Unlikely Match, page 4
“What the hell are you doing?” I managed to wait to growl out the question until the server was out of earshot.
He slid his foot farther up, brushing the side of my dick. “I didn’t get my turn at the gym.” He shrugged casually. “I just want to make sure you’re still interested, because I definitely plan to take my shot when we get out to my car.”
“I have my own car.”
He grinned and took a long drink from his soda. “You can sit in mine for a few minutes while we chat.”
Chat. Talk. Discussion. In spite of his foot still wreaking havoc on my body, I tried valiantly to bring my brain into focus enough to explain all the reasons why this couldn’t possibly happen again, even if a large part of me was railing at that concept. “Tyler, I don’t regret what we did, what I did, but—”
His heavy sigh interrupted my attempt at making a very logical and adult speech, but he continued to toy with me under the table. “Are you about to list a bunch of stupid excuses for why we can’t keep having fun?”
My chest ached at the words ‘having fun’. Not only was I thirty-five and looking for a lot more than fun, but the discoveries I’d made about myself over the past several years demanded permanence and a solid relationship foundation. “They aren’t stupid excuses.”
Tyler rolled his eyes and slouched a little on the vinyl bench seat of the booth. It gave him much better access to increase his torment. “Go on then.”
“Y-you’re my c-client.” How the hell does someone have feet that fucking soft?
His eyes sparkled and he grinned. “Right, and hundreds of desperate housewives out there are banging their personal trainers routinely. Since I’m not married and I don’t think you are either, I’d say we’re already ahead of the rest of the pack. Next.”
I opened my mouth just as the waitress delivered our food. If I thought Tyler’s covert ministrations would stop while he inhaled the five greasy chili dogs he’d ordered. I was wrong. So very wrong.
He nodded at my plate. “Eat up, big boy.”
In a familiar pattern that I’d shrugged back into like a second skin the minute I’d known that I would need to train hardcore again, I broke up the meat patty over my salad and doused it with the oil and vinegar I’d ordered instead of dressing. By the time I’d cleared my plate, Tyler’s foot had disappeared and slid back into his sandal beneath the table.
His intuitive gaze studied my empty dish. “That is…a unique dinner choice.”
The fact that I’d agreed to another match was something I wanted to keep under the radar for as long as possible. The very last thing I wanted or needed was to have Joey explode when he heard I was taking that kind of chance. Explode is probably an understatement.
I shrugged. “That’s my typical training menu, lots of veggies and protein. I’ve been talking to my former manager and there might be a pretty lucrative opportunity for me opening up. A one-off type of thing.” I kept my tone as casual as possible and my statements vague. “So if I choose to come out of retirement, I’d prefer to do it without sporting a dad-bod.”
Tyler ran his tongue over his top lip and eye-fucked me for a solid thirty seconds, leaving zero doubt in my mind that not only did I have the farthest thing from a dad-bod, but also that he liked what he saw. He laid a fifty on the Formica surface and stood, holding out a hand to me. “Let’s roll.”
It suddenly made sense why he’d backed into a parking spot on the opposite side of the empty lot rather than close to the building. He opened the back door on the passenger’s side and waved me in. He rounded the tail of the SUV and climbed in beside me. Before I could utter a word, he was devouring my mouth and clawing at my shirt.
I wanted him again. It had been just a little over an hour since I’d first tasted him, but it wasn’t nearly enough. I wanted to rip open his jeans and pull him between my lips again. No. “Stop.” I somehow managed to summon enough willpower to push him away.
He ran his tongue along his lips, his breath heaving the same cadence as mine. “We’ve covered the client issue. What else is tripping you up, Clayton? Because I know you want this and I sure as hell do too.”
The first reason had been the most rational, but he’d also completely dismissed it, so I pulled out the other ‘normal excuse’ card to play. “I’m ten years older than you, Tyler. I’m at a stage in my life where I don’t do random hookups anymore.”
