By mid aftenoon, Kieran had usually gone into "automatic pilot" mode at his bank job. He didn't make mistakes, but he liked to get the challenging work done early, so he could "coast" toward a visit to the gym, maybe a few hours after work with friends, studying if he needed to, and then bed. Today was different. Today was different because, tonight, Kieran had a date.
To see Kieran one would think that the comment that "today was different because tonight, Kieran had a date" made no sense. Why didn't Kieran have a date every night? He looked younger than his 35 years, he kept himself well groomed , and the daily trips (sometimes two), to the gym, had paid off very well. His job didn't pay him enough to buy truly fancy clothes, but he went for quality, rather than quantity, and he always looked good. He worked hard at his part time studies (he felt that there was so much more to learn after he finished school, that he went back, looking for an advanced degree), and he spoke well. So, the question came up again: why was it unusual for him to have a date?
Part of the answer is right there in front of you: Kieran was a very busy, ambitious young man. Gym, studies, school: that didn't leave a lot of free time. What the information does not tell you, is that Kieran preferred older, muscular, masculine men. Again, not something that would normally leave a handsome young man of color at home watching television, but there was another part of it.
Kieran liked to be on top. Or at least he did, so far. Make no mistake: if a strong older man took control and simply dominated him completely, he'd give it up. So far, he hadn't met such a guy. And he liked topping. Whoever had been in charge of that kind of thing gave him the equipment that a top needed, and he used it. When he could. When he went out, to bars, or clubs, the guys who went for him were always, well, the skinny, nerdy guys who were cute and interesting, and made good friends, but they didn't inspire him to take them to bed. In his experience, the kind of guys who he liked always looked for each other. It left almost nothing for him.
That had changed the week before. Kieran had been checking out a new dating site. He smiled as he logged on because Phil, one of the clients who ALWAYS waited to see Kieran, had suggested it. Phil was gay. He and his partner Rob had been in a couple of times, but Phil usually did the banking. Kieran liked dealing with them. Phil flirted, but gently: never anything more than: my, that shirt DOES display your pecs beautifully Kieran.
Kieran would blush and respond "Thank you Mr. Miller." and then try to change the subject. Inevitably there would be some exchange along the lines of "You know, Mr Miller, you can save the trip to the bank and do this on line. I'd be happy to show you"
"Do it ON LINE? And miss the chance to see my favorite soon to be bank executive in the world? I'm not giving that up? " Then Phil would make a fake crinkly face and say "and one day, when you're important, and don't know your old customers like me, I'll still remember you, smiling, in that beautiful plaid shirt I like so much, and wishing I were healthy enough to take one of your classes at the gym."
Phil ALWAYS made Kieran feel better. Phil and Rob were not typical clients. One day, when he checked their total assets at the bank, he found that they had well over 3 million dollars.
"Oh yes, the Queens." his fay colleague Chris snorted. "Rob is the brains in that family. Somewhere in his distant, I mean DISTANT youth, he invented some kind of machine that made washers and dryers much more efficient, and much cheaper. He sold the rights, I think, for about 25 million dollars. This isn't their only bank you know. They have accounts all over the city."
"But they always come in here."
Chris may have been fay , but he wasn't stupid. He pursed his lips. "Well, why do you think THAT is Kieran? Ever hear of someone preferring chocolate to vanilla? Hmmmmm?" He walked off. Kieran laughed. It was true. Phil was ALWAYS golden to him, always left a gift at the holidays, and when Rob came in , it was the same. "I wish they'd adopt me," Kieran had thought more than once after their visits.
But now, adoption was not what he needed to focus on. He needed to focus on his date. The guy from the site: Paul. Paul had responded to his ad, which said, among other things "generally I top, but if the situation is right, let's talk." Paul's email had been short and blunt.
"Hey. Paul here. Don't know how big your ideal big guy is, but I'm on the large size of things. Maybe chat and see if the photos are valid?" Kieran had looked at Paul's profile. He liked what he saw. Paul was ten years older than Kieran, referred to himself as a "situational bottom," which he explained meant "I'm a bottom in every situation." He had a hairy chest, big muscular arms, a slight mustache, and a shaven head. "FUCKING HOT" Kieran had muttered to himself, before he had typed back an anser.
"Hey. Thanks for answering my ad. Thanks for not assuming anything . Let me give you my schedule? Maybe we can plan a zoom or skype or something?"
He had an answer back later that night. The next night, they chatted for about an hour. He remembered Paul saying "you know, your eyes are prettier now than they were in the picture. I bet they're gonna be even prettier in person."
If he kept on saying things like that, Kieran thought that HE might become the situational bottom.
They agreed to meet at a small restaurant very close to where Kieran lived. He ate there occasionally, and the food was good. It wasn't a gay place, but it had a gay vibe. So that day, he had gone to the gym at lunch. He cancelled any client meetings he had that day (in addition to everything else, Kieran made a few bucks as a personal trainer. Not more than about 8 hours a week, over four or five days, but it was a gig he enjoyed), and then asked his best friend, Valerie , to come over and help him pick out an outfit for the day.
"Val, this one has me very excited. VERY excited. I mean, it may be not more than one date, but... well, I keep on looking at his picture and I'm wondering what it would be like to have him on his back and then fall asleep in his arms?"
