The Imperfection of Swans (26 page)

“Wanna be our spy and go around to wedding shops and pretend to be a newly engaged woman? We want to get a sense of what the other stores are doing right and what we can do better to make ourselves stand out.”

She didn’t even hesitate. “Oh, hell yes! That sounds like a blast.”

“Cool. Thanks! You can always pretend you’re getting married to Thomas. You could get married at that church he’s always inviting you to.”

Her eyes flashed. “You have a funny way of asking for favors.”

Casper laughed, glad to have an ease between them again. “Have you told him you’re leaving Tatte yet?”

An evil grin crossed her lips. “Not yet. I’m going to wait until he’s having a really bad day and then drop it on him.”

“You are awful.”

She shrugged. “He deserves it.”

“And your dad, have you told him?”

Charu chuckled, leaning back in the booth. “Poor Father. He barely batted an eyelash. ‘Why not,’ he said.” Charu mimicked her dad’s thick accent. “‘Why not jump into the dark waters of the ocean without a swimsuit.’”

Casper laughed again. “What does that mean?”

She just rolled her eyes. “Father is dramatic. Nearly as dramatic as my gay best friend. And he’ll never get over that I’m not using my chemistry degree. He had such high hopes.”

“Oh.” Casper brightened. “Speaking of, you might just have use for that degree yet. I’ve got some ideas for quicker ways to make sugar glass to run by you.”

CASPER

WHILE WEDDING
dress shopping had cut the initial awkwardness of Kevin’s new single status and how it could potentially affect his and Kevin’s relationship, it only lasted for a bit. Actually, the original awkwardness was gone, though it was simply replaced by a new sort. Granted, Casper found the new awkwardness somewhat fun.

For the past two weeks or so, he and Kevin had done a mental dance around each other. Both nervous. Both tense. Both on edge. Both obviously wanting the exact same thing. That fact alone blew Casper’s mind. And, if the electrical charge that seemed to be between them hadn’t lasted for as long as it had, he would have chalked it up to… well, he didn’t know what he’d chalk it up to. But as it was, it was clear Kevin actually wanted him. Him! Casper James. How someone who was used to dating, and marrying, life-size Ken-doll models suddenly wanted him, Casper had no idea.

However, just like with the bakery, you didn’t hesitate when the very thing you want fell in your lap. You just shook fate’s hand, or gave it a hug, and moved on, happier than you were before.
Not
that Kevin had landed in Casper’s lap. But it was just a matter of time. Casper was sure of it. And that surety had led to the most deliciously anticipatory two weeks of his life.

May had just passed its halfway point when the construction crew installed Casper’s marble counters for the bakery. Kevin was nearly as excited as Casper. Once the marble was in place, they could schedule the floors. Two times already the granite had been scheduled, and twice it had been postponed. Twice they’d had to cancel having the floors finished. In all honesty, they hadn’t really needed to wait for the marble. But Kevin insisted he’d be a nervous wreck if they got the floors refinished and then the marble guys dropped the stone down the stairs or dragged electrical tools across the floors.

Watching Kevin’s excitement as he called to schedule the floor as the marble guys finished cleaning up from the counters, Casper couldn’t help but let himself become a touch more captivated by the man. Kevin was high-strung, stressed, and the biggest perfectionist Casper had ever seen, but he was so full of life that he seemed to radiate energy.

Kevin put down his phone and nearly hopped across the room. “Next week!”

“Yeah? It’s about time. I never dreamed of all of these parts taking so long.” Casper patted the ten-inch thick slab of marble. “What do you think?”

Kevin paused and inspected it, running his hands over its surface. He looked calm. “It’s perfect. Really. And these lights….” He pointed to the hanging pendants. “They really do bring it all together.”

“After next week, we’ll be kind of done.”

“Yeah right. We’ll be done with all the things we hire people for. It will be up to us from here on out. Well, except for furniture deliveries and such.”

“Yeah, but it’s looking real all of a sudden.” Casper followed Kevin’s lead and ran his hands over the marble. Smooth, cool. Solid. It had been one of their more expensive purchases, but it was worth every penny. He couldn’t wait to see it covered in his and Charu’s creations.

