Today was the worst day in the history of worst days. Everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong. After getting off the phone with a customer, Jack flipped the sign shop to 'CLOSED.' With a huge order needing to be done in the next few hours and the store being slow for the day, Aster had given him permission to close the shop so he could get some work done. He went to the back room and took a big bolstering breath. Jack turned up the radio and got to work.
The time passed both slowly and quickly at the same time. Jack settled into a rhythm and finally started making some headway in the work. The music being so loud, he didn't hear the bell ring over the front door. When a pair of arms wound around his waist, Jack leapt away with a very unmanly scream. He whipped around, scissors aimed at his attacker and his heart threatening to beat out of his chest. "Holy shiiiiit. Don't do that!" Jack tossed the scissors onto the table and ran a hand over his face.
"Don't do what?"
"Sneak up on me like that! Didn't you see the closed sign?"
"Yeah. And?"
"Just because you're my favorite customer doesn't mean you get to come in with the shop's closed."
"That is exactly what it means. Besides, it serves you right for not locking the door." Pitch smiled teasingly and pulled Jack against him. "I'm sorry I startled you."
"You should be sorry." Jack couldn't help but smile and lean into him. "Did you just get back from your trip?"
"I have some free time, and you sounded like you missed me."
"I did. Sorry to disappoint, but I have too much work to do right now to really talk. Sorry."
"Seriously?"
Jack sighed and pulled away, gesturing to the huge mess of flowers scattered all over the room. "Today's been insane; it's why I had to close down for a few hours."
"Are these all orders for tomorrow?"
"Yeah." He nodded, his shoulders slumping. "There's a cotillion tomorrow and all the flowers we needed to make everything were delayed in delivery so we couldn't start until today; then Bunny couldn't come in because one of his kids came down with something; and Fairy has her dress fitting today and can't come in until way later today. So that leaves me to make everything by myself. By tomorrow morning. By myself."
Pitch leaned down and kissed Jack softly. "Show me what to do. Let me help."
"I can't ask that of you." His eyes fluttered shut with the kiss.
"I know." Pitch brushed his thumb across Jack's lower lip. "I'm asking you."
"Thank you," Jack whispered and pulled away once again before he was tempted to lose himself in the man's warmth. He looked around the room, scratching his head as he tried to figure out what Kozmotis could do to help. "I know you don't know many flowers, but do you think you could hand me any I need?"
"Yeah. Just point them out. Do you need me to cut anything or tie anything?"
"How's your bow tying skill?"
"Show me once and I'll catch on. I'm a fast learner."
"Alright. Join me at my station." He pulled Kozmotis over to the empty spot next to him at the table and set everything he needed in front of him.
Pitch watched Jack's every move, quickly catching on to how to tie the bows, how to cut the flowers, and which flowers to hand over to him. "We're making good time."
"You're pretty good at this." Jack put the finishing touches on another extravagant centerpiece. "You can always use this as a fall back if acting doesn't work out for you."
"Is that a compliment?"
"Of course."
"Will we finish on time?"
"There's a good chance of it thanks to you. I never would have been able to finish without you."
"Clearly. You were two seconds away from breaking down into tears when I walked in."
"You're my savior. It was also nice having the company."
"I think you'll owe me dinner after this one."
"I already have my date night all planned out. Maybe we could make it tonight?"
"That would be lovely."
"As soon as Fairy gets here we can leave the rest to her and get out of here."
"We should probably have most of it done since she won't have the help of a gorgeous favorite customer."
"We'll have enough finished that she should definitely be able to finish on her own."
"Good. I'd hate to dump a lot on the little cutie."
"She's the quickest set of hands we have in the shop. I wouldn't drop all of this on her, but she probably could have handled it."
"That's very nice of you."
"That's me. The epitome of kindness."
"Careful, your sarcasm is showing."
"That's a sign of my closeness with someone." He bumped the man's hip with his own.
"So you're actually quite sarcastic?" Pitch smiled over at him.
