Which Way the Wind Blows

Chapter 8

David’s apartment was small but immaculately clean. The furniture was mostly made from a medium brown wood and looked very old, yet in pristine condition. The couch, which was the only piece that didn’t look like it was from another era, was overstuffed and comfortable. Warren sat down on it at David’s insistence while the other man went to brew a small pot of coffee in the kitchenette.

“How do you like it?” David purred as the coffeemaker began to percolate.

“Straight, thanks.”

Warren nervously looked at the floor while he waited. He didn’t know what was expected of him, and now really rued not having dated a bit more in college. He folded his hands in his lap, not having anything with which to fidget, and darted his eyes around the small living room.

“Don’t look so tense,” David chuckled when he finally rejoined him and set two mismatched cups of fresh coffee on the small table in front of the couch. “I’ll only bite you if you want me to.”

Warren locked his dark eyes onto David’s and was relieved to see the amusement there. It seemed he was easy prey for teasing these days.

“Why don’t we talk about it,” the other man suggested, lifting his cup to his lips and sipping. “We don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

The shy man gave him a small smile before picking up his own cup to sip. “Everyone here seems to know I’m not good with this meeting guys thing,” he murmured. “I’m beginning to wonder if my friend taped a sign to my back.”

“Nah. You wear it on your face.” At Warren’s perplexed look, David clarified. “You’re not good at hiding your thoughts because your expression is so open.”

“Oh.” Warren blushed, embarrassed again.

“Don’t consider it a character flaw, though,” the other man elaborated. “I sure don’t. It’s nice to meet someone who isn’t jaded to the point of masking everything from the world.”

“It is?”

“Mm. I wish there were more guys like you in New York.” David set his cup down and leaned against the back of the couch. “Most of the ones I meet would have had me backed against a wall by now, tearing my clothes off.”

“Oh.” Warren looked down shyly again. Was that how he was supposed to be?

“Like I said, it’s a refreshing change. Not that lust doesn’t have its place, mind you. But having an actual conversation once in a while would be nice. The slam-bam-thank-you-man routine gets tiring.”

Warren shrugged. “I guess I wouldn’t know.”

“And that’s what’s so great about you,” David smiled sweetly. “You don’t operate under the usual assumptions. I’ll bet you never even had a one-nighter before, have you?”

Warren shook his head in defeat. David seemed overly generous in his description. He probably thought he’d brought home such a loser.

“So your ex was your first love then, wasn’t he?”

The dark haired man looked at the grinning waiter in bafflement. How did everyone seem to know about his history in this city? Was it filled with psychics? Finally he let out a long breath and his shoulders sagged as he spoke.

“Yeah, though I obviously wasn’t his.”

David’s gaze turned sympathetic. “You can tell me about it if you want to,” he replied. “Really. I’m a good listener. And I’m curious as hell about what kind of idiot would put such a sad look on such a nice guy.”

Warren shrugged again but before he knew it, the whole story started pouring out. And David, true to his word, listened carefully to everything.

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When Chris got home he was surprised to see the lights on in his bedroom. He was sure he’d turned them off. Shrugging out of his jacket he approached the room carefully and peeked inside. Victoria lay in his king-sized bed with the blankets wrapped around her, sound asleep. From her bare shoulders, he surmised that she was likely naked beneath the covers … and the thought strangely did nothing for him. He sighed as he quietly undressed and slipped into bed beside her, knowing he’d probably have to come up with a plausible explanation as to why he hadn’t been home all night. Oh well. That could wait until morning, he thought as he turned off the light.

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“Well, not for nothing, but this Chris guy sounds like a real ass,” David said firmly when Warren was finished.

The bashful man lifted one shoulder slightly in a half-hearted shrug before finishing off his cup of coffee. In telling David all about Chris he’d realized something about himself: He was no longer inclined to give his ex any more power over his life or what he did from here on out. It was past time he started living on his own terms and discovering what he’d missed out on while he was dating a closet case.

“I think your sister and friend are both right,” David went on. “You do deserve a life of your own.”

