Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 5

brushing the top of Scott's hand as he pushed his chair back and stood up. Scott wasn't sure what kind of drink he'd end up with but he didn't care. He was pleasantly surprised when Devon brought back the exact varietal he'd been drinking on the night they met.
    "You have a good memory," Scott said after Devon had settled back into his chair.
    "I'm not just another pretty face." Devon took a sip of his beer and curled his fingers around the bottle. "I think we already established things aren't always how they appear."
    "Never thought you were."
    "What? Pretty?"
    Scott chuckled, leaning to the side and bumping his shoulder against Devon's shoulder. "No, you're definitely pretty."
    "Why thank you." Devon did a little bow in his seat. "Does that mean I'm going to get lucky tonight?"
    "I'm already lucky." Oh crap. Scott hadn't meant to say it out loud, but now it was on the damn table and he hoped Devon would take the high road and ignore it.
    "Me too."
    Lucky for Scott or maybe for both of them, the music started at that moment. The lights dimmed further and Scott's nerves settled down and let him just listen, just enjoy. The performer was a Latin-based jazz musician whose catchy rhythms kept the crowd pin-dropping quiet with admiration. Scott loved jazz music and Devon seemed to enjoy it too, though if Scott had to put a label on what he thought Devon's kind of music was, jazz wouldn't have been his first guess.
    Halfway through the first set, Scott felt Devon's hand slide over his thigh like a swoosh of warmth headed straight for his cock and rest near his knee. He fought the urge to push it away, not afraid of someone seeing the show of affection, but fearful of the rush of joy that struck him dead in the center of his heart. He snuck a glance at Devon, who appeared to be totally engaged in the music. Scott let his eyes travel over the disheveled hair, the strong, five o'clock shadowed jaw, the sexy lips, the kind eyes. He felt happy and he was sure nothing could take that rush away from him.
    When the first set ended, Devon slid his hand away and Scott sat up straight in his chair, stretching his arms in front of him only to have his hand grabbed and held by Devon.
    "The guy's really good," Devon said.
    "Yeah, I think he's been here before," Scott replied, letting his hand drop to the table, still enclosed by Devon's. "I don't usually do this you know."
    "Listen to music?"
    "You're such a smart-ass."
    "You can push me away anytime."
    Scott snorted. "How stupid would that make me?" Devon did that endearing confused-head-tilting thing again. "Oh come on. Look at you and look at me. I'd have to be stark-raving mad to let you go."
    Devon didn't look pleased with Scott's answer and he proved it by pulling his hand away. "Why does it always have to come back to that, Scott? You give yourself no credit and what, I'm just supposed to sit here and stroke my own ego for letting you be with me? That's not how I see our relationship at all."
    To say Scott was taken aback by the rough tone of Devon's voice was an understatement. He hadn't meant to upset Devon on their first night out together. Fuck, he never wanted to upset Devon at all; all Devon did was make Scott's life better.
    "I'm sorry," he said, leaning closer to Devon, who had sat back in his chair. "I don't know any other way to act, Dev. I've never been the guy who attracted anyone other than someone exactly like myself."
    "That has nothing to do with this."
    "You make me nervous, which in all fairness I do pretty well all on my own, but still… it's just weird that you and I are…" Scott sighed. "Whatever the hell we are."
    Devon leaned in so he was almost nose-to-nose with Scott. "I like you, Scott. Aren't I making it clear about how I feel? Just tell me exactly what might make you comfortable with me."
    Scott sighed again, dipping his head, his forehead brushing against Devon's. "I am comfortable, but telling myself this will last is not something I can do."
    "Protecting yourself?"
    Scott lifted his head to peer into Devon's eyes. "I guess so. I have a really good time with you. No, that's a lie. I have a great time with you and you're what I look forward to at the end of the week, or if I'm lucky, half-way through." He smiled, hoping the gesture would be contagious to Devon. He didn't want the night to end on a sour note, especially after he'd waited so long for the two of them to step outside the walls of his house.
    "So maybe I look forward to seeing you too?