"I can be when the mood strikes me. My sense of humor is a little odd."
"Your sense of humor is just fine."
"You think so?"
"I do."
"I'm glad." Jack smiled shyly, his cheeks brightening.
"You're really quite cute, Jack."
"Thanks." He poked his head out into the shop when the bell rang and smiled. "Thank goodness you're here. We're almost finished up, Fairy."
"Oh, thank God!" Pitch groaned from the back room, stretching his back.
Fairy froze, her eyes wide as she looked at the door to the back room. "Either you have a guest or our flower stock is now talking."
Jack laughed. "I may have had a volunteer help me until you could get here."
"Is that volunteer Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome?"
"Don't say it so loud," he hissed, glancing back at Kozmotis.
"What? Is it a secret?"
"I haven't exactly called him that to his face."
"Goodness gracious." Fairy dropped her purse behind the counter and stuck her head in the back room. "How you doing, handsome?"
Pitch smiled at her and gave a little wave. "Better now that you're here, cutie."
Jack tidied up his work area. "Almost everything's finished up. There's just a few more centerpieces to work on."
"Wow, that's great!" Fairy smiled. "So what are you two up to now? You're gonna have to make it up to him for helping."
"I already had plans to do that. Did you think I wouldn't?" Jack rolled his eyes.
"Yep."
"Damn. I'm not that thoughtless. Glad you think I am."
"I know you're not thoughtless, dummy. Only a little backward when it comes to dealing with guys you really like."
"And you just felt the need to say that? Out loud? When there's one of them right there?" He looked over at his date pointedly.
Fairy looked over her shoulder at him. "How much of that did you hear?"
"Not a thing," Pitch sing-songed.
"You're both such bullshitters," Jack laughed. He untied his apron and tossed it on the hook, turning to Kozmotis. "Shall we get out of here?"
"Fuck, yes!" Pitch hopped up and wrapped an arm around Jack's waist. "I'm hungry."
"Me too. I know just the place to go." He smiled and leaned into him as they left the shop.
"Really? Does it have a menu with prices?"
"You'll see." Jack held out a dark purple rose he'd grabbed from the shop before they'd left. "For you."
"Thank you." Pitch took the rose and threaded it through his lapel. "A new color."
"Each has its own meaning." He led his date to a nearby diner. It looked like it was straight out of the 1950s, with memorabilia all over the walls and neon signs and mini jukeboxes on every table. Jack held out a menu for him with a grin. "See? Prices."
"Such an ass," Pitch chuckled, taking the menu from Jack's hand. "What does a purple rose mean?"
"Fascination or adoration." He blushed over the top of his own menu.
"And which one is your meaning?"
"Both."
"Well," Pitch hummed, giving Jack a teasing smile. "That is quite a development."
"If you're going to tease me for it I won't give you flowers that mean anything anymore. I'll just grab whatever random one I feel like."
"You wouldn't do that. Not when you know how happy it makes me."
"Would you rather tease me or get flowers?"
"Both. Unless my teasing truly upsets you."
"It's not too upsetting."
"So do you want me to stop?"
"You don't have to," he grumbled softly, surrendering to him.
"And will you stop giving me flowers?"
"No. I enjoy thinking of which ones to give you next."
"I enjoy seeing what you choose."
"Even though they're just pretty flowers you can't say the name of," Jack teased. After deciding what he wanted, he sat back in his side of the booth.
"I enjoy seeing that you've thought about me."
"What did you think the very first time you came in and I gave you a flower?"
"That it was a mistake. But then you did it again and again and I realized that it was your way of flirting with me."
"You knew I was flirting with you that long ago?"
"Obviously. It was a different flower all the time, and you would look up at me through your lashes and blush."
"And you took that long to ask me out?"
"I was biding my time."
"Seeing how you felt about me?"
"Seeing how you felt about me."
"I'll take it you finally decided it was worth the risk?"
"I did."
"I'm glad you did." He smiled across the table at him.
"So am I."
"I have a question for you."
