Jesse takes a deep breath as he pushes open the door to the bakery, the charming tinkle of a bell announcing their arrival. Yugo follows close behind, cheeks flushed pink with a mixture of embarrassment and excitement.
“Just follow my lead,” Jesse whispers under his breath, flashing his date a roguish wink.
Yugo swallows hard and gives a quick nod, nerves making his stomach flip.
Jesse strides confidently up to the counter, where a kind-looking older woman in an apron was arranging trays of glistening treats.
“Welcome!” she greets them warmly. “What can I do for you gentlemen today?”
“Well …” Jesse draws out the word dramatically. “My fiancé and I have a very important decision to make.” He slips his arm around Yugo’s waist, pulling him closer.
Yugo lets out a small squeak of surprise but quickly composes himself, leaning into Jesse’s touch.
“Fiancé?” The woman’s eyes light up. “How wonderful! Are you looking to taste test cakes for your big day?”
“Yes, exactly!” Jesse exclaims. “We want the perfect cake for our wedding day.” He gazes adoringly at Yugo, who blushes deeper under the sudden attention.
“Young love,” the woman sighs happily. “When’s the big day?”
“June 15th,” Jesse responds without missing a beat.
Yugo’s eyes widen slightly.
He and Jesse are not, in fact, getting married. They have only met that very afternoon, matched on a dating app, and agreed to meet for coffee.
The “engagement” was Jesse’s spur-of-the-moment idea when he spotted the bakery and the “Free Wedding Cake Tasting” sign in the window.
Yugo, his sweet tooth caving in, wanted free cake.
And the rest is, well, history.
“A summer wedding, how lovely!” The woman claps her hands together. “Come, sit, and we’ll bring out samples for you to try.”
Jesse leads Yugo to a small table near the front window, pulling out a chair for him with exaggerated chivalry. Yugo sits gingerly, feeling entirely out of his element.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispers to Jesse as soon as the woman disappears into the back. “This is a terrible idea. We’re gonna get caught for sure.”
“Relax,” Jesse says breezily, seemingly not sharing Yugo's concerns. “Just follow my lead. We’ll be tasting cake before you know it.”
Yugo takes a few deep breaths to steady his nerves. Jesse certainly has a talent for tall tales and improvisation. Hopefully, he can spin a convincing enough story to dupe the kindly bakery owner.
She soon emerges with a tray bearing neat little squares of cake in a variety of flavors. As she arranges the samples on the table, she smiles warmly at the two young “lovebirds.”
“Now tell me, how did you two meet?”
Jesse doesn’t skip a beat. “Well, it’s the funniest thing really. I’m a pilot, you see, and one day I was sitting in the cockpit running through all my pre-flight checks before taking off. Everything looked good. Suddenly, the cabin door burst open, and there stood this handsome fellow.”
He gestures to Yugo, whose eyes have gone wide.
Because a) he knows Jesse is definitely not a pilot since he’s established in the first hour of their coffee date that he works in sales.
And because b) how the fuck did he come up with that story in a matter of seconds?
“Turns out he accidentally got on the wrong plane, and somehow none of the flight crew had noticed. So there we were, thirty-thousand feet in the air, halfway to Montreal, when Yugo here finally realized he was on the wrong aircraft.”
Jesse pauses for effect, shaking his head in exaggerated disbelief. “Well, protocol said we’ve got to turn that bird around and take him back where he belongs. But in that moment, looking into those deep dark eyes, I knew I couldn’t let this man out of my life so easily.”
He reaches over and takes Yugo’s hand, who now has bright crimson spots burning on both cheeks.
“The passengers were pretty miffed about the extra travel time," Jesse continues breezily. "But I told the airline it was an emergency. Had to get this stray passenger’s phone number after all.”
He winks at Yugo, who lets out a strangled, nervous laugh.
The bakery owner is completely enraptured, hands over her heart. “Why that’s the most romantic story I’ve ever heard!” she exclaims. She pushes the cake samples closer to them. “You must try the chocolate espresso. It’s our most popular.”
Jesse squeezes Yugo’s hand reassuringly under the table before releasing it to take a forkful of cake. “Mmm, marvelous!” he proclaims after tasting it. “Sweetie, you have to try this.”
Before Yugo can react, Jesse is holding a bite of cake up to his lips. Mortified but seeing no choice, Yugo obediently parts his lips and allows Jesse to slip the morsel in.
He hates to admit it, but the rich chocolate cake is incredible. The espresso adds depth and bitterness to balance the sweetness. He gives Jesse an approving nod.
