They spent the next hour talking and eating. Well, Chris ate. Seth was full before he finished half his plate.
“I can’t eat another bite. Do you want some of my shrimp?” Seth offered.
Chris’s face lit up with glee. “Really? I’d love some. You sure?”
Seth nodded and pushed the plate toward him. “I’m so stuffed I may not be able to walk out of here. Youmay have to roll me out.”
Chris used his fork to stab a few shrimp and move them to his own plate, but he devoured them quickly.
“How do you eat so much and stay so…fit?” Seth asked.
“I work out. A lot. You?”
“Ha. Funny. No. I hate all forms of exercise.”
Chris raised an eyebrow. “All forms? Really?”
Something in the way he spoke made Seth think he wasn’t talking about traditional exercise, and he felt himself blush. “Um, well, you know…” he fumbled, trying to answer.
The laugh from across the table only made his face heat more. He downed the rest of his wine.
“Well, you look good, Seth. So whatever you are doing to keep in shape, you should continue,” Chris told him, his gaze on Seth.
Damn. He was hard as a rock. All it took was a few words from Chris and he was aching.
“You want to get out of here, Seth?”
Fuck, yes. “Sure,” Seth tried to sound nonchalant as he reached for his wallet.
“No way. I asked you out. My treat.”
Seth looked across the table, suddenly feeling shy. He’d had such a good time with Chris throughout dinner. The conversation had been easy and he’d felt relaxed, but the way Chris looked at him now made him nervous. Had he ever wanted a man as badly as he wanted Chris? His body reacted to the man’s every word.
“Do you still want to see a movie? We could always go for a drive down to the lake,” Chris suggested.
Bellflower Lake. The “make-out” spot for teens. But it was a beautiful place. And maybe they could go for a walk in the moonlight.
“Sounds good.”
8
They drove to the lake in silence. Seth felt nervous as he began to doubt himself. Was this just a hook-up? He wasn’t a virgin by any means, but he’d hoped this date was going to lead to more. Had he really gotten his signals crossed?
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” Chris asked, squeezing Seth’s thigh.
Seth tried to ignore the jolts of pleasure shooting through him, but his breath came out ragged. God, this man had some serious moves.
“Hey, talk to me, Eggplant,” Chris urged.
“I-I…crap. I’m not sure what to say without totally sounding like a teenage girl,” he admitted as they turned onto the road leading to the lake.
Chris moved his hand to the steering wheel, and pulled into a small area near the lake, and parked the SUV. He turned toward Seth and waited.
“Fuck. This is embarrassing. I feel like I’m sixteen again.” Seth raked his fingers through his hair. “I thought this date was going one way and now it looks like it might be going another.”
Chris leaned back against the driver’s door. “You think I took you here just to fuck? As if that’s all I want?”
Seth’s face went hot, and he was thankful it was dark.
Chris didn’t wait for an answer. “Seth, I’m not looking for a one-night stand, if that’s what you think. I’ve been trying to get your attention for months.”
Seth’s eyes widened. “You have?”
Chris cringed. “Yeah. And not to brag, but I usually don’t have to work so hard at it. But you…you didn’t seem to even notice me.”
Seth chortled. “Are you kidding? Seriously? Have you seen yourself in the mirror? How could I not notice you?”
Chris shook his head. “But I don’t want something just based on physical attraction. I’ve been there, done that. Don’t get me wrong.” He twined his fingers with Seth’s. “I’m so attracted to you it’s like…kind of like a bee around nectar. I can’t stay away from you. I want to touch you all the time. But I want more than just chemistry. More than just a hook-up.”
Seth’s heart pounded so hard he was afraid Chris could hear it. “I know what you mean. I’m not looking for just a physical relationship. I want…more.”
Chris grinned. “Maybe we should have talked about this before, but it’s not really something you usually discuss on a first date. And I didn’t want to jinx anything. I wanted to sweep you off your feetand show you I can be worthy of you.”
“Worthy? Of me?”
Chris shook his head and smiled. “You’re like this vibrant soul that calls out to me. I just want to bepart of your life.”
Overwhelmed, Seth took a deep breath before he unbuckled his seatbelt and opened his door.