Page 42 of Seeking Two Lovers

Usually, I enjoyed going after what I wanted, but I refused to scare the guy off by coming on too strong. Bad enough my compliments shifted his gaze away from me, sending his palms down along his jeans as though sweaty.

He was the opposite of Scott in every way, but no less alluring. I’d had Scott, but I yearned for Blaine too. Imagining having the both of them?

Holyfuckingshityesplease.

My brain got the better of me, weaving all sorts of naughty fantasies. Being spread out like a feast for both men, loved on in the way I’d always craved. Enjoyed. Cherished.

Okay, so that last one had long-term connotations in my opinion.

Sure, I’d headed to the West Coast to find myself and a couple of lovers, but even when joking with Levi about doing that very thing, I hadn’t considered a serious relationship. It was why I kept to the hookup part of my favorite app.

No drama, no ties.

Just dick and fun times like a hopefully double-stuffed Lily.

A prickle of shame rose inside me, shit from the past attempting to make me feel like I committed a sin by exploring my sexuality. Ignoring those thoughts didn’t come as easily as usual, and I pushed aside my second piece of pizza, no longer hungry.

Blaine continued to scarf his down, and I found myself smiling at how he went all-in with his food, no finesse like Scott, even making a few smacking noises with his lips.

He paused in his chewing when he realized I stared at him. “What?” he asked me around the food in his mouth.

“You’re…refreshing.” I chose the word carefully, even though Scott’s superb manners hadn’t been a turn off either.

Blaine finished chewing and swallowed while I planted my elbow on the table and rested my chin in my upturned palm.

“Are you going to stare at me while I finish?”

I couldn’t help my smile. “I like watching you eat. It’s kinda sexy.”

“My manners are shit,” he muttered and swiped pepperoni grease off his lips.

I’d rather have licked it away. “You certainly wouldn’t fit in at some swanky restaurant that has a dozen different forks laid out on either side of gold plates.”

“Do you eat at places like that?” he asked quietly, stilling as though I was about to break his tender heart.

“Fuck no.” I huffed my answer. “I might have decent table manners thanks to my strict mom, but I’m not good at keeping my thoughts to myself. Imagine a fancy dinner where everyone is quietly discussing the latest fashions or politics, and I tell the person beside me a little too loudly that the salmon smells like a dirty you-know-what.”

Blaine burst out into laughter, and my grin took over my face.

“See?” I said, knowing we’d drawn a few glances from others in the restaurant.

Shaking his head, he went back to his dinner.

He finished off the pizza while we chatted—me mostly—about the usual get-to-know-you stuff people did on dates. He wasn’t one to expand on my inquiries, so I demanded we play fifty questions.

An hour after he finished off our dinner, I knew his favorite everything. Color, food, drink, teams in every major sport, books, TV shows, movies…

He loved Andes candies and chardonnay.

Score major points for the shy guy smiling at me, sitting a bit more comfortably in his skin.

“Want to get out of here?” I suggested.

“Um…” He stilled again.

“There’s a bench out there.” I thumbed toward the empty one outside the pizzeria’s window spilling light over our table. “We can sit and wait for the sun to set.”

“There’s an ice cream shop next door,” he suggested.

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