Triple the Love

Jack - Part Three

Jack

The candles flickered and the cool evening air turned chilly. Neither of us said a word as we cleared the table and headed inside. My place wasn’t grand by any means, but it was home.

“Why don’t you get comfortable on the couch, and I’ll grab dessert?” I suggested as I glanced over at Corey. He smiled and nodded before he headed into the living room and got comfortable on the couch. He looked so relaxed, but I couldn’t help the whirlwind of thoughts swirling through my mind. Corey had finally taken the next step and, while I was overjoyed, I couldn’t help but wonder why he had chosen me. I didn’t want to worry about Hank. I didn’t even want to think about Hank, but how could I not? I took out the cheesecake I had made earlier from the fridge and set it on the counter. Sure, Corey had reassured me that he and Hank were still friends. I didn’t have a problem with that. It just concerned me. Why had Corey chosen me? I cut two slices from the cheesecake and carefully plated it before I put the cake back into the fridge. I carried the two plates into the living room and handed one to Corey. His face lit up as he accepted his dessert.

“Cheesecake!” he exclaimed excitedly, and I took a seat next to him on the couch.

“Lemon cheesecake,” I corrected with a smirk. Corey’s smile grew even bigger as he quickly spooned the corner and shoved it into his mouth. I watched, highly amused, as he savored that first bite. I just couldn’t shake this feeling of doubt. Hank was just as much a part of Corey’s life as I was. They spent time together, probably more than I did. It made my stomach churn uneasily as we ate in silence. I certainly wasn’t about to voice any of my thoughts, doubts, or feelings. The last thing I wanted to do was potentially ruin a perfectly good evening. Besides, with Corey right beside me, everything felt perfect. There was no point in allowing my insecurities to interfere. There was something special between us, and I wasn’t going to let Hank get in my head. I looked over at Corey and smiled. The sight of him enjoying himself made all my worries melt away. At least, for a moment.

“That was delicious,” Corey remarked as he set his spoon down on his empty plate. “Lemon cheesecake is my favorite,”

“I know,” I replied as I took his plate from him. I set them aside on the coffee table and turned to him. I wanted to talk about our potential future. I wanted to discuss possible date ideas, but I couldn’t bring myself to say anything aloud. Corey had been honest with me tonight, but I didn’t want him to feel like I was trying to get him to defend his choice or even to explain it. I decided to just enjoy this moment with him. Our knees touched and it was different. Everything felt different now that things had changed between us.

“Thank you for dinner, Jack…everything was perfect,” Corey said, and his voice sounded softer somehow, more intimate.

“I’m glad you liked it,” I said as I felt the air thickening between us. My eyes were glued to his lips and, for the first time since I had met him, the possibility of kissing him was more real than it had ever been. In fact, now I could kiss him. The air felt like it was charged with unspoken energy as we watched each other. Corey must have felt it too and, for a split second, I wondered if I should make the first move. I leaned forward just a little bit as I tested the waters. When Corey didn’t pull away, I leaned in even more. However, before I could close the distance completely, Corey did. His lips met mine in a soft, hesitant kiss. I closed my eyes as I let myself feel him. The kiss was gentle, cautious, but sweet. My heart pounded in my chest as I slowly deepened the kiss. Corey gently pulled back just as things got a little too heated for our first kiss.

“That was…” Corey started, and then he sighed as he looked at me and smiled. “Yeah,”

“Yeah,” I agreed softly. The tension in the air had lifted and was replaced with warmth and hope. I wanted more of it. I wanted more of Corey. I wanted to hold onto this night for as long as possible. “Would you like to watch a movie?” I asked as I silently hoped we could extend our time together. However, when I saw the conflict in his eyes, I knew he was going to say no.

“I’d really like to,” Corey said, but his smile was apologetic. “But it is getting late, and I have plans for tomorrow,” I wanted to ask him about those plans, but I stopped myself. I had to respect that this was new for the both of us.

“Yeah…of course…another time, then,” I couldn’t help but say. Corey’s smile returned in full force as he nodded.

“Most definitely,” he said as he stood up. I averted my gaze as I stood up as well. “This was perfect, Jack…thank you,” he said as he headed for the door. As we stepped outside, the chill in the air had gotten even colder and I shivered. “Goodnight,” Corey said before he kissed my cheek and hurried to his car. I stood in the doorway as I crossed my arms over my chest. I watched as he backed out and drove off down the dirt road. My heart was full, and I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. Of course, Hank was still at the back of my mind, but for now, I was happy. I shut the door and went into the kitchen to clean up. I could still feel Corey’s kiss on my lips and that stayed with me throughout the rest of the night.