Chalk Butterfly: Part One (First Time Erotic Romance) (9 page)

“Nah. I think you’re exceptional.”

“Listen,” Alexander said. His voice was
quiet, nearly muffled by a sofa cushion. He swallowed hard. “About
Friday…”

“Yes?” Daniel’s voice lowered a notch to a
satisfying rumble that had Alexander’s breath picking up in
response.

“I don’t think I…” Alexander stopped and bit
at his lip. This was impossible, how was he supposed to say no? “I
don’t think I have anything to wear.”

Daniel laughed then, stretching his legs out
on the soft cushions of his couch. For a moment he’d thought
Alexander had changed his mind. “I don’t think you have to worry
too much about that.”

“Maybe,” Alexander said softly in reply.

Silence endured between them for a few long
moments, silence that had Alexander squirming. Now would be the
perfect time to explain everything to Daniel, now when Daniel
wasn’t leading the conversation. But of course Alexander couldn’t,
he was still trying to control his breathing.

“Tell me something about yourself,
Alexander,” Daniel said, and Alexander’s moment was lost. “Tell me
something you wouldn’t dream of saying to someone you’d just
met.”

Alexander sat up, the phone pressing harshly
into his cheek, and he gulped. “Okay,” he found himself answering.
“Let me think.”

“No,” Daniel corrected, tapping his
forefinger against the receiver. “Don’t think, that’s missing the
point. If you think it over, then you won’t tell me. Tricky,
huh?”

But Alexander was already thinking it over,
knowing exactly what he wasn’t going to tell Daniel.

‘Just tell him, get it over with. End this,’
Alexander thought, looking down at his wrapped feet, flexing his
toes slightly. “Okay,” he repeated. “I lived at home until I was
twenty, with my mother.”

“That’s not uncommon,” Daniel said, shifting
his feet under his thighs.

“Maybe. But I only stayed so long because I
was scared to be out on my own,” Alexander said. “That’s the part I
wouldn’t have told you if we were being sensible.”

“Well, let me tell you something in return.
Would you like that?”

“Sure,” Alexander said. He blushed and could
feel sweat breaking out on his palms. Alexander knew it wasn’t a
good sign, he knew his broken skin would become irritated by the
perspiration.

In more than one way, Daniel wasn’t good for
him. But Alexander didn’t hang up the phone or dissuade Daniel from
the intimate conversation they shared. He sat there, legs pulled up
close, and listened.

“I’m usually very sensible,” Daniel
confided. “Overly, really. Maybe I wasn’t when I was younger, but
who is? I’d go as far to say that as of late, I’ve been a stick in
the mud.”

“I don’t believe that,” Alexander replied,
shifting the phone.

“Well, it’s true. But not lately.”

“Oh?”

“Hasn’t been true since I met you,” Daniel
said, very quietly, and Alexander had to fight back a shiver.

“I’m… sorry?” Alexander croaked out. His
voice was unstable, unease mixing with the little bit of pleasure
starting to coil in his belly.

Daniel chuckled over the line. “You’re
forgiven.”

A few beats of silence passed between them,
and then Daniel spoke again. “I work, well, I own a restaurant in
Park Place.”

“That’s interesting.”

Daniel made a soft noise in his throat, and
Alexander could hear him walking, shoes against hard wood.

“Alexander,” Daniel said. “Do I make you
nervous?”

“No, of course you don’t,” Alexander
responded immediately. “I just don’t know you all that well.”

“I can almost hear you squirming.”

Alexander squirmed.

“I’m… not the best on the phone,” Alexander
explained. ‘And you scare the living fuck out of me. Nervous
doesn’t begin to cover it,’ he thought, frowning hard. “I like to
look at someone when I’m talking to them, and I’m worried I’ll run
out things to say by Friday… fuck, Friday’s tomorrow?”

“Well, generally, yes,” Daniel said. He
couldn’t keep the gravelly texture from his voice. “If you do run
out of things to say, then we’ll just have to look at each
other.”

