Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

RIO

I triple check that I have everything I need for our date tonight before finally putting the car in drive and heading over to Sasha's place.

I want tonight to be perfect, to show Sasha how much I actually like him, to prove to him that even though this is our first date and we are just starting out, I'm willing to put in the effort he deserves.

It's beyond evident to me that Sasha's ex did a real number on him by the way he reacts to the smallest of things. Like me offering to drive him to Karla's house on Tuesday. He acted like it was such a big deal when, in reality, it's nothing. I meant it when I told him I would drive him even if we weren't dating. That's what decent people do. They help you out when they can and don't expect anything in return. I know his friends act like this toward him, but clearly, he thinks things should be different now that we're dating. Which pisses me off to no end. I hope Sasha's ex is miserable in his life. Scumbags like him don't deserve happiness.

Rays of sunshine like Sasha, on the other hand, deserve all the happiness in the world.

When I pull up to the house where Sasha lives with a few of his friends, I take a deep breath before getting out of my car and walking up to the front door like a gentleman.

"Hey, Rio," Max, Sasha's roommate and, I guess, landlord greets me. "Sasha will be down in a couple of minutes. He was having a wardrobe catastrophe, or at least that's what he claimed was going on."

I chuckle. "It's all good. I don't mind waiting."

"Is he here?" Sasha shrieks from upstairs.

"Take your time, babe. We've got plenty of time," I call up to him.

"You know that's still probably not going to calm his nerves, right?" Max states, and I shrug.

"It's the thought that counts, right?"

Max laughs and nods. "I'm glad Sasha's going out with you. You're a good guy."

"Thanks," I reply quietly. "He deserves to be treated like the gem that he is."

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting," Sasha says, rushing down the stairs and nearly tripping at the bottom. Thankfully, I'm able to move quickly enough to catch him before his face hits the floor.

"Stop worrying about being late," I tell him as I hold his shaking body. "I'd much rather be hours late than see you get injured because you were rushing."

He takes a deep breath and then nods. "You're right. Please don't tell Hailey I almost fell. She's already been lecturing me on being careful because the team can't afford to have me out of commission."

I smile at him, then gently kiss his lips, not caring that Max is still here.

"She's right. You're our good luck charm. Now, the next time we go out, if you're running late, you know that it's okay, and I'm never going to be upset about running a little behind schedule."

He finally smiles at me, and the tension visible lifts off his shoulders. "You're too good for me," he whispers.

"It's the other way around, I assure you."

"Aww, you two are just the cutest," Max coos, and Sasha sticks his tongue out at him.

"We're leaving now," he tells his friend before dragging me out the door.

"Slow down," I remind him, pulling on his hand to slow him down. "We aren't in a rush tonight, and I haven't had a minute to take you in." I pause, then take a step back to get a good look at my date.

He has on a pair of dark wash jeans, an oversized gray sweater that looks comfortable and warm, just like I told him, and a pair of black sneakers. His hair is up in a messy bun that I can't wait to take out later tonight so I can run my fingers through his hair.

"You're breathtaking as always," I tell him once I've had my fill.

"And you're a flatterer as per usual," he mumbles with a smirk.

"You love it, don't lie," I reply, stepping closer once more and placing my hands on his hips.

"Okay, I won't lie," he tells me, and then I kiss him.

This time, it isn't a chaste kiss to get him out of his head. It's fiery and passionate, and I groan when we have to separate.

"As much as I'd love to stay here all night and make out, I do have something planned for us, and I'd hate for us to miss it," I tell him, grabbing his hand and pulling him to my car.

"Are you going to tell me what it is yet?" he asks, and I shake my head.

"Absolutely not. I told you it was a surprise, and I'm sticking to it."

He smiles, then gets into my car, and I rush around to get behind the wheel.

The drive to the park is fast, and Sasha sings along to the radio the entire time, showing off his amazing vocal talents.

"I love hearing you sing," I tell him as the song comes to an end, and I find a parking spot.

"I'm okay," he mumbles, clearly not believing just how talented he is.

"You're more than okay," I assure him. "How come you never pursued Broadway? You can dance and sing, and I have no doubt you'd be a fantastic actor as well."

