Chapter Four
IT WAS later that evening, and Aaron had texted:
Can I take you out tonight? 7ish? Send me your address.
Which Daniel had done in an itchy six seconds. The thing about going on a date with the foxiest person one had ever seen in real life (and their Alejandro fantasy life) was that it was nerve-racking to the point where he had to hang his biggest quandary, Madeline’s proposal, on the refrigerator to be dealt with another day.
Expecting a calm head as the hour approached sevenish was overly ambitious, but did he have to feel like such a squirrel on stimulants as he glared at the front door? Demanding that it sound in a knock already? If only he could be more like Aaron with his ultra-suaveness. With his Hey, break up with your boyfriend, why don’t cha? That’d be swell.
But he wasn’t an Aaron. He was a Daniel, a rodent with a meth problem, and if that fucking door didn’t make a fucking knocking noise soon, he was going to die all over the place. The authorities would find his body in about a month or two. Boy perishes from having to wait a few minutes. No, he was not just being dramatic. More at eleven.
A sudden knock. He gasped and swung the door open, and there stood Aaron, flashing an unfairly kissable smile.
“Hi,” Aaron said. Oh what grand timing that a choir of angels crooned somewhere in the distance.
Daniel leaned on the doorknob, a little swoony that he was really here, filling that shirt with all those muscles. It was obscene how many muscle groups looked like they’d been prioritized in whatever workout regimen he must’ve religiously followed, all well-defined and bulging to life as if to say, What do you mean, can we bench press your body? Of course we can. Don’t make us laugh.
“Your front door is orange,” Aaron said, pointing a thumb at it. “Interesting color choice. Was it like that when you moved in? ”
“Mm-hmm, you smell so good.” Someday, he’d be a better conversationalist. For now, it appeared he’d just blurt whatever was on his mind. “Won’t you come in?”
Aaron’s grin tilted in amusement as he stepped inside. “Daniel Greene,” he said, taking Daniel’s hand and lifting it overhead to twirl him in a little circle. “You look remarkable. Are you ready?”
God yes. Take me. “Ready for what?”
“It’s a surprise.” Aaron twirled him a second time, making him giggle. “Do you like those?”
“Do I like the feeling of complete darkness, having zero control over what’s happening?” He mustered excitement for his face as he twirled for his third time. “ So much.”
“Campy little thing,” Aaron chuckled, continuing to spin him. “This doesn’t make you dizzy?”
“Nope. Used to it.” Daniel freed himself to complete a triple turn, landing in a graceful révérence bow. “I have about twenty in me before I start to get dizzy.”
Aaron’s eyes widened. “What? That’s so—do it again.”
He obliged, spinning thrice, landing in a deeper bow.
“Is that ballet?” Aaron asked. He almost looked shocked. “You do ballet? Like, just for fun? Or in some professional capacity?”
It was unfortunate that the first sensation to rush through him was embarrassment, but he couldn’t help it when Robert Greene’s voice was so damn loud— get a real hobby, get a real degree, for the love of God, please get a real job.
“Yeah,” he said, chewing the inside of his cheek. “I, um, teach dance for a living.”
“That’s incredible.”
He zipped his gaze up to Aaron’s.
“Really, really incredible to be doing something you love,” Aaron said, shaking his head like he was awestruck. “Assuming you love it.”
“I do love it.” He stood a little taller. “I’ve never loved anything more.”
“Sheesh, it makes sense.” Aaron’s brow furrowed. “I should’ve known.”
“What makes sense?”
“The way you move, sweetheart.” Aaron’s icy blue gaze softened or intensified. Or both. “It’s dazzling. ”
Daniel cupped his hands over his mouth, frozen mid rhapsody.
When a few moments passed and he still hadn’t spoken, Aaron rolled his lips and said, “Okay, you ready?”
“No.” He sighed, dramatically fanning himself. “You can’t say things like that to me if you want me to function like an adult human, but I see it’s killing you, so go ahead and say it. Just one more time, though.”