"Yes?"
"Where are you from?"
"Do you want the story that everyone knows or the truth?"
"I think you know my feelings about the truth. I have my theory, but I don't want to just say where I think you're from and then find out I'm just awful at placing accents and offend you."
"Don't worry about that. Tell me your theory."
"Are you...Welsh?" Jack cringed, afraid of the answer.
"Partly, on my mother's side. My father was from Liverpool. I grew up with an accent that was a strange mix of the two, but I had to drop it once I started working. My accent is not hot."
"Wait. So the accent I've known you to use, is it the mix one or your work one?"
"My work one. I haven't used my actual accent for years except when I've called my parents."
"So my guess was completely off and just lucky that you happen to be part Welsh. Cooooool."
"Now, don't beat yourself up. What made you guess Welsh?"
"Something in your r's struck me as different from the typical British accent. You don't do it all the time so I wasn't too sure."
"You weren't wrong; just partly right."
"Why don't you use your normal accent when you aren't at work? Isn't it tiring?"
"Not really. I don't really think about it anymore. It only comes out when I talk to my parents because I think my brain hears their accents and instinctively remembers."
"Would it be too bold of me to want to hear it?"
"You'll hear it our first night together."
"I really have to wait until then?"
"Uh-huh. Now we're both tortured."
"Mean." Jack took a drink of his water. "Fine. Then can I at least know what made you decide to come to America?"
"I was discovered and brought over here."
"Discovered? You mean as an actor?"
"Technically."
"That's pretty amazing. I don't think I've ever known someone so talented at something as to be 'discovered.'"
Pitch smiled. "Have you never seen any of my work?"
"I don't think so. If I had, I'm sure I would have recognized you by now."
"Truly? I guess that makes sense. I'm not very good."
"To be fair, I really don't even watch movies. Like...ever. I think the last movie I saw and actually paid attention to was a taping of Cats the musical when I was like ten."
"You really are adorable, you know that?"
"Seriously? I'm adorable because I don't watch movies?"
"And because the last movie you remember seeing was Cats the musical, and because you're just adorable."
"You already knew I like musicals; it can't have been that surprising." Jack sipped furiously at his drink with a blush.
"It's not surprising. Merely endearing."
"You've sure found lots of things about me you think are endearing. I feel like you're grabbing at straws sometimes."
"Or else I just have a different definition of endearing than you."
"That could be true." He shrugged and changed the subject. "How was your trip?"
"Do you always change the subject when you don't want to talk about yourself?"
"Yuuuuuup."
"Why?"
"There's not much about me to talk about, to be honest. We've pretty much covered everything already."
"Do you really imagine yourself to be definable by a few things? I really know almost nothing about you."
"I'm a simple guy."
"You may believe that, but I don't."
"I can't change how I feel. But I really am curious how your trip went. There's only so much I can get from you through texting."
"I have a new role as the romantic lead. I was able to practice a lot, enough that I could have a couple days off."
"A romantic role, huh?" Jack raised an eyebrow curiously. "Should I be jealous?"
"Depends." Pitch looked up at him with a teasing smile. "Are you jealous?"
"Maybe a little. Knowing that you're okay with any gender makes it slightly more worrisome."
"Are you worried I'm sleeping around, bedding a dozen men and women every night?"
"Who knows. If you're a big enough actor to be discovered than it wouldn't be completely implausible, right?"
Pitch chuckled and took a sip of water. "I don't sleep with a dozen people every night."
"That's good to hear." Jack let out a sigh of relief he hadn't even been aware he was holding.
"Are you still jealous?"
"I think I'm alright now. I don't really see you as being an unfaithful guy."
"Your faith in me is a humbling thing."
"I hope it's well-founded. You've given me no reason not to trust you so far."
"Your trust is important."
"You really value it so much?" Jack smiled at him.
"I do. Your trust is important yet so hard to obtain."
"You don't seem to have had any trouble obtaining it," he laughed.
"That's because I'm charming," Pitch teased, smiling at him.
