"Hey, Vinny!"
Vinny turned at the sound of his name, his heart leaping into his throat as Griffin jogged up to him. The man's effortless confidence made Vinny's pulse stutter.
"Where are you off to?" Griffin asked, his voice rich with curiosity.
Vinny averted his gaze, heat creeping up his neck. "Running an errand for Madam Grace."
"Oh? Can I come with?"
"Yes, please." The words tumbled from Vinny's lips before he could stop them. Griffin gave him an amused glance but said nothing, only falling into step beside him.
Griffin's visits to the shop had become frequent since their first meeting, and Vinny wasn't one to question a blessing. Even if he was too shy to truly talk to him, he savored every moment in Griffin's presence, breathing in the rich scent of his cologne, watching the way his body moved with effortless grace.
The sky darkened on their way back, and without warning, rain poured down in heavy sheets. Vinny yelped as he fumbled to tuck the package under his shirt, running alongside Griffin as they searched for shelter.
They ducked beneath a bus stop canopy, drenched. Water clung to Griffin's body, rendering his shirt almost translucent, highlighting every defined ridge of muscle. He ran a hand through his wet hair, droplets sliding down his throat, his collarbone, vanishing beneath the fabric clinging to his chest.
Vinny felt the heat spread through his stomach, lower, tightening his core. His pants became unbearably restrictive, and panic shot through him. He turned sharply, his back to Griffin, hands clenched at his sides. His cheeks burned, his breathing uneven.
"Are you okay?" Griffin asked as he turned to check on him, when he saw his wet physique. His gaze traveled over him, lingering. The rain had soaked through Vinny's thin shirt, outlining the soft curve of his waist, the delicate rise and fall of his chest. His beauty was otherworldly, an ethereal blend of masculinity and femininity that struck Griffin in a way he couldn't quite name.
"Yeah, I am" Vinny responded.
For a split second, Griffin forgot himself.
"Beautiful," he murmured.
Vinny's head turned to him. "Did you say something?"
Griffin blinked as if shaking himself out of a daze. "Uh, the rain. I said it's beautiful."
Vinny smiled in confusion but nodded. "Yeah… I guess so." He swallowed thickly. "Looks like it's stopping."
Griffin cleared his throat, pulling his gaze away. "We should go. Grandma's waiting."
Vinny could barely keep himself together. Seeing Griffin's godly physique up close had unraveled him, leaving his thoughts scattered and his body burning. Every shift of muscle beneath the soaked fabric, every drop of water tracing the lines of his toned chest, he had seen it all, and it had taken everything in him not to stare, not to reach out.
Back at the shop, he quickly dropped off the package with Madam Grace. She gave them both a knowing look.
"You two are drenched," she observed. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Ma'am," Vinny replied, keeping his voice even.
"Me too," Griffin added casually, running a hand through his damp hair.
"Please excuse me, I need to use the restroom," Vinny blurted out, his breath unsteady. He barely waited for a response before slipping away, making a beeline for the bathroom.
The moment the stall door locked behind him, he exhaled sharply, his whole body thrumming with need. He could still see Griffin's perfect body, his soaked shirt clinging to every chiseled inch, the slow drag of his fingers through his wet hair, the way his lips had parted ever so slightly when he caught Vinny looking.
The heat pooling in Vinny's stomach was unbearable. His fingers trembled as he unfastened his pants, his body already aching for release. His mind conjured up the perfect scene, Griffin standing before him, peeling off that wet shirt, muscles flexing beneath his perfectly tanned skin. In his fantasy, Griffin reached for him, guiding Vinny's hands over his chest, letting him feel every hard plane, every heated inch of him.
Vinny bit his lip to keep quiet, his hand working himself with desperate urgency, each stroke fueled by the images flooding his mind. His other hand roamed his own body, teasing over his chest, fingers grazing the sensitive buds before moving up to his throat. He gripped lightly at first, then tighter, imagining Griffin's large hands taking control, pinning him in place, claiming him.
"Griffin," he whispered breathlessly, his rhythm faltering as pleasure built within him. His body tensed, every muscle coiling, the pleasure cresting higher and higher until…
A strangled moan escaped his lips as his release hit, pleasure surging through him in hot waves. His body shuddered, his breath coming in harsh, ragged gasps as he leaned against the stall, spent.
He was still coming down from his high when he heard it, footsteps.
His breath hitched. They weren't approaching. They were leaving.
His pulse pounded in his ears as he hurried to clean himself up, smoothing out his clothes before stepping out of the stall. The bathroom was empty, silent. But the sound had been real. Someone had been there.
Panic coiled in his gut as he washed his hands, forcing himself to appear normal before heading back to the front.
Madam Grace and Griffin were chatting at the counter, laughing at something he had missed.
He swallowed hard, pushing down the paranoia clawing at him. "Sorry for rushing off so suddenly," he said, forcing a casual smile. "I really had to go."
Madam Grace waved off his apology. "Nothing to worry about. After all, only two customers came in while you were gone."
Vinny froze. Two customers.
His heart hammered. What if one of them had gone to the restroom? What if they had heard him?
He glanced at Griffin, searching his face for any sign that he knew, but Griffin only smirked at him, his gaze unreadable.
Vinny felt his stomach tighten. Maybe it was all in his head. Maybe.
But the thought lingered.
The day had finally ended, and it was time for Vinny to head home. He bid Madam Grace and Griffin goodbye before stepping out into the cool evening air.
His mind was still tangled in worry. What if someone heard me? What if it wasn't just in my head? The thought gnawed at him as he walked, his gaze lowered, focused on the pavement, making sure he didn't misstep.
Then impact.
He stumbled back, landing hard on the ground.
"Bro! The fuck!? Watch where you're goi—" The voice cut off abruptly.
Vinny's heart clenched. That voice.
"I'm sorry," he muttered quickly, keeping his head down. "I should've been paying attention."
"Vinny?"
His breath caught.
"Holy shit. Vinny, it is you."
Slowly, hesitantly, Vinny lifted his gaze, and there he was.
Lamar.
For a brief moment, his mind went blank. The man standing before him was the same one who had shattered him, the one who had once made him feel like he was everything before tossing him aside.
Lamar's lips curled into a slow smirk, but there was something else in his eyes, something unreadable. "Didn't think I'd ever see you again," he said, offering a hand.
Vinny ignored it and pushed himself to his feet. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing," Lamar countered, looking him over with an expression that sent a shiver up Vinny's spine. "Didn't peg you for the type to hang around this side of town."
"I work nearby," Vinny replied shortly.
Lamar's brows lifted, intrigued. "No shit? Guess fate's got a funny way of working."
Vinny forced a tight-lipped smile. "Yeah. Anyway, it was nice seeing you, Lamar, but I really have to go."
He turned to leave, hoping, praying, that Lamar would let him.
"Wait, Vin."
Vinny ignored him, quickening his steps.
Lamar exhaled, watching as Vinny hurried away. His eyes dragged over the sway of Vinny's hips, the elegant curve of his back, the subtle movement of muscle beneath his clothes.
His smirk deepened.
"Damn," he murmured under his breath, his tongue running over his teeth. "Still as fine as ever."