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Buck squirmed in his seat, a fake smile plastered to his face. He hated himself for it. His date, Martin, had everything going for him–a well-respected doctor, tall and broad with muscles for days, green eyes that reminded him of a warm summer’s day spent under the cool shade of a pine tree, and a smile that made heat rise to his cheeks. But he was, quite frankly, annoying as hell.
It was clear that he thought he was better than everyone else. For the past hour, Martin had been patting himself on the back for even the most minor accomplishments, stuff that Buck himself knew he could do given the right tools. And if he had to hear about the time he saved someone from bleeding out with a straw one more time, Buck thought he might finally snap and leave without another word.
Not that he was saying much, anyway. Martin never let him get a word in. Aside from the initial greetings and ordering food, Buck hadn’t said more than three words at a time. Clearly the doctor loved hearing himself talk.
But Buck had to get through the date. He’d lost a bet with Maddie and this was the outcome. At first he was excited, thinking that the doctor would understand his profession in a way others didn’t, but now, as he stared at the table’s ridged edge listening to him drone on and on, he wasn’t even sure if the man was aware he had a job at all.
Suddenly, Martin stood. Buck’s heart leaped--could he be leaving? Was he finally free? “I’ll be back in a ‘mo,” Martin said with a wink, crushing Buck’s hopes and dreams. “Don’t go anywhere, I still need to tell you about how I managed to save a guy from choking on his own lung.”
“Did you…” Buck started, awkwardly trailing off as Martin wandered away without waiting for him to finish. His shoulders drooped. “Perform the Hiemlich maneuver?" He finished with a sigh, chuckling half-heartedly to himself.
After a few moments of sitting alone, tapping along the table in the tune of a song stuck in his head, he checked to make sure the coast was clear. Once sure that Martin wasn’t nearby, he pulled out his phone and opened his contacts, debating with himself on who to message before landing on Eddie. He thought for a second, thumbs waving over the letters on the keyboard, and bit his lip as he began to type. Just before he could press send, however, the chair opposite him scraped across the floor and he jumped.
“Sorry,” he rushed out, switching off his phone and shoving it into his pocket. “I thought you were…” He froze. It wasn’t Martin. “You aren’t my date.”
“No,” the mystery man said, shaking his head with a grin. “But I’d like to be.”
Buck’s stomach clenched. Who was this man? Why was he here? And how was he so gorgeous?
The mystery man was handsome, that was for sure, with a strong nose and a scruffy beard that framed his chiselled face just right. His lips, perfectly quirked up in a sweet but flirty smile, were almost irresistible. With his purple shirt hugging his wide arms and pecs perfectly and unbuttoned just enough to show the thick hair weaving over his chest, Buck was captivated. But underneath all that confidence, he could see the nervousness flickering in the man’s beautiful blue eyes.
“I, I’m sorry,” Buck stuttered out, playing with his hands. “I’m already on a, uh, a date. With someone. Yeah.”
“Oh, yeah?”
Buck checked around for any sight of Martin but he was nowhere to be found. Where was he? Not that he was begging him to come back, really, but he was starting to get concerned. Had he really done a runner? “Yeah.” He gestured toward the bathroom. “He’ll be back in a minute.”
“Well, that’s unfortunate,” the man replied, still smiling that damn smile. “I came to rescue you.”
Buck snorted before he could stop himself. “What, like I’m a damsel in distress?”
“Something like that,” he shrugged, leaning forward on his arms and looking up through his eyelashes. Buck’s stomach erupted with butterflies. “I’ll leave you be, if that’s what you want. But trust me, that guy doesn’t seem to care about anyone but himself. I bet he hasn’t let you get one word this entire time, right? How can he look at you and not want to know everything about you?”
Electricity thrummed through Buck’s veins, buzzing up under his skin and rushing to his chest. This guy was going to give him a heart attack. Without thinking, he stood up on trembling legs, excitement and adrenaline taking over, and reached out for the man. “Why don't we get out of here?”
Mystery Man grinned and Buck felt lightheaded. It transformed his entire face, lighting up the room and highlighting each beautiful feature. His nose scrunched up in the most beautiful way and his crow’s feet were on full display in all of their glory. Buck physically swooned. Mystery Man took Buck’s hand in his, rough skin against rough skin, and pulled him closer. “I’d be delighted to.”
Buck pulled out a 20 from his pocket and threw it on the table before racing out of the restaurant with the man in tow. He felt like he’d lost his mind. He felt reckless. He felt alive .
“I just left a date to go on another one with a man I don’t even know,” he said, turning to look at Mystery Man. Seeing his beautiful face again, this time inches away from his and glowing in the moonlight, took his breath away. “What the hell is wrong with me?”