"You are indeed. The most charming man I've met yet."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." Jack stirred his ice water around with his straw thoughtfully. "Can I ask another question?"
"You can."
"If you went to school for English Literature, what got you into acting?"
"Acting started as a hobby. I was acting in a local production of Romeo and Juliet when I was discovered. For me, pursuing acting was the best way to get a paycheck after that."
"So you enjoy it, but it's not your real passion?"
"I've grown to like the perks of acting. English Lit was the one that got away, I guess you could say."
"I'm sure you could go back to it any time, right? Especially if you're making enough as an actor to support yourself if you stopped."
"I've become accustomed to a certain lifestyle which English Lit won't support. Although...I've dreamed, once I've gotten older and stopped acting, maybe I would go back to it."
"I think that sounds like a very nice dream."
"Do you have a dream like that?"
Jack nodded. "Mine's not quite so drastic a change as yours though."
"What is it?"
"I, uh, want to own a shop of my own someday." He blushed. "I know it's silly."
Pitch reached across the table and covered Jack's hand with his. "It isn't silly. Not at all."
"It'll probably never happen anyway." Jack gave him a small smile and squeezed the hand. "It's just a pipe dream."
"You never know. A dream only dies when you let it."
"I could never afford a shop on a simple florist's salary. I've never been much of a dreamer anyway. I'm too much of a realist," he joked.
"I'd like to buy you one, if we become truly serious about each other."
Jack shook his head. "I appreciate the thought; but if I ever get a store, I want it to be my own doing."
"Then may I help you get it?"
"Thanks, but no thanks. Even though it's a pipe dream, I've been saving up for the last seven years."
"Then I wouldn't give up on it. You may be old like me, but you will get your shop one day."
"I hope so. We'd be quite the old pair, wouldn't we?" He chuckled at the thought. "The florist and the novelist."
"Would that be enough for you?"
"I think so. Sounds like a nice future to me."
"It does to me too. Wonderfully domestic and boring."
"Do you think you'll be satisfied with such a simple life after being a hotshot actor?"
"Sometimes a simple life is just what a man needs after a career like mine."
"I could understand that."
"What will you call your shop?"
"I'm not really sure. I used to love the book The Secret Garden and thought of maybe using that as a name. But I'm not sure if that would be too cheesy." He wrinkled his nose.
"Who cares if it's cheesy? If you like it, that's all that matters."
"I care if it's cheesy. If people don't like the name, then it could be bad for business."
"Or not. They may like the cheesiness and come in."
"Would you go into a shop with a cheesy name?"
"I would go into a shop with large windows full of healthy, beautiful flowers. Bonus if the florist is a highly attractive individual."
Jack laughed. "You said nothing about the name. At least I can count on one customer, I suppose."
"What difference does the name make when the product is so lovely?"
"It could make or break a place. Although I guess I could probably keep any shop open with your business alone," he teased.
Pitch raised his glass. "To the Secret Garden."
Jack lifted his too. "To the Secret Garden."
"And to that domestic future."
"It sounds wonderful. I look forward to it." When their food arrived, Jack scarfed down his burger first so he could take his time dipping his fries in his milkshake.
Pitch watched him with a frown. "You're dipping your fries...into your milkshake."
Jack slowly finished chewing his bite, staring at him as his cheeks started to show a dusting of pink. "Want to try?" He dipped another fry and held it out to him. "I know it sounds weird but it's really good!"
Pitch slowly leaned forward and used his lips to take the fry from Jack's finger. He chewed and smiled. "Not bad."
Jack's blush grew when he couldn't get the feeling of his date's lips on his finger. "Salty and sweet." He grinned.
"Just like you," Pitch purred and leaned back in his seat. "I wonder what that lovely blush tastes like."
"You can't taste a blush; it doesn't work that way." He dipped another fry and munched happily. "And I'm not so sure I'm the salty part."
"You can indeed taste a blush. I bet yours would taste very sweet. The salty comes from elsewhere."
