realised my mistake as soon as I’d spoken because both of them snorted. “Yes, very funny. But setting a flock of seagulls on Rupert is not.”
“I’m not setting them on him. I just want them to shit all over the doorstep. And if he stands in it or slips on it, that’s his own fucking fault.”
“Oh God, you didn’t?” Darcy asked exasperatedly. “Milo, I don’t have time for this. We’ve got people coming in for interviews this afternoon. I don’t need Rupert coming in here and demanding recompense because you got seagulls to shit all over his doorstep.”
“There’s no proof I did anything,” Milo said. He clapped me on the shoulder and smiled. “Don’t forget to tell Jonathan you want to have dinner with him on Friday. And remember to wear nice underwear. Nothing with holes in.”
I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose as I pulled out my phone, wondering just how to explain this whole situation to Jonathan without screaming.
“So, how’re things with the seagulls?” Jonathan asked as he poured me a drink on Friday night, an amused smile curling the corner of his lips. “Has Milo managed to turn them into an army yet?”
“No, and I count my lucky stars that seagulls aren’t trainable like corvids, or we’d be in trouble,” I said, taking the glass of sparkling elderflower and sipping it.
“I just wish he’d think things through. It’s all fun and games until things escalate and someone calls the council or the police, then we’re fucked. ”
“Do you think it will get that bad?”
“I hope not.” I sighed and rubbed my temple with one hand.
“He’s thirty-one years old! He needs to grow the fuck up—and I don’t mean stop making jokes or wearing terrible shirts, I mean he needs to stop doing stupid shit like starting a prank war with our next-door neighbours over nothing.
Sorry, you shouldn’t have to listen to me whining. I’ve been doing that enough all week.”
“You’re absolutely fine,” Jonathan said with a warm smile. “It sounds like it’s been stressful, especially with the interviews as well.”
“It could’ve been better. But, the good news is we found two new people! And they’ve both said yes.”
Doing interviews while thinking about throttling Milo had been interesting, but we’d managed to get through it and now we had two extra members of staff to help keep things running smoothly.
Owen, who’d just moved back to Heather Bay, was going to start this coming Tuesday and, since he had kitchen experience, was going to be working with Darcy.
And Ellie would be helping out at front of house on Fridays and Saturdays for the summer, with extra days as and when we needed her.
She’d just finished her A-Levels and was looking to get some extra savings before she headed off to university in September, which suited us perfectly because she’d be here to cover the busiest part of the season.
All I could do was hope they were both sensible people who wouldn’t be lured into joining Milo’s seagull-based scheming.
“That’s amazing,” Jonathan said, once I’d filled him in on all the details. “I’m sure they’ll be perfect.”
“I hope so. They both interviewed well, but you never know.”
His smile dipped for a second as he glanced down at his own drink. “Does that mean you’re not going to need me then?”
“Maybe this weekend? If you don’t mind? Then Ellie and Owen should be with us next week,” I said, putting my hand out to brush against his. “It’s going to be weird not seeing you, but I can’t keep stealing your weekends. But, the promise for free ice cream still stands.”
“I don’t mind, I like being there with you. But it will be nice to have some free time again,” he said. He put his glass down and stepped closer. “I will take the ice cream though.”
“I thought you might.” I put my glass down next to his and wrapped my arms around his waist, drawing him gently against me.
It felt so right having him there, and I couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss him.
Jonathan’s lips were soft and he let out a low, quiet moan as I brushed my tongue against the seam of his mouth.
He slid his arms around me, fingers digging into the back of my T-shirt, as I deepened the kiss.
“Alfie,” he said, moaning my name like it was something delicious.
“Yeah?” I tilted my head back to look at him. His cheeks were flushed and there was a dreamy expression blossoming across his face.
“I want… can we…” He licked his lips and glanced away for a second. “I want more.”
“More kisses?”
“Yes but… more than that.” He let out a breathy, nervous chuckle. “Sorry, I’m really not good at this. I know what I want, but it’s asking for it.”
“It’s okay,” I said, stepping back and taking his hand in mine. “Want to go and sit down? We can talk about it.”
“I’d rather just kiss you.”
“Understandable,” I said with a huff of laughter. “But we are going to talk about this. I don’t want you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”
“Can we keep kissing though?”
“Yes.”
“Okay,” he said, and I laughed again as he practically dragged me into the living room and pushed me onto the sofa, straddling my thighs before I could blink.
My cock jumped at the feel of him in my lap, my heart racing as heat pulsed through me.
Jonathan’s hands cupped my jaw as he looked down at me with a new fire burning in his beautiful eyes.
I wasn’t sure where this sudden burst of action had come from, but I assumed Jonathan’s patience had been stretched too far. It was heady to see him like this, and I knew I’d give him everything he asked for.
“What do you want?” I asked again, whispering the words against his lips, pouring all my desire into the question.
“Touch me, please. And keep kissing me.”
“Touch you where?”
“Everywhere,” he said, voice breathless. He groaned as I slowly ran my hands up his thighs, letting them rest at the top. “I’ll tell you if it’s too much.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”