Restaurant Wars Read online

  Chapter Five

  “You really don’t know what degree you want to get?”

  Thomas was surprised by the question since he’d thought Noah had fallen asleep. It took him a minute for it to compute.

  “Well.” Thomas sighed. “Sort of.”

  Noah leaned up on his elbows and looked down at Thomas. “What’s that mean?”

  “My favorite subject is English.”

  “And?”

  “There’s not much you can do with an English degree.”

  “Hm. What do you want to do, Thomas?”

  Thomas shrugged. “A teacher?”

  Noah rubbed his thumb on Thomas’s bottom lip. “Why is that a question?”

  “Teaching is pretty thankless. And you don’t make a lot of money.”

  “Is making a lot of money a goal you want?”

  Thomas smiled. “Who doesn’t want to make a lot of money?”

  “I’m serious, Tommy.”

  “Did I give you permission to call me Tommy? I’m pretty sure I didn’t.” But Thomas spoke without heat. Noah wasn’t as good a waiter as Thomas was, but he was decent. And in spite of his fighting it, he liked Noah. Maybe a lot.

  “You’re deflecting.”

  He sighed. “Okay, maybe a little.”

  “Parents?”

  “How’d you know?”

  “It’s usually the parents when you want to do something but think you shouldn’t. It’s the voices in the head. Parental voices.”

  “Yeah, pretty much. I hardly see my dad since they got divorced when I was a kid, but when I do, it’s all about making money in my career. Guess I should be happy they’re both okay with me being gay and consider that a win.”

  Noah shrugged. “You want to get a degree in English and become a teacher, then that’s what you should do. It’s your life, Thomas. Do what makes you happy.”

  “I should get dressed and go.” Thomas struggled to sit up. “I do have early classes.”

  “Okay. You could stay here, though.”

  “Nah, then I’d have to get up earlier.” Thomas stood and picked up his clothes. “You work tonight?”

  “Nope. You?”

  “Me either.” Thomas hesitated. If this was a onetime thing, he was going to sound pretty stupid. But well … nothing ventured, nothing gained. “Want to come over to my place for dinner? I’m not the greatest cook or anything, but I can manage.”

  Noah didn’t reply at first. Just sort of stared at Thomas. And that’s when he was sure, he calculated wrong. Really wrong. He’d seen too much in Noah’s pursuit of him and now that Noah had fucked him, he was done. Like most of the guys Thomas dated.

  Thomas took a steadying breath. “It’s all right if you don’t want to. It’s no big deal.”

  But Noah was now smiling. “You’re really cute when you’re nervous.”

  He felt himself blush and turned away. “Whatever. Can I dress in your bathroom?”

  “If you want to, but you can get dressed right here. Tommy, I want to come for dinner.”

  He didn’t bother to look at Noah, but he did say, “Yeah?”

  “Can I stay, you know, over?”

  He tried to be cool about it. “Sure. Whatever.”

  ****

  Thomas stopped at the grocery store after his classes, deciding what to make Noah for dinner. He’d never had a guy over for something like this before. Sure, he’d dated some, but usually whoever he went out with bought dinner and then fucked his brains out. He’d never invited anyone to his house. Not even for sex.

  In the end, he chose a couple of chicken breasts he figured he’d make into chicken parmesan with some spaghetti. He picked up a bottle of red wine and a bottle of white. He wasn’t sure which Noah would prefer, if any. He bought a six-pack of beer, too.

  He’d given Noah his address before leaving the older man’s apartment. So now he just had to wait.

  Thomas had gotten an inheritance from his maternal grandparents, so the previous year he’d bought himself a small, three-bedroom house not far from UCLA where Thomas attended school. It had been ridiculously expensive even with the collapse of the housing market a few years back but with the down payment he’d made, his mortgage payments were doable.

  He’d told Noah to come at six and to his delight, Noah was right on time. Thomas hated tardiness.

  Noah smiled wide as he stepped into Thomas’s space. “This is fantastic! I figured you’d live in an apartment or something. But wow.”

  Thomas flushed with pleasure. “It’s not big, but I like it.”

  “I love it. It looks like it’s an older home with a lot of character.” Noah pointed at the front room with the rounded window seat. “Very Victorian.”

  “I know. That’s one of the things I liked, too.” Thomas knew he was illogically pleased with Noah’s appreciation of his house, but there it was. “I have wine and beer. Have a seat there at the table.”

  “What are we having?” Noah asked.

  “Chicken parmesan and spaghetti.” He bit his lip. He hadn’t even asked if Noah liked chicken. “Um. If that’s okay?”

