Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 47254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
“You’re hired.” I lifted my glass in a toast.
Theo clinked his glass to mine. “Terrific!”
I chuckled lightly, then sipped my wine. “Let’s get the money talk out of the way. I can pay you a consultation fee and—”
“I told you I don’t want your money.”
“You can’t work for free, Theo,” I insisted.
He waved dismissively. “You’re buying lunch, remember? Let’s…call the rest an experiment for now. I’m here visiting my mom, so I can’t give you a ton of time, but I’d like to help if I can. And maybe…prove to myself that I’m not a washout.”
Now that was something I could relate to for different reasons. Personal reasons that still cut like a knife. There was no way I was reciprocating with my own war stories, though. I didn’t feel like opening old wounds. It was easier to nod and accept his offer.
So I did.
“Okay. Thank you.”
Theo grinned. “Excellent!”
When the server returned with our meals, I sat back and clandestinely eyed my companion. His barrage of questions about the Yorkshire pudding was mildly entertaining. His mom’s was terrible, but that had to be the batter. Should it be thick or thin? Was it always served with beef?
Before I knew it, I had a stupid-ass grin on my face…for no reason in particular. I couldn’t figure out what it was about this guy. He was earnest, smart, and wise beyond his years. He was also very fucking pretty.
Those full lips were the stuff of porny fantasy. He had a habit of nibbling them while deep in thought…like now. I swallowed hard when his tongue slid across the seam of his mouth. I wondered if he still tasted like peppermint.
And just like that, the memory of sucking his tongue while jerking our cocks in the men’s room hit me like a fucking brick. Damn, I wanted to do that again. Only next time, I wanted those lips around my cock and my fingers in his hair while I pumped my hips and—
“Would you care for another glass of wine, sir?”
I shook my head to clear my thoughts and hopefully rejoin the real world. Our waiter took the gesture as a reply and moved, leaving me with my bemused lunch date. I was afraid he’d ask what I was thinking. I certainly couldn’t tell him the truth.
Yeah, I was attracted to Theo for sure, but our airport bathroom hookup was a one-off. I’d thought he was too sweet for me, and now I knew that was true. Christ, he was the kind of guy who offered to help people he barely knew.
I couldn’t relate. I didn’t like people. Not many anyway. But I liked Theo.
We discussed a newsletter reboot and general gimmick guidance over roast beef slathered in gravy with a side of roasted carrots and green beans, and yes…Yorkshire pudding. For some reason, that sparked a conversation about the city of York, then New York City, which morphed into a discussion about Broadway plays and musicals.
Theo’d never been to the Big Apple, but he loved theater and made sure to see every production that came to San Francisco. I told him he should check out the West End when he visited London. I mentioned that a couple of my buddies loved going to shows and karaoke bars in the city. Theo loved karaoke…because of course, he did. I rolled my eyes playfully and launched into a funny story about the time my friends tricked me into going to a Magic Mike show.
“The dancers were ripped and hot as fuck, but it was so uncomfortable. I sat there with my arms crossed, tapping my foot. Which apparently was a signal for one of the guys to sit in my lap,” I reported with a perturbed glower.
Theo snorted. “And you hated it?”
“Nah, it was funny,” I admitted. “It would have been less funny if I’d popped a boner, but being surrounded by my buddies cackling like loons took the wind out of the sails.”
Theo grinned. “Sounds like you have a nice group of friends.”
“I do.” I pulled out my credit card, handing it to the waiter without checking the bill. “Speaking of friends, I’ll run your ideas by Becca. She usually helps out with social media stuff. She’s obviously not any better at it than me, though.”
“Is she part owner?” he asked, standing to shrug his coat on.
“No, but she’s always helped out, so I like to keep her in the loop.” I noted his quizzical expression as I grabbed my jacket and led the way to the exit.
I held the door for him, chuckling when he pulled his beanie from his pocket and yanked it over his ears. Theo was a peculiar dude. For a small man, he was good at making big gestures. He didn’t just smile, he beamed. His animated hand gestures reminded me of an impassioned preacher during a Sunday sermon. Once Theo started talking, he was hard to ignore. Yet he seemed unaware of his powers of persuasion. Curious…