“It does. I think it will really hit me when the dress samples come in from the designers, which is still about six weeks away.” Kevin’s gaze went foggy, probably picturing it all. “I can’t wait to send Devina Malloy pictures of the place. She’s not going to believe how great it will look. She’ll be glad she went with us.”

Casper had wandered closer to Kevin as he felt the marble and was now only a foot away, having glanced around to make sure everyone else had left. “You’re amazing.”

Kevin flinched. “What?”

Casper stepped closer, keeping both hands on the marble, doing his best to ignore the pounding of his heart. “You’re amazing. Doing all this. Making all this happen. Having this vision.”

“You’re doing it too.” He wouldn’t meet Casper’s eyes.

“Yeah, but you started it. And I don’t have your anxiety or have constant pain from the reflux, but you just push past it all and make life happen.”

Kevin glanced up finally and looked like he was about to say something, but what he saw on Casper’s face must have changed his mind.

Casper stepped closer, letting his hands fall away from the countertop. He invaded Kevin’s space. Moved so close their bodies were touching. He marveled at his own daring, but he couldn’t have stopped if he’d wanted to.

The two weeks of dancing around each other had been fun, but it was time to bring that to a close.

Kevin didn’t move away.

“You go after what you want, and you make it happen. I’ve no doubt that Bella Dolce is going to be a success, because you won’t have it any other way.” As he had that night in New York, Casper placed his palm on Kevin’s cheek. “You inspire me. I’m going after what I want. I want this place, this business. I want it to be a huge success. But I want more.”

He closed whatever space was between them and kissed Kevin, pressing his lips firmly on Kevin’s. It only took a moment to feel Kevin respond. Once he did, all bets were off.

As Casper continued the kiss, he moved his hand from Kevin’s face and began working the buttons of his shirt. He only had one left when he felt Kevin tugging at his T-shirt. Casper leaned back and pulled the shirt over his head, then returned to the solitary button, released it, and slid off Kevin’s shirt.

Casper wanted the kissing to last longer, but his body didn’t seem to care. No sooner had Kevin’s shirt been tossed aside than Casper began working on his jeans, tugging at the button.

Kevin pulled away from the kiss, making Casper think he’d pushed things too far. Kevin motioned to Casper’s jeans. “You take off yours, I’ll get mine.”

“Always the efficient one.” Casper followed the instructions and pulled off his jeans, having to steady himself on the new counter once. He glanced up at Kevin, motioning to his own boxers. “Want me to get rid of these, or wait a sec?” Suddenly he was worried he was going to scare Kevin off.

Kevin pulled down his own purple briefs by way of response.

The realization hit Casper, and he took a step back. Kevin was naked. In front of him. Granted, he’d seen Kevin naked one other time, sort of, but this time it was for him, and Casper got to see all of him. Kevin was even more beautiful than he’d thought possible, though a touch too thin, despite that every inch of him was hard muscle. He was certainly the most attractive man Casper had ever been with. “I know I’ve told you before, but you’re beautiful.”

Kevin smiled. “You look pretty good yourself. Shouldn’t a baker have a potbelly? At least a little one?” He didn’t wait for Casper to respond before he motioned toward Casper’s crotch. “Your boxers are cute and all, but not really what I’m curious about.”

Suddenly unusually shy, Casper pulled off his boxers and stood for inspection, unable to suppress a coy smile. “Good enough?”

Kevin’s brown gaze flashed up to his. “Fuck.”

Casper’s smile grew. “Glad you approve. I figured you were used to—”

Kevin cut him off, thank God, his kiss fierce and hot. Full of lust. Maybe something else as well, but Casper couldn’t be sure, and he’d take what he could get.

In less than a minute, Casper supported Kevin’s weight in his hands, just like he had in New York, his finger already teasing, making Kevin groan, making him wild. Casper couldn’t suppress a shudder. Looked like Kevin was going to be as full of life during sex as he was the rest of the time.

