Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Shiloh
“Maybe you’re right, Maki,” Rin murmurs as we walk out of the laser tag arena towards the main part of the arcade. “Maybe I should start working out with you sometimes.”
Beside me, Kei snorts. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. He’s a professional athlete and you sit on your ass all day for work.”
“Which is why working out on occasion would be good for you,” Maki says. “Even just going for a daily walk would be good for your bodies.”
“I work out,” Gayle says, squeezing his own bicep. “Three times a week. It’s not much but it’s something to stay active and keep my body strong.”
“Plus, you’ve got Calloway to keep up with,” Rodney adds, hipchecking Gayle who almost stumbles into the wall.
Instead of going into the arcade, we go forward into the pub slash dining area. We all head to the bar, ordering ourselves something to drink. Most of us get ourselves a glass of beer except for Gayle and Maki.
Gayle has to get on his train and travel back home before his kid gets home from school which means no day drinking for him. Maki is on a strict diet, especially now that the season has started again.
“What is that?” I ask, nodding at Maki’s drink.
“She said it was a ‘mocktail’,” he says, complete with little air quotes with his fingers. “It tastes like a fancy smoothie. I like it.”
“Why does it come with a little umbrella?”
Maki picks it up, turning it every which way before finally shrugging. “I have no idea. This wouldn’t help if it were raining.”
“What game should we try first?” Kei asks, wrapping his free hand around my waist. My stomach swoops at the sensation, at the visual representation of being claimed by Kei. There’s no question about it, we’re here together.
Normally, something like that would make my hackles rise. I don’t like being claimed. I’m an independent person. I don’t like the idea of someone having power over me.
Right now, it doesn’t feel like that. It doesn’t feel like Kei is trying to chase other people away from me. It feels like he just craves being close.
I don’t seem to mind that.
“How are you at pop-a-shot?”
“Terrible.”
“Perfect. Let’s start there.”
We go to a kiosk, getting a card filled with credits we can use on all the arcade games. Then we head over to the pop-a-shot area. I’m not the best but that’s okay, so long as I’m better than Kei.
There are little drink slots for our drinks on the side of the machine and out of the way. They really thought of everything for this place, didn’t they?
I lean my hip against the side, looking at Kei. I let my eyes wander up and down his body, biting my bottom lip.
“Jesus,” he hisses out, looking around. When he sees we’re pretty secluded from anyone else, Kei murmurs, “stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you wanna bend me over this machine and have your way with me.”
“But that’s exactly what I want,” I tell him with a shrug. “I was thinking, let’s make this game more interesting. Winner gets a blowjob when we go back to my place tonight.”
Kei runs a hand through his hair, looking away. The tips of his ears are pink. When his eyes meet mine again, there’s a steeliness to them. He’s determined to say something so I wait, listening.
“Usually, I would say yes to that in a heartbeat,” he says softly, taking a step closer. Everything else around us fades away.
“What’s stopping you?”
“I want this to be different,” Kei confesses softly. “Normally, I sleep with someone and then never see them again. I want our relationship to be different than that.”
“Okay,” I say slowly, staring into Kei’s eyes. “So you don’t want to sleep with me again?”
“No, that’s not it. I do. I really, really want to,” he says, grabbing my wrist and holding on tight. His thumb runs over my pulse point. “I want to take things a little slower. I want us to fuck emotionally before we fuck physically again.”
I can’t help but burst out into laughter. “Did you just say ‘fuck emotionally’? Really?”
“Fuck off, Shiloh! I’m being vulnerable here!”
“Oh my gods. You’re kind of adorable, you know that? Fuck.”
“I am going to leave you here,” Kei says through clenched teeth, turning around like he’s about to walk away. Too bad he’s holding my hand right now. I yank him back.
“You’re not going anywhere,” I say, still grinning. Then I lean up and steal a quick kiss. “Fine, we’ll do this your way. We’ll go nice and slow before we experience coitus together once more.”
Kei wrinkles his nose. “Don’t ever call it that again.”
“Sexual intercourse.”
“Nope. Stop it.”
“Making love,” I say in a sing-songy voice.
“You’re dead to me.”
I steal the card from his hand, swiping it on the machine and starting a match. Balls roll down the ramp towards us. I pick up the first one, tossing it up towards the hoop and scoring. I can hear Kei cursing beside me and I can’t help but chuckle, my chest blooming with warmth.
When was the last time I felt like this? When was the last time I felt so free with another person? I’m having fun. Genuine, certified fun. I’ve laughed so much today with Kei and everyone else.
