Admit It

Chapter 11

We agree to meet at a bar and grill downtown, and one of my coworkers agreed to loan me a car so I don't have to take three buses.

I don't spend nearly as much time as I normally would deciding what to wear, not because I don't want to impress Tyler still, but just because I feel a lot more comfortable with him now. The fall weather's hit and the air's got more of a chill to it, so I dress in black skinny jeans and a blue and grey flannel. It's dressed down enough for a bar and grill but I still feel like I look good.

I decide against a light jacket and tie up my boots, grabbing the keys to my coworker's car and heading out my front door. I'm too eager to see him and am leaving in enough time to be half an hour early, but I figure I can get us a table.

The bar and grill is new, but I looked up the menu online and there's plenty of vegetarian options. I pull into a parking spot and walk in.

Just as I'm about to speak to the hostess to be seated, I hear Tyler call over to me.

"Hey!" He waves from a booth hidden back against the wall, out of sight of most of the other tables.

"Ty, we're not supposed to meet up for another 30 minutes," I say, checking my watch to be sure I didn't have the time wrong.

"I know, but the bus schedule was either 40 minutes early or 20 minutes late," he explains, waving me over to the table and settling back in the side. He's wearing light wash skinny jeans and a dark grey long sleeve t-shirt that clings to his slightly protruding belly in a way that makes my head spin.

I walk over and move to sit across from him, but he pats the seat next to me instead, and I happily slide in next to him.

"Isn't it weird, to sit on the same side of the booth?"

"Yeah, but don't you want a front row seat?" he asks, patting his stomach lightly and I blush. "I already ordered an appetizer, I thought you were going to be later."

I grin. "No problem, we can order dinner when you finish it."

Tyler smiles brightly as a huge plate of nachos arrives. "You can have some, if you like."

I snack on a few chips, but mostly I chat with him and tell him about my week, and he devours the plate hungrily, licking his fingers and finishing up around the time I was supposed to arrive.

"Hit the spot," he says, taking a sip of water. "Ready to order?"

I nod, taking the menu and skimming it, finding the mediterranean cauliflower salad I saw online and deciding on that. The waiter comes by and I give my order, only ordering a single beer because I know I'll be driving home. I place my ID on the table and Tyler points to the menu while he orders.

"Could I get the 12oz New York Striploin, add two lobster tails, with two twice baked potatoes as sides?" The waiter nods, and asks for his ID too when he orders a beer, then sets off to input the orders.

He turns to me with a grin. "Guess I'm hungry." I feel his hand rest on my thigh gently and bite my lip, grinning at him.

"I borrowed my coworker's car, so I can drive us back to my place or yours after," I offer.

"Getting ahead of ourselves, are we?" he chuckles, but his fingers tease up my thigh until the drinks arrive and I take a deep breath, convinced I'll definitely be getting laid tonight.

I take my beer and take a big gulp, wiping my mouth with my forearm when some foam sticks to my lips. "Sorry."

"Don't be," he grins, taking a drink of his beer too and sighing, putting a hand on his stomach. "Those nachos were more filling than I thought."

"You sure you'll be okay?"

"Better be," he says, looking at me with side eyes. "I want to impress you."

I look down and grin. "Worst case, we order you more beer."

He laughs loudly. "Cute that you thought I was only getting one." He takes another big gulp of his beer and puts a fist over his mouth to muffle a small burp. "Damn, already."

I put my left hand on his thigh, grasping it a little and he shifts on the bench. He rests both hands on his stomach in a discreet but cute way, running his fingers over it absently.

I don't know how long we sit like that, but before we know it the food arrives, and my face burns when I realize some people may have seen us sitting that way. I politely thank the waiter and salivate, the smell of spices and vegetables overwhelming me, while Tyler's meal takes up two plates, one for the steak and lobster tails, and the other for his two twice baked potatoes. He asks for another beer then picks up the steak knife and his fork.

My eyes bulge at how much there is for him to eat. "You sure you can do that?"

"I'm gonna try," Tyler replies, starting to cut his steak into pieces and eat it quickly, before he feels too full.

I slowly enjoy my cauliflower salad, savouring it so I won't finish too soon before Tyler. He finishes the steak first, then the lobster tails, and pushes that plate away, pulling the twice baked potatoes towards him as he finishes his second beer. I order him a third, and he mumbles a thanks while digging into the potatoes.

The waiter takes my salad, as I've nursed it long enough to finish while Tyler's got one of the baked potatoes left. I rest my hand on his thigh again and he grunts. His shirt's riding up and I can see a sliver of his stomach under it, and it's a lot tighter on him than it was before.

Bite after bite, he slowly finishes the last potato and slumps back, putting both hands on his stomach and moaning. "Fuck," he says quietly and groans.

I push the last half of his third beer towards him and he grabs it, downing it all at once before slamming the cup down a little more forcefully than he intended. He belches, forgetting to cover his mouth, and I know my face is burning.

"You did it," I say softly, and he closes his eyes while he leans back, gingerly holding his bloated belly.

"I can't move," he breathes, panting heavily.

I run my fingers up his thigh and feel that he's almost as excited as I am, and know we need to get out of here. The waiter comes when I flag him down and quickly brings the cheque.

Once the transaction's through, I convince Tyler to get out of the booth, and his jean button's come undone, with no hope of being refastened. I wrap my arm around his waist, my fingers feeling the tight skin around his sides, and help him waddle out to my car slowly.