A smirk teased Aaron’s lips. “Call you dazzling one more time?”
“God,” Daniel moaned, generously bending his knees as he wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead. He wafted his shirt on his way to the closet. “Let me get a jacket. I need to cover up some of this dazzle. I don’t want to stop traffic—”
Then Aaron did that thing. That archetypal breadwinning-spouse thing where he took Daniel’s jacket from him and held it up. Daniel worked his arms through in slow motion as he gazed up all doe-eyed at Aaron’s archetypal-breadwinning-spouse profile.
Aaron also then proceeded to lead him to his car by the small of his back, where he held the door open—because of course he did—to a sleek little glossy black number. Not that Daniel was a car person. His manual-windowed sedan, which he’d regally nicknamed Turdingston IV , just got a fresh coat of duct tape for the bumper.
But this car… this was the type of car around which one might struggle to stay fully clothed.
“Goodness, mister.” Daniel itched to touch all the shiny buttons. “I’ve never been inside a more beautiful car.”
“No?” Aaron winked, starting the engine. “Well, you look good sitting there.”
“Duh, that’s my thing. Everyone knows that’s my thing.” Daniel leaned back in the seat and grinned. “I pride myself on looking cute in other people’s vehicles.”
Aaron chuckled as he pulled from the street and into traffic. “You should pride yourself on the way you kiss.”
Daniel sucked in a quick breath. The kiss. The kiss, the kiss. It’d consumed his thoughts, his prayers, and his text message trail with Olivia, but Aaron didn’t need to know that, so he waved a blasé hand about. “Wait, so remind me which one you were again? It’s just, I kissed a lot of guys in the bathroom at that party. ”
“Oh, I kissed so many guys in the bathroom,” said Aaron, mocking Daniel’s voice. “When was that? Last night? I cannot possibly remember. It was just soooo many.”
Daniel pursed his lips to keep from smiling at that impression, which was alarmingly accurate.
“If it helps to narrow it down,” Aaron said, back in his own husky voice, as he raised a naturally arched eyebrow, “I was the one you would’ve let take it a lot further than a kiss.”
How utterly true. “How utterly presumptuous.”
“Sure, Daniel Greene.”
“Sure, Aaron—uh. Aaron…?”
“Silva.”
“Ooh, Sil-vah .” Daniel winced. “That’s gorgeous. Like silver , but vahh .”
“I guess?”
Daniel Silva. Daniel Alexander Silva—
“Think it’d sound good with your name in front?”
Daniel choked on a cough.
“Kidding.” Aaron laughed, holding a hand up. “Kidding. I promise I’m not crazy. That’d be pretty scary.”
“Right!” Daniel loudly cleared his throat. Speaking of kisses, he should probably address the other one. The British one. The pesky Yellow Jacket that someone needed to shoo. “So, speaking of the party, Mr. Silva. I believe you were the one who kissed more than one person.”
Aaron tipped his chin at another driver, who went out of her way to let him cut in front, because mountains moved when he wanted them to. “Isn’t that what parties are for?”
“Well.” Daniel blinked. He was suddenly flooded with the memories of that one party where he kissed two separate fraternity brothers, both named Jordie. “I guess so, yeah. Unless you’re with someone, of course. You’re not with him or anything… right?”
Aaron winced as he sped through a yellow light, then chuckled. “Who?”
“The other guy you kissed at the party.” Obviously. “The British one.”
“Ahh. Corey.”
“Okay, Corey. So is this someone you’re dating? Seeing?” He chewed his lip. “Very serious about?”
Aaron’s startled eyes zipped to his. “Am I dating Corey? ”
Daniel squinted. This conversation seemed disorderly.
“No. No, I’m not dating Cor—” He couldn’t even get through that sentence without laughing. “Holy shit, no. Can you imagine? Wow, that’s funny.”
“Yeah, hilarious!” Daniel forced a laugh, then quickly swallowed. “So, then. A friend?”
