Page 2 of Ted's Temerity
“Ted,” Chance, one of the other Daddies in our little group, calls me just as Charlie’s mother reaches us. I could kiss him. “Can you come help with the…uh…”
“The cooler,” another younger man, one I don’t recognize, steps in smoothly.
I try not to swallow my tongue as I look him up and down. I try to gauge his age and guesstimate that he’s likely in his early thirties. He’s immaculately dressed in a tailored suit (in this heat? Is he crazy?), all long limbs and big, dark eyes. He’s got the prettiest smile I’ve ever seen, and his skin is, as Ricky Martin sang about a fictional paramour, the color of mocha. His voice is like liquid velvet, soft and sensual, and I’m too busy listening to the melodic tone to actually focus on the words.
“Sorry,” I shake my head as though to clear it, belittling myself for the moment of infatuation. This man is beautiful but, even if he is kink friendly, the likelihood of him being a Little or wanting a Daddy as old as I am is slim to none. Assuming he’s even single. “The cooler?”
“Yes,” he looks amused, stepping in closer to me. “Can you come help with the cooler? We need to load it into the back of Chance’s truck and it’s just a bit too heavy for me to help properly.” He bats insanely long lashes at me and I nod my agreement readily. Right now, I’d happily follow this pretty little thing anywhere.
My nameless savior apologizes to the grooms and Charlie’s family for stealing me away, then leads me towards the parking lot. Finally getting my shit together, I look around for Chance, who we appear to have left behind.
Ah, well, he’ll catch up. Thanks for taking one for the team, Chance.
“He said you’d need rescuing from Charlie’s family,” my companion tells me, interpreting my confusion correctly. “Unfortunately, it seems Chance isn’t so great at improv.”
“No, he’s not,” I agree, then stick my hand out to properly introduce myself. “Thanks for the rescue. I’m Ted.”
Full, plump lips twitch upwards before he takes my hand. “Zephyr.”
That…well, that was not at all the sort of name I was expecting.
Zephyr laughs. It’s a surprisingly deep sound, considering the pitch of his speaking voice. “Yeah,” he says, “I get that reaction a lot.”
“What?” I try to recover. “I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t need to. You had that ‘how the hell does this guy have such a white boy hippy name?’ look on your face. Don’t worry;everyonelooks at me like that.” He shrugs. “My parentsarehippies, by the way. At least at heart. I mean, Dad’s an accountant and Mom’s a teacher, but they’re still very, uh,creative. So…” he gestures loosely over his lithe body, charmingly self-deprecating, “Zephyr it is.”
Shoving my hands in my pockets, I rock back on my heels. “For what it’s worth, I think it’s a pretty cool name.”
‘Pretty cool’? Am I stuck in the 90s now? Why not just say ‘rad’ and really prove how lame I am?
Oblivious to my internal cringing, Zephyr smiles again. “Thank you.”
Awkward silence begins to descend. I don’t want that. “So,” I start, fumbling for conversation. I’m not used to fumbling. I’m usually cool as a cucumber. Suave. Sophisticated. “How do you know Chance?”
I want to facepalm as soon as the probing question leaves my lips. I might as well have asked if they’re fucking.
Well done, Theodore. Walk away now before you really put your foot in it.
Zephyr, thankfully, throws me a bone. “Actually, I met him and Asher at The Grove.” His posture is deliberately relaxed, but I can see him eyeing me for my reaction.
I nod and smile. “Littles’ Night? Those are Ash’s favorite.” And when Charlie can’t make it, Spence, Chance or I usually step in as his caregiver. I cock my head, looking Zephyr up and down slowly. “I don’t want to assume…”
“Oh, I’m very much a Little.” Once again, he takes me out of my misery. He looks me up and down, much the same way I just did to him. It makes me feel better about the exchange, like we’re on equal footing. “I’d guess Daddy, but after Chance introduced me to Matt, I also don’t want to presume.”
“Definitely a Daddy,” I nod, trying not to let my excitement over the basic compatibility between us show. Before the silence can descend again, I ask, “Are you new to The Grove?” I haven’t visited recently, but I’d definitely remember seeing him around.
“Yeah. New to town, actually. Only been here a few months, and Ash…well, you know Ash.” He laughs, shaking his head. “He wouldn’t hear of me not coming to the wedding when he worked out how very limited my social circle here is, so…” Zephyr extends his arms out wide, palms facing the clear, blue sky. “Here I am.”
I know my expression has turned fond as I think about Ash. He’s flourished from the skittish, traumatized kid he was when he first stumbled into Charlie’s life. And, because he knows what it’s like to be lonely and to start over somewhere new, it’s not surprising that he tries to welcome every new face with open arms.
“Well, I’m glad you came today,” I find myself telling Zephyr, once again wondering where all of my ability to flirt and charm disappeared to. “And not only because you rescued me from Charlie’s family.”
It’s a clunky save, but it’ll do.
“Oh, is that so?” Zephyr practically purrs, stepping in a little closer. His dark eyes practically dance with amusement. “Why else would you be glad that I, a complete stranger to you, am here, then?”
Good question.
