Colorado Game

By Androgene

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Chapter 17

He kept looking at me as I digested his words.

"I wouldn't go so far as ‘love' yet but..." he said, pausing, "believe me; I know how it feels and it's getting there. And fast."

And now, for the first time since I knew him, Ross Forester actually looked away but when I didn't say anything and just stared at him, he smiled at me and waved a hand in front of my eyes.

"Ehm... Mark?" I snapped out of it when he spoke. "Did that come as a surprise to you?"

"Yeah, kinda... this is going so fast. It's like a rollercoaster ride," I answered.
I cleared my throat a few times when he watched me for a long time with an intense look in his eyes.
"And now you expect me to say something similar?"

"No," he answered, shaking his head. "I just put it out there so you know that I'm coming for you. I always say what I feel. I hope you feel the same but I won't ask you to say it because you think I want to hear it."
I grinned at him shyly.

"Well, I think I kinda feel the same way."
I felt warm when the corner of his mouth lifted up.

He slowly got up and moved around the table to where I was sitting, taking the mug from my hand. I looked sideways at him and sent him a slight grin. I'd never done this sort of thing before; admitting feelings toward someone... quite frankly it didn't feel all that comfortable. Who the hell liked feeling this way; nervous, scared and yet exhilarated, all at the same time? I felt like throwing up. And how was it possible, so fast? He made me look at him as he gently forced my chin up with a finger. Then he smiled and took a deep breath.

"I was hoping you'd feel the same. I mean, I was pretty sure and you're right; it is going very fast. I don't want to pressure you into anything..."

"You're not," I replied.

"Good," he whispered.
He tilted his head a bit and slowly closed his lips over mine, tentatively.

The kiss was different. Previously, they'd been the lusty kind, hot, erotic... sexual. This one had none of those ingredients. This one was slow in building up, warm, exploring and definitely something to get used to. It was a bit awkward after we let go of each other, and I coughed, he coughed; heck, the whole damn loft seemed to cough.

"Okay, was that as awkward for you as it was for me?" I said, blowing out a deep breath as I leaned back against the couch.
But the weird stomach feeling subsided quickly. There was still some there, though. I took my mug, to have something to do with my hands.

"You have no idea how," Ross smiled, shaking his head. "I wasn't at all sure how you'd react, so I just put it out there, to get it over with."

"I had no idea how to react," I admitted, taking a sip from my coffee.
Ross reached for it and set it back down on the table.

"Enough talk," he whispered.

**************

I took him on a tour of the loft, showing him the parts he hadn't seen yet, after we'd ordered takeout and had dinner. I found out a few things about Ross that evening that I hadn't expected. For instance that he liked to touch, be close. Not overly or annoyingly and he didn't try to take advantage, which I appreciated. I think a lot of guys would have tried something when I showed him the bedroom upstairs. But now that we had admitted that there was more than just physical attraction, he felt free to go a bit further, hugging me and sometimes stealing kisses.

It was weird, but I became nervous when the clock struck midnight and he looked at his watch. Up to then, we had talked, goofed around a bit and got to know a bit more about each others' life. I found out that he actually didn't live alone; his mother also resided in Castle Pines, which explained why she had picked up the phone. In turn, I told him about my mom, the diner and bits about my dad that I remembered. I began to feel comfortable with him around, stole a kiss or two myself and I could tell that he enjoyed being there; that and the fooling around, of course. I enjoyed it equally as much.

But when midnight came, like I said, I became nervous, and he picked up on it.

"I think it's time that I go home," he whispered, when the clock finally went silent.
I looked to the stairs and then back to him, and my heart was thudding in my throat when he followed my gaze.

"Do you..."
What the hell was wrong with me; we already had slept together.

"Yes," he said, smiling, "I do. But I can't. I have to get up early tomorrow. Make that today. You may have the day off tomorrow, but I don't."
He didn't hide his regret.
"Believe me; there is nothing else in the world I want, other than to stay, but I have to go."

"Okay," I answered.
Right... this was nuts. Now I felt disappointed? I was blowing hot and cold all over the place here.

"Hmm... you could try a little harder, you know," he said, quasi insulted.
But he smiled and rose up from the floor, then reached for my hand and pulled me up.
"Listen... it's an hour's drive back, change clothes, drive back to the office... I'd have to get up at 4am to make it."
He lowered his head and brushed my lips with his. Then I thought that enough was enough.

"Or you could stay," I said, "The office is five minutes from here, so you wouldn't have to get up so early. Buy a new suit on the way to work; like my mom said, you're loaded for crying out loud."
A rush of warm breath slammed in my face when he unexpectedly began to laugh and I gave him a grin.
"Besides... you can't drive; you drank too many beers."

"Ah, so it was a plot to get me to stay here, huh?" he said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at me.
He looked cute, doing that. Then he grinned and gave me a kiss.
"Okay... it worked. Are you sure..."
I kissed him back.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Now go up there and do your ‘thang'," I said, "I'll clean up a bit here first, okay?"
He nodded and softly patted my behind.

"Hurry up." I grinned and watched him go up, taking two steps at a time.

**************

It might sound strange but amazingly enough, nothing happened that first night. I didn't stay downstairs all that long; maybe ten minutes? I cleared the salon table and took everything to the kitchen. But then I went up, only to find him in bed, on my side I might add, and already sleeping! At first I thought he was playing with me so when I undressed, I kept watching his face. But he didn't even once take a peek. He'd hung his clothes on a chair in the corner, where I usually put mine, but they were put up so neatly that I just dumped mine on the floor; I'd find them in the morning. I went into the bathroom and brushed my teeth, and then crawled into bed, expecting him to make a move; all I got was a soft snore. I couldn't help but start to laugh and watched him for a bit. But my eyes soon became too heavy and I fell asleep as well.

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