“A friend? Let’s see.” Aaron pulled into an empty spot on the street corner next to a brick building with the word Nekt?r printed on the windows. He slid the car into Park and rubbed his lips as he gazed at the dashboard. “Professionally, I’ve known Corey four or five years now, and yeah, I might call him a friend even if he is a pain in my ass. But I’m not dating anyone, sweetheart.” Blue ice flashed tenderly, full-hearted. “Actually, this is the first real date I’ve had in a long time.”
Daniel slowly nodded his understanding. As someone who’d blurred his fair share of boundaries in the past—usually to the detriment of the friendship or, that one time, his Uber rating when he never called the guy back—it wasn’t like he had much room to judge.
“Plus”—Aaron grinned as he fixed his gaze on his lips—“Corey’s not really my type.”
Daniel got all smiley and flustered. If he had longer hair, he’d have twirled it around his finger. “What’s your type, mister? I can’t wait to hear. Is it someone who dazzles ?”
“Redheads.”
Daniel frowned.
Aaron chuckled as his pink tongue slid between his pretty teeth. “Joking. I mean, I do like redheads, but you know what I prefer? Ballet dancers.” His pink tongue then wet his lips, and oh, who could stay mad? “Sweet, funny, sexy little ballet dancers.”
Daniel batted his lashes. “Who dazzle?”
Aaron nodded and crinkled his nose as he began to lean in. “Who fucking dazzle.”
Oh hell yes, this was happening. This was happening so hard as Daniel parted his lips, hooded his eyes, and prepared to be kissed—to be taken , actually. Like a willing fucking casualty. Just like at the party.
Aaron leaned in until their lips grazed and whispered into his mouth, “I just need to grab my wallet.”
Daniel’s whimpering protest squeaked like a dog toy as Aaron fished his wallet from his seat back .
“I think you would’ve let me take it further than a kiss.” Aaron’s nose nuzzled his. “But isn’t it kind of fun to wait?”
Daniel vigorously shook his head. “Yes, of course.”
Aaron chuckled and flung his car door open. “Come on. Don’t want to be late.”
As he popped from the car, Daniel stuck his tongue out at the back of Aaron’s head, because he was a grown-up. “So this is the surprise? What is this place?”
“Oh, you’ve never been here?” Aaron almost looked mischievous as he held the door open. “I’m in utter disbelief.”
“Welcome!” said a woman’s bubbly voice as they stepped inside, and judging by the walls of cocktail glasses, tinctures, and stainless-steel gadgets, it became very clear what kind of establishment this was. “I’m Kara. Are you perhaps Aaron? The one who booked the private bartending class?”
Daniel blurted out a laugh.
“Yes, and this is Daniel.” Aaron shook her hand. “He has a specialty cocktail he’d love for you to taste, just to get your professional opinion.”
“Oh, how lovely,” Kara said, her eyes brightening even more. She dripped with baubles. The canary-yellow ribbon in her ponytail matched her drop earrings. “I’d be honored to offer feedback. What’s the flavor profile?”
“Yeah, Daniel.” Aaron rubbed his chin as he twisted to him, a ridiculous smirk on his lips. “What’s the flavor profile?”
“The profile?” Daniel sucked his teeth. “Pudgy. With kind of a longish nose.”
Kara’s smile faltered a bit, but she recovered. “Interesting. What kind of spirits does it take?”
“Oh, I think when making any drink, it’s important to use real alcohol. And cocaine.”
Kara’s head twitched to the side.
“Mm-hmm, and what do you call it again?” Aaron asked.
“Oh, it has a name? What’s the name?” Kara asked, perking up again. “Is it perhaps a twist on a classic, or—?”
“Don’t ask questions.”
Aaron burst into chuckles .
Kara zipped her gaze between them but, to her credit, didn’t let it stymie her pep. She twisted an imaginary key near her lips. “Secret recipe—got it. Okay, well, follow me to the back and we’ll get started.”
Daniel clasped his arms behind his back and trailed after her with Aaron behind him. Midstep, he spun around. “I see you think you’re so hilarious—”
Aaron’s gaze bounced up from his ass. He suddenly looked a tad startled. Or busted? More importantly, he looked hungry.
