"Denzel."
I look, hearing Rhett behind me. When I look over my shoulder I was startled to see how close he was. Except his eyes were wide on me and that kinda took me aback... He still looked nice though.
Wait...why is he dressed so nicely?
"Yes Rhett? Why are you dressed so nicely, what's the occasion?" I question him curiously.
"It's a surprise!" He exclaims nervously almost, and I frown. "I don't know how you're dressed, but I arranged for my butler to watch your son. Is...is that okay?"
I was wondering what this was about? Was he asking me out on a date or was this some work thing?
"I'm wearing joggers." I tell him.
"Oh, um...th-that's fine! I bet you look nice in anything you wear. I just really want you...to go with me to this...thing." He mutters softly.
I grin at him, raising my eyebrow at that.
"This...'thing'? What is 'this thing'?" I smile at him as I could see his face becoming pink with shyness. "You don't want to tell me?"
He shook his head softly and I wondered if it was some kind of surprise. Cori was coming back today, so he probably just wanted to hang out with me in his own way before he came to practically...get us.
"Okay, but let me change first. It's rude to just go like how I'm dressed. Trust me, if I'm guessing correctly on where we're going based on how you're dressed." I insist, and Rhett nods slowly.
I end up going upstairs and change into something I would've worn to work if we went at all. Thank goodness I packed one because the rest were just clothes you relax in.
Being ready now, I go back down and saw him just standing at the door. I look over and saw Alex playing with Moe along with Rhett's huge dogs.
"I'll be right back Alex, be good okay?" I say to him, and he nods quickly. He was too distracted to look over at me when he said that. That made me chuckle as I open the door for Rhett, grabbing his hand as I walk him to the car that I was in the front.
When I get right before it, I open the door for him and saw him almost avoiding looking in my direction. I wasn't sure what it was, but I helped in despite that. Getting in after him, I saw him almost fumbling to just put his seatbelt on and I raise my eyebrow. What kind of date was this that he'd be this nervous and jittery?
Once the car began moving, it was just silent and I fold my arms as I grin at him.
"So...you want to tell me where we are going with you looking so nice?" I question him.
"It's a surprise." He responds back fast and I snicker. "No, really. I can't just tell you, it ruins the surprise you know."
I nod in understanding, grinning at him as he still looked so nervous.
"You don't have to be so nervous you know. I don't know what's going on, this is genuinely a surprise to me. It even seemed like Alex was in on it, so I really don't know what's going on. Trust me on this one."
Rhett looked at me a little more and I pat his shoulder. He seemed to believe me as he instantly was not as tensed up.
"That brings me some relief...but what I'm wrong and you do know? I want to ask and just say it, but then if you don't know I ruined my own surprise. It was hard already to tell Alex to please not to say anything to you."
"He listened to you? That's some next level stuff." I snicker, smiling when Rhett nods surely. "What magic did you use to get him to listen, hmm?"
"Oh...my words."
"That's some magic." I tease, chuckling when he blushes from that. "I don't know what's going on, but it's making you act very cute."
Rhett gasps, shaking his head at my words.
"Not cute, just...nervous you know?"
"Nervous for...?"
"My surprise to be found out, duh!" He cries and I nod in understanding.
Before I knew it, the car had stopped and I look. We were in front of a very nice restaurant that I've never been to...or knew existed to be honest. I go to the places everyone knows of...like McDonald's or Burger King, I don't know. I don't really eat out either.
Rhett opened his door fast and just rushed out. I get out quickly because I didn't want him to possibly get hit by a car since he was on the side where he walks on the road. Only for me to watch him run his hand along the car as he went around and his hand stuck out for me. I grab his hand, and he rushed beside me.
"It is now time...ready?" He looked at me with raised a eyebrow.
"I am ready, yes."
He nods fast, and starts pulling me forward. I was worried where he was going since he can't...see, but it seemed like he's been here before as he opened the door just fine. As we walked in I saw someone already rushing over to us and tap Rhett's arm.
