Christmas And Gingerbread Men (3 page)

“Yeah. That was Chris.” Pitney huffed and shrugged, avoiding to look into Rafe’s eyes while he spoke. “I’m afraid he wanted to hook up again.”

“Excuse me?”

Pitney flinched and pulled his hands from his gentle hold. “He’s not an ex exactly, but we... you know? Didn’t work out, because he’s a prick, though. Anyway, I think he came back for seconds.” Then Pitney pouted and curled skinny arms around his middle. “If he thinks I’ll give him another go at my ass, he has another think coming.”

Rafe bit back an answer when the waitress brought their drinks. She’d obviously heard Pitney’s last comment, for she crinkled her brows. Thankfully, she didn’t say anything.

Well, the way Pitney had clung to him after that Chris douche had left was telling. Despite his brave words, Rafe thought Pitney was afraid of Chris. He gave the agitated man a tender smile and placed his hand, palm-up, on the table.

Pitney eyed it like a snake ready to bite for a couple of heartbeats. Eventually, his slender hand tentatively crept across the wood until they tangled their fingers together. Rafe liked the difference between his tanned fingers and Pitney’s pale ones. Even the man’s hands had freckles, and he briefly wondered where else one could find them. And he wondered how those slender fingers would feel wrapped around his prick.

With his thumb, he rubbed soothing circles over Pitney’s smooth skin, all the while looking right into the man’s beautiful eyes. They sat like that for some minutes before Pitney’s stiff posture relaxed. He even gave Rafael a shy smile.

“Thank you for helping me out. It was a rough night, no, rough day, for me.” Pitney grimaced and, with a groan, rested his forehead on the tabletop. “I’ve been on my feet since four in the morning. God, I’m so tired!”

Rafe frowned. The lack of sleep explained the dark circles under Pitney’s eyes and his unsteady gait. He looked dead on his feet.

Taking a risk, he placed his hand on Pitney’s back and rubbed it in soothing, gentle circles. He smiled when Pitney pushed into the caress and moaned softly. The soft sound shot right to Rafe’s groin and caused his prick to harden in his slacks. Wasn’t that just bad luck? After such a long day and the incident in the restroom, Pitney probably wouldn’t welcome his advances. They hadn’t met under the best conditions, but maybe Pitney would be open for a real date some time.

“That’s so good!” Pitney moaned again, rolling his head on the table and peeking up at Rafe through his pale lashes. Rafe’s trapped hardness liked that look and twitched in the confines of his briefs. God, had the man any idea how adorable he was? Probably not.

“Do you want to take me home?”

“What?” Rafe all but squeaked. He repeatedly cleared his throat and mentally chastised his libido.
Take me home
wasn’t necessarily a synonym for
fuck me through your mattress,
he reminded himself. Pitney looked bone tired. Most likely, he wanted Rafe to drive him home after they’d finished their drinks. See? Reasonable possibility.

“Sure. I can give you a ride home if you tell me where you live,” Rafe said and mentally patted his shoulder for his calm voice. When Pitney’s face fell and the light in his amber eyes dimmed, Rafe wanted to smack himself upside the head. Damn. He should know better than to try and read other men’s minds, so he chose a different approach. “Pitney, what exactly did you mean just now? Do you want me to
bring
you home or
take
you home with me?” He kept his voice as low and gentle as possible.

Pitney held his gaze fixed on their clasped hands, taking deep, shuddering breaths. “Dunno?” Pitney whispered, then nibbled his bottom lip. “I’m so sorry, I thought you wanted...” He sighed deeply, then hid his face behind his free hand.

“Hey, now. Look at me, please.” Rafe pulled Pitney’s hand down and waited until he had Pitney’s attention. “You can be open with me, okay? Tell me what you think. I promise not to get mad or make fun of you.”

Pitney’s incredulous expression hinted that it probably wouldn’t be the first time someone made fun of him. No wonder the guy was so shy and unsure of himself.

“You are so kind to me. You invited me for a drink and you’re touching me. Hell, you allowed me to cling to you earlier, so I thought you wanted to hook up.” Pitney took several big gulps of his soda, liquid courage without alcohol, so to say. “Maybe? I shouldn’t have assumed, sorry. You’re handsome and strong, and my brain just short-circuited. Anyway, I know I’m not much to look at, and someone like you probably has a cute boyfriend.”

Pitney’s rambling, although agitated, was adorable as hell. Before Rafe could tell him that, no, he didn’t have a cute boyfriend, Pitney’s eyes popped wide and he gasped behind his palm.