“It’s wonderful,” Yugo manages to choke out.
The bakery owner looks utterly thrilled.
Over the next twenty minutes, they proceed to sample the cakes, Jesse spinning outrageous tale after tale about their whirlwind “romance” while Yugo struggles not to choke on his cake. Apparently, they had gotten stuck on a ski lift overnight, leading to their first kiss under the moonlight. Then Jesse rescued Yugo from a runaway hot air balloon by staging an impressive mid-air skydiving maneuver.
The grand finale comes when Jesse decides to act out his “proposal.” He drops gracefully to one knee beside the table, taking Yugo’s hand in his once more.
The bakery owner gasps in delight.
“From the moment you come bursting onto my airplane, I knew you were the light I’d been searching for my whole life,” Jesse proclaims dramatically. “Will you make me the happiest pilot in the sky and agree to be my co-pilot for life?”
“Oh my!” The bakery owner dabs at her eyes with a napkin, entirely transfixed.
Yugo glances around in a panic. The other patrons are staring now too, enthralled smiles on their faces.
“Yes!” he squeaks out finally, face burning. “Yes, of course!”
Jesse sweeps him up into a warm embrace as their small audience breaks into applause. For a moment, Yugo lets himself get lost in the sensation of Jesse’s strong arms wrapped tight around him, his sandalwood and citrus scent enveloping him.
His nerves settle for just an instant before Jesse pulls back, mischief glinting in his eyes.
“Shall we box up some of these cakes to take home and sample tonight, dear?” Jesse asks smoothly.
The bakery owner insists on giving them a few generous slices of her top cake recommendations, free of charge. As she packages them up prettily, she beams at the young couple.
“I just love seeing true love in action,” she sighs happily. “You two remind me of my husband and me back in the day. Cherish each other.”
Jesse slips his arm back around Yugo as they make their way out of the bakery, laden with free cake. The cool evening air hits Yugo's burning face, and he gulps it down, feeling like he can finally breathe again.
“Well that was … something,” he finally manages as they walk down the street. He glances uncertainly up at his tall date. “You really didn't have to go that far for free cake.”
Jesse laughs, rich and warm. “Maybe not, but where’s the fun in that? I wanted to see if I could get you to play along.” He winks at Yugo again. “Gotta say, you kept up pretty well back there for just having met me. I’m impressed.”
Yugo feels a reluctant smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “It was sort of thrilling, pretending like that,” he admits. “My heart’s still racing a bit.”
“Mine too,” Jesse says with a grin.
They amble on in companionable silence for a few minutes. Yugo glances over at the man beside him, this near-stranger who, in the span of an hour, has spun tales convincing enough to dupe a whole bakery into believing they are madly in love and engaged.
He can’t deny there’s something magnetic about Jesse’s confidence and playfulness, even if it borders on reckless.
“Do you …” Yugo begins hesitantly. “Do you want to come up to my apartment to split this cake? Seems a shame to let it all go to waste.” He holds up the white box tied prettily with pink string.
Jesse’s face lights up. “I’d love that,” he says warmly.
They chat lightly about the cakes and debate the best wine pairing options as they walk the few blocks to Yugo’s apartment. As they enter the cozy space, Yugo feels a flutter of nerves again about letting this near-stranger into his private space. But a larger part of him is simply intrigued to spend more time with this charming and mischievous man.
“Make yourself at home,” Yugo says, gesturing toward the living room. “I’ll grab some plates and forks.”
He selects two clean wine glasses and splashes a bit of rich red wine into each. As he arranges the cake slices artfully onto plates, he can hear Jesse wandering through the living room, occasionally commenting on a trinket or piece of art.
“I like your style,” Jesse calls out. “Very clean but lots of personality.”
“Thanks,” Yugo replies, feeling an odd swell of pride that Jesse approves of his space. He finishes prepping the dessert plates and returns to the living room.
Jesse is standing at the bookshelf, perusing titles. He turns as Yugo enters, flashing that wildly charming grin.
“An intellectual too, I see,” he teases gently, gesturing to the stuffed bookshelf.
Yugo rolls his eyes but can’t help but laugh. “Just a hopeless romantic, I’m afraid. I can’t resist a good love story.” He holds up the two plates. “Now, which cake would you like?”
They settle on the sofa, plates in lap and wine glasses in hand.
Jesse immediately dives into the German chocolate cake, closing his eyes in exaggerated delight. “Mmm … divine,” he proclaims. “You have to try this.”
He scoops up another forkful and feeds it to Yugo, just as he had done in the bakery. Yugo feels himself flush again at the intimate gesture, but there’s something undeniably appealing about Jesse’s boldness and complete lack of self-consciousness.
