Chapter 16
Damon
I stepped up to Maverick’s door and took a deep breath to settle my nerves. It was finally date night. Time for me to prove I was the master and show Maverick what he really deserved.
I’d spent the week making arrangements, but now that it was here, I was suddenly second-guessing everything. I’d dated plenty of women, but I’d never tried this with a guy before. Would he laugh at me? Tell me I was ridiculous?
I swiped my sweaty hands on my distressed jeans, then tugged at the blue tank under my jean jacket. Fuck. Was this outfit too boring? I raked my fingers through my hair, then realized I was messing it the fuck up.
Where the hell had all these insecurities come from? I was Damon fucking Cassidy. I was hot as fuck, and Maverick was lucky to be going on a date with me.
I shook out my arms, ridding myself of nervous energy.
The door opened. “You going to just stand out here all night?”
His hair was a metallic pink—but shinier and with highlights of purple as if he’d recolored it since I’d last seen him—with matching lip gloss.
He wore a V-neck white T-shirt that was so thin I could see the shadows of his nipples through it, along with the dips and curves of his abs.
He wasn’t a woman, so there was no cleavage, but somehow the jut of his collar bones and the swell of his pecs were sexy as fuck.
He’d paired it with red shorts that hit him mid-thigh and were snug too, hugging muscular thighs.
“Damon?” He waved a hand in front of my face. “You okay? Did you blow a brain vessel?”
Maybe I had. Damn. Maverick had looked nice for all his dates, but this was next level.
I grinned, reassured. “You put a little extra effort in for me, huh? New hair color. Clingy clothes.”
“Shut up,” he said, pink sneaking into his cheeks. “You put effort in too.”
His gaze held mine as he tentatively put a hand on my forearm and stepped out of the house. He watched me, a wary expression on his face, as if he expected me to shake away his touch.
Fuck that. This was a date, and I planned to ace any test Maverick gave me. I leaned in and brushed a kiss against his smooth jaw. “Come on. Let’s get this dream date started.”
He breathed out a little laugh. “I’m going to be really let down if you take me to play mini-golf after all this anticipation.”
I took hold of his hand, noting it was a little damp—so Maverick was nervous too; good to know—and led him to my pickup.
“I know big macho trucks aren’t really your thing, but I can only work with what I’ve got.”
His gaze slid over me like a caress. “You’ve got more than your fair share to work with, I’d say.”
“Is that a compliment?” I teased. “Careful or I might fall over in shock.”
“Ha. Just assumed your ego would need a little stroking.”
He licked his bottom lip, and coupled with the innuendo, a heat unfurled in the core of me. Oh, he was playing with fire. Maybe we both were.
I reached past him to open the door, then watched his perky ass as he climbed in. I’d caught myself admiring it once or twice before—usually unsettled that my eyes had drifted to it in the first place.
Tonight was different, though. I was giving myself permission to stop resisting. This date was my chance to figure out what all these conflicting feelings were really about.
I closed the door behind him and jogged around the truck. I climbed into the driver’s seat and found Maverick attempting to peek into the picnic basket in the backseat of the extended cab.
“Eyes forward, you naughty boy. That’s a surprise.”
“A picnic, huh? Not bad. Although it’s going to be dark soon.”
“All part of my plan.”
I winked and started up the truck. While I reversed out of the lot and started down the street, Maverick fiddled with the hem of his shorts. “So, this date…Is it—”
I waited for him to finish, but there were no more words. I glanced over. “Is it what?”
He swallowed. “Just tell me this isn’t some sort of prank.”
My heart lurched. Is that what he thought? That I’d go to all this trouble just to pull a fast one on him?
“We’ve both done our share of pranking,” he said. “But I really don’t want to look like a fool.”
I reached for his hand, lacing our fingers. “Mav, I’d never go that far. I know I kinda started our prank wars and all, but they were harmless fun, right?”
His hand tightened on mine. “It wasn’t always fun.”
Shit. Had I ruined this before it even started?
Not that I knew exactly what was I was trying to start. I was still a little out of my depth.