“Shit! You’re probably not even gay. God, I’m so dumb. I’m hitting on a guy who will most likely go home to his girlfriend or wife. You were just friendly to me because of what happened with Chris, right?”

Okay, the lad was close to switching from adorable to panicked now. Pitney scrambled around and lifted his butt off the chair, as if he wanted to run.

Rafe held up his hands in a hopefully soothing motion and lowered his voice. “Honey, calm down. I’m gay. You didn’t insult me by hitting on me, so there’s no need for you to run away. I invited you because I’m interested in you.” He gave his skittish companion a tender smile and reached out his hand. So far, Pitney had liked them touching. “Please, sit down. Let’s talk about it.”

Rafe honestly hoped Pitney would comply. As odd as their first meeting was, he wanted to get to know Pitney, despite the guy’s hang-ups about his looks and his shyness. The shyness was cute, the hang-ups they could work on.

Eventually, Pitney sat back down, but perched his ass on the edge of the chair, probably to make a fast escape if necessary. Rafe smiled when Pitney placed his delicate hand on top of his bigger one again.

“Thank you. Now, let’s take a deep breath and start from the beginning, okay?” Only when Pitney nodded, albeit a bit reluctantly, did Rafe continue. “You obviously had a long day and a rough evening. Are you sure that sex with a stranger is the best choice for the rest of your night?” He gently massaged Pitney’s slender hand.

“Oh.” Pitney’s gaze dropped and he shrugged one boney shoulder. Rubbing his fingers through the condensed water pooling around his glass, he looked so defeated. “I... I understand. You’re not the first one to brush me off, so don’t bother sugarcoating it. I own a mirror, ya know?”

Rafe frowned, grabbed Pitney’s chin, and waited until their gazes met. He needed him to understand. “No, that’s not what I meant. You’ve got that wrong. I’m interested in taking you home with me. I like you, and today wasn’t the first time I’ve watched you while visiting the restaurant. It’s just that I think after what you experienced in the restroom, sex is the last you need tonight. On top of that, I’m not much into one-night-stands. I’d rather get to know you first.”

Pitney blinked, his amber eyes so huge in his freckled face. He seemed stunned by Rafe’s response. “You watched me? For real?” he squeaked. “You’re not just saying that to let me down gently?”

Rafe sighed. Just what jerks did Pitney usually meet when he went out? Dumb question. He’d met one of them a couple of hours ago.

“For real. I’m not playing with you. If you’re searching for someone just to get off, then I’m the wrong choice.”

It wasn’t a lie. One-night-stands were not what he was looking for, not any more at least. At thirty-three, he wanted a boyfriend, a partner. Finding the perfect match required dating the men he met and knowing more about them than the size of their cocks.

Rafe’s sexual preferences often confused his dates. Mostly, the trysts left him unsatisfied and frustrated. Not one to judge a book by its cover, he didn’t want to presume to know Pitney’s preferences. It couldn’t hurt to date the sweet man and learn more about him. Chances were they’d fit, and Rafe would never forgive himself for not trying.

Taking in the slack-jawed expression on Pitney’s face, Rafe tried to loosen Pitney’s grip on his hands so he could take a sip of his soda. But Pitney, probably misunderstanding the move, tightened his hold and shot him a pleading look.

“No! Please, don’t go. I-I’m not good at flirting. I’ve never...” He trailed off and blushed a lovely shade of red. “I want to get to know you, too.” For a second, Rafe was a bit dumbfounded by the mumbled reply, then he smiled and cupped Pitney’s cheek. Well, wasn’t he a cute one?

“Thank you. Would you allow me to take you out to dinner one evening?” He gave Pitney his most charming smile.

Pitney nodded and breathed a tad faster. “Yeah. I’d like that.” Then his eyes clouded, his brows furrowed and he gnawed on his lip. The pink flesh was plump and glistened with—

Rafe cleared his throat. “Is something wrong?”

Pitney shrugged. “I dunno. Fact is, Chris and I share a lot of friends, and I just thought that Chris has had enough time to spread my secret. I have no idea what they’ll do to me once I see them again.”

“Are you afraid of them? Would they hurt you?” Just the thought of Pitney in danger made him mad as hell. He wanted to wrap the skinny lad in bubble wrap and keep him safe. A new sensation for him. He always cared for the men he dated and wanted them to be happy and safe. It was the intensity of those feelings, the fierce possessiveness hitting him suddenly, that confused him.