Dark clouds gathered in his green eyes. “I have a kind of life that doesn’t allow for that either.” He shook his head and pressed his forehead to mine. “I’m not rushing down the altar with you or anything crazy, and if things go anywhere beyond tonight, we will talk about it more. But trust me… Stability and normalcy are necessary for me.”
Fuck. That only left… “My normal isn’t normal.” I took a deep gulp of air and planned the very necessary ice bath I’d take when I got home—about thirty minutes after Tyler kicked my ass out of his car and insisted we never see each other again, personally or professionally. “I have…needs. Inclinations. Desires. And, even though some of it is tied to my sex life, I need to have someone in my life who can offer me a full relationship with all the parts I need met.”
Tyler shook his head. “Listen, my man. I’m gonna admit that your BJ skills are so fucking on point that my brain is still scrambled from our little non-shower together. I’m going to need you to stop beating around the bush and lay it all out there.”
Here goes.
“I’m a submissive. I don’t need someone in my life to just fuck me. I need someone who can guide me and cherish me and honor the trust I give him.”
Chapter Eight
Tyler
Of all the things I’d expected to come out of Clayton James’ mouth, that was not anywhere on my radar. I wasn’t some innocent virgin, and I sure as hell hadn’t been raised in a convent. I knew what he was talking about…to an extent. The last guy I’d dated before my dad and stepmom died had wanted us to experiment, but the playing and the relationship had both gone up in flames when we’d battled for control.
“I get it.” His soft voice cut through the cacophony of thoughts ricocheting through my brain. “It’s not a normal thing to hear, but once I discovered this part of myself, I’ve learned it’s necessary. The relationships I’ve tried haven’t come close to lasting without that part of it. So, really, this”—he gestured between us—“it can’t happen.”
“Show me.” The words fell from my lips before I even realized I was speaking. His blank stare propelled me on. “I know…some things. Very basic things, but—” I ran my fingers through my hair. “Clayton, listen. I’m not stupid enough to believe in love at first sight, but there’s something different about you and about us. I get that we’ve only shared the same airspace a handful of times, but this isn’t something I’m ready to write off yet, not until I know for sure. So I’m asking you… If you think I could be what you need and if you think you could be patient, please show me.”
If I were honest with myself, I wasn’t sure what I was asking for. All I knew was that Clayton on his knees for me spoke deeply to me. When he’d brought up trust and guidance, my chest had burned with a desire to explore beyond the kinky side I’d flirted with. I wasn’t ready to be done. If he could possibly give me the chance, I had to see this through.
His eyes widened comically but I kept my face straight, needing him to know that I took this seriously, even if it was fast, even if it was unexpected. Something about it just felt so right that I couldn’t let go. Not yet.
“This isn’t just kinky sex, Tyler.” His expression was all pulled into taut lines. “This is so much deeper than that.”
I couldn’t resist. I offered a half-smile and reached out to cradle his face. That same flare of possession and protection spread through me as I held him between my palms. “I was listening.” I scooted closer to him on the bench seat. “Do you think you could trust me in the way you need to?”
Clayton seemed to melt into my touch and my heart soared. “Are you sure?”
My lips had been too long deprived of his and I moved to brush against them. “I am, but the more important question is if you’re willing to give me a shot and help me learn.”
He whimpered a small, “Yes,” and wrapped his arms around me. I meant to keep my touches as reverential as I felt, but my desire for him soon overcame everything else and I moved my mouth to his stubble-covered jaw, then down to his neck. I sank my teeth in at the juncture with his shoulder and he moaned my name. It was the hottest fucking thing I’d ever heard.
I peeled his clothes from his perfectly built body and sat back on my haunches as much as the cramped seating would allow. His head was on the window and his back pressed against the door. His thighs were open, one leg hanging off the edge of the seat to my left and the other hitched over the back of the headrest on my right—and naked.
This man was gloriously naked and offering me an opportunity that I intended to work my ass off to deserve. Even so early, even barely knowing him, the knowledge that he was experienced in this with other men stung.