"Your table, sir." He says to him, and Rhett nods and begins to pull me in the direction of said table. When we got there, Rhett let go of my hand and went to his chair fast. I snicker as I pull my chair out and sit down. Right when I do I look over to see Rhett blushing the most I've ever seen, a piece of cake in his hand.
"Happy birthday Denzel."
I flinch, because I've been so distracted with how much things have been changing, I didn't even realize my birthday was coming up. Rhett's cheeks were full of a shy blush as he held out the piece of cake for me. The candle wasn't lit, but I was fine with it not being.
"It has cream frosting, the good kind. Not the nasty artificial frosting, I don't like that kind...y-you will love this sheet cake. Has some ice cream layers...wait, are you lactose-intolerant?" He looks at me worriedly now and I chuckle. "You are...aren't you?"
"Thank you." I murmur to him.
I see his eyes lower some as his face got pinker. I reach across and grab the cake from him, looking down at how good it looked.
"This looks amazing. I am quite impressed, who made it?"
"The restaurant." He states, and I gasp teasingly. "No, really."
"I know, I'm just teasing." I snicker, grabbing a fork as I cut into it cleanly. "It's amazing. You're amazing, do you know that I forgot my own birthday?"
Rhett nods, causing me to snort because at least he knew I forgot. It was obvious if he already knew.
"I'm curious, how did you find out it was my birthday?"
"Alex." He confesses very quickly. I then remembered yesterday when he told Rhett a secret...so this was it?
How cute.
"Well, I'm happy he told you his secret. I mean, it's kind of my secret too so I don't know if he broke his word or..." I just kid as I smile, seeing Rhett shake his head fast. "No, he wouldn't break his word. This is a different kind of secret, right?"
"Yeah..." Rhett breathes, nodding shyly. "You're turning how old...if you don't mind me asking."
"Ah, I'll be twenty-two today. I first became a sad when I was nineteen so...yeah, Alex is two - turning three this year. Yep, twenty-two - double two." I show two fingers, forgetting he can't see them and just set them down fast.
He points to himself, looking back at me.
"I'm twenty-three."
"Oh...so you're older than me?" I smile as I eat some of the cake now. "That's unexpected."
"I had a feeling I was older than you, but I kept it to myself. Does it change how you feel for me? Since I'm older than you by...a year and some months?" Rhett seems to ask me nervously. I shook my head because that shouldn't ever change your feelings for someone if you really like.
A year and some months doesn't mean anything to me. It's the same way for Cori and me, expect I'm the older one.
"No, definitely not. I still believe you are cute, don't worry." I murmur to him because I could tell he was nervous about that...knowing if I'd still like him. "I still like you very much, don't worry."
I see drink some of how white wine, almost like he tried to hide his face with the glass. His eyes were set a little off from me, but this time I think it was purposely.
I take some of the cake on my fork, putting some in my mouth. Chewing slowly as I looked at him in full-on concentration, he mesmerized me.
His beauty was present as was his handsomeness.
"Did you like eating here though...with me?"
"Yeah, this was amazing! The food was amazing, this cake is amazing, you're amazing! I can assure you that you have impressed me greatly. I am very happy with how things have turned out. You don't have to worry about me having not loved it...you drew me in. You made me happy, you have been making me happy ever since you let Alex and me stay at your place. It actually saddens me that I will be leaving today." I confess to him.
Rhett looked saddened instantly now that I said that. I get up as I sit beside him in the chair he didn't sit in. His head turned onto my fast and I could tell he wasn't sure where to look.
"It's you, right?"
"Yes." I answer surely. "Don't worry."
"I'm not..." Rhett's hand goes to my arm. I feel him let it go around it and him lean against me. His chin rested on it now and he peered up at me. "If it was someone weird you wouldn't allow them to get this close to me."