Maybe dating doesn’t have to be this serious thing. Maybe I’m allowed to keep being myself, just alongside Kei instead of alone. Maybe it’s not as scary as I thought it would be.
It feels like this whole time, I’ve been holding my breath and at this moment, I’m finally allowed to exhale.
“Ha,” I call out, scoring again. “You suck at this, Kei.”
“You suck. Full stop.”
“Are you complaining about that? Thought you’d love a boyfriend who sucks.”
“Shut up,” he hisses out, jamming his elbow into my side, making my next shot go sideways off the hoop.
“You asshole!” I try to stomp on his foot but almost slip and fall. He starts laughing and before I know it, the timer is buzzing, letting us know the game is over. Somehow, we end up tying.
“This thing is rigged,” Kei says with the most adorable pout I’ve ever seen on a grown man. Gods, I sound so cringe.
“Keep telling yourself that,” I say, patting his shoulder.
We go around the room, playing a few games against each other. Near the center of the arcade is a table set up for beer pong. Maki and Rin are already there so we decide to play together.
Maki and I decide to team up against our boyfriends.
Shit.
Right.
When did I start calling Kei my boyfriend in my own head? Hello? We’re dating but he’s not my boyfriend.
Right?
“Ready?” Maki asks, handing me a plastic ball.
“Thanks,” I say softly, doing my best to shake whatever inner panic is trying to take hold of my chest. I pick up the ball and toss it, landing it in a cup.
“Nice shot,” Maki murmurs, tossing his own ball and making it in. “I have a question for you.”
“Let’s hear it,” I say, thankful for the distraction. If I focus on Maki, then I don’t have to think about Kei who’s looking at me with such soft brown eyes from across the table. Makes me wanna poke his eyes or something.
“How did you win that first laser tag game? There is no possible way you could have gotten that many kills. I can’t figure it out.”
“Oh,” I breathe out, grinning up at Maki. “That’s easy.”
Maki looks down at me, waiting.
“I cheated.”
Rin points at me. “I fucking knew it!”
“What about the integrity of the game?” Maki asks.
Now it’s Kei’s turn to point. “That’s what I said!”
“What integrity? You’re just jealous you didn’t think of a plan like me! If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying hard enough.”
Maki sputters. “How can you say that? You are a certified official referee, Shiloh.”
“I’m not on the clock right now,” I say with a shrug. I look across the table, gesturing at Kei and Rin. “Are you going to toss?”
“I don’t know if I should be playing with a cheater,” Rin says, his eyes glaring in my direction.
Just then, Rodney and Gayle wander over, looking between all of us. “What’s going on?”
“This cheater cheated!” Rin declares, pointing at me.
“At beer pong? How?” Rodney asks, looking interested.
“No, not now,” Rin says, waving his hands even more dramatically. “At the laser tag game! He admitted he cheated!”
“Obviously,” Gayle says, crossing his arms over his chest. “Clearly he and Kei shot each other outside their castle. I think it’s kinda funny.”
“Thank you,” I say, grabbing Gayle’s shoulder and shaking him. “At least one person is on my side. Plus,” I add, turning back towards Maki. “We never said that we couldn’t shoot our own teammate.”
Maki’s brows wrinkle for a moment before he finally nods. “I can see your point. If we ever play again, that rule will have to be made clear.”
“You think you’ll come back?”
Kei and Rin finally take their turn. They both miss. Maki and I pick up the balls for our turn.
“I think I will tell Daniel and Oli that this would be a good place for our next team night out. They like to do monthly outings together. They say it’s good for bringing the team closer together.”
“Huh,” I murmur to myself. “That sounds fun. It’s probably why you guys are so close compared to other teams.”
“Indeed,” he says, throwing his ball and scoring again. I toss my own ball, watching it sink into the middle cup.
Kei grumbles, moving the remaining cups so they’re all squished together. Maki winks over at Rin whose cheeks turn pink. Interesting. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have some sort of silly bet going.
“Damn,” Rodney murmurs, watching the game. “You guys suck ass.”
I snort into my beer, grinning over the rim over at Kei.
“Shut the fuck up, Rodney. Nobody asked you,” Kei says, reaching over and pinching his friend.
“I wouldn’t have to make shitty commentary if you or Rin could score once. At this rate, they’re gonna skunk you.”
“Skunk your ass,” Kei says, tossing the ball. It hits the rim and flies off the side. I chuckle, grabbing the ball and waiting for Rin’s toss. He also misses.
