Watching Mrs. Riderson toddle her way from The Little Bean was a relief, she was a difficult customer any day, but today she'd decided to stick around much longer than normal. The half hour I had told Nathan it would take to get cleaned up was nearly gone, and my eagerness to see him was mixed with a bit of dread that maybe he hadn't waited.
"You okay Ryan? You seem a bit anxious." Michael said as he put the extra pastries into twp of our little cream colored boxes. Normally he would send any extras home with whoever was working that night as a bit of a thanks.
"Yeah... I'm just... I guess I'm kind of worried my ride won't want to wait much longer on me is all." I offered him a weak smile, my eyes falling to the box that most likely was meant for me. "And... well I'm trying to cut back on my sugar intake..."
"Oh trust me I noticed, usually you'd have snagged at least two during your shift, plus some weird sugary drink. This box isn't for you, it's for Rhett." Michael smiled before walking over to me. "And as to your ride, if you're that worried you can go ahead and head out. I can finish the last bit of locking up."
"Are you sure? I don't want to be an inconvenience... it's just that this whole thing is new and... and I just really don't want to make Nathan have to wait any longer than he already has."
"Go." He started to wave me off before pausing. "Actually there is going to be a catch to me letting you leave before we are done."
Dread hit me like a rock, I couldn't afford to lose this job. Add to that the fact that Michael and my other coworkers felt more and more like family every day.
"Don't look at me like that, I'm not asking you to hide a body or anything. I was just wondering if you could take these to Rhett for me? He had group today and it can be a bit rough on him sometimes. I'd run them myself but Zach said something about going out for supper."
"Oh... okay, yeah that's not a problem at all. I mean I live in the same building as him after all." Relief floored me along with just a tiny hint of excitement. After the car ride with Rhett earlier and a long shift, spending a bit of time with a potential new friend sounded great.
"I was hoping you'd say that." Michael smiled handing me the box before shooing me out the front door and locking it behind me. The smell of sugary sweetness wrapped around me, making my mouth water as I turned to look for Ryan, a grin plastered to my face.
Spotting Nathan's car I made my way over, practically walking on air. It had been a real whirlwind of a day.
The smile that Nathan wore when I got into the car turned to a scowl of disapproval as soon as he saw the pastry box.
"Ryan..." The way he said it, made me flinch, as if just having the pastries was a disappointment.
"They aren't for me, Michael just asked me to drop them off to Rhett when I get home. I promise." My reply was whisper soft as I tried to silently beg him to believe me. "Michael knows I'm trying to cut back on sugar."
"You mean cut out sugar entirely." Nathan corrected the corners of his lips still turned down as he turned the car on. My heart sank at needing to be corrected about something so simple.
"Right. That's what I meant, I'm sorry." I replied softly, my eyes searching his face for something, forgiveness maybe?
"It's okay, just try and do better. I do still believe that maybe working in a coffee shop isn't the best place for you, especially when you are trying to lose weight." Nathan kept his eyes on the road as he spoke, only acknowledging me with his words.
"I will do better and I'll see if I can find a lab job again. I should get back to work on my serum anyway." My conversation with Michael came to mind, hope bubbling up inside me that maybe I really wasn't the only man who wouldn't mind carrying a child of his own.
"I'll ask around with some of my contacts and see if I can't find you somewhere to work. Leave it to me babe." Finally he looked at me, his eyes sparkling ever so slightly. The tension in my chest released, surprising me since I hadn't noticed it until just now.
"Thank you." The rest of the car ride home would fall into an amiable silence, although ever so often Nathan would glare at the pastry box in my lap.
Pulling up to my building, Nathan reached over, turning me toward him, his thumb rubbing against my cheek lightly.
"I need you to swear to me that you will take that straight to Rhett, Ryan. That you will give it to him and then leave immediately. I don't want you around any unnecessary temptation so early into this." His voice seemed to caress me along with his finger, sending warm thrills through my body.
"Of... of course not. I promise you I hadn't planned to have any of these." My voice squeaked, drawing some of the warmth back up to my cheeks.