Maybe they weren’t just fluffy words. Maybe Aaron really was a bit enamored by the way Daniel moved. For the love of offering a tiny feast for this delicious man’s eyes, he could lean into it. If there was anything he did well, it was fucking move .
He skated his fingertips over his collarbone and exposed his neck as he slinked backward, holding Aaron’s gaze, parading his body’s seasoned grace.
Aaron rewarded him with a deep breath and a subtle nod as he followed behind on an invisible leash, eyes skidding down Daniel’s silhouette. They arrived at the workstation where Kara was relaying something about a jigger, but their hushed world didn’t concern cocktail lingo.
Chills pebbled Daniel’s shoulder when Aaron brushed it with his as he stepped by, leaning down to whisper in his ear, a smile underscoring the single word: “Dazzling.”
AARON MASSAGED his cheeks. His face hurt from laughing at full force for the past hour. It was the kind of nonstop laughter that felt so genuinely rare at almost twenty-eight. Like he and Daniel were two kids at a sleepover and not grown adults at a cocktail class, while their instructor also lost her composure to laughter.
“I’m not going to say it,” Daniel said, pointing a finger at Kara and then him. “I’m not! You two are filthy. Filthy .”
It was a gin fizz, and Daniel had surely maxed out all the lewd comments any one person could make about whipped egg whites. He was the kid at the sleepover orchestrating the dares. The class-clown type of kid.
“Hey, Aaron.” Daniel spooned the last of the egg whites onto his drink. “If this accidentally gets on the wall, would it be called a wal nut ? ”
Aaron covered Daniel’s mouth with his hand while Kara chuckled. “I’m sorry, Kara. I’ll make it up to you. I’m a really generous tipper.”
“Ooh, what do we think, Kara?” Daniel said, pushing at Aaron’s arms, doing his best to wiggle free from his grip. “Do we think he’ll be generous with more than just the tip—?”
Aaron spun Daniel around and sealed a hand over his mouth from behind as poor Kara’s face stayed scrunched and pinkened in laughter. “I’ll give you two a minute,” she cooed, patting under her eyes as she retreated toward the front of the store. “Enjoy your ‘baby batter,’ Daniel.”
Daniel twisted back over his shoulder, his big, melty, caramel-colored eyes flashing up. He winked as he said, muffled against Aaron’s palm, “Delicious.”
Breathe. He slowly dropped his hand and couldn’t keep his gaze from trickling to Daniel’s lips. They were always a touch rouged, but just the light pressure from his hand had stained them deeper. It was the contrast of red flesh against his creamy skin that made them look swollen, but they weren’t swollen. They just had that look. Pouty. Puffy. Sexy. He’d be curious to see how they looked after a bit more impact .
“Do you want me to make you anything else?” Daniel asked, waving a hand over the littered table. “Gin and tonic? Vodka and tonic? Bourbon and… tonic?”
“You almost had it there.”
“How about an extra dry daiquiri?”
“And by daiquiri, you mean martini.”
“Yes, I’ll make you that. That seems fitting for you.”
“Why’s that?” Aaron leaned over the counter and watched Daniel pour what were definitely not the ingredients for an extra dry martini into a cocktail shaker. “Why’s it seem fitting?”
“Fancy man with the flashy car.” Daniel shrugged and added some random lime juice as if he’d learned nothing. “With the flashy job .”
God, there was a topic that could die before it was born. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t be willing to talk about it eventually, but it wasn’t the only interesting thing about him. It didn’t define who he was, like guys wanted to act like it did. He’d watch their eyes sparkle in curiosity as he answered the same questions over and over, driving one of two outcomes: They’d run for the hills. Or they’d urgently want to screw him.
Either way, he was left with the same ending. Adding one more number to his body count had lost its charm a long time ago .
“I wouldn’t call it flashy.”
“Your car?” Daniel asked, adding a little hip bump to his cocktail shaking. “Or your job?”