“Damn,” I murmur softly. “This is getting kinda sad.” I sink another shot.
“I was going to offer some sort of bet but it’s pretty obvious who’s gonna win,” Gayle says to Rodney.
“We could bet on how many cups they actually hit,” Rodney says back.
“I think they’ll be lucky to get one or two by the time they get the last of their cups.”
Kei growls. “You know we can hear you, right?”
Rodney looks at him. “Very aware,” he says before turning back to Gayle, ignoring Kei. “I’ll take that bet. They’ll get one cup while team athletic gets all ten.”
“I’m betting they’ll get three,” Gayle says, shaking Rodney’s hand.
“This almost makes me want to go easy on them,” I say before looking at Maki and grinning. “Almost.”
We continue to play, tossing smack talk back and forth. To no one’s surprise, Maki and I end up winning by a landslide. They manage to get two cups so neither Gayle nor Rodney win the bet, they don’t seem to mind though.
When all our credits are gone, we sit down in the dining area and share a pizza. Before long, it’s time to go, especially because Gayle needs to hurry back home. He’s got an hour long train ride and he’s cutting it pretty close.
We drop Gayle off at the train station first, then head over to my apartment. Kei parks the car, grabs a bag from the back and then leads me to the alleyway where my door is.
Once inside the little landing at the bottom of the stairs, I turn and look at Kei. I still can’t believe how well today went. When I think of dates, I think of stuffy clothes, awkward restaurants, stilted conversation. This couldn’t have been further from that.
“Here,” Kei says out of nowhere, shoving that plastic bag into my hands. His cheeks turn pink and he looks anywhere but at me. “These are yours.”
“Thanks?” I say, not even trying to disguise the confusion I’m feeling. I click my tongue ring against the back of my teeth.
“Thanks for letting me borrow them,” Kei says in a rush before adding. “I didn’t wash them.”
“Oh,” I say to myself. Kei looks away and that’s when it hits me. “Oh. You motherfucker,” I say, unable to keep the smile off my face.
“Consider it a courting gift.”
“I hate you,” I say, grabbing the front of his shirt and shoving him against the wall. I crowd against him, running my nose over his jaw, breathing him in. Gods, he smells so fucking good, that warm, buttery bread scent sinking into my skin.
“You don’t,” he says, his voice shaky.
“I kinda do. You sit here, acting all chivalrous and wanting to abstain from sex for a while so we can take things slow but then you give me the clothes you used during your rut. You know I’m gonna jerk off to this, right?”
Kei finally snaps out of his stupor. He shoves me until my back hits the opposite wall. His mouth touches my ear lobe. “Yeah,” he says, making a shiver run down my spine. “Think about me and my rut while you pop your knot with my scent in your nose. That’s exactly what I want.”
I toss my head back and whimper, my cock filling with blood at Kei’s words.
“Fuck you,” I say through gritted teeth. “You fucking tease.”
“Waiting will make our next time even better.”
“It better or my teeth are ending up in your throat.”
Kei chuckles. “Promises, promises.”
Instead of responding, I pull Kei into a kiss. One hand finds his hair, the other grips the bag so tightly I might actually rip a hole in it. Not that I care right now. Right now, all I can focus on is the taste of Kei against my tongue and the feel of our lips pressed together.
We fit. We fit so perfectly it makes my head spin.
When we pull back, we’re both breathing heavily, our eyes wide. I take a step towards the stairs, putting some distance between our bodies. I need my head to clear before I end up on my knees right here in the hallway.
“Thanks for today,” I manage to say. “I had a really fun time,” I tell him honestly. More fun than I thought possible.
“Me too,” Kei says, though his words come out stuttered. Adorable.
“Bye,” I force myself to say before turning around and running up the steps.
I close the door behind me, my brain still floating in the clouds.
I take a moment just to breathe before I pull out my phone and send a message to Aspen, telling him that he was right.
I hate being wrong but in this one case, I think it’s okay.
I open the bag, sticking my nose inside and breathing in. I sink to my knees, whimpering in the most pathetic way.
“Fucking hell,” I whisper to myself. Kei’s scent is already perfect but threaded with his rut? Oh my fucking gods. My mouth waters, my head swims, my cock is suddenly rock hard and throbbing.
As much as I’m mad about his whole ‘let’s take things slow’ thing now that I’ve gotten a whiff of his rut scent, I don’t think I’m actually upset by it. I want things with Kei to be different. I want us to continue dating. I want to find it in myself to be comfortable calling him my boyfriend.
Even so, I know what I’ll be doing the rest of the night.