But I hadn’t been lying when I’d told him that everything with him was different. And it was sure as hell worth discovering if we could somehow make the most unlikely match in the world work.
I ran my hands up and down his thighs. “Calling you ‘big boy’ must have been a moment of psychic ability on my end.”
His cheeks turned an adorable shade of red and I trailed my fingers up to his dick. I hadn’t been in my right mind to pay attention in the shower, but based on his reaction in the diner and now, it was certain to be aching with need for as long as his desires had been banked. A full grin took over my mouth. This is going to be so good for him.
Rocking forward on my knees, I planted a soft kiss in the middle of his chest. “I’m going to research, talk to people and we will take this hella slow, but for tonight, that part of us is going to be on hold, okay? For right now, I am just going to take really good care of you and all you need to do is lie still and let me work.”
His mouth formed a perfect O and he stared at me for several moments before he gave a jerky nod.
I rubbed the denim of my jeans against his cock as I took one of his nipples into my mouth—licking, sucking and biting gently. He arched his back into me, silently requesting more. I moved to the opposite side and repeated my actions, reveling in his increasingly shallow breathing.
Once I had him panting, I reached into the center console, removed the faux bottom I’d crafted and grabbed the bottle of lube hidden beneath. It was concealed just in case anyone snooped. I coated his ass and my fingers in the slick liquid and slid one inside him.
Clayton moaned and pressed down onto my hand. “More, please.”
Please. One fucking word and I wanted to give him the world. I added another digit and stroked in and out a few times before adding a third. As I thrust them inside him, I wrapped my lips around the head of his cock and sucked lightly, increasing the pressure slowly as I took as much of him in my mouth as I could.
He bucked his hips and made soft mewling sounds that grew with every thrust. I curled a finger inside and he erupted in a loud roar, the force of his orgasm sending molten hot liquid shooting down my throat.
I pulled my fingers out, knowing he’d quickly become too sensitive to touch, and gave his dick one last swipe with my tongue. Reaching into the same console, I pulled out a package of wipes and cleaned off my fingers. I shoved a piece of gum into my mouth before awkwardly helping him dress in the back seat of my Land Rover. A vehicle I’d once found to be roomy was decidedly less so when it housed Clayton James.
He blinked up at me after I pushed the shirt down over his head. “Were you a Boy Scout?”
His face was soft and his eyes were a post-orgasm drunk level of unfocused. I couldn’t help but laugh—and kiss his nose. “No. Why would you say that?”
Clayton motioned to the bottle of lube still sitting on the seat and the package of wipes. “You redefine ‘always be prepared’.”
Chapter Nine
Clayton
We weren’t anything other than a hot-as-hell hookup…so far. I’d made it pretty clear that as enjoyable as it had been—and that was the understatement of the fucking year—I needed more, and I was still shocked that he hadn’t only not run away but had agreed. Despite the current undefined state we hung in, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I was fairly certain that exposing as much of myself as I had would scare him off, both from exploring something more personal and from being my client.
Except he’d texted me to make sure I’d gotten home. Then he’d followed that up the next day with an avalanche of messages that were nothing more than links to various kinky sites and articles on establishing a healthy Dominant and submissive relationship, which had left me speechless.
Nothing could have prepared me for the final one, however, which included an example of a D/s contract and three words, We need one.
Just the hint that things were working toward a place of permanence between us was the bolt of lightning that had shot me out of my chair and sent me straight to the ring, dragging Joey’s whiny ass with me for a few sparring rounds. I’d needed to work off the excess energy Tyler had created in me, but I’d also needed to start training—not that I was at all prepared to tell Joey about that little fact.
After I showered, I resumed my seat behind my desk and attempted to tackle the PR packet that had been left by the newest firm promising to pump up my gym membership numbers. But I’d made the mistake of noticing the clock in the bottom right corner of my computer screen and I sucked in a sharp breath.
