Page 56 of Epidermis

Jasper had already hung up when he realized Konrad was expecting him to come inside. Shit. His palms were sweating by the time he parked and stared at the smooth brick facade of The Chesapeake Trattoria. It was getting close to the end of the day, so there wouldn’t be many people. He tried to comfort himself with that, but he was still deeply uneasy as he went into the restaurant. He’d had his doubts about springing this on Konrad in private, never mind in public, at his place of business.

The hostess must have known he was there for Konrad. She didn’t ask him if he needed any help or inform him that they would be closing soon, only gave him a polite nod as he passed her. Maybe he could turn around and go back to the car, just text Konrad to let him know he was there. But he did want to see Emily. She was important to Konrad whether he’d admit to it or not, so Jasper had a fondness for her by proxy.

There were so many more people still there than he expected, lingering over the last of their wines or desserts, and more than one person watched him walk by in his search for Konrad. His skin prickled with discomfort under their scrutiny.

“Whoa, you look amazing. Konrad is gonna freak.”

He turned at the sound of Emily’s voice. She already had her bag over her shoulder and was holding Konrad’s car key, smiling at him. Jasper gave a tense smile. “Thanks. Where is he?”

“I think he’s in the back grabbing a couple bottles to restock the bar.”

Before Jasper could ask what exactly constituted as “the back,” Konrad emerged through the door that led to the kitchen, carrying two bottles of expensive-looking liquor. He wasn’t looking in their direction. Jasper took advantage of that to steel himself, offering a distracted good night to Emily as she told him she was heading home and that it was nice to see him again.

He was still trying to figure out what to do with his hands when Konrad turned from stocking the bar and saw him.

“Hi,” Jasper said. He felt like people were looking at them.

Konrad didn’t say anything. He came out from behind the bar, his eyes studying Jasper from head to toe as he approached, and Jasper wanted to change clothes. Konrad was never not saying something.

Jasper wanted to take the makeup off. He wanted to go home.

“Sorry,” he said to Konrad’s purple silk pocket square, unable to meet his eyes. “I didn’t think I was going anywhere besides your house.”

“I’m the one who should be apologizing. I smell of the kitchen, and here you are, transcendent. What on earth have I done to deserve all this?”

Jasper loved how Konrad smelled after work; he always smelled faintly of rosemary and woodsmoke, and a shift at the restaurant left him with those and more. Some nights it was caramel, others it was honey. The aroma of sweet things seemed to cling to his skin. Jasper would have told him as much if he could speak.

Konrad kissed his cheek and took both his hands, looking him over with such admiration right there in front of everyone. Didn’t he know his patrons were going to see him, looking that way at a man in a skirt and sparkly eyeshadow?

“Thank you,” Jasper whispered.

Konrad tilted his head, curious, but he put a gentle hand on the small of Jasper’s back to guide him to the door. He could probably see the way Jasper’s eyes kept flicking around the room to make sure he wasn’t drawing attention. “Come, elskede.”

They got outside and Jasper was finally able to take a deep breath. He turned to Konrad, readying another apology, but Konrad grabbed his waist and pulled him into a kiss that bordered on indecent, at least by Konrad’s high standards for propriety. Jasper made a muffled sound of surprise, but his arms went around Konrad’s neck instinctively. Passersby could most certainly see them, entwined on the sidewalk, bathed in the light from the restaurant windows. But Konrad kissed him like that was none of his concern.

“Forgive me for being abrupt,” Konrad said as they parted, still holding him by the waist with a grip that Jasper would venture to call possessive. “I fear I couldn’t look at you a moment longer without touching you.”

Jasper flushed, his fingers curled around Konrad’s nape. “It’s not too much?”

“It is only too much for an old man’s heart to withstand, but that fault does not lie with you.”

“You’re not even old,” Jasper laughed, the anxiety melting off him like a snake shedding its skin.

“Emily would disagree with you most vehemently on that front.”

“Yeah, well, she’s a kid. We’re probably both old to her.” Jasper stepped back but took Konrad’s hand, not willing to sever the contact entirely. “Let’s go to your house and order takeout like we did in Vegas.”

“Are you sure you can’t be persuaded to let me take you somewhere to show you off?”

“Honestly, between work and having to muster the courage to walk into your restaurant like this, I think my battery is empty. Sorry. But… thanks. For wanting to.”

“Never apologize for that. It’s quite the opposite of a hardship to have you all to myself,” Konrad said, kissing Jasper’s knuckles before letting go of his hand when they reached the car.

Jasper couldn’t keep the smile from his face as he got in the driver’s seat and opened the music app on his phone. “I’m broadening your horizons tonight,” he said, turning the volume up. “I even have a vinyl of theirs that I brought with me, so don’t think you’re off the hook when we get out of the car. You’re gonna listen to all my favorite Bauhaus songs.”

He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he drove, stealing an occasional glance to the side to make sure Konrad didn’t look too miserable, but Konrad was listening with the slightly narrowed eyes of someone giving it his undivided attention. Jasper smiled.

As soon as they got into the house, he put the vinyl on Konrad’s record player while Konrad ordered their Chinese food for delivery.