Yugo savors the bite, the rich sweetness of chocolate and coconut coating his tongue. “You’re right, that’s incredible.”
They continue chatting lightly as they sample the assorted cakes, polishing off the entire spread between them. Yugo is surprised at how comfortable and natural the conversation feels, how easily Jesse draws him out of his normally reserved shell. Jesse confesses his secret passion for 80s power ballads, while Yugo admits to loving belting out only in the shower. Yugo’s cheeks ache from laughing more than he has in months.
Over the second glass of wine, their conversation turns to more personal matters. Jesse tells him about helping his sister finish high school, while Yugo opens up about his strained relationship with his ultra-conservative family since coming out. There touches on the shoulder and more warm laughter, too.
As the evening stretches on, Yugo is startled to notice it’s past midnight. Where did the time go?
Yet he can’t bring himself to say goodnight, to let this captivating man walk out the door.
When Jesse goes to refill their wine glasses in the kitchen, Yugo follows him, leaning in the doorway as Jesse rummages through cabinets for the bottle.
“Thanks for this,” Yugo says softly. “I can’t remember the last time I just talked to someone for hours like that.”
Jesse turns, bottle in one hand, glasses in the other. He moves toward Yugo, closing the space between their bodies.
Yugo’s breath hitches at the sudden proximity.
“I should be thanking you,” Jesse says, voice low. “How often does a guy get to have his fake engagement and cake tasting dreams come true in one night?” His eyes flick down briefly to Yugo’s lips then back up.
They stand there frozen for a breathless moment, electricity charging the scant air between them.
Later, Yugo won’t be able to say who moved first. But then Jesse’s mouth is on his, firm and hungry, and Yugo is melting against him, hands coming up to twist in the soft fabric of Jesse’s shirt. Their wine glasses clink together, forgotten in Jesse’s hands.
Jesse walks them backwards until Yugo’s hips hit the edge of the kitchen counter. Their lips never disconnect as Jesse sets down the glasses blindly, then hoists Yugo up onto the smooth granite surface. Yugo wraps his legs around Jesse’s waist, pulling him in even closer.
Jesse’s hands grip Yugo’s thighs as he deepens the kiss further, tongue slipping in to meet Yugo’s.
Yugo lets out a helpless moan, heat pooling low in his belly. He tangles his hands in Jesse’s hair, luxuriating in finally being able to touch those styled blonde locks.
Jesse begins trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down the sensitive skin of Yugo’s neck, nipping occasionally with his teeth.
Yugo’s breath comes in short, frantic pants, fingers clenching involuntarily in Jesse’s hair. “We … should probably … slow down,” he finally gasps out, arousal and reluctance warring within him.
Jesse stills, pulling back slightly to meet Yugo’s eyes, pupils blown wide with desire. “You’re right,” he agrees after a moment, voice rough. He takes a small step back, gently removing Yugo’s legs from around his waist and lifting him off the counter.
They are both breathing hard, bodies charged.
Jesse runs a hand through his thoroughly mussed hair and lets out a shaky laugh. “So that escalated quickly.” A charmingly crooked grin tugs at his kiss-swollen lips. “You’re just … really hot,” he admits with an endearing bluntness.
Yugo laughs too, feeling intoxicated on desire and the surrealism of the entire evening. “Not so bad yourself,” he flirts back clumsily.
They stand grinning stupidly at each other for a long moment before Jesse glances regretfully at his watch.
“I really should get going. But is it too forward to say I’d love to see you again after … all that?” Jesse gestures between them.
“Not at all,” Yugo says, pulse quickening happily. “I’d really like that.”
“Can I take you on a proper date next time then?” Jesse asks. “Maybe somewhere with fewer wedding cakes, so there’s less temptation to turn me into a fake fiancé again?”
Yugo smacks his arm playfully. “I make no promises. But yes, another date sounds amazing.”
At the door, Jesse pulls him in for one last searing kiss that leaves Yugo dizzy.
“Until next time then,” Jesse murmurs, thumb gently tracing Yugo’s kiss-swollen bottom lip.
Yugo watches through the peephole as Jesse strolls down the hall to the elevator, glancing back once to give a final cheeky wave before the doors close.
Alone again in his apartment, Yugo traces his fingertips over his still-tingling lips, unable to wipe the ridiculous smile from his face. He has a feeling this is just the beginning of a wild ride with Jesse.
And for once in his cautious, planned-out life, he’s actually looking forward to seeing where it takes him.