Page 24 of Summer Catch

“Come on, baby, come for me,” Jon entreated and that was all it took. He was coming, and when he slunk back into the bar, he knew he was smiling even brighter than he had before he left.

There was no denying it anymore.

He was falling, and falling hard.

Chapter 9

“We could’ve uh . . .gone somewhere nicer?”

Jon could tell that Kieran was nervous.

The only thing he couldn’t figure out was why.

They’d been on dates before. More late-night breakfasts for dinner at the diner by Kieran’s place. Lots more phone sex. Even more actual sex.

Jon had discovered that he really loved blowjobs—and not just receiving them.

It had been the most eye-opening and wonderful few weeks of his life.

“This is plenty fine,” Jon said, glancing around the little room with its bare wood walls and floorboards, the wiped tables, rolls of paper towels sitting on the surfaces, a substitute for napkins. “I don’t need fancy.”

“They have the best shrimp in Charleston.” Kieran still sounded apologetic.

Dating wasn’t so easy with their two schedules—especially with training camp starting for Jon and the bar growing busier than ever. But they were making it work. Still, this was the first night they’d managed to have what anyone else would recognize as a real date. Dinner out at a normal hour, followed, Jon hoped, by sex at one of their places.

Maybe tonight would be the night Kieran finally asked him for what he’d mentioned all those weeks ago—his cock buried in his ass. Jon had no complaints about the sex they’d had so far. Even a simple handjob felt better, more satisfying, than anything he’d ever experienced before. He couldn’t get enough, and he’d be happy if they never did it. But Kieran had said he’d wanted it, and then Jon realized that he did, too.

“For the best shrimp I’d go just about anywhere,” Jon joked. “Honestly I didn’t even know I was so mad for seafood before I moved here.”

“We’ve got the best in the world, that’s why.” Kieran’s boast was cute, his gaze glowing with fervor. Jon wanted to reach across the table and hold his hand. Switch over to the same side and put his arm around his shoulders. But they were out in public, and Jon wasn’t out yet.

“Not just the best shrimp,” Jon said affectionately.

Even if they weren’t touching, he had a feeling it was pretty obvious that this wasn’t just a platonic outing just by the way they kept gazing at each other.

But he wasn’t willing to stop looking at Kieran like that—and he certainly wasn’t going to ask Kieran to stop, either.

“Aw, you like me,” Kieran teased, and for the first time, he did seem more relaxed.

“A lot,” Jon agreed.

Kieran’s answering smile told him everything that he needed to know. That it was mutual. That he wasn’t going anywhere. And that was what made him hope that Kieran had meant it when he’d said he was willing to follow Jon’s lead.

You’re a public figure and it’s complicated for you, I get that, he’d said, a few days after they’d kissed for the first time. This is on your timetable.

There was so much going on with the upcoming season Jon had asked, hesitantly, if it was okay if that meant waiting months, and Kieran had just shrugged. If you’re happy, I’m happy, he’d insisted.

Of course, Jon wanted people to know. He’d discovered that desire deep inside himself, already. But he also knew that it was best to be strategic about these things.

He could wait, if Kieran was willing to wait.

“Let me tell you,” Kieran said, “the bar was rocking when you guys won that first preseason game. You’ve got the town behind you, for sure.”

Kieran didn’t need to say, unlike last year, because that was just a given. Charleston had hated the old Condors’ ownership, and Jon was fairly certain that the feeling had been mutual.

“Yeah?” Jon smiled. “The plane ride home was pretty rockin’ too. I don’t think anyone expected us to win any games.”

“You guys are gonna be better than anyone predicts,” Kieran promised, even though that wasn’t something he could promise.

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