“Everything?” Mystery Man replied cheekily, eyes lighting up in amusement. “This is out of the ordinary for me too. But I knew if I didn’t say anything I’d regret it for the rest of my life.” He squeezed Buck’s hand in his. “But when I saw you… I just knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That we had a connection.”
Heat crawled up Buck’s neck. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Mystery Man whispered, leaning closer. They were still outside the restaurant, Buck leaning against a wall. Even with the bustling street it felt like they were the only two in the world. “I couldn’t miss out on that.”
“I don’t even know your name.” Buck sighed, completely intoxicated by the man before him. His eyes, his smile, his scent, everything. “Should I just call you Mr Mystery Man forever?”
Mystery Man chuckled and tilted his head, eyes darting between Buck’s eyes and lips and back again. “Tommy. What’s yours?”
“Evan,” he whispered, their lips almost touching with the last syllable. He had no idea why he’d said that. He hadn’t gone by his first name since he was a teenager. But the man made him feel a way he’d never felt before. Made him feel seen. “My name is Evan.”
“Well, Evan,” Tommy breathed out and it was the most wonderful thing Evan had ever heard in his life. “It’s nice to meet you. What do you want to do?”
Anything, he thought. Anything if it meant I could do it with you.
“I want ice-cream,” is what came out of his mouth instead. “Lots and lots of ice-cream.”
Tommy tipped his head back with a wonderful laugh. “Chocolate, right?”
“God, yes. My date said he never eats sweets or desserts. Ever.”
“I don’t remember saying that Evan,” Tommy replied, tilting his head in confusion. He laughed a moment later, shaking his head at himself. Evan couldn’t look away, eyes following every movement. “Sorry, that was stupid. He sounds like a nightmare.”
“Right?! Now I need enough sweets to last me a lifetime.”
“And then more?”
Evan let out a loud laugh. “Yes, exactly.”
They smiled at each other, the air around them feeling supercharged. A breeze passed by, leafing through Tommy’s curls, and Evan sighed wistfully. He didn’t want to move, not really, but he had to get away from this restaurant before Martin wandered out and caught him with another man.
And he really, really wanted ice-cream.
Hands still entwined, he tugged Tommy down the street towards a late-night sweet shop. Tommy followed without complaint or hesitation. After a minute of walking in peaceful silence, Tommy smirked at him. “You’re staring.”
How could he not stare? Tommy was perfect.
“Are you real? Or did I make you up?”
“You think I’m a figment of your imagination, Evan?”
God, the way he said his name did things to him. If sounds could be tattooed, he’d spend anything to have it imprinted onto his brain forever. Maybe he should look into that.
“Yes,” Evan said, nodding as if it were the most obvious thing. “You’re too perfect not to be.”
“Right,” Tommy laughed. “Trust me, Evan, I’m very real.” He paused then, bringing their entwined hands to his chest. It was hot to the touch, the heat sneaking beneath his shirt into Evan’s fingertips and crawling up his arms to his face, and it was firm. “Feel that? That’s real.”
His heartbeat thrummed under his palm. It was real.
It was all so very real.
Evan stared at their fingers splayed together across Tommy’s chest, felt his mouth run dry, felt the buzz underneath his skin. Everything was too much. He’d never felt drawn to someone in this way. “You’re real,” he whispered, hardly audible over the busy road they stood on. And then he did something he couldn’t stop himself from doing.
He kissed Tommy.
It was so impulsive that it took his brain far too many seconds to catch up on what he’d done. With a gasp, he pulled back, an apology ready to fall from his lips, but Tommy had other plans. His hand sidled up to Evan’s cheek and tugged him forwards, their lips meeting again.
Tommy’s lips were slightly chapped against Evan’s as he deepened the kiss. The scratchiness of Tommy’s stubble felt like heaven against his jaw and his nose poked into his cheek. Evan sighed, on cloud nine. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt like this. Hell, he couldn’t remember anything at the moment. His mind was completely blank. Quiet for once.
He wanted to stay like this forever.
Someone bumped into them, sending Evan tumbling into Tommy’s arms, and broke them from their spell. They stared at each other, both in a surprised daze, before bursting into laughter. “That was…” Evan started but he couldn’t find a word to describe it.
“It was,” Tommy agreed.
Evan entwined their hands together again, smiling at Tommy like he’d hung the moon and stars just for him. “So,” he began, bumping his shoulder against Tommy’s, “what about that ice-cream?”
Tommy laughed that wonderful laugh again and squeezed Evan’s hand in his. “Lead the way, sweetheart.”
Evan definitely wasn’t going to survive this night.