Ichise is the entitled and ebullient president of a hotel chain, and he becomes enamored of a bartender, Aoba, who runs a small establishment and likes to keep his distance from customers. But Ichise is breaks down his defenses by luring him with dates at high-end restaurants.
This manga is a delightful hot mess, although not because there is anything particularly outrageous about it. Initially I was sure I was going to give it 4-5 stars for its characters, the dynamic in the relationship, and the fact that it was building a nice story about sex friends who become lovers. However, while the things that I like about this story remained throughout, it became downright sloppy in its pacing and storytelling after a strong start. The vascillation between being sex friends and lovers doesn't track the actual development the manga shows in its characters, and so in the middle it appears to be going in circles. While the ending is satisfying, the buildup it establishes in the first two volumes gives way to a "hot and cold" dynamic that is inconsistent and stagnant.
There is still a lot to enjoy in this manga: a uke who loves sex, the setup, and the hot sex scenes. Nevertheless, this is an example of what could have been an exemplary story ruined by bad pacing (a good editor could have fixed this). I recommend checking this out for excellent smut featuring a fun couple of characters who, even when the story becomes repetitive, are still fun to watch. No rape/dubcon
Between the Sheets (HASHIMOTO Aoi)