“Oh, I know my car’s flashy.” He grinned as Daniel twirled around, shimmying the shaker like a maraca. “But I don’t love talking about my job. Unless there’s something you’re dying to know, I’d rather not talk about it, if that’s okay?”
Daniel stopped shaking to shoot him a curious look. “Is it that stressful?”
“No,” he answered without thinking about it. Then he lent it some consideration and corrected, “I guess it can be. Depends on the client.” Then he lent it even further consideration and settled on “Honestly, I think I might hate it. But I’m stuck.”
“ Hate it?” Daniel pouted his bottom lip. “Oh no. Why?”
“Err—no.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Yes. I don’t know. I’d rather not spend our time talking about it.”
“Sure. Well, how about this? If you could do anything on the planet, what would you do?”
He didn’t need to think about it. “Interior design.”
Daniel’s face lit up. “Shut the French whore!”
“That’s not an expression.”
“Oh, I bet you’d be incredible at that. Yes, Aaron. Yes . You should go for it. You should one hundred and twelve percent go for it. You already have the look. Now you just need the… wallpaper? What do interior designers need to, uh, design interiors?”
He chuckled. “A degree.”
“Then you’ll get that. Easy peasy. Here, we’ll toast to celebrate.” Daniel plucked two port wine glasses from the wine rack because “Oh look, how cute” and poured whatever he’d made into them. It looked similar to a margarita, minus the vodka and the peach schnapps and whatever else he’d splashed in on a whim. “Cheers. To having dreams.”
Aaron couldn’t help but grin. Grin and melt. It was na?ve to assume it’d be “easy peasy” with the years it’d take to get established and the massive hit to his savings account, but he’d have a tough time arguing with this kid, who did exactly what he loved for a living. “Cheers.”
Daniel sipped the drink. “Oh God,” he mumbled as he spat it back into the glass .
“That good?”
“Mm-hmm, so good, but hand me yours. The recipe might need some tweaking.”
Aaron gladly handed the glass over. “You are adorable.”
“Oh, just adorable?” Daniel asked, dumping the drinks in the sink.
“Dazzling.”
Daniel winked as he grabbed his gin fizz. “There we go.”
“Did you have fun?”
“So much fun.” Daniel grinned as he shrugged one delicate shoulder. “How would you like to come back to my place, mister? Keep the fun going.”
And there it was. He couldn’t help his smile from fading a bit. Did he want to go back to his place and keep the fun going? Of course he did. He wasn’t a lunatic. He’d have Daniel’s tight little body trembling in seconds, and he’d keep it trembling until some shaky, broken version of his voice begged for mercy.
Then he’d make it tremble some more.
Not to say that Daniel was the type of person to sleep with him and disappear, but usually, when guys said, Do you want to come back to my place? Keep the fun going? they meant, Do you mind if I try you out? Come on, I’ve never been with someone like you. It’s just sex. You’re used to it. He was a novelty—a piece of equipment that didn’t serve much purpose outside the bedroom. He wasn’t the guy someone like Daniel typically settled down with.
“Or—and hear me out—the back seat of your car.” Daniel waggled his eyebrows, then blinked hard like he was orienting himself. “Huh. Yeah, I wonder if I’m not a little tipsy. I’m not usually that forward. Unless you’re into it. Then I meant to say that.”
He swallowed. “I’d like to take things a little slower than that.”
Daniel nodded in understanding. “Like we leisurely walk to the back seat of your car.”
“Okay, so I’m glad we’re having this conversation. Here, sit. Uh.” While Aaron was twisting around in search of a chair, Daniel hopped onto the counter and sat with his legs crossed, somehow without spilling his drink. Nimble little fellow. “That’ll do. I’m going to start by saying I haven’t had the best luck with relationships in the past. I think my issues are because I’ve not been upfront with my needs. ”
“Oh?” Daniel arched an eyebrow, swinging his legs in kicks. “He says with an air of mystery. Well, do tell. What are your needs , sir?”
