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20
Simon Goes on a Date
Monday, December 18
The Christkindlmarket
The Loop
Simon followed Hudson’s directions nearly to the letter. Ben, bundled up in flannel-lined jeans, a wool sweater soft as cashmere, red parka, boots, gloves, and a knitted alpaca scarf and hat, looked delightful, with bright spots of color in both cheeks, his lips, and at the tip of his nose. Simon wanted very much to kiss those cherry lips but still felt unsure. He didn’t want Ben to feel in any way obligated toward him, and he was still unsure of his strong attraction to the boy. Nothing in his life had prepared him for his admittedly tepid libido deciding to wake up in his forties for a much younger man. It made no sense at all, but nevertheless the thought persisted that it felt right. Simon wanted to be by Ben’s side. He wanted it badly, even if he didn’t understand it, but he was also determined to not pressure the man into anything.
It was like tap dancing on ice. Simon was bound to fall at some point, but until then, he was doing his level best.
Ben seemed both charmed and somewhat mystified by the market. About half of it was food and the other half things to buy. Mostly ornaments and decorations, but also gifts. They also had a glass-blowing demonstration that night which Ben watched with fascination. Simon bought him the glass ball he’d admired the most, despite the boy’s protests. Simon then proceeded to feed Ben as much as possible. They shared sausages and potato pancakes, sauerkraut and schnitzel, gingerbread and strudel. They drank German beer and hot mulled wine and two types of hot chocolate. By the time they had gone through the entire market, Ben declared that if he tried another bite of anything he’d explode.
“Do you want to go home?” Simon asked him. “Or are you okay to take a little walk?”
“Walk, please,” Ben replied. “I need to move around after eating all that food.”
“Are you cold?”
Ben shook his head. “No. I mean my face, a little, but the rest of me is toasty warm.” He hugged himself. “I think I love this coat.”
Simon grinned with pure happiness. “You have no idea how happy that makes me.” He took Ben’s hand and squeezed it. He was about to let it go when Ben turned his hand so he could clasp Simon’s. It made a jolt of pure pleasure sing through Simon. Ben’s hand securely in his own, the two of them walked back to where Hudson waited with the car. As they did, they passed the Eternal Flame in Daley Plaza.
Ben paused at the fence surrounding the monument, dragging Simon to a halt as well. “What is it?” he asked.
Ben pointed to the pigeons clustered around the small flame built into the sidewalk. “When I first came to Chicago I thought it was nice of the city to give the birds somewhere to get warm. It seemed surprisingly kind. Then I mentioned the pigeon fire pit to one of my coworkers and she laughed for like ten minutes then told me it was a memorial to soldiers who’d died and not a warming station for birds. It is pretty funny when you think about it.”
“I am certain,” Simon said, amused, “that I will never think of this as anything but the pigeon fire pit from now on.” He smiled down at Ben who grinned right back.
Hudson drove them next to the Lincoln Park Zoo so they could see the light displays. Simon and Ben strolled amidst trees picked out in a rainbow of lights. As they walked, it started to snow. Large clumps of flakes floated lazily through the still air, taking the scene from beautiful to outright magical.
Ben drew them to an arbor arch covered in white fairy lights. “Thank you so much for this, Simon. I think it might be the nicest day of my whole life.”
Simon smiled down at him. “I’m honored.” Then he laughed.
“What?” Ben asked, looking delightfully peevish. Simon was struck hard with the urge to kiss the other man but he restrained himself. He didn’t want to pressure Ben into anything in any way or make him feel uncomfortable. This day was for Ben. Not Simon.
“Your eyelashes are covered in snowflakes.” Simon reached out a gloved finger and drew it lightly over the lashes of Ben’s closed eyes. Under his touch, Ben shivered. “Are you getting too cold? Do you want to go back?”
“Not yet,” Ben said. He looked up into Simon’s face and brought his hand up to touch Simon’s cheek. “Come here.”
Simon looked down, wondering what he wanted, when Ben stood on his toes and kissed Simon’s mouth. It was a brief, slight thing, but Simon felt like he’d been branded. He wanted more. So much more. He cupped Ben’s face and tilted his face up so Simon could kiss him again. And again. And again.
It was like no kiss Simon had ever had. Scorching hot, despite the icy cold. It woke a pleasure inside him that was almost painful. Ben opened his mouth and Simon slid his tongue inside eagerly and deepened the embrace. Ben whimpered and clutched Simon’s arms so hard he might have left bruises if it wasn’t for the thickness of his coat. It was, hands down, the absolute best kiss of his entire life.
They pulled apart reluctantly.
“I want to do that again,” Ben whispered, his voice full of wonder.
“I think,” Simon said, “it’s time to go home.”
Monday, December 18
Simon’s Range Rover
The Loop