It was almost time for Tyler’s training.
I was not waiting for him.
I wasn’t counting the minutes until he was due to show up. I didn’t have my ear tuned in to every sound outside my office. And I most certainly hadn’t left my door cracked open enough to see who was walking through the front.
At exactly four o’clock, the door swished open and my gut clenched. Tyler hesitated in the doorway for the briefest of moments before hanging a left, his gaze not even coming close to my office, where I stood haunting the small opening like a maudlin ghost.
“Hey, man,” he called out to Joey.
I gripped the knob tighter in my fist and refused to exit. Things were moving at a pace between Tyler and I that should have been scary…but wasn’t. The rightness of it outweighed the breakneck speed. Love was hovering in the distance, barely visible on my radar, but it was there. Lust and connection, on the other hand, were standing smackdab in front of me.
But Joey was my best friend, my partner in crime. If the two were going to have a continued battle… Shit, I didn’t want to be faced with that kind of a decision already.
Joey straightened from his hunched position disinfecting the row of weight benches. Years of reading the man tuned me into every muscle in his body tensing. He lifted his chin at Tyler. “Hey.”
Tyler hitched the duffel bag higher on his shoulder. “Listen… I wanted to apologize to you. I was a dick the first time I came in.” From my vantage point, I couldn’t see his face, but his self-deprecating chuckle managed to reach my ears. “And the second and the third and probably the fourth times as well.”
Some of the tension visibly drained from Joey’s shoulders and a smile played about his lips. “That sounds about right.”
“I’ve been small my entire life. Add in being a nerd and gay, and I wore a target throughout high school from guys built like you.” He snorted. “That’s managed to carry over into college.” He extended his spine to his full five-foot-nine height, something he hadn’t hesitated to correct me on when I’d guessed him to be a full inch shorter the previous week. “But it wasn’t fair to take my shit out on you and I’m sorry.”
The two stood in silence for an eternity that probably didn’t last longer than thirty seconds. When they clasped hands and exchanged a firm pump of the arms, I finally exhaled the breath I hadn’t even realized I was holding.
I retreated from my shadow in the doorway and turned to grip the desk. Tyler had balls and integrity. The physical attraction had been undeniable from the first time I’d seen him, but now a deeper part of me was feeling a completely unfamiliar pull.
Knowing someone for a handful of hours over the space of one week didn’t give enough insight to start a relationship…did it?
I grabbed the black and green pack of gum from my desk and shoved a piece into my mouth. At some point we’d be away from Joey’s prying eyes and there was zero chance I was going to let the moment slip by without kissing Tyler. His humility demanded that almost as much as my libido cried for it.
While I was still trying to pull my shit together and keep my overly eager dick from making his presence embarrassingly obvious, Joey walked into my office and clicked the door closed behind him. I rotated my head enough to look at him and offered what I hoped was a completely casual smile. “What’s up?”
Joey leaned back against the wall. “You know you’re my brother and I’ll always be in your corner, even when you choose to fuck a string of assholes.” He pointed at the closed door. “But that kid is one I wouldn’t mind you keeping around for a while.” He dipped his chin and pinned me with a narrowed glare. “Just don’t go rubbing it in my face if you’re getting laid more than me.”
With that, he left me to stare at his retreating back. I collected my thoughts enough to find Tyler in the gym, already starting his warm-ups with the jump rope. I grinned at his reflection in the wall of mirrors and leaned my shoulder against the post. “I think you’re starting to like that.”
He took a deep breath and glanced up at the clock on the left. He transferred both handles into one hand and bent at the waist, his free palm leaning on his knee. “Yeah, me and this thing are becoming best friends.” He shook the rope meaningfully.
I checked to make sure Joey’s back was still facing us as he folded towels at the front desk before I moved closer and lowered my lips to be a whisper away from Tyler’s ear. “You’ll love them more when you start tying me up—but it’ll take a while to get there.”