Here went nothing. “I don’t want a hookup, or a friend with benefits, or a one-night anything. I want way more than that. I want a genuine connection with someone, so I’d like to take the intimacy part a lot slower. I’d like to get to know you first.”
Daniel’s legs stilled as his head slowly cocked to the side. “But you… in the bathroom at the party?”
“I know. I know I came on strong, but in my defense, I had to do something. You were being stubborn about giving me your number.”
“Stubborn? You know it took less than five minutes for me to decide to break up with a whole-ass person and make out with you.” Daniel circled a hand over Aaron’s face. “I wonder in what other ways looking like this has misshaped your worldview.”
“Lots of guys play hard to get. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Five minutes. Maybe four.”
“But anyway, I’m telling you this because I don’t want to pressure you.” He captured Daniel’s hand and held it. “If you’re looking for something more casual, that’s fine, but you should tell me. Because I know what I want, and I want long-term. I want a real relationship.”
Daniel blinked. “Did you just use the words long-term and relationship in the same sentence?”
“I did.”
“Oh my God, stop. Just stop.” Daniel huffed an exhale as he employed Aaron’s hand to fan himself. “This is too much. I don’t think I’m going to make it.”
Aaron rolled his eyes but couldn’t stifle his smile as he fanned Daniel with both hands.
“I’m a bit dizzy, but keep going. What else? Do you want to go to the farmer’s market together?”
Aaron pursed his lips. “I’m afraid to say it, but yeah, that’d be nice. That’s where I buy soap, and stuff to make quiches. It’d be great to have a companion.”
Daniel moaned as he slung an arm across his forehead. “Long-term relationship and he makes quiches. I swear to everything holy, if you mention anything about browsing paint swatches for a DIY home project, I might implode. ”
Aaron chuckled as he swabbed a hand over his face, but when he met Daniel’s gaze, it was sincere. Smirking, likely because he knew how over-the-top he was, but sincere.
“I’m looking for the same things.” Daniel nodded, his half-smile kind and present. “I want more . I want long-term and a real relationship. It’s nice to know I’m not alone.”
Aaron’s heart had the nerve to wave at him from the sidelines as if to say, Is this me? Is it my turn? Can you put me in, Coach? While it was way too soon to put his most irrational organ on the playing field, his smile still shaped all on its own. This was maybe… hopeful. “That’s refreshing. You’re refreshing. You’re, I don’t know, secure in yourself. Secure and confident.”
Daniel’s eyes widened. “Secure and confident?”
“Yeah, you don’t think so?”
“Oh, Aaron.” Daniel stroked his hand. “I’ve been called a lot of things—dramatic, ridiculous, dazzling —but never secure and confident. You go ahead and think that. Sounds better than neurotic and riddled with daddy issues.”
Aaron’s chuckle transformed into a hum as he nodded.
“We can take it slowly. Then, whenever you decide you’re ready, we can go to the farmer’s market, if you know what I mean.” He winked as he whispered loudly, “Go to the farmer’s market .”
“Yeah, I got it. Come on, sweetheart.” He held Daniel’s hand as he hopped from the counter. “I take it you’re not a big drinker. Let’s get your tipsy ass home.”
“Am I tipsy? I’m trying to decide—oh, Kara! There you are.” Daniel skipped to the front. “Put your number in my phone. We’re going out dancing—don’t argue with me. You can bring your man, or whoever, and I’ll bring this hunk of meat—I know, isn’t he gorgeous? I’m sorry I didn’t learn anything, but I’m sometimes really bad at listening. I think I might talk too much. Anyway. Wait, what was I saying?”
AFTER THE car ride home, the buzz from the evening had begun to wear thin, and Daniel realized something interesting. At the risk of humble bragging, he’d never before been turned down for sex.
He’d been turned down for walks in the park, road trips to the beach, and requests for minimal emotional commitment, but never sex. Was he not as hilarious, or smart, or fun as he thought he was? Heavens. Was he not as cute ? No. They’d sailed right past second base in a random bathroom at a party. Surely he was cute. Right?
