Page 20 of Narrow Margins
Fuck, they’ve given me the option to leave. The ink hasn’t even dried, Troy says. Damn!
“Be sure this is what you want, Griff, we’re not known for our second chances. This is a tough business and we make sure we work hard to stay at the top of it. So, if you are not fully committed to us, we’re not interested. There are many opportunities and options for you here; don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. We may actually have everything you want here.” Troy looks at me shrewdly. His amazing confidence is surprising: he is so young but so self-assured.
“I don’t know what to say. You have offered me plenty, yet I’m unsure of myself. I am never unsure. I have been at the top of my profession for a long time now, after many years of hard work, so I know what it’s like to commit, don’t doubt me there.”
“Touché.” Troy smiles
“What changed, apart from me behaving like a dick, and I have apologized for that? What happened with you and my brother to make both of you have the reaction you did last Friday?” Raff enquires.
“That has nothing to do with this, leave your brother out of this.” I shake my head, “Your brother is an amazing guy, I have nothing but admiration and respect for him.”
“Okay, we’re going to let you have tonight to think this over and you can come back with your answer tomorrow.” Troy drops his empty water bottle on the table. “Y’know, if you leave, you could be leaving your one chance to have the best thing in your life. Think about that.”
I nod, wondering what he knows but isn’t letting on.
“I’m not talking about the job either.” Troy looks hard at me, scrutinizing my reaction.
“I know.” I sigh. My head feels like it’s about to explode, with confusion and doubt but, mainly, with desire and need. Need for the stubborn, reticent, and so damn sexy man sitting in another room.
“Right, we will talk tomorrow.” Raff takes Troy’s hand, ready to leave.
I watch them walk away, assuming they will speak to Corrie before they leave. I don’t want to know what they might say, so I go back to the yard.
Sitting on the edge of the pool, my feet dangling in the cool water, I run through everything that has happened. I feel him nearby; before Corrie can even say anything, I turn to face him.
“I’m hungry, do you want to order in or shall I just make myself something?” I hate his hesitancy; I know he’s waiting for me to bite his head off.
“I don’t mind, I was gonna grab a pizza.” I wait to see if he says anything else but he only chews his lip nervously. Pulling my legs out of the water, I stand up, still looking at him as he deliberates. “It’s pizza, Corrie, not world peace, you don’t have to think that hard.”
As I walk past, I reach out and pull his lip out from between his teeth and carry on silently. I’m sure he remains standing stock still, trying to work out what I’ve done, when I step through the door. What I don’t expect is to be pushed up against the wall. Twisting around, I find myself caged in by his arms and the width of his body. It’s the expression on his face that has me floored. Anguish.
“Don’t go.” Corrie’s voice is low and husky and travels straight to my dick, making it twitch and thicken. “I felt it too.”
Lowering his face to mine, his lips hover over my mouth, his breath washing over me makes my mouth water. I swallow hard. I want to push my lips against his but this is his show. A featherlight touch skates over the corner of my mouth before traveling slowly over each millimeter of my ever so slightly parted lips. It feels so fleeting, I could easily convince myself I’m imagining it. Then I feel it, the slightest pressure as he centers his mouth over mine. I match it with my own as I lean into him, lightheaded as I crave more.
The tip of Corrie’s tongue slides over my lower lip before he sucks it into his mouth, his teeth nip the tender flesh but, damn, it feels good. A moan builds in my throat and, as he releases my lip, his mouth is on mine again, firmly this time. My moan vibrates through me and into him as I open my mouth a fraction more and my tongue touches his. The dance that begins between them is effortless; it feels like I’ve kissed him a thousand times. Like we have known each other forever, but it’s still exciting and new.
Corrie’s hands slip into my hair, clutching the long strands in his fists. He holds me still, he is in command. A role I’m comfortable with him taking. It feels amazing not to be the one in control; I’ve always had to take that position, but I’ve only ever fucked women before. I like this change in structure. Is this why it felt so good with Corrie? Because he took control? Because I was the one being fucked into the mattress? Corrie’s position changes and I’m being held against the wall by his hips, his legs on either side of my own pin me firmly in place. His solid length presses against my own and, as I flex my hips, nudging in to him, it’s his turn to moan and curse. I instantly regret it as Corrie pulls away from me.
I wipe the back of my hand over my mouth but keep my eyes locked on his, he uses the pad of his thumb on his bottom lip, now dark red and swollen from the intensity of our kiss.
“I meant it, I meant both.” Corrie is husky and hot-as-fuck as he speaks.
“Yeah? You sure?” I don’t know what has made him change is mind. “Why? What’s changed from this afternoon?” I hear the need in my voice. I need him, I need him to want me as much as I want him.
“Because you want to leave, you want to leave because of the way I treated you, and that hurts me. I don’t understand why you have never wanted to be with a man before. But there’s a huge part inside me jumping up and down with joy. No other man has experienced what we have, I don’t want another man to have you.” His eyes widen and he shakes his head, letting out a gruff laugh. “I’m not saying that I’m expecting forever with you, but I would like to try this. If you are still interested in me.”
“Am I still interested? Fuck, Corrie, I would have jumped you the last three nights if I thought I could get away with it. I went to bed to stop myself from begging you. But you’ve filled my fucking dreams, I can’t escape you even in my sleep.” I shake my head, “You asked if I’d been with any other men, and, no, I haven’t. I went to some gay bars but, while I could see the hot men giving me the look, they were never right. Too tall, too short: every excuse came to mind as to why I kept turning them down when approached. Then it hit me: they weren’t you.” I smile as his face frowns when I mention I was propositioned.
“Yeah? It seems you ruined my idea of a good time, too; I haven’t been with anyone since you. Every time I’ve hit up my Grindr account, I can see the look on your face when I entered you. That stopped me from hooking up with anyone else, because there is no way they would have looked as good as you. Spent plenty of hours jerking off to that image, though.” Corrie peers through his lashes and gives me a sexy half smile that shows off a dimple.
“So, what are you offering, Corrie? Am I just a fantasy in your head now? One that you want to see is as good as you remember, or are you ready to try this with me?”
“I’m asking for us to get to know each other, and to date. I want to be with you.” His honesty is written in his features.
“I think I’d like that, too.” I lean in to kiss him again as his stomach lets out a huge rumble. “Pizza?” I laugh.
“Yeah, pizza.” Then he kisses me again.