Cory hadn’t exchanged information. He anxiously considered the reason for that when it was only him, Cory, and the half-asleep Jase left in the apartment.
“It was a good dinner. The food, the decorations, everything.” Vincent held his hands in front of his stomach. “Thank you.”
Cory’s lips curved up, but then he glanced to his other guest. He jerked his head to the side. “We wrapped up some stuff for you too. You need help carrying it over?”
Vincent doubted he’d need help carrying a single bag of leftovers down the hall. “You remember me holding a kitten?” he answered stupidly, then cringed.
Cory’s expression shifted to something cagier, probably because he was exactly the plotting kind of schemer Vincent had imagined him to be. Then he lifted his chin. “It was cute. You were cute. You’re always cute, until you aren’t anymore. When you’re the most unconsciously sexy man and I don’t know what to do about it.” He glanced briefly at Jase again, now staring at both of them in vague alarm. “Come on. Don’t worry about him. He’ll be snoring in no time.”
Grabbing the bag of leftovers in one hand, Cory came over to take Vincent’s hand with his other and then led him to the door, ignoring how flabbergasted and stuttering Vincent was. He broke contact to get his keys and stick them in his pocket, then pull off his apron. Vincent curled his fingers into his palm but let Cory take his hand again when he was through.
“But you’re sexy,” Vincent told him, eliciting a groan from the kitchen and a startled glance from Cory. “Your skin and your mouth and your hands--” Vincent cut himself off with a choked cry. He was such an idiot. “You know how you are,” he finished instead, fully aware that he had ogled Cory for over a year and Cory had to know it too.
Once outside, Cory shivered since he hadn’t brought a coat of any kind, and led them straight to Vincent’s door. “I once stopped to watch you eat an ice cream cone,” he revealed, almost casually, while Vincent stared at him and fumbled to get his key in the lock. He tripped inside his own apartment, then blindly took the bag of food and walked into the kitchen to shove it into the refrigerator.
He’d left the TV on because he’d thought he wouldn’t be at Cory’s for long. In retrospect, that showed some serious denial. He’d already learned that he would at least try to do what Cory wanted, and Cory had wanted him there. Cory had wanted him.
“Sometimes you come outside with your shirt unbuttoned,” Cory went on, as though he didn’t want any more misunderstandings. “I like your chest.”
Vincent thought of his body, pale, hairy, chubby, and studied Cory without raising his head. He liked Cory’s everything, but that made sense. Cory was beautiful.
“You’re so nervous but you’re gentle with everything. On the phone, with the people you meet, with that kitten.” The pleased sound Cory made was more of a purr than a hum. “I want to make you calm. I want a lot of things.” He exhaled. “You really had a good day?” he asked, after a while of Vincent not saying anything. He didn’t seem to know what to do with his hands.
“Yes.” Vincent had to say more, even with his chest constricted and his tongue thick. Both of them were speaking softly. “I don’t want it to end.” That addition sharpened Cory’s attention. Vincent dragged in a long breath. It was very important that he keep going. Cory had said all of those things. Vincent should say something too. “Would you,” stay, stay and sit on my couch and kiss me , that’s what a bold man would say. Vincent did his best. “Would you like a night cap?”
He had absolutely no idea where that question had come from. He had never had a night cap in his life. As far as he knew, they only existed in old movies. He didn’t even know what to offer.
“A night cap?” Cory echoed in astonishment. “No one has ever asked me that before.” He
“It was a good dinner. The food, the decorations, everything.” Vincent held his hands in front of his stomach. “Thank you.”
Cory’s lips curved up, but then he glanced to his other guest. He jerked his head to the side. “We wrapped up some stuff for you too. You need help carrying it over?”
Vincent doubted he’d need help carrying a single bag of leftovers down the hall. “You remember me holding a kitten?” he answered stupidly, then cringed.
Cory’s expression shifted to something cagier, probably because he was exactly the plotting kind of schemer Vincent had imagined him to be. Then he lifted his chin. “It was cute. You were cute. You’re always cute, until you aren’t anymore. When you’re the most unconsciously sexy man and I don’t know what to do about it.” He glanced briefly at Jase again, now staring at both of them in vague alarm. “Come on. Don’t worry about him. He’ll be snoring in no time.”
Grabbing the bag of leftovers in one hand, Cory came over to take Vincent’s hand with his other and then led him to the door, ignoring how flabbergasted and stuttering Vincent was. He broke contact to get his keys and stick them in his pocket, then pull off his apron. Vincent curled his fingers into his palm but let Cory take his hand again when he was through.
“But you’re sexy,” Vincent told him, eliciting a groan from the kitchen and a startled glance from Cory. “Your skin and your mouth and your hands--” Vincent cut himself off with a choked cry. He was such an idiot. “You know how you are,” he finished instead, fully aware that he had ogled Cory for over a year and Cory had to know it too.
Once outside, Cory shivered since he hadn’t brought a coat of any kind, and led them straight to Vincent’s door. “I once stopped to watch you eat an ice cream cone,” he revealed, almost casually, while Vincent stared at him and fumbled to get his key in the lock. He tripped inside his own apartment, then blindly took the bag of food and walked into the kitchen to shove it into the refrigerator.
He’d left the TV on because he’d thought he wouldn’t be at Cory’s for long. In retrospect, that showed some serious denial. He’d already learned that he would at least try to do what Cory wanted, and Cory had wanted him there. Cory had wanted him.
“Sometimes you come outside with your shirt unbuttoned,” Cory went on, as though he didn’t want any more misunderstandings. “I like your chest.”
Vincent thought of his body, pale, hairy, chubby, and studied Cory without raising his head. He liked Cory’s everything, but that made sense. Cory was beautiful.
“You’re so nervous but you’re gentle with everything. On the phone, with the people you meet, with that kitten.” The pleased sound Cory made was more of a purr than a hum. “I want to make you calm. I want a lot of things.” He exhaled. “You really had a good day?” he asked, after a while of Vincent not saying anything. He didn’t seem to know what to do with his hands.
“Yes.” Vincent had to say more, even with his chest constricted and his tongue thick. Both of them were speaking softly. “I don’t want it to end.” That addition sharpened Cory’s attention. Vincent dragged in a long breath. It was very important that he keep going. Cory had said all of those things. Vincent should say something too. “Would you,” stay, stay and sit on my couch and kiss me , that’s what a bold man would say. Vincent did his best. “Would you like a night cap?”
He had absolutely no idea where that question had come from. He had never had a night cap in his life. As far as he knew, they only existed in old movies. He didn’t even know what to offer.
“A night cap?” Cory echoed in astonishment. “No one has ever asked me that before.” He
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