"You're right about that one. Who could allow someone weird get so close to someone like this?" I grin down at him and take into account of how nice he looked today.
I already said something on it, but I couldn't help myself in saying it again.
Even though we were in public, I wanted to kiss him. I looked because I didn't want to be rude because I don't like PDA either. Only to face him again and I see how close his face was to mine.
It looked like he was actually seeing me with these contacts on. The way his eyes were lowered and they settled correctly on my lips. The contacts...made it seem like it, at least.
I turned so that no one could see us, my lips pressing to his. My hand cradled his face as I brought him towards me more, it soon moving down to his shoulder. I could feel myself gripping them as I pull him more to me.
Except when I feel his hand rest on my shoulder I stop, looking as I saw how shy he looked. His face was red and he looked down. Almost like he was avoidant of even looking in my direction.
"Are you embarrassed?" I ask him softly, my fingers going through his hair as he nodded. "We can go back to the car. Do you want to?"
He nods again, and I saw that the food had been taken care of - payment wise. I eat the last of the cake and stand up, taking his hand.
As I walk us out his hand was very warm. I could tell just from that alone he was more shy than he was letting on. Can I call this nerves?
Once we get back to his car, I open the door for him and lead him inside. Going inside right after, once the door closed I face him again. My hands cradled his face again and he blushed once more.
"Why are you so shy Rhett?" I question him softly, smiling when he turns out of my hand. "You don't want to tell me? Please?"
"I want to kiss you...a lot." He breathes to me his confession. I smile at him as the car starts moving. "I was just nervous because in the restaurant I can't do much...I can't see people, but I can hear them and just know they're there. How I wanted to kiss you...would've been indecent."
"Indecency..." I say the word, grinning at his way of wording it. "What kind of kiss would you call 'indecent'?"
Rhett looked in my direction and I saw his hand reach for me. I grab it as I rest his fingers on my lips. That's when he goes forward, his lips pressing to his fingers above mine. Only for him to pull them away and his lips touched mine.
The both of us kissed deeply, leaning into one another as I feel his hands grip my shoulders. I waited for the 'indecent' part until I felt his tongue touch my lips. Letting it go into my mouth, I feel his touch mine softly and I had to stop myself from chuckling.
His tongue was so soft on mine. I let my tongue run over his as we kissed further. This hunger and taste for him was more than I anticipated it would be.
Gripping his face, I pull back from him just for a second as I rush back at him. His back leaning against the other side of the door, I realized we didn't have our seatbelts on. I reach around Rhett as I buckle him in whilst kissing him.
Only to his hand go for the one that I just buckled him in with, grabbing it as he rested it on his chest. I pull back enough to be able to see his face, his heavy breathing, his widened eyes. I see him hold onto my wrist as he kept my hand on his chest without moving it. That's when I could feel how fast his heart was going and I chuckle.
"Did you want me to feel your heartbeat?" I murmur to him.
"That didn't cross my mind, b-but that would be a good assumption...I have never kissed anyone so tenderly before. It...it is making my heart go crazy Denzel."
I smile as my thumb runs over his lips, looking at his eyes and I saw them lowered.
In my heart of hearts...I knew that my feelings for him were growing by the second. Every passing moment that I shared with him made it hard for me not to fall more for him, and it seems for him, it's reciprocated.
Getting back to his home, I still was in that mode. Of being so happy and thankful for his gift. That it didn't hit me who was standing on his porch with balloons. My eyes narrowed on the person until I saw it was-.
"Cori?" I say his name, and Rhett frowns.
"What?"
"Cori is at your doorstep, he's here..." I tell him quietly, noticing Alex hugging his leg and Moe looked just as confused. When the car stopped at the door I got out first, seeing Cori raise his eyebrow at me.
Rhett got out soon after, and Cori scoffed immediately.
"Happy birthday."
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happy birthday, I guess. 🫣
- yolo 🫶