CHAPTER TWELVE - LUKE
The next two weeks had me feeling like I was in high school again, and to my surprise, that was a good feeling.
Casey and I had been talking back and forth almost nonstop since we connected on the site. With Casey, I quickly realized I had a near bottomless supply of things I wanted to talk about with him, and he always had something to say in return that told me he wanted me to feed him more.
Every day, I woke up with something new in my head to share.
Some mornings, he would have something to start the conversation, but for the most part, it was clear that I was the one pursuing him. And that was fine with me—I liked being the one in control where it was possible, and Casey seemed more than happy to indulge that. The only way things could have felt better was if he was willing to meet in person.
But that was the one thing I could not get him to do. I wasn’t being overly forward—I would never ask him explicitly to meet with me, because I figured that would scare him off. Instead, I dropped hints that were painfully obvious.
For example, we’d talk about our favorite hangouts in the area, like cafes and restaurants. I talked about a fantastic pan au lait and espresso I had at a coffee shop not far off the strip, and Casey said that sounded amazing. So, I said that I’d have to buy him something there sometime.
But whenever I tried to steer the conversation toward a physical meetup, he’d either pretend to get busy suddenly or change the subject altogether. I got the hint.
And yet, he kept talking.
He was a puzzle that got more frustrating by the day, and that just made me all the more interested in him. If there was one thing I couldn’t resist, it was a puzzle that I couldn’t figure out, and Casey was dripping with mystery.
This morning, I had the day off, so I took my time in getting up and heading to the kitchen to start making breakfast. Within a few minutes, the room smelled like smoky bacon and fresh coffee, and I felt the stress of the week melting away by the minute.
Breakfast was one of those times where I felt like I had sanctuary from the world around me. I wasn’t a great cook by any stretch of the imagination, but I liked time to myself to do simple tasks, unwinding from the hectic life I led.
I pulled out my phone as I poured my first mug of coffee, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw a message from Casey on it within the past hour.
So, what’s for breakfast on a day off? It asked playfully. I’d told him about my day off, of course, but he’d carefully deflected any offers I’d made to get together.
I stepped back and took a picture of the kitchen layout, making sure to include the stovetop and the eggs and bacon sizzling deliciously on it. I sent the picture to him with the caption Not pictured: too much black coffee!
Within a few seconds, he replied.
Omg, I love that oven!
I smirked and typed a reply. LOL is the food that bad looking?
Hahaha no the eggs look good too. I just don’t see many retro-style red ovens these days. Show me the rest of the kitchen!
I stood way back and took a picture of the whole room, complete with all the counter space, my minibar, the massive fridge, and every other amenity that I considered essential.
Less than a minute after I sent it to him, he sent me back an emoji with hearts in its eyes, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Oh, so all I have to do to lure you out of your cave is show you a picture of my kitchen? I’ll trade selfies for pics of the inside of the fridge, you know.
Nice try! My place is a studio, so basically anything is an upgrade from this. But that chef’s kitchen you’ve got going on, oh my GOD! Tell me you cook!
I only have time for the bare essentials. Casinos don’t run themselves, haha. You?
I’m constantly baking. I have a little bit of a problem hahaha.
Wow, way to show me up :p
Hey, I might not have a big cozy casino tower to look down from, but at least I have damn good muffins coming out of my oven.
I’d barely touched my coffee all this time. My eyes were glued to the screen, and my face was stuck in a stupid grin. I liked this guy a lot, no matter what he was saying. But baking was a little unexpected. From someone as big and muscular as him, I was expecting a more intensive hobby like carpentry or something. Again, Casey was full of surprises.
I looked around my home and thought about sending him another picture of... anything. I wanted to hear his thoughts on my living space; the way I arranged things; the way I styled the interior; and so much more. But as I raised the phone to take a picture of the living room, I frowned.
I wanted more, and I wanted to tell him so.
You could have a lot more than muffins coming out of my oven if you popped over here for a visit, you know. ;)
Heart pounding, I drank my coffee in almost a single gulp before tearing into my food. With just me at the apartment, I didn’t bother with the big dining table I had, nor even taking a seat at all. I just leaned against the counter and devoured the protein-rich breakfast, gazing out the window at the morning sunlight bathing the city.
I made a point not to check my phone while I ate, and unsurprisingly, when I checked it after I’d finished there was no new message from Casey. I rolled my eyes.