"The original dream was to be a famous ballet dancer," he says while staring out the window. "I spent my entire childhood with that in mind, but life happened, and I had to give up that dream. After that I was just focusing on surviving. That's how I ended up in Green Spring. It was the exact opposite of everything I ever wanted in my life, but that also means it would be the last place he would ever look for me."

"Who?" I ask, and he shakes his head before plastering on a fake smile.

"It doesn't matter now. I'm sure he's long forgotten about me. But the reason I never pursued Broadway is because I was focused on another main stage. Sometimes it still sucks that I'll never see my name in shiny lights, but at least I found some amazing people who will always be there for me. And now I get to be the center of attention in a different way, and I'm loving it more than I ever would have thought."

I smile at him, then lean over the center console to give him a quick kiss. "And you're amazing at it, just like anything you do. Now come on we've got a concert to get to."

"A concert?" Sasha repeats with wide eyes.

He casts quick glances around the park, and I pop the trunk, getting out to grab the supplies I gathered earlier.

Sasha gasps behind me once he's out of the car. "You packed us a picnic?"

"I did. Along with extra blankets and a few pillows. A local band is putting on a concert in the park tonight. I hope that's okay with you."

He wraps his arms around me before I can grab the supplies and nods his head against my chest. "It's more than okay. Thank you for thinking of such an awesome first date."

I hold him for a moment, then kiss the top of his head. "You don't have to thank me. That's what someone is supposed to do when they take you out on a date. This is where I'm supposed to be wooing you, so let me."

He chuckles, then lets me go, and I turn around to grab the supplies.

"Can I carry anything?" he checks, but I shake my head.

"I've got it all. Just follow me and help pick out the perfect spot," I tell him.

He does just that, picking a spot on the hill a bit farther away from the stage than most people are, probably to give us some privacy, which I don't mind at all.

"What did you pack in the picnic?" he asks as I set everything up.

"Unfortunately, it's nothing fancy," I apologize. "But it's edible, so that's a plus."

He laughs while we take a seat on the blanket. "I don't care about fancy, but I am grateful that it's edible," he teases.

I pull out premade sandwiches from a mom-and-pop shop I've always loved eating it along with a fruit and veggie platter. "There is a turkey club, a BLT sandwich, and a tomato something that I can't remember the name of," I tell him as I arrange everything.

"They look amazing," he whispers, licking his lips as he eyes the sandwiches.

"Which one would you like?" I check with him while pulling out a couple of paper plates.

"The BLT sounds delicious," he responds, so I place it on a plate for him and hand it over.

"How did you come up with this date idea?" he asks before taking a bite of his sandwich, moaning as he chews.

The noises cause my cock to stir, and I suck in a sudden breath. I'm not used to having reactions like this, and they are going to take some getting used to.

It takes a moment before I feel like I can talk without sounding as turned on as I am, but eventually, I'm able to respond to his question. "I saw a post on social media when I was scrolling last night. I figured it would be perfect because it's low-key but still fun."

He nods and smiles as the band starts to play. We eat our meal in comfortable silence as we listen to the band play covers of well-known songs. People closer to the stage dance and sing along with the band. I enjoy taking in the scene around us, but my gaze always drifts back to the gorgeous man at my side.

"I think this is the best date I've ever been on," Sasha admits quietly after we've finished our food.

His head is resting on my shoulder and the band is now playing what they announced as an original. It's a ballad, and I find myself gently swaying to the beat.

"Does that mean you would be open to more dates?" I check.

He tilts his head toward me and there is a soft smile on his lips. "I would love nothing more than to go on a lot more dates with you."

I shift a little so I can lean into Sasha and steal a kiss that he immediately melts into. Since we are in public, I try not to get carried away, keeping the kiss gentle and PG-rated.

Eventually, we break for air and turn our attention back to the band. As we listen in comfortable silence, I pull him into my arms so that his back is resting against my chest. I've always enjoyed cuddling with those that I've built a deeper connection with, but I don't think anyone has felt as good in my arms as Sasha does right now.

"This has been one of the best nights of my life," Sasha whispers as the band starts to pack up and other people around us begin to leave.

"Mine too," I tell him honestly while still holding him tightly, not wanting to let him go just yet. "Would you like to come back to my place for a bit?"