Maverick squeezed my fingers. “But I guess it was fun to see you lose your shit over those Man Whore signs all over your yard.”
I laughed. “You outdid yourself with that one. I was fuming for weeks.”
He grinned evilly. “You deserved it.”
I chuckled. “I don’t doubt it.”
We left city limits, and I took a left on a dirt road. Maverick leaned forward to peer out the windshield. “Where are you taking me, and will I still be alive come morning?”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
He pulled out his phone and waggled it. “Customary text to my friends, so they know who I’m with.”
“Smart.”
There was a click, and I glanced over. “Did you take my photo?”
He grinned. “Gotta show them my would-be murderer’s face.”
“Maybe I’ll just murder that ass of yours.”
He looked shocked for half a second, then laughed. “Maybe I’ll ruin yours.”
It was my turn to squirm. He grinned, eyes bright as he watched me. “Welcome to dating a guy, Damon. We can give it as good as we get it.”
The image of Maverick pinning me down, coupled with the memories of that sex toy stuffed in my ass, vibrating so sweetly against my prostate, heated my blood.
Fuck. I was in over my head. This was supposed to be one simple date, and already, I was going off the rails.
I concentrated on watching for the turn that would lead to a little pond on my parents’ acreage. We’d be far enough from the house that no one would notice us. Besides, they were having an early night before Dad’s outpatient surgery tomorrow.
I left the truck idling to open a gate, then hopped back in and drove through. I parked under a few trees, positioning the truck so that its bed would face the pond and the sunset beyond it.
I rolled out the blanket I’d tossed in the back for this occasion, spreading it out, then placed the basket on top of it.
I hopped up, then turned and held out a hand to help Maverick step up into the pickup bed. He settled on the blanket, legs extended and crossed before him. “So, this is the magical Damon date, huh? A pickup picnic.”
“You make it sound so redneck,” I grumbled as I flipped open the picnic basket and withdrew some miniature margarita cocktails. “But look? Cocktails are classier than beer, right? It’s not wine, but…”
“Wine is overrated,” Maverick said, snatching the margarita. “This is my favorite drink.”
“I know.”
He untwisted the top, eyeing me over the rim as I unpacked the assorted cheeses, fruit, and crackers.
“Okay, so this is nicer than I expected,” he admitted, picking up a thin slice of gouda and popping it in his mouth. His eyes fluttered closed. “Mm. That’s gouda.”
I chuckled. “You have a way with words.”
He grinned at me. “So, there’s really not a prank in store for me? I thought for sure you’d pack at least one, even if it wasn’t mean.”
“Well, the night is still young.”
He laughed. “There’s the Damon I know and hate.”
I winced. “Maybe we could soften that into something closer to like?”
He sipped his margarita, eyes narrowed on me as if waiting for the other shoe to drop. I decided it was time for me to take the initiative.
I shifted the food back so I could scoot closer to him and lean in. “Are you ready to admit my date has surpassed all others?”
“All others? Or just my recent ones?”
“Every date you’ve ever had, baby.”
Maverick’s lips quirked. “You think you’re special, don’t you? I’ve had better men than you try to win me over.”
I faltered. Damn. He was tougher to charm than I expected. But then, I had set the stage with years of pranking. I guess one romantic date couldn’t undo that dynamic.
“I’ll just have to keep trying to impress you, then.” I reached out, gently guiding his face toward the pond. “How about we take in a show?”
His lips parted as he watched the blazing orange sun sink behind the clouds, turning the sky into pastel streaks of pink and purple. He swiped his tongue over his lips, just a few inches from my fingers that lingered on his chin.
The urge to lean in and kiss him almost overpowered me.
I hopped out of the truck and went to the driver’s side. Leaning in, I turned on the radio. It began to pump out a rock ballad.
Maverick raised his eyebrows at me as I returned to the back of the truck and held out a hand.
“What are we doing now?” he asked as he hopped down.
I tugged him against me. “Dancing.”
He sucked in a sharp breath, eyes meeting mine. “You have gone all out.”
I grasped his left forearm and guided it around my neck, then did the same with his right. “That was the plan, wasn’t it?”
