A/N: Hello again everyone! I'm back with yet another chapter! But before I say anything else, I'd like to give a huge thank you/shout-out to those that reviewed last chapter!
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Again, thank you all so much for reviewing!
I'm so happy that you all are excited about my upcoming book! Like I said last chapter, I'm still kinda in the planning stage right now, so I don't have an exact plot just yet, but I do have a couple of ideas. I've even been considering making my story ideas into BTR stories so I'm not sure what I'm going to do just yet. But I'll be sure to keep you all posted! :)
This chapter is a little shorter than the last, but I hope you all enjoy!
Kendall took James for dinner at a beautiful old bar on the way back home. They sat at a table for two, tucked away in a corner, and flirted shamelessly as they ate. They took every opportunity to brush fingers, and they let their feet and legs tangle together under the small table, touching each other with subtle pressure and the promise of something unspoken. James was in a glorious haze of infatuation, basking in Kendall's attention.
On the drive back, they arranged to keep next Saturday free again for date number four.
"I want to take you somewhere next week." James said. "You picked the last two places. So it's definitely my turn."
"Okay. Where's it gonna be?"
"It's a surprise." James replied. "You'll have to wait and see."
"Sounds fun. I like surprises."
When they got back to James' apartment, Kendall found a parking space and turned off the engine. It was early evening now, but still light outside.
James turned to Kendall. "Thanks for a really great date. The walk was beautiful. I loved it."
"I'm so glad. I wasn't sure if it was a bit... I don't know. A weird thing to do on a date."
"It was perfect." James insisted.
They held each other's gaze for a moment.
"So... I'll see you next week, then."
They both moved at the same time, leaning awkwardly across the handbrake to meet in a clumsy kiss. James brought his hand up to Kendall's head, sliding his fingers into Kendall's hair. Their stubble scratched, but Kendall's lips were soft and warm.
They were both grinning when they parted.
"Yeah. See you next week." Kendall replied. "I might call you later, though." His smile turned suggestive, and James flushed hot at the implication. But he wasn't complaining.
"Okay."
Talking to Kendall later sounded like it might be fun. James thought he'd be up for trying whatever Kendall had in mind.
XxX
Lucy was curled up on the couch when James let himself in. She greeted him, pausing the TV to ask, "How was your date?"
James couldn't hold back a goofy smile as he replied. "It was awesome. We went just outside of town."
"Outside of town?" Lucy raised her eyebrows. "What... did he take you to meet his mom or something? Christ, it must be serious."
"God, no. He took me hillwalking. It was great, really beautiful."
"It sounds surprisingly innocent. When you told me the deal with the five dates, I was expecting more along the lines of seedy night clubs and gay saunas than history and country walks. Maybe he's lulling you into a false sense of security before he steps up his game?"
Lucy grinned, obviously just joking, but James felt a surge of irritation and protectiveness.
"You make his sound like some creepy sexual predator. And it's not like that. Yeah... okay, there is a bit of a competition going on, I guess, where he's trying to wear me down and I'm trying to hold off for a little longer. But it's all good-natured, and Kendall's not nearly as bad as you're making out." James said, putting his bag down and sitting on the sofa by Lucy before continuing.
"I suppose Kendall's surprised me too. He's been so thoughtful in picking where we've gone for the last two dates. He chose them because he thought I'd enjoy them."
"That's really sweet." Lucy was serious now. "I wish I could find a guy who put so much thought into dating. All the dates I've been on have involved beer, and, if I'm lucky, dinner and a movie. They're not exactly imaginative. Do you know where he's taking you next weekend?"
"It's my turn to choose next." James smiled. "And I've already decided."
"Ooh, where are you taking him?"
"I'm going to take him climbing. He's never been, but he's a natural. We did a bit of climbing up on the rocks today, and I think he'll love it."
"Outdoors? Do you have the gear for it?"
"I thought I'd take him indoors for his first time. There's a place not too far from here. We can actually walk from here, then we can go for drinks or dinner after."
"That sounds like a great date too. Seriously, I need to find a man with imagination. Maybe you and Kendall are perfect for each other after all."
James' cheeks heated up as he admitted. "Yeah. Maybe we are. I hope so anyway. I was expecting this just to be a bit of a laugh, but underneath all his bravado, he's..." He hesitated for a moment. "I don't know... sweet, I guess, and a good person."
Lucy looked at him intently, a small smile on her face.
"What?" James asked.
"You're really into him, aren't you?"
James shrugged, about to deflect, but Lucy continued.
"I don't get why you're still holding out. You like him and he seems to be really making the effort with the dating thing. So why are you still waiting to have sex with him?"
James shrugged. It was a hard question to answer because, honestly, he wasn't quite sure why it mattered to him. "I'm stubborn, I guess? We made a deal, and I want to see if he'll see it through. I want him. But I'm still not quite sure I trust him. For all I know, he still just sees me as a conquest. At least if I make him wait the full five dates, then whatever happens after that, it's on my terms, not his."
"Control freak." Lucy chuckled.
"Maybe." James grinned back. "I quite like the power."
"Poor Kendall." She said. "I almost feel sorry for him now."
XxX
Later, in bed, James lay awake and thought about Kendall.
Lucy's words kept replaying in his head. You're really into him. James couldn't hide from it. He'd known from the start that this was a dangerous game. Kendall had the potential to hurt him if this didn't work out, because James cared too much about him already, and it was only date three. But what was James going to do, call it off? There was no way that was happening. Not when things were going so well. He just had to hope that Kendall might be developing feelings for him too.
Because James was falling, and it was too late to stop.
Done! So, you all got a little more insight on how James is feeling about everything!
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter as well as your opinions on how James is feeling :)
I've already started the next chapter so you all can expect another update this weekend! I must warn you though, the next few chapters will be a little... heated, to say the least ;)
Until next time!
-Epically Obsessed