"I know that's what you believe, but temptation can come in all shapes and forms." Nathan leaned in closer, his words warming my skin ever so slightly. His lips seemed to hover just above mine, not quite touching.
Tilting my head up ever so slightly, I tried to get the connection I craved, only for Nathan to move away.
"Promise me you won't give in to the temptation Ryan." He repeated, teasing me with his lips so close, but not letting me have the kiss I craved.
"Fine." I whimpered, willing to do whatever he said if he would just shut up and kiss me finally. "I promise not to give into temptation."
"Good boy," Finally his lips met mine, brushing softly at first before pushing down with an almost bruising force. A kiss meant to claim me.
Breaking away from him made my chest ache, but it was necessary. Nathan's hand gripped my hair a moment longer, his eyes locked with mine.
"I really should get going."
"I know you should, I just worry about you whenever I'm not around." Nathan removed his hand, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear once more. "Remember your promise to me Ryan."
Rolling my eyes I sent him a grin. "Don't worry so much, I can manage to deliver a box of sweets without getting overwhelmed by my desire to eat them all."
"Promises are important to me." Nathan replied as I stepped out of the car. The words were so soft it made me wonder if he'd really meant me to hear them at all.
Straightening I turned toward the apartment building, only glancing back once to wave at Nathan. At my boyfriend.
The light as air feeling lingered as I made my way to the elevator, hitting the call button. I toyed with the idea of simply taking the stairs while I waited, but even my good mood wouldn't carry me up the three flights I needed to get to my floor.
Thankfully the trip upstairs was swift, letting me off after mere moments once I'd gotten into the elevator.
Humming I made my way down the hall, past the apartment Dreece and I shared to Rhett's room. Knocking on the door, I struggled not to break out into a little happy dance while I waited.
The sound of someone moving around from the other side of the door told me that Rhett was at least home.
Growing impatient, I raise my hand to knock once more only for the door to open, my fist beating lightly against pure muscle.
"Ryan?" Rhett's eyes were rimmed in red as he looked at me confused. He glanced around the hall, as if looking for someone else. "What are you doing here?"
"Michael asked me to stop by." I held up the box, my eyes traveling over him. Rhett looked like shit beyond just the red eyes. Dark circles aged his face considerably, his hair mussed up more than I had ever seen it. "Are you doing alright?"
Rhett still stood in his doorway, confusion and surprise fighting with each other in his expression. Shaking himself, he nodded reaching for the box of pastries.
"Simply nodding isn't really an answer to my question Rhett." I growled playfully, the older man pausing in his reach. "How about I come in and you can talk to me if you want, or if nothing else I can keep you company for a bit?"
Rather than giving him a chance to answer, I nudged past him into the living room. Thankfully his dreadful state hadn't managed to make it to his living space just yet.
"What... what did Michael tell you?" Rhett carried the box to his coffee table, dropping down on the couch and flipping it open. The wonderful smell of sugar surrounded me as he pulled out a blueberry scone.
"Not much, just that you had group therapy today and that he normally would have dropped these off himself, but Zach wanted to go out for dinner." I shrugged moving to one of the recliners in the room and settling down.
"That's the jist of it I guess. Group therapy just messes with me some days is all. It's really nothing to worry about." Rhett glanced up at me as I settled in. "You don't have to hang around with me if you don't want to. I'm sure your boyfriend wouldn't appreciate it."
"Nathan's aware that I was stopping by to see you. He gave me a ride home from work." I shrugged, putting me feet up on the coffee table as I spoke.
Rhett raised an eyebrow looking at my feet but didn't complain.
"So, your boyfriend that wouldn't give you a ride to work came and picked you up from work?" The hint of judgement in Rhett's voice saw me on my feet in a heartbeat.
"So? What's it to you? He was still eating and I had to get to work." Anger seethed through me for Nathan's sake, even though I'd had the same thoughts myself earlier.
"Nothing. It's none of my business I suppose, just interesting." Rhett sighed and stood up heading for the door. "Thank you for dropping off the pastries, but I think I'd like to be alone for the night Ryan."
Rhett held the door open, waiting for me to leave.
The lock clicked softly after the door closed, hiding Rhett away from the world and me.