Page 36 of What I've Tasted of Desire

Savory. He likes his eggs fried with the yolks runny so he can have something to dip his sourdough toast in. On the off occasion, he might order pancakes, but that is rare.

“Either. B-both, I guess.”

Not being able to help myself, I rested my hand on the small of Alex’s back as we walked down the hallway towards the elevator. He stepped in ahead of me and gifted me a sweet smile as the elevator doors closed.

Once outside, I pulled up the walking directions to the restaurant namedLucy’sI had found earlier. They served all-day breakfast and had an expansive menu. The place had great reviews and the pictures looked cute, so that’s where I steered us.

I walked beside Alex, keeping him on the inside of the sidewalk. I’d seen a car get impatient in the city traffic and drive up on the sidewalk on more than one occasion, and I wanted to be able to grab Alex and get him out of the way if it happened.

As much as I longed to weave my fingers into his, I refrained. I had asked him last night if holding his hand in public made him uncomfortable. He hesitated, and wouldn’t give me a strong answer. The last thing I ever wanted was for Alex to be uncomfortable because of something I did. So, until I was explicitly told otherwise, I’d keep my hands to myself.

I held the door for him once we reached our destination. The place looked terribly outdated, but the wall of bacon grease and maple syrup that enticed our senses upon entering more than made up for it. I glanced over to see Alex smiling as he looked around the crowded room.

He looks happy.

When Alex took a seat in the booth, I was tempted to sit next to him just to be close, but I took the seat opposite, deciding the view was worth it.

I picked up the large, laminated menus propped up on the far end of the table and handed one to Alex. We started looking over the menus. After a moment, I asked him, “What looks good?”

“I think I would l-like some eggs, but a b-ban-nana panc-cake sounds good, too.”

“I think I saw… yeah, right here…” I held my menu up and pointed. “They have a pancake breakfast that comes with two eggs, and two pancakes.”

“Perfect!”

“Your smile is perfect, Alex.”

He blushed and turned his head to the side. “My t-teeth are c-crooked.”

“That’s what makes it so wonderful. My teeth are all straight and boring; no character.”

After the waitress had taken our order, I asked Alex what he was thinking about.

“How I haven't h-had enough c-coffee.”

I chuckled. “Are you a three-cup-a-day kinda guy?”As if I didn’t know!

“Minimum.”

“Noted.”

“D-do you drink a lot of coffee?” he asked shyly.

“I usually have a cup every day, but I’m more of a tea person. I prefer tea in the afternoon and evenings.”

“S-sophisticated,” Alex replied.

“Hardly. I drink that tea while playing Space Blaster on my phone.”

He laughed, “I’m on l-level 2,500 on Candy C-crush.”

2,564, actually… He’d been stuck on that one for several days now.

When the food was delivered, we fell into a comfortable silence as we ate our breakfasts. I leaned in towards him a bit and said, “You’ve got chocolate on your chin, and if you don’t get it off soon, I’ll have to come around the table and take care of it… with my tongue.”

Alex’s cheeks and ears turned maroon. “Tease,” he joked, as he wiped the bit of chocolate off his chin with his napkin.

“Oh,I’mthe tease? You’re the sexy little snack sitting across from me, covering yourself in chocolate. A man only has so much restraint, Alex.”

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