Sasha turns in my arms with a giant grin and nods. "I'd love that."

The drive to my apartment is mostly quiet except for the low hum of the radio. The silence doesn't bother me, but it does give me the opportunity to get stuck in my head.

I know I'm the one who invited Sasha back to my place but what I don't know is what he's expecting to happen. Would he be happy with just cuddling and making out or would he want more? Am I ready for more? I'm not sure. I think I am, but I've thought that in the past and when I got into the bedroom with my partner, I couldn't get it up, even though I wanted to. I already feel a deeper sexual and emotional connection with Sasha than I have with others I've dated, but that doesn't do a lot to settle my insecurities.

I like Sasha and I want him, I really do, but sometimes what my brain wants and what my body wants can be two different things. I just really don't want to disappoint him if we get up to my room and he's expecting sex, but my cock isn't on board.

"Are you all right?" Sasha asks as I'm pulling into my parking lot. "Your hands are shaking."

I put the car into park before turning to him and taking a deep breath. "I'm nervous," I confess quietly.

He tilts his head to the side. "About what?"

"About what happens when we get to my room."

His eyes fill with understanding, and he reaches over to run his fingers gently over my cheek. "I don't have any expectations for tonight," he assures me. "We could spend the night playing video games on the couch with your roommates. Or we could spend our time in your room cuddling. Or we could do more if that's what you want, but I really don't care. I agreed to come back to your place because I didn't want this night to end, but I don't care what we do as long as I get to spend more time with you."

His words push away my anxiety, and I feel like I can finally breathe again.

"Are you sure?" I check, and he chuckles.

"I'm positive. I know I've built a reputation for myself, and everyone sees me as the guy who is only wanting sex, but there's more to me than that. Sex isn't all I care about, especially not with you. We're building a relationship here, or at least I'd like to think we are." I nod so he knows I'm on the same page. "Then it's okay if we take things slow. We'll have all the time in the world to have sex when we're both ready, but that doesn't have to be tonight."

I smile at him and take a deep breath. "Thank you for being so understanding."

"Always," he assures me.

We both get out of my car, and I grab his hand to walk him to my apartment.

Monster and Bronny are playing a video game when we enter our place and they both look at us at the same time.

"I take it the date went well," Bronny questions with a waggle of his brows and smirk.

"It did, but it's not over," I tell them, keeping Sasha's hand in mine. "So, if you wouldn't mind, please leave us alone and only disturb us if there's an emergency."

Monster nods with a big grin, and Bronny whistles at us as we disappear into my room.

"Our friends are ridiculous," Sasha says with laughter in his tone as I close my door behind us.

"They are," I agree while kicking off my shoes and taking off my jacket. "Would you like to watch a movie or something?"

"Sure," he replies with a big grin before also removing his shoes and pulling his oversized sweater over his head, leaving him in a tight, long-sleeved shirt.

I grab the remote for my television before climbing into bed, propping myself up with pillows, and opening my arms as an invitation for Sasha to join me. He quickly gets into position, resting his back against my chest like he did when we were at the park.

"There's something I've been dying to know," Sasha says while I'm scrolling through the shows trying to find something we'll both like.

"What's that?" I question, but don't stop scrolling.

"I've been dying to hear the full story of how you got your nickname," he says, repositioning himself in my arms so his head is now resting in the crook of my elbow.

There's a shit eating grin on his face, and I can't help but laugh, finally stopping my scrolling. I was really hoping he'd forget all about that stupid story, but here we are.

"Is that so?" I check and he nods with that perfect smile of his.

"We got interrupted last night," he reminds me. "Which was totally unfair. So now that we have all the time in the world, you need to tell me."

"Do I now?" I question with a smirk of my own.

"Absolutely. First dates are usually about getting to know one another, what better way to do that than spilling the tea."

I chuckle. "Be prepared to be bored out of your mind," I warn him. "Like I said last night, it's not actually an exciting story."

Sasha rolls his eyes. "I don't care I still want to hear it."

"Fine," I sigh. "When I was fifteen, I was assigned a project to do a report on Rio. Keep in mind the main subject of that section was life . Everyone's assignment was different and there were a bunch of different categories. Some of those categories were books, movies, real life events, and locations. On the paper of my assignment, it said location, but I kind of skimmed over that."