I rested my hands on his hips as we swayed to the music. He searched my eyes for a long moment, then nodded. “Okay, Damon. You win this round. This date blows every other one I’ve had away.”
“Knew it.” I grinned. “I am the king.”
“Mm-hmm. You’re the best. So, I guess you can take me home now, right? Celebrate your victory.”
I frowned. “Why would I do that?”
“Well, this date was just a challenge for you, right? A game to win.”
“No, I…” The words piled up in my throat. I had Maverick in my arms, and he was a guy—there was a definite hardness pressing my thigh that was probably his dick—and instead of that turning me off, I didn’t want to let go.,
I tightened my grip on his hips, tugging him harder against me.
He gasped. “Damon…”
“This is a good date, right? Why end it early?”
“Because…” He slipped his hands from behind my neck and raised them to my jaw. Slowly, he drew me closer, eyes slipping closed. And then those sweet, luscious lips were on mine.
He kissed me softly, lips clinging as he waited…
Waited for me to kiss him back or shove him away? As if there was really any choice. I wrapped an arm around his back, hauling him closer as my mouth opened of its own accord, desperate to taste him.
He groaned, the sound deep and masculine and yet so fucking sexy, as his silky tongue met mine. His lips tasted like cherry from the lip gloss, his tongue like tangy margarita, and I couldn’t drink him down fast enough.
The kiss was wild and frantic, wet and filthy, and yet so incredibly sweet. My heart pounded, blood rushing south, and before I knew it, I’d grabbed two handfuls of that amazing ass and squeezed.
He gasped against my mouth. “Damon, oh god…”
“Don’t stop,” I begged, kissing him until we were both panting and shaking, and the night fell to full dark around us.
“We need to slow down,” Maverick said, pulling back.
My dick was so hard it ached, and I wanted nothing more than to lay him down in my truck and fuck him whatever way he’d let me. But I forced myself to take a step back and take a deep breath.
“You want to stop?”
“No,” he said with a disbelieving laugh. “But this is our first date, and you’ve never done this before.” He paused. “Have you?”
“Not with a guy.”
“Right. So…”
“But you’re not a guy,” I said. “You’re Maverick.”
I leaned in and he pressed a hand to my chest, stopping me. “I am a guy. There’s a dick in these shorts, and it’s hard as fuck right now.”
I glanced down, the bulge in his shorts jutting out. I wet my lips. “Yeah, it appears my sexuality has made an exception for you.”
“Is that a good thing?” Maverick asked. “I don’t want to take the blame for ‘turning you gay,’ Damon! I don’t think that’s really possible. If you’re in that much denial—”
He stepped back, and I grabbed his wrist. “Wait. No. I’m not. I’m into you, and you’re a guy, which means…”
“Can you even say it?”
“I’m bi?”
“That sounds like a question.”
I huffed an annoyed breath. “What do you want from me, Maverick? This is the first time I’ve been here. I’m sorry I don’t have all the answers!”
He softened, stepping in to cup my face. He brought his lips to mine in a soft, gentle kiss. “Exactly. I don’t want you to make an impulsive decision you’ll regret.”
“It’s not impulsive, though, is it? We’ve been headed here for a while now.”
“Maybe,” he said softly.
“I was crazy jealous of those other dates you went on.”
He chuckled. “Well, I wondered about that.”
I grasped his hips, tugging him closer to me once more. “I want this,” I murmured. “Want you.”
His eyes met mine, glinting with amusement. “Then you’re going to have to prove it.”
“What? How?”
“Invite me in when we get home. If the drive there clears your head and you change your mind, then just tell me goodnight. But if you really want this…”
“I do,” I insisted.
“Then you’ll still want it in twenty minutes when we get there. You invite me in, and I’ll drop to my knees in your living room and suck your dick so good you never look at another woman again.”
I shuddered hard, my cock kicking inside my jeans. “You drive a hard bargain, and I do mean hard.”
Maverick laughed, face red enough that I was pretty sure he was just as worked up as me. “Do you take my deal?”
“Fuck yes,” I said. “Let’s go. The sooner we get there, the sooner I can convince you I’m ready for this.”