Casper thought for a moment about carrying him to his makeshift bed upstairs, but didn’t want to wait. He placed Kevin on the marble countertop and then hopped up beside him, then let out a laugh. “Good grief that’s cold.”

“Casper, not on your new counters. They—”

“They’re a billion pounds. It will be fine. Besides, I want to think about our first time every time I’m baking. This is perfect.”

He bent over Kevin, kissing him once more. He shuddered when Kevin’s legs wrapped around his waist.

For a moment, he nearly asked if Kevin was certain he wanted to do this, but he shoved the thought aside and let himself get lost in his business partner.

“WHEN YOU
said hold on a minute, I had no idea this is what you had in mind.” Kevin lifted up the edge of the sleeping bag.

Casper shrugged. “If I’d planned ahead, I would have moved it down here sooner. The marble was a little cold.”

“We warmed it up.”

“True.” Casper trailed his finger along Kevin’s smooth, muscled chest. He was just so stinking gorgeous.

A few moments after Casper had caught his breath from his and Kevin’s—he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to call it… lovemaking… fucking… countertop testing—he had run upstairs and grabbed the sleeping bag and pillows. He was afraid if he did anything else, Kevin would get up, and it would be over.

“Maybe next time, we can use a bed or something not quite so solid.” Kevin scooted over, fitting himself to Casper’s side, not that there’d been much room left to begin with.

Casper’s heart leapt that Kevin was thinking of a second time as well, but he thought it better to not say anything. He watched as Kevin’s eyes closed. He didn’t seem stressed by what they had done, which was a surprise, considering nearly everything stressed Kevin out.

Kevin caught Casper staring, his eyes opening again suddenly. “What?”

Shit.

“Uhm, I was just thinking, you lied to that man at the bar.”

Kevin’s eyebrows knitted. “What man?”

“The one you told that you weren’t a power bottom.”

Realization dawned over him, and Kevin laughed. “Oh. That creep. Well, typically I’m not, but for that….” He reached down and tugged on Casper’s cock.

Casper couldn’t help but glow. “Size queen, huh?”

Kevin looked up, feigning innocence. “What can I say? I’m a cliché in a lot of ways.”

That statement was rather true. Kevin’s sassy attitude at times, his love of fashion and show tunes, his obsession over the gym. Casper liked it actually. Gay men who went out of their way to not seem cliché, at least when they were at heart, annoyed him. He loved that Kevin was just exactly who he was. Size queen and all.

And, man, Casper wanted to ask if he was bigger than Scott. He couldn’t imagine that, as big as the man was, but maybe….

“What are you thinking? You’ve got a goofy grin on your face.”

Shit again.
And no way was he answering that question. “I’m just happy.”

A dark cloud seemed to cross over Kevin’s face. “Yeah, me too.”

“That a bad thing?”

Kevin shook his head slightly, rather unconvincingly. “No. I don’t think. Just seems wrong to let myself be happy this soon after Scott.”

Nope. Not touching that one either. “I’m glad you’re happy.” He needed to shut his mouth. Casper knew he did. He just couldn’t do it. “Is this going to make things weird between us?”

“Because we’re business partners and now we’re fucking?”

Fucking. Apparently they were going with fucking. “No, the awkwardness that you don’t eat much cake.”

“Shut up.” Kevin laughed and gave another tug on Casper’s cock, a little rougher. He lifted his head and glanced down before looking over at Casper. “Again?”

Hell yes, again. And he should prove it. Keep his mouth shut and prove it. Fuck and shut up. “I don’t think it has to be weird. Can’t we just skip all that? Just jump right to the good stuff? We’ve both been around the block a time or two. There’s not really any need for a bunch of games, right?”

“And move to what? Dating?” Kevin scooted away, though Casper couldn’t tell if it was because he needed space suddenly or if it was to be able to see better.

Fucking. Right. That was the word. Not dating. “I guess dating is a little too soon, even if we have known each other for almost half a year now. Like you said, we’re business partners. And I’m sure you want to”—fuck other people, sleep around, have a lot of no-strings fun—“have some time to do whatever you want to do, now that you’re single again.”