  Noah smiled. “It sounds great. I’ll have the wine.”

  “Red or white?”

  “What kind of white?”

  “Pinto Grigio.”

  “I’ll have that.”

  A short while later, Thomas had poured them both glasses of wine and plated their dinner. He had to admit as he set the plate of food in front of Noah, it looked and smelled delicious.

  Noah reached for his hand. “I don’t think anyone’s ever made me dinner before. Thank you.”

  “Well. I’m not like gourmet or anything,” Thomas said, feeling embarrassed as Noah squeezed his hand.

  Noah released his hand and cut off a piece of the chicken. He made a great show of putting it in his mouth, closing his eyes, and chewing. “I beg to differ. This is fucking fantastic.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.” Noah dug into the food.

  They talked a bit about the restaurant and their fellow wait staff which eventually led Thomas to asking, “You really don’t care about just being a waiter?”

  Noah’s gray eyes turned serious. “Does that bother you? My lack of wanting to take the business path by storm?”

  “No,” Thomas replied. “Not really. I think it’s … I’ve had it drilled in my head all my life to be a white collar worker or something. I mean, as you said before, it’s your life to make your own decisions.”

  “The truth is, I do like waiting tables. Plus I’ve been writing on the side. Nothing big or anything, but maybe someday.”

  “Yeah?” Thomas asked, surprised. “What are you writing?”

  “You promise not to laugh?” Noah squirmed uncomfortably.

  “Laugh? Why would I?”

  He sighed. “I’m writing screenplays. For television. Maybe movies someday.”

  “Why would I laugh at that, Noah?”

  “Everyone wants to be a star in LA.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with a dream,” Thomas pointed out.

  “It’s a hard business to get into,” Noah said, stabbing some spaghetti. “I may never make it.”

  “But you won’t know until you try.”

  Noah smiled. “Yeah. Exactly.” He took a few bites more before he said, “Tommy?”

  “Yeah?” Thomas responded, without correcting him on the nickname.

  “What are we doing?”

  “Meaning?”

  “I know it’s pretty soon. I mean this is what? Our second date?”

  “Third if you count the diner.”

  Noah grinned. “That totally counts.”

  Thomas looked down at his food. “What do you want us to be doing, Noah?”

  “I have to say, I wasn’t looking for anything serious.”

  “Oh.” Thomas nodded. He tried not to show that he was disappointed. And really? What right did he have to be? Noah was right. They hadn’t even been out together much. And in fact,
making Noah dinner had probably been way too soon for that kind of thing. He felt like an idiot.

  “Hey.”

  Thomas looked up to meet Noah’s gaze. He saw nothing but warmth and openness there.

  “But the truth is,” Noah continued. “I can’t stop thinking about you. Wanting you. Kissing you.” He leaned over and kissed Thomas, deep and slow. “So, maybe I just don’t know what I want, yeah?”

  Thomas’s breath hitched. “Yeah?”

  Noah gave him a heart stopping smile. “I once joked about how easy you were. But hell, Tommy, you’re anything but easy. But that’s okay. I like having to work at you. On you. In you.”

  Thomas laughed. “You’re too much.”

  “Probably. So, you and me? We’ll try? And no more busting my chops at the restaurant? Maybe we could work together. As a team.”

  Thomas gazed into those gray eyes and nodded with a smile. “Maybe.”

  ****

  Their legs tangled up together as they fell on the bed, kissing and scrambling to get each other’s clothes off.

  “You taste like wine and spaghetti,” Noah murmured as he held Thomas’s hands above his head, pressing their erections together in a way that made them both achy and needy.

  “So do you,” Thomas said breathily. “Fuck me.”

  “My pleasure.” Noah reached for the nearby lubricant and condom. He got his cock sheathed in record time and reached for Thomas as he squeezed out the lube.

  Thomas stared at him intently as he spread his legs, lifting up a little as Noah slipped his fingers between the cheeks of his ass. His dick was almost impossibly hard and as he waited for Noah to fully prepare him, he grasped his erection, jerking himself as he watched Noah.

  Noah lifted Thomas’s legs and poised himself to press into Thomas’s ass. He held his breath as he felt the stretch to his hole of Noah’s cock entering him. He couldn’t hold back a groan.

  “All right?”

  Thomas nodded, bit his lip. “Hard. Fuck me hard.”

  Noah didn’t need any other urging because he slammed into Thomas, all the way to the root of his cock, balls-deep.

  “Unh.”

  It was no gentle fucking, but urgent, powerful. The bed creaked as Noah rode him. Thrusting over and over until Thomas swore his eyes rolled back. He tightened his grip on his dick, causing it to jerk in his hand, then spurt out over his fingers and onto his stomach.

