Page 11 of A Different Form of Oxygen
Seven
Gavin
I’ve been talking to a guy via text message for a week now. I met him through an old friend from my BDSM club days. He gave me this guy’s number and told me he thought we’d be a perfect match—or at least I could have some fun with the guy and stop moping around. I already had some fun that freed my mind from Kyle. It was only temporarily, and my body was craving a repeat. That sexy stranger from the Gentlemen's Club the other night is the only person I could picture having fun with again—well, maybe Ben.
No Gavin, no good can come from that.
I pull up in front of a coffee shop I hadn’t been to in a long time. I thought it was weird how out of all places, the guy I'm meeting for lunch today picked this place to meet for the first time. Kyle was the last person I came here with. It doesn't feel the same now. On the way in, a familiar car in the same parking lot faces the library. I know that car and I know that bumper sticker. I chuckle every time I read the words “I’m so excited by gardening that I wet my plants.”
What is Ben doing at a library so far away from where he lives? Before I can give it anymore thought, a finger taps me on the shoulder, and I am spinning around to face a tall-slender man with blue eyes and bleach blond hair giving me a toothy smile. “You must be Gavin; you are exactly what I expected and more.” His eyes run up and down my body and normally I would be into it, but all I can focus on now is the man sitting in the library across the way.
I smile at him. “Yeah, that’s me. You must be Vincent. Shall we go inside so we can talk?”
He nods. “Yes, I could really use some coffee, among other things.”
I could already tell; this hang out would not surpass the coffee shop. This guy did nothing for me. We take a seat after ordering our drinks. He never stops finding excuses to touch me the whole time. I have to keep from looking back to see if Ben’s car is still in the parking lot. Why did I care?
The guy keeps talking and I mostly nod my head and throw him a few chuckles here and there while keeping my mouth busy with my coffee and blueberry muffin. “This has been really fun, Vincent. It has. But I have somewhere I have to get to. We can chat later.”
His eyes dim and I can tell he doesn’t believe the last part. “Oh, I thought maybe we could keep hanging out at my place.”
I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I can’t, and I want to be honest with you because you seem like a nice guy. I don’t think this is going to work. I had a good time though; I did. I’m just not the kind of guy you’re looking for.”
He frowns. “Well, I'll be the judge of that. How about we hang out again sometime? Because from where I'm sitting, you are exactly what I'm looking for.”
This guy wasn’t looking for a Daddy Dom, he was looking for a guy with a visa card with no limit and someone to give him an ego boost. His fancy name brand clothes and the way he keeps mentioning all these fancy restaurants he wants me to take him to give him away. He also asks a lot of questions about my house and the type of car I drive. I recently got out of a relationship with a guy like that, I didn't need another one.
He finally gets the hint the second time and we hug goodbye; I was glad he was at least mature about being turned down. I wait until he gets in his car and leaves the parking lot before walking across the way to the library.
Without a second thought, I step through the revolving doors, glancing at the surrounding books, when all I care about is finding that familiar face. I spent too much time looking for the wrong guy. I'm searching for this guy with perfect hair in bright vibrant clothing and face covered in make-up but no one in here fits that description. I’m about to give up when I spot him a few tables away with his nose buried in a book with his fingers flipping the pages. His hair is messy and falling freely, and I thought I had the wrong guy when I spotted the glasses. I didn’t though. He has those same deep emerald eyes and those sculpted cheekbones sitting under the thick frames.
Our encounter this time around is nothing like yesterday’s when we were alone in his kitchen. Maybe he felt too much out of his element this time, being around a bunch of strangers, or maybe I was making him uncomfortable being so forward by assuming we were friends after one conversation in his kitchen. When he started walking away, I wanted to ask him if we were still on for Friday. He didn’t say anything about it, so all I could do is hope we still were.
I just hope he will be in a much better mood then. I climb back in my car still trying to figure out what I did to make him so annoyed with me. So I caught him in a nerd moment. Who cares? Based on what he was looking at in those books, I would assume he is studying something to do with plants. I would have never taken him for a person into plants but suddenly the succulents in his kitchen window make sense and so does the bumper sticker on his car. Things I never gave much thought to before. Maybe he wasn’t studying plants and was only reading it for a paper for school. I really did mean it when I said he looked adorable in those glasses, because he did.
My phone goes off and I spot Maverick’s name on the screen.
Maverick: Hey man, Casey is hanging out with Jennie tonight. Want to grab a bite to eat somewhere?
Me: Yeah, sure. Where at?
Maverick: How about you come meet me at the shop and we can figure it out together.
Maverick is already standing outside, leaning against his truck when I pull up in front of the shop.
“Hey man, it’s about time you got here.”
I roll my eyes, locking my door to my car. “Just for that, you’re driving.”
He laughs. “I planned on it anyway; your ass never wants to drive anywhere. I thought maybe we can go to your favorite taco shop down the street for old time’s sake. Also, I hope you don't mind I told Drake to meet us there."
“Sounds good to me. You can never turn me away from a good taco and I've been meaning to get together with Drake anyway. What about Jimmy? Is he still helping his ex-stepfather move in?" I ask with a chuckle. We both climb into his truck, strapping ourselves in our seats.
Maverick grins. "Probably helping do more than just move in. Who knows anymore? Anyway, let's go stuff our faces with tacos. The only good taco consists of meat, not that tofu crap you eat.”
The good thing about living so close to the city was all the great food places and I always loved how most places here had a meat free option. I laugh. “I rarely ever eat tofu for your info.”
“Whatever man. How are things anyway? Tell me you aren’t considering taking Kyle back.”
