not sure going out together is the right thing to do.
Never wanting to be the person to pressure anyone into something they didn’t want, I’d sent him a neutral message. Even when I really wanted to order him to be dressed by the time I’d arrive to pick him up.
Me: Charles, it’s your choice, but I’d really like it if you’d go out with me on Saturday.
Later that evening, he’d sent me another message, the lighter tones of a woman laughing tinkling in the background.
Charles: What time?
I’d been only too happy to respond.
Me: We’re going out for dinner. Wear something a bit semiformal and be dressed by four thirty. I’ll pick you up.
Charles: Isn’t that a little bit too early for dinner?
Me: No, it’s not, considering where we’re going. Be ready, Charles.
He’d taken about an hour before he sent back a voicemail.
Charles: Don’t pick me up. I’ll have my driver drop me off at Declan’s.
Me: Great. See you then.
We hadn’t brought up the kiss, which was just as well. Thinking about that kiss messed with my mind. It made me want to kiss him again, but we both needed to be level headed tonight for whatever decision we would make.
I glanced at my watch. It was almost time for Charles to get here. I checked out Lucky, who I had walked earlier, ensured he had food and water in his dish, and turned on the television. It should keep him occupied until we got back, and since he wasn’t a fussy dog, he would be quite fine on his own.
Charles was late. I paced in the living room, occasionally peeking through the window. I was antsy, nervous. Why? I was never this anxious before a date. Finally, the familiar black vehicle rolled up to the house. His driver opened the door, and one expensive shoe landed on the ground, followed by another.
Charles straightened, and damn if I didn’t just want to ask him to decide right there and then if he wanted me to explore that sinful body of his. He spent a couple of minutes talking to his driver, his gestures and body relaxed.
It was a relief that he didn’t seem ambivalent anymore, but then he’d made it obvious he only wanted to satisfy his curiosity. I’d never been a straight or not-so-straight guy’s experiment before, and I wasn’t certain how I felt about it.
It was enough, though, that I wanted Charles, and this was one way to have him beneath me. We’d figure it out as we went along. Another unorthodox move from me. I usually liked to know all my variables to predict an outcome.
While they talked, I took in my fill of Charles. Semi-formal for him meant a preppy outfit that shouldn’t look so good on a mature man. Any other man would’ve looked like a bad case of someone trying to recapture their college years, but Charles knew how to rock the close-fitting dark blue trousers with a white shirt that stretched tight across his chest.
He completed the look with loafers, a bare face, and stylishly combed hair. He almost made me want to check my appearance in a mirror. But I didn’t. I had a lot more to offer Charles than appearance.
I didn’t want to play games, and I hurried to open the door before he could ring the doorbell. When our eyes met and held, it was like a second didn’t exist outside the kiss we’d shared before. Just a breath to move in for another taste of his lips.
But one of the things that made me an excellent Dom was my patience. There would be time enough later to feel his smooth cheeks against my neatly trimmed beard.
“Charles, you look amazing, as usual.”
His eyes softened at the compliment, and I couldn’t resist. I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips. Just a quick, hard press to let him know I was still thinking about that previous kiss and tonight would be heading places. I opened my mouth to reprimand him for his tardiness.
“Sorry, I’m late.” He beat me to it. “Poppy started a thing.”
“A thing?”
“Yes, one of her famous arguments about nothing.” He shook his head with a frown. “Can we not talk about it? I just want to put all that behind me and—”
He kissed me and not the peck I’d given him either. Charles’s lips were on mine, moving, his tongue pushing between my lips to sweep into my mouth. He was so hot and ready.