Jack's jaw dropped when realization dawned on him of just what he was implying. He threw a fry at the man, laughing even as his face turned bright red. "Naughty man!"
Pitch laughed and threw the fry back at him. "You should expect nothing less from Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome."
"I knew you were bullshitting when you said you hadn't heard anything."
"Of course I heard. I wanted to hear what you say about me when I'm not around."
"Well, now you know. For the last month or so before you asked me out that's what I've called you."
Pitch smiled. "You have a little milkshake on your face."
"Where?" Jack wiped at his face with his napkin. "Did I get it?"
"No." Pitch leaned forward and licked the corner of Jack's lips, sneaking a quick kiss on his silent gasp. "Got it."
"Did I really have milkshake or was that just an excuse?"
"Just an excuse, I'm afraid."
"I had a feeling that was the case," he chuckled.
"Kiss me," Pitch whispered.
"Promise it's just a kiss?" Jack leaned closer over the table.
"I may desire you sexually, but I do draw the line at screwing on a table in a crowded restaurant." Pitch chuckled, nuzzling Jack's nose.
"Glad we have the same lines then," he chuckled. Jack closed the distance between them and marveled once again at how perfectly they melded together.
Pitch slid his fingers through Jack's hair, holding him tightly. "Kissing you could be dangerous for me."
"How so?" Jack pulled away just enough so he could look into amber eyes.
"You wouldn't understand." Pitch smiled and brushed a lock of white hair behind Jack's ear. "You're too good to understand."
"Try me."
"I'm not a good person, Jack. I've done horrible things to so many people. Kissing you? That could easily make me begin to question who I've been up until now."
"You don't think it's possible that you've changed for the better since your past relationships?"
"I'm afraid I might be the same."
"I choose to believe you aren't. I haven't seen anything that shows me otherwise." Jack kissed him again before leaning back in his seat. "Perhaps you've learned from your mistakes like I have, only you weren't aware of it."
"I think you're very dangerous, but I can't seem to want to give you up."
"Sometimes danger just means you're kept on your toes. I think you could use a bit of that in your life."
"And you want to be the one to provide it for me?"
"I'd like to. If you don't mind it, that is."
"I should mind, but I don't."
"I'm glad you don't." Jack dipped another fry and held it out to him with a teasing smile.
Pitch leaned forward and wrapped his lips around the fry, letting them drag along Jack's fingers. "I wish the probation period was over."
"At the rate you're going, it'll be over before you know it." Jack shuddered at the feelings of those lips on his fingers.
"When? I need you, so very much."
"That's still yet to be seen."
"Do you not want me?"
"I do. But like I said before, I'm not one to sleep with someone before I'm positive I know and trust them. The first few dates emotions can run off with me, and I like to make sure what I'm feeling for someone and they're feelings before we let go. Sex, for me, is not just physical."
"I'm fairly certain you'll drive me mad," Pitch chuckled.
"I hope not too insane. I'd rather not date a mad man."
Pitch quirked an eyebrow and smiled. "Witty too."
Jack rolled his eyes with a snicker. "I'm such a catch. You don't even know how lucky you are to be with me right now."
"I have some idea."
"Oh? You're smarter than I thought," he teased.
"You just wait. I think you'll find I can be very clever."
"I wouldn't be surprised."
"Tell me about your family. You know a little about mine, so it's only fair."
"My family...let's see. I have a mom and a dad like anyone else. If you imagine the stereotypical loving couple in every story out there then you've imagine Ma and Pops. I also have ayounger little sister. Much younger. When I turned out the way I did, they wanted to make sure I'd be alright growing up before trying again. When I was eight and doing well in school and not being given too hard a time for my looks, they finally thought it would be safe to try for another kid. Well, almost right after they started, they told me I was going to be a big brother. Eight months later, Pippa Rose was born."
"What's she like? Is she anything like you?"
Jack shook his head emphatically. "She's practically my complete opposite. She got my parents' brown hair and eyes. She's also a lot more outgoing where I'm more reserved."