  At the sight of Thomas’s cum, Noah’s pupils dilated, and he gasped, his thrusts speeding up until he pushed into Thomas with such force, Thomas was sure the bed frame cracked.

  After, neither of them could move. Neither wanted to. Noah held him close, his arms squeezed onto Thomas’s waist like he would never let him go.

  Thomas didn’t want him to either.

  Epilogue

  “Figures. It never rains here until I decide to move into your house,” Noah grumbled as he tried to balance a box of his stuff while holding an umbrella.

  “We could have postponed it,” Thomas pointed out. He held the door open for a soaking wet Noah.

  “No way. I already let my apartment go and the last couple of nights at my mom’s has been torture.”

  Thomas laughed and shook his head. “An exaggeration I think.”

  “You don’t know! She likes you, but me—”

  “You’re her son. She loves you.” Thomas peered outside. “Want me to get that other box?”

  “Nah, you’re dry. I may as well get it.” Noah set the box he was carrying down and trudged outside to the curb where he’d left another equally heavy box. He pulled the baseball cap he wore down over his eyes. He would have thought with the umbrella and the hat, he’d be mostly dry. Nope.

  He hurried back into the house with his box. “That’s the last of it for now. I’ll get the rest from storage and Mom’s when it’s dry.”

  Thomas closed the door. “You need to get out of those sopping wet clothes.”

  “Come here and give me a kiss.” Noah beckoned.

  Thomas arched a brow. “Then I’ll be wet too.”

  “You can take a nice, long hot shower with me.” Noah waggled his brows. He grabbed Thomas’s hand and tugged him close, wrapping his arms around him. “Thank you for inviting me to live with you.”

  “Wasn’t sure you’d accept.” Thomas closed his eyes when Noah kissed along his jawline.

  “Are you kidding? I’m crazy in love with you. I thought you’d never ask.”

  Thomas chuckled, opening his eyes, and looping his arms around Noah’s neck. “There were all those subtle hints.”

  “When the fuck are you going to ask me to live with you is a subtle hint?” Noah grinned.

  “I don’t think you do subtle, babe.”

  Noah nodded. It was true. He always came in to everything like a bull in a China shop. “Seriously, Mom’s a pest.”

  “How so?”

  “She asked if you and I were going to get married and have kids.”

  Thomas blanched. “Wait, what? I haven’t even finished my college degree.”

  “Now you see what I mean. Torture. She wanted me to find a nice girl to settle down with and produce grandkids, but because she really likes you, Tommy, she’s giving up on that.”

  “I suppose I should be happy about that anyway,” Thomas replied, sounding and looking disgruntled.

  “Your mother’s a freaking saint compared to mine,” Noah told him.

  “Let’s not get carried away.”

  Noah tightened his hold on Thomas. “This is going to work, right?”

  Thomas sighed and leaned into Noah. “I want it to.”

  “Same here. I’ve not been serious about anyone for a long time. It’s kind of scary.”

  “For me, too.”

  “Oh!” Noah pulled back enough to hold Thomas’s gaze. “I forgot to tell you. A director came into the restaurant a couple of days ago.”

  Thomas smiled slightly, but there was a teasing light in his beautiful blue eyes. “And?”

  “I told him about my script.” Noah grinned sheepishly. “I’m sure he gets pestered all the time and I felt pretty much like an idiot doing it, but—”

  “But?”

  Noah took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “He said to send it to him.”

  “That’s fantastic, babe.” Thomas kissed him soundly.

  “It probably won’t amount to anything.”

  “Maybe not. But it’s a start, right?”

  “A start, yeah.”

  Thomas put his fingers on Noah’s jaw. “You ready for that shower?”

  “In a minute.” Noah studied his lover. “I want you to know something first.”

  Thomas looked at him quizzically. “What?”

  “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I didn’t know it when I went to work at the restaurant, but you really are. You make me want to be better. At everything. Not as a waiter, which hell, yeah, you make me do that too. You make me want to be a better person. And you’re the one who encouraged me to make something with my writing. Or try to anyway. For a long time, it was just a dream I sort of had in the back of my head that I didn’t want to pull out.”

  “Noah,” Thomas whispered. “I didn’t do anything. You did all that yourself.”

  “You encouraged me. I never knew I wanted someone like you until you came along. I love you, Tommy.”

  Thomas closed his eyes and kissed him. “I love you too.”

  The End

  www.authorshawnlane.com

  Other Books by Shawn Lane:

  www.evernightpublishing.com/shawn-lane

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