“Oh….” Alexander gulped, his breath hitching
audibly.

“Don’t worry,” Daniel said, holding back a
small laugh. “We haven’t even gotten into my loveless marriage yet—
there will be loads to talk about.”

“Oh, okay,” Alexander replied. “Marriage? I
thought…”

“Alexander,” Daniel laughed.
“Alexander.”

“Daniel,” Alexander countered.

“No loveless marriage, I promise,” Daniel
said, laughter bordering on a giggle. “I think I’ll let you go now,
let you rest up for the torment that will be a few straight hours
with me tomorrow evening. Straight? What am I saying…”

Alexander laughed without thought, felt the
chuckle rumble low and warm in his belly. “All right,” he said, a
slight smile sneaking across his lips. “I… look forward to it.”

And it only bothered Alexander because it
was the truth.

“Masochist,” Daniel huffed, and Alexander
smiled wider.

“You keep saying that, maybe it’s true.”

“I’ll pick you up at six,” Daniel said,
jotting down the address Alexander gave. Daniel made a noise of
satisfaction as he finished scrawling down the address, and then
murmured lowly, “Sweet dreams, Alexander.”

Alexander scooted down deeper into the couch
cushions. “Thank you too. I mean, thank you and you too.”
Alexander’s faced heated up for the thousandth time that night, but
he didn’t mind, and Daniel hummed affectionately in response.
“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Alexander clicked off the phone and closed
his eyes, his body going slack. “Oh, please don’t be a fool
tomorrow. This could be so good for me… if I let it.”

His eyes slipped open and he stared down at
his hands folded across his belly. A sudden bolt of frustration
seared through his pleasant mood and he felt like curling up into a
ball.

“I…just…”

He squeezed his hands together hard, wincing
against the pain, head jerking back. His jaw clenched tight, but he
did not cry out.

Chapter
Five

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“But you’ve got to promise not to tell
Elizabeth,” Alexander said, as Elijah tugged him back behind a
large shelf of books. “And I mean really this time, unlike last
time when I was just saying it for my health.”

Elijah rolled his eyes. “I promise.”

“I don’t believe you,” Alexander said.

“If you don’t tell me right now I’m going to
burst,” Elijah exclaimed, a little too loudly for Alexander’s
taste.

“Hush,” Alexander hissed. Sometimes he
couldn’t believe Elijah ran the entire library, as childish as he
often acted. Though Alexander had to admit, that’s why he loved his
friend so much, his unique ability to never take anything too
seriously.

“Alexander, I demand you tell me, or you’re
fired,” Elijah tried, raising an eyebrow. Alexander just scoffed.
“No good? Well, how about I lay the guilt trip on you?”

“Elijah,” Alexander sighed.

“Seriously, I can’t believe that you don’t
think you can confide in me. It really hurts, Alex. We’ve been best
friends for four years, and I always thought you could tell me
anything.” Elijah gave Alexander a long look, his big blue eyes
near pleading.

“Fine,” Alexander said, giving in. “I’m
sorry, of course I’ll tell you.”

“Ah ha! So the guilt trip does work!” Elijah
crowed, all hurt and sadness gone from his face.

“That’s it, I’m not telling you
anything.”

“Alexaaaaaaaaaander.”

“I’ll make the face, Eli, don’t push your
luck.”

Elijah gasped in mock horror. “I was lying
when I said I hated the face. In fact, I’m charmed by it. Give your
mother a call, I’m reconsidering our relationship.”

Alexander couldn’t help but laugh, shaking
his head at Elijah. “You’re such a freak, Eli.”

“Yeah, well, you’re—”

“I’m going out with Daniel tonight.”

Elijah’s feisty retort died on his tongue.
“Are you kidding me?” he asked, mouth agape.

“Yeah, I wish,” Alexander said.

“Whoa, what happened?”

Alexander frowned and drew in closer to
Elijah. “I haven’t told him yet, can you believe the stupidity of
me? We’re going out to dinner, and I’m just going to show up… being
me.” Alexander let his head drop and leaned heavily back against
the bookshelf.