How long was he going to play this game with me?
I didn’t mind being played with because I knew exactly what he was doing. He was shy, and it was the easiest thing in the world for him to dance around my advances. But he never stopped altogether.
He wanted me, and I wanted him. It was just a matter of time.
I held my thumbs over the keypad, wondering what else to type to push him just a little further. But to my surprise, just as I was about to start typing, I saw him start to write something.
After waiting, his message appeared, and my heart did a somersault.
Hmm, that does sound like fun, but only if you promise baking will be involved!
I grinned. It didn’t seem like much, but with someone as hard to get as Casey, I felt like walking on clouds. I typed out a reply.
I think I see a nice German chocolate cake in our future, or maybe something simpler, like zucchini bread. Are you a petit fours kind of guy?
HOW COULD I NOT BE?
I laughed out loud at his reply as I made my way to the shower and started to strip, feeling my heart pounding in my chest.
Doing this over an app felt so strange, but at the same time, I realized it was probably the only way I’d get a guy like Casey to come out of his shell this much. It made him feel comfortable and safe, and that made me feel better about, well, everything.
Gonna jump into the shower, but when I get out, let’s make some solid plans ;)
I started running the hot water, my naked body reflected in the bathroom’s foggy mirror, and I heard my phone buzz on the counter just before I got in.
Oooh, I want to see!
I paused for a moment, thoughtfully chewing on my lip, then picked up the towel and stood at the entrance to the shower. I held the phone camera up and angled it down so it showed my naked body, rippling muscles from my shoulders to my abdomen, all just barely glistening from the humidity in the room. I held the towel so that it nearly covered my half-swollen shaft. Behind me, there was a view of the shower’s spacious interior in the shot. I wore a cocky smile on my face as I snapped the picture and sent it to him.
I decided to leave the phone on the counter with that as I stepped into the shower to wait for his response.
As I let the hot water run over my body and warm my muscles, all I could think about was having him in there with me. I had a big shower because it was one of those things I always wanted when I was younger, but the house my family lived in only had one of those tiny standing showers that didn’t let you spread out. So, when I moved to Vegas with the starting salary the Sentry offered, first priority was a big shower.
It was my sanctuary, and this was the first time I really wanted to share it with someone. I wanted that huge guy’s body pressed up against mine in here, and I wanted to pin him against the cool tile walls while I fucked him.
The thought made my cock get stiff as I finished washing myself, and I brought my hand to it and felt it electrify at my touch. I licked my lips, and I started to let my hand move up and down my shaft…
...but the sound of the phone buzzing on the counter distracted me.
I turned the shower off and dried myself, crossing the bathroom to pick the phone up. When I flicked the screen on, I felt color come to my cheeks.
It was a selfie of Casey, but he was still in bed. Natural light was filtering in onto his sleepy face, which was half-buried in pillows that he smiled up from with lidded eyes that caught the morning sunlight in a way that plucked at my heartstrings.
Room for two? was the caption.
Sounds like a date. And holy fuck, are you even real? I replied.
Real enough that I have to get back to my regular schedule soon ):
Oh yeah? Where’s that?
Secretive as he was, I’d gotten plenty of messages from Casey about his personal life, but he hadn’t divulged his career yet. This was the first time I’d asked up front.
The fire department
Don’t suppose you’ve picked up a shift the day of the concert? ;) I understand if you have, we’re both busy people, but the offer’s still there.
There was a pause before he wrote out his reply.
Still open...and I think I’ll take you up on that offer. Only because I love the Devils Tongue, of course ;)
I couldn’t keep a grin off my face as I replied, Oh, right, sure, of course ;p Send me your email and I’ll forward you everything you need to know
I put the phone down and hurried to get dressed for the day, but now, my heart was pounding excitedly.
Sure, the past few weeks of just flirting and skirting around the issue were fun and exciting but knowing that I had him actually coming to the concert filled me with so much zing that I couldn’t stand it.
So, I started to add, you’re a firefighter, baker, and sometimes-clubber who likes to keep to himself. You realize you’re just a bundle of walking mysteries, right?
Are you the kind of guy who likes mysteries?
I smiled.
You have no idea.
Of course, this meant it was that much more important to make this charity concert work. But I was Luke Reynolds, not some amateur planner who couldn’t put something together to save his life. I ran my share of the Sentry like a well-oiled machine.
And this was going to be a concert they’d remember for years.