Sasha's eyes go wide, and he covers his mouth as he waits for me to continue.

"So instead of doing my report on Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the people who live there, I wrote about the movie Rio and the impact it had on society."

Sasha snickers before waving his hand and apologizing.

"My soccer team thought it was hilarious and since Art was kind of a lame nickname, they started calling me Rio. It stuck, obviously, but I always felt like a dumbass when I told the story, so I just stopped and let people think what they wanted. There have been a bunch of different theories since I started here. I think my favorite is that I accidentally switched boarding passes with someone, and instead of going to my real location, I ended up in Rio. Which is a way better story than the truth."

"I don't know, the original is pretty decent," he tells me with a bright grin. "And I feel honored to know it when most people don't."

"If you tell anyone, I'll break up with you," I grumble which only has Sasha laughing.

"Your secret is safe with me, but wait. You said your old nickname was Art. What is your real name?"

I was expecting his question, and as stupid as it is, I don't mind telling Sasha the truth. "Arthur Henry Leon."

"That's a mouthful," he responds, and I nod. "My full name is Nathaniel Sasha Erikson. I used to go by Nate but changed it when I moved to Green Spring."

"Does that have something to do with your ex?" I ask.

"Yeah," he whispers, averting his eyes.

"How bad were things with him?" I inquire while running one of my hands up and down his side.

"Bad," he tells me while staring at my chest. "Really fucking bad."

I press a kiss to the top of his head and even though it's a faint sound, I don't miss his little sniffle. "I'm here when you're ready to tell me your story."

He finally looks back into my eye and offers me a small smile. "I appreciate that. I think it's just going to take some time. I've only ever told one person about what I went through and that was a therapist."

"There's no rush. Just know that I'm not going anywhere, and whatever you say won't make me see you any differently."

"Thank you," he whispers before moving up in my arms and pressing his lips to mine.

I'm pretty sure he's using the kiss to change the subject, but I won't hold that against him. Whatever happened with his ex was traumatic, and he needs time before he's ready to talk about it.

The kiss starts out sweet and innocent but quickly turns heated. Hands roam over bodies, and tingles of desire shoot through my veins. I'm pleasantly surprised to find my cock growing hard from the pressure of Sasha's hip.

Without breaking the kiss, I slowly move us so that Sasha is lying beside me. As I lick into his mouth, I grind against his leg, pulling the neediest of mewls from his plush lips.

"You're fucking intoxicating," I tell him when we take a break for air.

"Right back at you," he responds, staring into my eyes with a lust-filled gaze.

I smash my lips back to his, swallowing his moans and whimpers. My cock is now hard as a rock, and I'm hating the barrier of clothes we have between us.

I trace my fingers along the hem of the shirt. "What do you think about ditching these restricting clothes?" I question with a raised brow while I continue to run my finger back and forth across his lower abs.

"Are you sure?" he questions while nibbling on his lower lip.

I nod and push my erection into his hip again. "I want you and these clothes are only standing in our way."

"Well, you aren't wrong about that," he replies with a grin.

We both quickly get to work removing our clothes, leaving only our underwear on before we start making out again.

"Your body is so fucking perfect," I whisper against his lips as I reposition us so that I'm now on top of him.

I take his lower lip between my teeth and smirk as a needy moan ripples up his throat. I flick my tongue out to lick the area I just nibbled before moving to kiss his jaw, neck, collarbone, and chest. I pause my path down his body to suck on his right nipple, smiling when he bucks his hips into me. I make a mental note of how sensitive his nipples are before continuing down his body.

When I reach his lower abs, I pause and look at him while digging my fingers into the waistband of his briefs.

"Are you sure?" he asks. "We don't have to go farther than we've already gone if you don't want to."

It warms my heart that he's being so kind and understanding, refusing to push me farther than I'm ready. It suddenly dawns on me that we both have areas that need patience, which makes us kind of perfect for each other in a way. It also erases a lot of my doubts. If I can be content with waiting for Sasha to open up about his past, then I have to trust that he's also telling the truth and really doesn't care about my lack of experience.