He shuffled his feet where he stood on his front porch, toying with his keys. “Are you sure you don’t want to come inside? I have wine. I don’t know how old it is, and I hate to admit, it’s in a box. But do you want to come in for a bit?”
“I should be heading home.” Aaron’s smile was all full of grace, like the damn Virgin Mary. “Thank you for the offer.”
“Are you not that into me?” Daniel licked the corner of his mouth. “Is that it? Because you can tell me—”
“That’s laughable.” Aaron chuckled and stretched his jaw. “Please don’t make me laugh anymore. My face hurts from doing it all night.”
Daniel pointed a thumb back at his door. “So, you’re into me, but I’m going inside there, and you’re going home, and we are not going to the farmer’s market tonight.”
“That’s right.”
“Like a couple of normal people living in the same year, and one of them is not a time traveler from the 1800s?”
“One of them is definitely not a time traveler. Just someone who wants to take it slowly.”
“Okay,” Daniel sighed as he crossed his arms. “Okay, I can allow it. Under one condition.”
Aaron’s eyebrows knitted together. “ Allow me to leave? You’re tiny. I’m not sure what you think you’re gonna do—”
“And here it is: you have to be telling the truth. The reason you don’t want to come inside is because you’re charmingly old-fashioned. Not because you don’t find me—oh, what’s the word I’m searching for?” He snapped his fingers a few times. “Ahh. Dazzling.”
Aaron’s mouth twitched.
“In fact, I wonder if you shouldn’t go ahead and tell me I’m dazzling,” Daniel struggled to keep a straight face as he scratched the back of his head. “Just to make sure we’re on the same page.”
Aaron snaked an arm around his waist and yanked his body flush, making him whimper all over the place. His words were all breathy and hinted in tart lemony fizz as he said, “You’re dazzling, sweetheart. ”
Daniel ached a little at the points where he pressed flush against Aaron’s body. His hips. His lower belly—flush. Flush and tight. Like he could just fuse into him.
“So dazzling that you’re genuinely precious.”
Swoon.
“And I want to take things slowly because I’m excited about you. You and your dazzling preciousness.”
Daniel melted. He swooned again, then totally melted. His voice was a strained mess as he said, “Kiss me. You should kiss me like you did at the party.”
Aaron’s gaze dipped to his mouth. “How did I kiss you at the party?”
“Like you owned the room.” Daniel pressed up to his toes and threaded his arms around Aaron’s shoulders. “Like you owned the air you walked on. Like you owned me .”
Aaron didn’t hesitate. He crashed into him in the most thrilling way. Not delicate, because who had time for that shit, but needy with the way he clawed the skin on Daniel’s back and pressed their lips together, moaning in these sexy little bursts like he was loving it too.
Loving the ownership.
“You’d feel so good,” Daniel whispered into his mouth between rough kisses, “buried deep inside of me.”
“Gah.” Aaron jerked away, adjusting his pants. He half chuckled, half winced as his face contorted in pain. “That is not nice. You’re not nice.”
“Me? No.” Daniel held an innocent hand over his innocent heart. “I’m precious .”
“I have to leave.” Aaron grinned as he pointed a stern finger at him, trudging backward toward his car like he was afraid to turn his back on him. “I’m leaving right now.”
“Oh, does the portal to the 1800s close soon?”
“Shut up and answer your phone when I call you tomorrow. We’re dating now.”
“Yes, sir, Father Celibacy. You know how they say not all heroes wear capes? Well, not all saints wear robes.”
“Goddammit,” Aaron chuckled. He looked like he didn’t quite know what to do with his face, so he settled on a tight-lipped smirk. “I like you. I like you, Daniel Greene. ”
Daniel tried to stay cool, but he wholeheartedly wasn’t, so he covered his eyes with his hands and giggled. After a moment, he regained enough composure to say, “I like you too.”
They shared a sidelong glance that lasted until Aaron vanished inside the shiny black number.
“Mr. Silva.” He leaned against a column and waited for his taillights to disappear. “I like you a lot.”