head spun as he stepped back, nearly stumbling, to let Eli go. He wasn't sure what an appropriate length of time for a kiss was, but he was certain it was a little less time than they'd just spent. He knew his cheeks were burning with a blush. “Oops...”
Eli was grinning breathlessly back at him. One of Eli's hands was somehow on his shoulder while the other rested on his waist. They must have ended up there while Kevin was focusing on trying to kiss Eli properly. “I'm looking forward to seeing you, too, soon,” he murmured from mere inches away, those long lashes flickering across blue eyes. When Kevin nodded, Eli let his hands slide away from Kevin and turned to pull open the shop door.
“S-See you,” Kevin answered, taking the door to hold it so Eli could leave, despite his urges to make Eli stay a little longer. His cheeks hurt from grinning. He raised a hand to push his hearing aid mold back into place. It was starting to be pushed out by how hard he was grinning.
“Friday night,” Eli promised, reaching out to adjust Kevin's collar slightly as if he wanted one more little excuse to touch Kevin.
Kevin was glowing not just with embarrassment from his enthusiastic kiss, but also with pleasure. He didn't care if Eli saw it. “Friday night.”
He raised his hand in a little wave, watching Eli walk away towards the waterfront through the early morning. The light caught his hair and every part of his silhouette – even his backside, through trousers that were fitted just right, and the curve of his back where the strap at the back of his vest pulled it tighter. Kevin wanted his hands in those two places.
He stepped back into the shop and let the door swing shut, then leaned heavily against it. Friday would tell him whether Eli was on the same page.
Chapter 11
Eli
It took Eli no time to remember why he was so excited as he woke up that Friday morning with a smile on his face. It was a little ridiculous for him to be this excited just to see Kevin – there was no guarantee they'd even have time for a proper chat, go home together, or set up another, proper, date...
But somehow, Thursday had seemed to pass quickly after his meeting with Kevin. Even Dean had noticed that he was brightening up, though he'd attributed it to the hot, bright weather on Ember Isle.
“You're still looking awfully perky there,” Dean commented over lunch as they relaxed and ate a breakfast menu for lunch, courtesy of their chef. Dean was in shorts and a designer t-shirt, sunglasses pushing his hair up and out of the way.
“Like I said, the weather does a miracle on you,” Eli answered casually as he crunched his toast. He'd practically devoured his breakfast, which was a feat after the past few weeks of barely eating.
“Mm,” Dean answered, not looking entirely like he believed him. “So tonight, there's an interesting little meeting going on at nine. In a private room at the new Latin place, uh...”
“La Sol,” Eli supplied. He'd walked up and down Main Street a few times to see the finished window displays, banners, and signs above the new storefronts while waiting for Kevin to come in on Thursday morning. He'd resisted the urge to do it again that morning, instead choosing to sleep in and wait for this meal.
“Thanks. At La Sol, in the private room. We're invited. Only billionaires,” Dean told Eli. “Maybe a few of the richer millionaires, though.”
Eli's interest was piqued. “Oh, really? How come?”
“Must be something big going on. There's been a rumor for a while about the island being bought...”
Eli snorted. “That's always been bullshit,” he disagreed. “People have been saying for years.” He swallowed a few sips of his fruit juice and gestured with the glass. “Bill's never gonna sell, it makes its own weight in money for him every year.”
“Not necessarily. He's not getting any younger. If he can ditch it for a high enough lump sum, he'll come out way ahead in stress levels.”
Eli
Eli was grinning breathlessly back at him. One of Eli's hands was somehow on his shoulder while the other rested on his waist. They must have ended up there while Kevin was focusing on trying to kiss Eli properly. “I'm looking forward to seeing you, too, soon,” he murmured from mere inches away, those long lashes flickering across blue eyes. When Kevin nodded, Eli let his hands slide away from Kevin and turned to pull open the shop door.
“S-See you,” Kevin answered, taking the door to hold it so Eli could leave, despite his urges to make Eli stay a little longer. His cheeks hurt from grinning. He raised a hand to push his hearing aid mold back into place. It was starting to be pushed out by how hard he was grinning.
“Friday night,” Eli promised, reaching out to adjust Kevin's collar slightly as if he wanted one more little excuse to touch Kevin.
Kevin was glowing not just with embarrassment from his enthusiastic kiss, but also with pleasure. He didn't care if Eli saw it. “Friday night.”
He raised his hand in a little wave, watching Eli walk away towards the waterfront through the early morning. The light caught his hair and every part of his silhouette – even his backside, through trousers that were fitted just right, and the curve of his back where the strap at the back of his vest pulled it tighter. Kevin wanted his hands in those two places.
He stepped back into the shop and let the door swing shut, then leaned heavily against it. Friday would tell him whether Eli was on the same page.
Chapter 11
Eli
It took Eli no time to remember why he was so excited as he woke up that Friday morning with a smile on his face. It was a little ridiculous for him to be this excited just to see Kevin – there was no guarantee they'd even have time for a proper chat, go home together, or set up another, proper, date...
But somehow, Thursday had seemed to pass quickly after his meeting with Kevin. Even Dean had noticed that he was brightening up, though he'd attributed it to the hot, bright weather on Ember Isle.
“You're still looking awfully perky there,” Dean commented over lunch as they relaxed and ate a breakfast menu for lunch, courtesy of their chef. Dean was in shorts and a designer t-shirt, sunglasses pushing his hair up and out of the way.
“Like I said, the weather does a miracle on you,” Eli answered casually as he crunched his toast. He'd practically devoured his breakfast, which was a feat after the past few weeks of barely eating.
“Mm,” Dean answered, not looking entirely like he believed him. “So tonight, there's an interesting little meeting going on at nine. In a private room at the new Latin place, uh...”
“La Sol,” Eli supplied. He'd walked up and down Main Street a few times to see the finished window displays, banners, and signs above the new storefronts while waiting for Kevin to come in on Thursday morning. He'd resisted the urge to do it again that morning, instead choosing to sleep in and wait for this meal.
“Thanks. At La Sol, in the private room. We're invited. Only billionaires,” Dean told Eli. “Maybe a few of the richer millionaires, though.”
Eli's interest was piqued. “Oh, really? How come?”
“Must be something big going on. There's been a rumor for a while about the island being bought...”
Eli snorted. “That's always been bullshit,” he disagreed. “People have been saying for years.” He swallowed a few sips of his fruit juice and gestured with the glass. “Bill's never gonna sell, it makes its own weight in money for him every year.”
“Not necessarily. He's not getting any younger. If he can ditch it for a high enough lump sum, he'll come out way ahead in stress levels.”
Eli
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