"I want more," I tell him while trailing my nose along the outline of his penis, inhaling his musky scent. "I don't think I'm ready for anal, but I do know I want to taste you."

"Jesus!" he cries out when I mouth at his cock through his briefs.

"Can I?" I ask, pulling at his waistband once again.

Sasha quickly bobbles his head and lifts his hips again so I can shove them down. His cock thumps against his abs once it's finally free, and I lick my lips as I take in just how perfect he is. His creamy skin is blemish free with hardly any hair. While it's obvious he grooms I also think that a lot of his lack of hair is simply from genetics. Which is kind of the opposite of me. I'm a hairy guy who shaves every other day to stop my beard from growing in.

After I've spent a few moments soaking in how attractive my guy is, I lean down to finally take his thick and uncut cock into my mouth. I let my tongue dance under his foreskin, which has him panting and vibrating with desire. With a gentle hand, I pull his excess skin back and then suckle on the crown before taking him farther into my mouth, hallowing my cheeks as I go.

A hand slides into my hair, pulling gently on the short strands.

"Damn baby, that feels so good," he mutters with a shaky voice.

I flick my gaze up and hold eye contact with him as I bob up and down on his perfect dick savoring the salty taste that's coating my tongue.

When I get the courage to take him deeper, swallowing him down my throat, he throws his head back with a loud gasp.

"I'm not going to last," he tells me, but I don't stop.

I want his release. I want to make him feel so good he loses control. I want so much that I get lightheaded from the desire that's shooting through my veins.

With my free hand, I shove it down my underwear and start to jack myself off as I continue to give Sasha what I hope is an amazing blow job. Judging by his needy mewls and whimpers, I'd say I'm doing a pretty good job.

"Shit. Shit. Shit!" he shouts as his cock swells and his delicious load fills my mouth.

I pick up the pace of my fist as I swallow every last drop of Sasha's intoxicating cum, and it doesn't take long before I'm also cascading over the edge of orgasmic bliss. My eyes literally roll into the back of my head as I come so hard I'm afraid I'm going to black out. The only thing stopping me from calling out so loud my roommates would definitely hear is the cock in my mouth that is muffling my moan.

When I let Sasha out of my mouth, I'm a panting mess, and my man is blissed out with a drunk looking grin on his stunning face.

"I haven't come that hard in maybe forever," he tells me, opening his arms for me to join him.

"Same," I respond, but instead of laying in his arms, I climb out of the bed. "I'll be right there," I assure him when he eyes me skeptically. "I just want to change out of my cum soaked underwear."

Sasha chuckles as I strip them off and grab a towel off the floor to give myself a quick wipe. "I guess that's fair. You did a really good job making sure I don't have a mess to worry about. Maybe next time, I can return the favor."

I bite my lip before shutting the light off and climbing back into bed with my man.

"If you think I'm going to turn down you blowing me, you'd be sorely mistaken, but it's also going to have to wait until next time because I'm spent," I tell him, pulling the blankets over us.

"That works for me. If I wake up before you, I could be your alarm clock," he says in his flirty voice.

"That sounds a hell of a lot better than a regular alarm clock," I tell him before leaning in for a kiss.

"I can taste myself on your tongue," he informs me. "It's fucking hot."

I smile against his lips before kissing him again and again. I could spend forever kissing this man and holding him in my arms.

When we eventually separate, Sasha rests his head on my chest. "I haven't actually slept in the same bed as someone since Lux," he confesses softly.

"Did you want me to take you home?" I check, realizing we haven't actually had the conversation about him spending the night. I kind of just assumed, which is wrong of me.

He shakes his head, his hair tickling my chin. "No, I want to stay."

I smile and hold him tighter. "I'm glad to hear that because I want you to stay too. But heads up now, I'm kind of a whore for cuddling. It's one of my favorite things to do with someone I like. Sometimes, that's all I want to do."

Sasha lifts up so he can give me a quick peck on the lips before snuggling into my arms again. "If all we did was make out and cuddle most of the time, I would be one hundred percent on board with that."

The last bit of anxiety that was floating around in my body slowly flutters away, and a serene sense of calm wraps around me.

Maybe I've finally found my special someone.