"If she's your opposite, I'm guessing she has an interest in a science or mathematical field."
"She just graduated from high school last year, and now she's got a full-ride to Stanford for their medical department. She's far smarter than I am," he chuckled.
"I see. She's going to be the doctor and you're the family florist." Pitch chuckled and took a sip of water. "I can imagine what you two must be like together."
"Stereotypes, right?" Jack reached across the table to steal a fry when his own ran out. "Surprisingly enough we get along splendidly despite being so different."
"I imagine so. You seem like you would be a really supportive person no matter what she chose to do, which could only breed good feelings towards you on her part."
"She was always my baby sister. No matter what, I always did anything I could to make sure she was happy."
"So you and your family are really close."
"As close as a family can get."
"Where are you from?"
"Seattle, Washington. When I was old enough I moved here because I'd prefer to have snow over rain ninety five percent of the time."
"God, why?"
"I love the cold. Also, with my complexion being how it is I don't do well with too much heat or sun. Being here, the summers aren't too excruciating."
"I can understand that. You would look better in winter colors. They would highlight your skin perfectly."
"If you stick around long enough you'll get to see it for yourself." He winked playfully at his date and gave the waiter his credit card when he came by again.
"See what? Your skin?"
"Me in winter colors."
"Oh, of course. Although, I'd much rather see you out of them."
"By then I'm sure you'll be off probation."
"I hope so, or I will definitely have lost my mind."
"So desperate already? How will you last?"
"I hardly know. Perhaps a few dozen roses will have to do."
"Roses? I feel like you'll need flowers more than me."
"A choice that will be easily remedied when the probation period is over."
"You're not the only one eager for it to be over, you know."
"My only consolation."
"It'll be over before you know it." Jack smiled at him.
"I hope so," Pitch chuckled.
"I know so. So how long do I get to keep you around? You said you're only on a short break from your work trip right?"
"Yeah, for a couple days."
"Do you think we could fit another date or two in those few days?"
"I think that could easily be arranged."
"Awesome!" Jack perked up at the thought. "Where should we go next?"
"What would you be interested in doing?"
"Preferably something indoors."
"Well, there's laser tag, there's going to see a movie, we could go to the zoo or the aquarium, um…"
"I do love the aquarium. I'm an annual pass member."
"Of course you are," Pitch hummed. "Is that your choice?"
"I think so. Walking around the aquarium with you sounds fun to me."
"Then that's what we'll do."
"Is tomorrow afternoon okay with you? After I deliver the flowers for the cotillion around noon I'll be free."
"Tomorrow afternoon would be perfect. Would you like me to pick you up?"
"It's okay. My place is the opposite direction of the aquarium from yours. I could pick you up if you'd like?"
"That would be nice. And you already know where I live."
"I don't think I could forget such an extravagant house if I tried." Jack laughed.
"Then I'm sure you'd love my place in New York City."
"You have two houses?"
"And a couple apartments. I like having somewhere familiar to stay when I work."
"That's a lot of places."
"It can be. I don't really think about it anymore."
"Well, from someone who only owns one home, that's a lot of places."
"I told you, it's a way of life. It isn't for everyone."
"That is...quite a way of life."
"Quite unlike that of someone who wanted to be an English Lit professor."
"You definitely made something of yourself."
"I have to get it while I can. In a few years they probably won't want me anymore. One gray hair and I'll be gone."
"I think you'd look rather dashing with a sprinkling of grey."
"You're just saying that because you think I'm handsome."
"I don't think; I know."
"You know, you're quite lovely when you're emphatic."
"I try to be." Jack batted his eyelashes playfully.
"Your eyes are beautiful."
"You-" He glanced away with a blush. "You're such a flirt."
"I know, and I think you like it."
"I do."
"Then I don't think I'll stop."
"Perfect." Jack finished off his milkshake and looked at his date. "Shall we walk back to the store?"
"We shall." Pitch stood and held out his hand.