“Alexander, being you is the best thing
you’ve got going for yourself,” Elijah said.

Alexander smiled a little at that. “But I’m
so nervous,” he admitted. “I’m shaky… and sweating all over.”

“Alexander,” Elijah said firmly. “Are you
okay?”

“I’m fine. It’s nothing I can’t handle. It’s
just, I woke up this morning and there was a blister on my knee. I
know it’s nothing really out of the ordinary, probably from rolling
around, sweating a little more than usual. You know how nervous I
get. And I had a tiny little slip a few days ago, but it wasn’t
anything big.” Alexander looked up and smiled weakly. “I haven’t
had a sore on my legs in ages, not since Cat got lost and we were
running all over SoHo looking for the little bastard.”

“Have you talked with your doctor?” Elijah
asked, stepping in and laying a friendly hand on Alexander’s
shoulder.

Alexander shook his head. “I know how to
deal with it, it’s just… unpleasant. It’s not even a bad one, just
a tiny little thing. But you know me, any change makes me ill at
ease. I think I’m overreacting because of how sensitive my hands
and feet have been lately.”

“Alex, you shouldn’t be worrying yourself so
much over this. It’s only dinner, and I’m sure he’ll understand.
Don’t you want to give it a shot?” Elijah’s grip on Alexander’s
shoulder tightened.

Alexander blushed, eyes lowering.

“You lost cause, you,” Elijah said with a
laugh. “It’s okay to like someone, you know. It’s not like you’ve
never gone on a date before.”

Alexander’s blush deepened.

“You’ve got to be kidding me, Alex,” Elijah
said in shock. “You’ve… never?”

“Elijah, I was home schooled! It isn’t
that weird… and I’m not the most confident person. I could barely
talk up a girl, let alone a bloke! And I
have
gone on a date, but never with someone I
really cared about.” Alexander was near dying of embarrassment
then, trying to pull away from Elijah. “I don’t want to talk about
this.”

“Hey,” Elijah said softly. “You’ve got to
start somewhere.”

“But you didn’t see him!” Alexander nearly
yelled. “And we’re going to dinner. I’ve got to look nice, I can’t
look nice.”

“Alexander, you always look… interesting,”
Elijah finished, and Alexander scowled.

“Thanks,” Alexander huffed.

“Why don’t you let me come over before he
picks you up? I’ll give you a pep talk, make sure you’re not
wearing underwear on your head and shoo you out the door. It’ll be
really… girlish,” Elijah ended lamely.

“Eli, I don’t need constant
supervision.”

“Maybe not,” Elijah said. “But you’re not
going to wear that, are you?” He made a face and Alexander tried to
look hurt.

“What’s wrong with this shirt?”

“It’s yellow.”

“I like yellow,” Alexander said in
defense.

“Bright yellow.”

Maybe it was a little bright.

“And you call yourself straight,” Alexander
whined.

“And you call yourself… Alexander,” Elijah
retorted, grinning wide.

Alexander opened his mouth once, and then
closed it, biting back a remark. “I guess I’ll see you around four
then?” he asked with a heavy sigh.

“Give or take a few hours.”

***

“Bank Street,” Daniel muttered, plugging the
directions into his GPS. It was twenty to six, city lights
reflecting off the wet road, and Daniel was driving down
Washington, looking for street signs through the freezing rain.
“Perfect weather, absolutely.”

He nearly missed his turn as he fiddled with
the radio station, cursing quietly as a car pulled out in front of
him. Normally, he’d lean on his horn, but tonight he felt a bit too
well, and resorting to his usual hurried, crude behavior seemed off
base.

So, Daniel merely nodded at the flustered
youth in the vehicle that had almost struck his, and drove on.

Finding the classic rock station, Daniel
smiled, relaxed but still full of anticipatory butterflies. Yes,
Daniel was well.

You see, he had a date, and unlike most of
the dates he’d experienced in the past year or so, he actually
looked forward to this one.