"OH Kieran, get over it. First of all, you'd look good in anything. But Momma's gonna help you. What look do you want to represent? You want available slut? Don't touch me, just look at me? I'm available but you have to work for it?"
"THAT'S THE ONE! THAT'S THE ONE!"
Valerie laughed. "Ok, love. Momma calls that the Christmas present look. Get what I'm saying? You gotta make him think that there's something worth having in the package, so he'll spend the time unwrapping it."
Kieran looked confused, and Valerie laughed.
"GEEZ LOUISE. I'm saying wear something snug and wear a tie, for heaven's sake."
"Well, why didn't you just say that?"
She purred "Because putting it my way makes it sound much dirtier, and much sexier."
He had to admit, she was right. "So what do I wear?"
"Didn't you tell me that that rich old guy always compliments you on one particular shirt?"
"Phil? Yeah, he likes this one." He pulled out a buttondown check, dark blue, red. "It's actually a bit snug. I always think my nips are pointing out when I wear it."
She laughed. "Since when do you object when someone looks at your tits boy? You work that chest like it's the only part of you. Except those arms."
Now Kieran laughed. "Ok, this is it. I always wear it with this knit blue tie."
"You know babe, I have never seen you in that. Am I gonna get a show, or are you buying me dinner?"
"Dinner after the date Val. I promise." He tried it on and showed her. She whistled.
"Kieran, if that outfit don't get you in bed, that man is blind. Now give Momma Val a kiss, and you tell her ALL about the date. I gotta go. I have a date myself." And she was gone in a cloud of patchouli.
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Kieran was meeting Paul at six. He kept on looking at the clock. Why was it moving so slowly? He went to the bathroom and checked his teeth. Again. He made sure that he had showered and dried well enough so he wasn't sweating at the pits too much. Again. He pumped out the chest he had worked out that day . Again. He checked the clock. 4pm. DAMN. Two more hours.
The bank closed to customers at 3, and then the employees at his level were expected to work for another two hours. He would still have an hour to kill and then, all of a sudden, the clock was moving fast. It was 5:30. He had to get out so that he'd get to the restaurant on time. "Claudette's " served a sort of French fusion cuisine. He hoped Paul liked it. He got there first, and ordered a sparkling water. Alcohol would come later. He had a spot that let him see up the block, and he could see Paul getting to the restaurant.
"I'm dead," he thought to himself. "That man is coming home with me tonight." Paul was in a blue shirt, opened at the throat, and dark pants. His muscles, bigger than Paul's seemed to be beating his shirt into submission. The man was wall to wall muscle. And there he was, at Kieran's table.
"Hey, I'm Paul. I hope I'm not late."
Kieran flashed what had been called a killer small.
"No Paul, You're right on time. RIGHT on time. I'm Kieran by the way." "I know. I could tell. The eyes. I was right. They're even prettier in person." He sat down.
"Should we get some wine to celebrate friendship?"
"I think that's a great idea."
"So Kieran, tell me about yourself. I'm fascinated by what you wrote in your profile and I want to know more."
Through the whole meal, Paul never took his eyes off Kieran, and Kieran noticed. The staring was making him nervous, and he drank more than he should have. But Paul's voice - deep, masculine, assuring, engaged him. So did the occasional squeeze of Kieran's hand, or the "accidental" bump of Paul's foot against Kieran's thigh.
"Will that be all gentleman, or will you be perhaps sharing some dessert?"
They looked at each other.
"I think we're done" Kieran said. The server smiled and walked off.
"I think I have some dessert in my apartment if you'd be interested Paul?"
Paul smiled. "If it's hard, filled with cream, I'm interested. if it's cocoa, even more."
"Then you just hit the jackpot." They split the check, and Kieran led Paul back to his apartment. Kieran had cleaned that day, before work, but he made the usual excuses about it being a mess.
"Hey no, this is great." Paul looked around. He saw Kieran's bookshelf and he laughed.
"Look at this. Edwidge Danticat. Right there amongst the finance books. I bet she'd laugh."
Kieran's mouth dropped. "You know her?"
"I do. I don't remember all of it, but I took a class on women writers back at school. She's someone we read."
"GOD. I thought only Phil and I knew about her."
Paul looked puzzled. "Who's Phil?"
Kieran laughed. "Oh, sorry. He told me about the dating site where we met."
Then there was silence. Kieran moved closer, and kissed Paul . When Paul kissed back, Kieran gave him a longer, deeper kiss. His voice dropped and he went for his tie.
"Do you mind?"
"Actually Kieran, I do. I'd like to undress you myself."
Kieran couldn't believe how hard his cock was in his pants. He figured he'd best use the bathroom before they went further . He excused himself.
"Don't go anywhere you sexy man."
When Kieran came out of the bathroom, he saw Paul lying on the bed. His head was lying on a pillow, and he had put his hands behind them.
"Gonna undress me handsome? Lotsa treasure in there."
"I see. You know something Paul? I think I planned this date to go one way and, based on what I'm seeing, it may go another way."
Paul just laughed thinking "You got that right."
"Come kiss me Kieran. Let me see what you can do with that tongue.