Jack took the offered hand and held it as they walked back with a big smile on his face. "Thank you again for helping me out in the store today."
"It was my pleasure." Pitch smiled, looking down at the man beside him. "Anything to help a flower child in need."
"Still. It's way different dating a guy and actually doing work for a guy."
"I agree. I'm torn between demanding my fair wages and dragging you back to my place for the best sex you've ever had in your life."
"You know my feelings on the sex. I will, however, pay for tomorrow to thank you for your help." Jack squeezed the hand still holding his own.
"I'll expect nothing less."
"Would a goodnight kiss also help appease you?"
"It would be a start."
"Only a start?" He laughed.
"A small start."
"Wow. That's just sad." Jack came to a sudden stop and pulled the man down into a passionate kiss. When he felt a tongue eagerly lapping at his lips, he pulled away to whisper, "How was that for a start?"
"Pretty good," Pitch whispered. He fisted Jack's hair and pulled him back into the kiss. Jack melted against him. When he felt that warm tongue again, he met it with his own and almost moaned at the taste. His hand came up to his neck. Pitch wrapped his arms around Jack's waist and pulled him close, thrusting his tongue past Jack's lips to taste his mouth. He hummed and pulled back just enough to bite and suck the lower lip. Jack's breath shuttered between them. He pushed up closer with a soft moan, his fingers tugging at the hairs on the man's nape. Pitch growled deep in his chest and sucked Jack's tongue into his mouth, the flavors of him driving him mad. "Spend the night with me," he whispered as he kissed Jack almost desperately.
"I can't," he gasped. Jack reluctantly pulled away to look up at him. "Soon."
"Please, tonight." Pitch pulled him back and kissed him. "You want me, and I want you. Why should we fight that?"
"Because it's only our second date." Jack pulled away again. "I've slept with people in the past too soon in the relationship, and I've always regretted it. I don't want to regret it with you too." He softly stroked a sharp cheekbone, giving the man a reassuring smile. "I like you too much to want to regret anything I do with you."
Pitch sighed and brushed his thumb over Jack's kiss-swollen lips. "The probation period will end before I leave again."
"I'm not so sure about that. You're only back a few days." He snuck a quick kiss to the pad of his thumb.
"We've been flirting and desiring each other for months. I'm tired of waiting, and I know you are too. I don't want to wait anymore. Before I leave, I want to spend the night with you. I'll answer any question, I'll take you on however many dates it takes, but I don't want to wait anymore."
It was Jack's turn to sigh. "We'll see when the time comes. I'm not denying I want to be with you too, but I'm also not guaranteeing I'll be ready for it by then. There's been too many assholes in my past. I don't want to repeat my mistakes."
"Do I feel like I could be a mistake? I've told you things, things that no one beyond my parents know about me. You know me better than many of the people who claim to be my biggest fans."
"That doesn't make me any less wary. I didn't think the others would be mistakes either, but now look at where it's gotten me."
"I told you before, you're dating a man now. I will always be honest with you about what I want. I want you sexually but also emotionally and mentally. I want to stay with you."
"I know, and I really do believe you. I just need a little more time to catch my brain up with my heart. I won't make you wait forever. A few days maybe. When you're back from your trip tops."
"That could be months, Jack."
"Months?! You said your trip would only be a few weeks!"
"Weather delays. We have to re-shoot a few scenes and it could take months to get the right lighting back."
"And you really have to stay there the whole time while they wait?"
"Some of the scenes were mine, yes. In the meantime, they'll probably have me shoot interiors."
"I-" Jack chewed on his bottom lip nervously. "I'm not saying no, but at least not tonight? I need to think."
Pitch sighed and nodded. "Okay."
"Thank you." He reached up to kiss his cheek before pulling away. Jack pulled his car keys out of his pocket. "See you tomorrow?"
"I'll see you tomorrow, flower child."
"I'll pick you up around one."
"I'll be waiting."
What will happen on their next date? 4 reviews to find out