Pitney worried his lower lip again before he murmured, “They’re not the best bunch of friends. But I’ve known them since school, so I just stuck around. They drink a lot, and when they’re sloshed, they can be mean. No idea why I’m still friends with them anyway.”

“Maybe when your friends are sober and reasonable—”

Pitney snorted, his eyes twinkling. It was a good look on him, one Rafe wanted to see more often. “Reasonable? Those guys? Not likely, not even when they’re sober. But don’t worry. I’m living with my aunt and uncle, so I’ll be safe tonight.” Pitney’s cheeks pinked as he wrapped one curly strand of hair around his index finger. “You’re serious? You want to go on a date with me?”

Rafe chuckled at Pitney’s flirty look and suppressed the need to adjust himself. Pitney would be trouble as soon as he broke free from his shell. “Yes, I do. What are you doing tomorrow?” When a wide yawn split Pitney’s face and he flushed once again, Rafe tossed the money for their sodas on the table. “We should get going.”

“Sorry. Yeah, you’re right. I’m working the morning shift at the warehouse from six to twelve, then I need a little nap.”

Rafe racked his brain for what they could do, then grinned when a thought stuck him. “Okay. Do you want to come by my house after your nap? Say, around three? I’d planned on baking, and we could do it together. I think that’d be fun.”

“Baking?” Pitney blinked his golden eyes, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Yeah, for Christmas. I have a sweet tooth and eat tons of cookies in the weeks leading up to Christmas. We can bake together and talk some more.”

Pitney grinned and showed the gap between his front teeth. “I’d love to! Where do you live?”

Saturday, 3rd December

Pitney felt nervous as hell. An army of butterflies battled in his stomach, only because he was on his way to see a sexy, funny, and friendly guy. If he and Rafael had sex eventually, Pitney would most likely have a heart attack before he even managed to get his clothes off. And wouldn’t that just suck? Pitney had never been so horny at the prospect of spending time with anybody. He’d jerked off three times after coming home the night before.

Despite his size and bulging muscles, Rafael seemed like an attentive, gentle man. As much as the thought of having sex again frightened him, Pitney thought he needed an experienced, older man to show him what to do, how and where to touch. Maybe sex with Chris hadn’t been enjoyable because Chris was a crappy lover.

Deep down, Pitney knew what he longed for. Sexually, that was. However, he was too afraid to admit it and he never would’ve dared telling Chris. Whenever he examined himself in the mirror, he couldn’t imagine finding a man who would like to play along with his weird wishes.

Rafael hadn’t accepted Pitney’s blatant invitation for quick sex without strings yesterday. Plus, he wasn’t into one-night-stands and wanted to get to know Pitney. If that wasn’t a sure sign the guy’s interest was sincere, Pitney didn’t know what was.

Maybe he was too trusting, but to hell with it.

Pitney took in the classy area he was driving through, the big houses and spotless lawns, and guessed Rafael must be well off if he lived in such a neighborhood. Not that Pitney cared one way or the other. Rafael was friendly and obviously didn’t care that Pitney looked like a model for plastic surgery. Money or reputation didn’t matter to him, and he didn’t need a sugar daddy who thought he could treat Pitney like crap just because he paid for him. His aunt and uncle had taught him better.

In case Rafael acted all haughty as soon as Pitney arrived at his place, he’d be out of there. That was, if Rafael didn’t gag him and truss him up in his basement.
Oh my god, shut the hell up, stupid brain.

Pitney found the right address, steered his aunt’s old car into the driveway and parked in front of a cute, two-story house. At least, with the flower beds leading to the green door, it looked cute on the outside. There was no telling if Rafael had a secret passion for collecting chainsaws or something like that. Pitney rolled his eyes at himself.
Stop it, you’ll only give yourself an ulcer.

He had just climbed out of the car when the front door opened and Rafael’s tall body filled the gap. Today, he wore jeans and a red, long-sleeved shirt. The business outfit yesterday had given him the look of an exceptionally fit executive. Casual clothes, on the other hand, made him appear... bigger and stronger. Maybe even a tad intimidating. Pitney hoped the guy would remain friendly like he’d been the day before, and that baking wasn’t a synonym for bending and fucking Pitney over the kitchen counter until he saw dancing little gingerbread men.

When Pitney closed the distance, Rafael’s smile was so open and full of joy that he felt his anxiety vanish like eggnog at his uncle’s Christmas parties.