Free Bankers' Hours by Wade Kelly Page A

around. “What are you doing?”
    “Grant, I… shit, are you crying?”
    I stiffened and shrunk back. “No, that’s absurd.”
    “Look, this isn’t how I planned it. I wanted to—”
    “Humiliate me?” I countered. I was up against my front door, so I didn’t have anywhere to hide.
    His eyes twitched again. I was coming to recognize that those ticks were signs of irritation or confusion. He didn’t understand me. Tristan shook his head and squinted. “No, Grant. I wanted to—”
    He kissed me. He just dove in and kissed me soundly on the lips. I’d never felt another person’s mouth on mine, and it took a second to react. Even though I’d seen chick flicks galore, I was still surprised when Tristan moved his mouth on mine. I’d thought once two lips were pressed together they remained that way, but I was wrong. He kissed with a grabbing motion, his lips grasping mine before releasing them for another position. His lips nibbled at my mouth as our noses rubbed and our breath mingled.
    I felt his hands holding my face on either side, capturing me. I reached up and held his ribs, but as the kissing continued, I encircled his waist in order to hold myself up. I was suddenly lightheaded and woozier than from the beer. I couldn’t breathe. His mouth kept suckling at my lips as if determined to torture me with the new sensations that traveled down my body and filled me with tingling flushes of heat.
    I groaned, pulling his body tightly against mine. Something hard pressed against my crotch, and I felt a primal need to thrust. I fisted the back of his shirt and tilted my hips, but he drew back, releasing my mouth.
    “Please don’t stop,” I pleaded.
    He ran his eyes over my face and touched my hair. “No, I think that’s good for one night.”
    “But… please? I’m sorry I got sarcastic. You can call me pretty if you want to. You can call me anything as long as you kiss me again. I’ll do anything,” I pleaded. I could hardly keep my eyes open. I still held him around the waist because I feared slipping to the ground if I let go. He made my head spin.
    Tristan’s eye twitched again. “Grant, I don’t think that’s a good idea. You were angry before. Don’t tell me you’re so easy one kiss can get me into your pants. I thought you were better than that.” He stepped back, pulling out of my embrace.
    I reached for him. “Tristan, wait. I’m sorry. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to act.” I slid my hands up his chest, and he took hold of them and squeezed. He sighed and wet his lips. I continued, “You’re the first guy who’s stuck around long enough to kiss me. You’re right, I hate being called pretty, but that’s because there was a guy who called me pretty as a joke. It hurt being toyed with, so when you said it I guess I was shocked you of all people would toy with me. I didn’t understand you liked me, and I’m sorry I assumed you were straight, but I don’t want you to walk away without giving me a chance.”
    “Will you tell me one thing?”
    I nodded. “Anything.”
    “Do you even like me? Or are you throwing yourself at me because I kissed you?”
    “I like you. I swear I do. I’ve been dreaming about you for weeks and struggling to think about you purely as a friend, because I get hard every time you’re around. I think you’re the hottest guy I’ve ever seen, and I can’t believe you’d look at me twice.”
    “Grant, that can’t be true. You’re adorable, and yes, pretty even. You’ve got a hotness all your own going on, and I can’t believe you’re shocked I’d think so. I also can’t believe I’m the first guy to kiss you.” His eye wasn’t twitching, but he was definitely confused.
    I was on the verge of tears again, but I hoped I wouldn’t cry. “It’s true. I’ve been on twelve first dates, and not one guy’s walked me to the door and kissed me. A few even left in the middle of the date. I repulse people that much.” I dropped my head. I