“You know what?” Warren said simply as he placed the cup back on the table and looked his host directly in the eye. “I agree with you all.”

“You do?” David smiled.

“Yeah. It’s taken a while, but I think I’m finally letting go of what happened.”

“Well, you can’t go forward if you’re holding onto the past.”

“You east coast people sure are wise.” Warren felt his face break into a genuine grin.

David seemed fascinated by it and touched his cheek. “You should smile like that more often.” He leaned in so that their faces were just millimeters apart. “You’re sexy as hell when you do.”

Warren felt a warm blush creep over his cheeks but brought a hand up behind the other’s man’s head and gently pulled him the rest of way to his lips, kissing him softly. It marked the first time he’d made such a bold move, but he didn’t’ stop to dwell on it as he tilted his face a bit to gain better access to David’s mouth. It was warm and moist beneath his and he tasted of coffee. Warren couldn’t seem to break away and opened his mouth to deepen the kiss. David did the same and soon tongues were dancing as their hands roamed each other’s body. Warren felt an unfamiliar raging lust steal over him. With Chris, he’d normally been passive, responding to his lover when prodded. But now, he felt himself become more aggressive – not in a bad way. Just in an insatiable one.

“You … d-don’t … have to,” David rasped out between breaths as Warren’s lips attached themselves to his neck.

“I want to …”

“Are you sure?”

Warren pulled back briefly to look into David’s questioning eyes. He saw the dilemma. They’d talked tonight, and David had been surprisingly attentive and supportive, but that didn’t mean he wanted a relationship with Warren. And surprisingly enough, Warren found he didn’t want it either. This wasn’t about forging a new bond to him. It was about completely breaking an old one … putting Chris and his egotistical behavior in the past. And he sensed that once David knew this, he would understand and probably be relieved.

“I meant what I said in the bar,” Warren said, licking his lips as he struggled for air, still breathless from their kiss. “I’m not after anything complicated.”

David searched his face. “Friends with benefits?”

“If you still want me when we’re done,” Warren chuckled. “Then yeah.”

“After that opening kiss?” David pretended to swoon. “I have high expectations for the rest of the night.”

Warren fought to keep his blush from deepening, trying to hold onto the new and empowering self-confidence that seemed to be growing inside of him. “Let’s hope I can deliver on those then.”

David smirked and leaned in, capturing Warren’s lips in another mind-blowing kiss that left them both gasping when they pulled back. Warren didn’t waste any more time, pushing the slightly smaller man back against the couch and stripping him while he covered his chest and stomach with small kisses and nips. David began to moan as he returned the favor of divesting the other man of his own clothing.

Soon they were both naked and writhing, with Warren’s head between David’s legs. He gave the cock in front of him and appreciative whistle just before he wrapped his lips around it and sucked it deep into his mouth. If there was one thing he had absolute confidence in, it was his talent for giving great head. It was the only thing he had in his arsenal against Chris, who usually didn’t let Warren top him. But he never turned down a blowjob from him. Evidently, Chris wasn’t the only one vulnerable to Warren’s mouth. David’s moans and whimpers soon escalated and he pleaded with Warren to let him cum. Warren chuckled deep in his throat causing a vibration to run through Chris shaft. With a long guttural cry, the smaller man came in a gush of hot, salty liquid, which Warren found he liked the taste of quite well.

“Oh … my … GOD!” David panted out as he collapsed back against the couch in a sweaty, spent heap. “If you’re that good at oral, I can only imagine what you’ll be like when you fuck me.”

“Um … that was … my best material.”

“Don’t you dare go back into that shy routine with me after that!” David grinned. “And I’m not buying it. I think that proved you can do a hell of a lot more than you let on.”

Warren shrugged. “Well, if you have any condoms, we can find out.”

“I have a new 12 pack in the bedroom,” David said as he heaved himself up off the couch. “And that’s where we should follow up on your opener, seeing as the couch springs aren’t too comfortable.”

Warren smiled as he allowed David to lead him to the bedroom, hoping the other man was right about his abilities.