Page 5 of All Hallows' Rage
I offered up a few places on the main strip that were casual to me, but Eli countered me with pizza and movies at my place. Which was fine, but that was intimate. Just thinking over the conversation and implications had a cold sweat breaking out across my forehead. First dates were fun and involved a shared interest, but it could be said that ending the night in my bed was indeed that.
The ping of my phone pulled my attention away from the throw pillows I had decided needed rearranging, again.
Lane: is he there?
Matt: omg stop, I’ll tell you how it goes later
Lane: stress cleaning?
Matt: don’t weaponize your knowledge of me
Matt: yes, I’m stress cleaning, pest
Lane: he’ll be there soon, stop stressing and start breathing
Lane was right, as usual. My chest was tight, and my lungs were ready to pick a fight with me, considering I hadn’t taken a deep breath all day. I looked around my apartment and took in Lane’s words. It was immaculate, and I couldn’t do much else for preparation.
A knock at my door undid the comfortability that I allowed to set in. I shot off another text to Lane.
Matt: did you put a fucking tracker on him?
Lane: no, idiot, he’s prompt and on time
I pocketed the phone and walked through the living space, ignoring the temptation to pick up a pillow. The white door stared back at me, taunting me to open it.Pizza date, pizza date,I reminded myself as I hesitated over the knob. Immediately opening it would look desperate, but delaying too long would be equally disastrous.It’s fine.I calmed myself with a final breath and opened it.
Elijah stood in the hall with a widening smile. He’d styled his hair, and it looked just as great as the lazy workout mess I’d grown accustomed to. I noticed his ears were pierced, too, something else he opted out of for training.
“Hi,” he said casually, holding up the pizza boxes and plastic bag in his hands. His pecs shifted under his tight black shirt, but his arms were covered with an open flannel button-down. A tinge of disappointment worked its way through me over that.Perv.
“Hey.” I opened the door wider and gestured for him. “Come in,” I said as he stepped forward. I could have moved, should have, but when he passed me to take his shoes off, the warm scent of his cologne washed through my senses, and I wanted to be in his way each time.
Practice created a sweaty environment that masked whatever he did wear, but not in a bad way. I was curious about the subtle fragrance I’d picked up on, but I didn’t imagine it’d send me over the edge that fast.
“Kitchen is to the right.” It was an open floor plan, and the counter and sink were plain to see, which caused a wave of insecurity to bleed into the nervousness that set in this morning.
“Oh, thanks,” he said, head popping up and turning in its direction.
He slipped in and rounded the counter like he’d been here a thousand times before and was in his element. My heart thundered. Closing the door, I followed behind as he started emptying the bags.
“I took a gamble on drinks and snacks. You only drink water at training, so I got a few different things. You pick first, and I’ll take from what’s left.” I managed a nod as I looked over the counter.
At that moment, he decided to strip off his flannel button-down and the hem of his shirt lifted with the movement. My throat went dry with the peek of his happy trail and V-line.
I see him half-naked almost every day. I touch him almost every day.
“I’m cool with these,” I said, clearing my throat and picking a random soda and bag of chips. “I’ll take your shirt; the plates are in the cabinet by the sink.”
He slid it over to me and turned for the cabinet as I walked back to the door. My phone pinged again, and I knew it was my dear pest. I switched it to vibrate and came back to Elijah plating everything. The walk to the couch did nothing to relax me.
“You look nice, by the way,” I offered, taking a seat and grabbing the remote. He settled beside me as I flipped through various streaming apps.
“You look hot.” He said it so bluntly that I froze. I glanced over as he took a bite of pizza, and the bastard winked at me.
“Thanks, uh . . . It’s just nice to see you outside of gym attire. It’s different.” I looked back at the TV and found a listing for movies, figuring the best distraction would be reading the titles and purposefully not watching him.
“Do you blush often, or is that just my effect on you?” His words flamed my face hotter, and I dropped my head in my hands.
“I’m that transparent?”
