8. Diego #4
Back in the car, they were both quiet, and the silence was a little bit awkward–Diego blamed himself. He knew he should say something, but he didn’t want to make it worse or fumble the ball. And he didn’t want Wylie to think he was an inexperienced loser.
“You’re pretty good at that,” Wylie said at last, breaking the silence.
“At what? Making things awkward?” Diego asked.
Wylie snorted out a laugh. “That too, but I meant, giving head.”
Well, that was certainly nice to hear, a boost to his confidence at least. “Thanks, it’s been a while.”
“Like, you seemed to really enjoy it,” Wylie said gesturing with his vape to make his point.
“Is that a problem?” Diego asked while wondering where this was going.
“Not at all. It’s just rare to get a blowjob from someone who loves to do it, in my experience.”
Diego didn’t know what he was supposed to say to that. Thank you? You’re welcome?
“Kinda wanted to make out with you though,” Wylie said, sucking on his vape then glancing over to see what Diego might have to say about that.
Diego swallowed, and his tongue felt like it was lodged in his throat. Had he fucked this up already? He searched for something to say. Play it off or be honest? Former him would have made light of the situation in order to avoid getting into his feelings or blown it off entirely.
“Guess I got a little overwhelmed at the end there,” he admitted.
Wylie nodded as if it made sense. “My dick tends to have that effect on men. Leaves ‘em speechless.”
Diego cracked a smile and shook his head. “Yeah, something like that.”
Wylie continued, more serious this time, “I get it, though. You were like a man in the desert, thirsty for some Vitamin D. But for the record, I do like romantic shit too. Kissing, holding hands, cuddling after sex. Not all guys are into that sort of thing, but I am.”
There was a vulnerable note to his voice that Diego wanted to comfort and protect. Wylie was telling him what he wanted—what he needed—from a sexual partner with a transparency that was honestly refreshing.
Diego picked at a loose thread on his chinos, and decided to meet the man halfway.
“I’m into that sort of thing too. I just get in my head about things…
I think,” He paused there and tried to pick apart what had just happened, wanting to get it right.
“I was so reckless in the past that I’m afraid of repeating those same patterns, so whenever something feels exciting or…
passionate, I tend to freak the fuck out. ”
Wylie gave a thoughtful hum and seemed to understand, or pretended to. “I’ve dated men in the past who were…” He chewed on his lower lip. “Frankly, they were dicks, and they didn’t really care about anything beyond getting off.”
That was shitty. If Diego knew someone was treating Wylie that way, he’d tell him to dump their ass. Then he realized what Wylie was hinting at, that he might be the same way.
“I’m not that way,” Diego assured him. “Not on purpose. I do care. That was more about me back there, than you.”
“Sorry if I’m being too direct. It’s something my therapist suggested. Try and get on the same page early on with a guy so that I know what to expect. So I’m not disappointed later.”
Diego really didn’t want to disappoint him, though with his track record, it seemed likely. But he wasn’t going to dwell on past mistakes.
“I like your directness. It’s good for me. It’s best to be chalant,” Diego said, which earned him a smile. Better for him to get his feelings out early, rather than sit and stew on things or overanalyze every interaction or worse, pull away. “It’s good advice too,” Diego added.
“If that’s what you’re looking for, friends with benefits or whatever, I can get behind it,” Wylie was quick to assure him. “We can keep it casual, like I said before.”
The thought of Wylie doing that with someone else sent a rush of jealousy through him so powerful that he had to take a deep, calming breath, which meant this was probably more than a friends-with-benefits thing already.
“No,” Diego said forcefully, the single word reverberating in the quiet cabin of the car.
“No? To which part?”
“I want to…get to know you better,” Diego managed to say, feeling a little foolish but whatever. “I mean, I don’t have a lot to offer, being a broke-ass ex-con and all–”
“Stop right there,” Wylie interrupted. “Don’t be down on yourself. I know who you are. Focus on the positive.”
“Right.” Diego tried to reroute that line of thinking, but it was hard.
When he compared the two of them, Wylie with his promising future and hard work ethic and charismatic personality, Diego felt pretty lacking, but he was selfish enough to entertain Wylie’s interest, so he needed to get over himself already. “What about you?”
“Seriously? I’ve been trying to get with you for, like, two months. Of course I want to date you.”
Crazy as it seemed, it was true. Wylie had been transparent about his interest from the start. Diego still wasn’t sure what he had to offer the man beyond a hot body and a lot of baggage, but he’d do his best not to fuck it up. “Okay,” Diego said cautiously. “So, we’re dating, then?”
Wylie gave him a radiant smile, all teeth. “Hell yeah we are. And for the record, I think you’re really cool. Definitely worth the investment of my time and having awkward conversations like this one.”
Diego nodded, glad that it was settled. Wylie was better at this than him. Feelings weren’t something they discussed in his family, ever. But he could improve on it. He wanted to try. “Yeah, same.”
“And that blow job…” Wylie made the sign of a chef’s kiss. “Magnifique.”
“Well, I expect the same from you.”
“But of course,” Wylie said.
But this wasn’t just about blow jobs and getting off, not for Diego, and he wanted to make that clear from the start. “What are you doing on Thursday?” It was their next day off. Diego knew because he’d memorized their schedules.
“Nothing.”
“Want to do something with me then?”
Wylie grinned, dimples flashing. “Are you asking me on a date?”
“Yeah. We could go to the beach. Bring food?” It was something that didn’t cost too much money, since both of them were on a tight budget.
Wylie nodded, seeming to like the idea. “Yeah, I want to see you in your bathing suit. You got a thong?”
“What? No,” Diego said, laughing despite his nerves.
“A Speedo?”
“Definitely not.”
“Well, maybe we could find a nude beach then.”
There were no nude beaches in Pinellas County that Diego knew of, but maybe that had changed. More likely Wylie was just saying it to mess with him.
“So, it’s a date,” Diego said to confirm it.
“Yeah, it’s a date,” Wylie replied with a soft smile.
Warm and pleasantly aroused, Diego settled back into his seat, proud of himself for achieving yet another milestone–asking another man out on a date.
In between shifting gears, Wylie rested his palm on Diego’s inner thigh.
The hand slowly crept higher until Wylie’s knuckles were brushing against the side of his hard dick.
Not by accident. When Diego glanced over, Wylie was grinning.
“What?” Wylie asked innocently.
Diego shook his head. The man was a menace.