“Do they still live here?”
“My dad does, yeah.” I nodded, feeling an icy pit open in my stomach. Happened every time this came up. “Mom passed, six years ago now. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and it took her faster than even the doctors had prepared us for.”
“Oh, Ry…” His hand crossed the table again, holding mine tight. It was an anchoring touch and helped melt some of the ice slick that had formed in my gut.
“I think about her every day. She loved orchids, especially the yellow ones. Every time I spot one, I feel like it’s her sending me a message, a hug. My dad dedicated an entire section of his farm to yellow orchids.”
His eyebrows rose, the soft smile spreading on his face. “I’d love to see it if that’s okay.”
“Really?” I wasn’t expecting that response. The last time I told someone I was dating about my dad’s orchid farm, they looked at me like I’d grown four legs and proceeded to berate me about orchids being an invasive species. Which… fine, maybe they were, but I had a strong feeling that my dad’s tribute to my mom wasn’t about to create a collapse in the ecosystem.
Elijah nodded and said, “Abso-fucking-lutely. I love orchids, too. Plus, I want to meet your dad. He sounds like a really special guy.”
“He is.” The ice in my chest thawed completely, warmth taking hold instead. “I love him—I don’t think I could have gotten through mom’s passing without him. I don’t think I’d have much without him, actually. He taught me a lot of practical things, but most importantly, he taught me how to be a good person. That was always at the top of his list: be kind and you’ll be happy. The simplest equation in the world and the one that made the most difference to me.”
“Then I’ve got to thank him. He raised one hell of a guy.”
That warmed me even further. My smile grew, crinkling my eyes. Elijah’s leg still rested against mine, another point of touch that kept me grounded. I stretched out, tangling my leg with his.
“Where’s the farm?” he asked.
“Not too far from here. It’s a big ten-acre property. He’s got all the typical farm animals, couple of horses, and a few crop fields he rotates depending on the season. The orchids are permanent, though.”
Elijah leaned back, his other leg joining the fray under the table. The kindling in my core started to catch, sparking into a growing need. “I love that you’re a farm boy. That really gets my thoughts buzzing.”
“Oh? Thoughts like what?”
He shrugged, smile turning mischievous. “What it’s like to hook up on a tractor, or in a barn, or out in a field.”
“Is that all you’re thinking about?” I asked, my grin matching his.
“No. I’m also thinking about hooking up here on this table, or over there on the counter, or out in the hot tub.” Elijah’s leg hooked around mine, and he started to rub. I started to get hard.
“Interesting coincidence. I was thinking about the same things.”
I opened my legs under the table. Elijah wasn’t wearing any shoes, and he must have picked up on my invitation. He lifted his leg, pressing gently down on my already throbbing cock. His eyes opened wide before narrowing again, a hunger beginning to fill them.
“I can tell,” he said, rubbing me over my jeans. I licked my lips, pushing my hips up, rubbing harder against him. The chef had long gone, so it was only the two of us in this romantic dreamscape. I wanted to make the absolute fucking best of it.
I unzipped my pants, pulled my stiff length through the hole in my briefs. Elijah watched, the hunger lighting up those green eyes. He reached down and pulled off his socks before returning his feet to between my legs. Slowly, he rubbed, his soft skin creating a delicious friction against mine. I dropped my head back and let the early waves of pleasure wash over me.
“Is this part of the six-course meal?” Elijah asked.
“Why, are you not filled up yet?”
“Nope,” he said, and his tone took on a yearning ring. “That’s why I need you.”
It was then, judging by the light in his eyes (and pulsing in my balls), I realized tonight would be a special night. Even more so than it already had.
“Come,” I said, standing up, cock as stiff as a flagpole. “Let’s move this to the bed.”
Elijah stood, his erection clearly outlined in his tight white pants. “Let’s.”
20
Elijah King
Ryan Diaz was a hunk of a man. Confident, cocky, hung. Everything about him was the definition of sexy, even the kindness that radiated from him. It added up to a total package that had me seeing stars and leaking buckets. This date night had been pulled straight from my dreams, and we were about to make those dreams of the, eh, wet variety.