Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
I tell him good-bye before answering the door. Travis stands in the hall, looking adorable in black slacks, a pink button-up, and a black tie. He has his hair combed slightly to the side, making him look really sharp.
“Don’t you clean up well?” I say.
“Not looking too bad yourself.” He winks before rushing in and pushing me back against the dividing wall in front of the kitchen. I assume he’s excited about this meeting, but it feels so good that I don’t care.
I snatch his tie and pull him closer to me as the door closes behind him. I take control, switching places with him, pushing him back against the wall.
Fuck, I’m getting hard as a rock, but we have to be at dinner.
“We…should…go,” I say.
He breaks our kiss. “We have a sec.”
“No. You keep doing this and I’m not going to stop.”
He looks me right in the eyes, wincing slightly. I wonder what he’s thinking.
“There’s always time for a little celebratory fuck later.” He grabs my hand and starts for the door. “Come on, babes.”
My gaze drifts down to his ass. His slacks sculpt around it so well they leave little to the imagination. It’s a butt that’s hard not to look at when he’s doing squats at the gym. I notice a gray spot over the fabric—dust that must’ve come off the wall when I forced him back against it.
“Shit.”
I tug on his hand and pull him back into the condo.
“What is it?”
I lead him around the dividing wall and guide him into the kitchen. I retrieve a wash cloth from a drawer and dampen it in the sink.
“Just something I did when I was trying to ravage you,” I say, exchanging a knowing look with him. “Turn around.”
He obeys and I wipe the spot off and inspect for any other messes I might have made.
“Perfect.”
“Thank you, honey,” he says—clearly a joke—as he whirls around and kisses me on the cheek. “I’ve never had someone take care of me like that before.”
I tense up, reflecting on my conversation with Derek. I know he meant it as a joke, but a part of me naturally recoils from even the possibility that it could have meant more.
Stop being ridiculous. He doesn’t give a shit about you other than to get this money.
But I know that isn’t true. He’s a good guy, and he cares about me as a person. In the short amount of time we’ve been doing this, I know that much.
“You good?” he asks.
“Totally. You’re gonna do great. And if you’re real good, you might get a little hot ass later.”
“And if I’m not real good?”
“Then you’ll get some pity hot ass later.”
He beams, though I think he’s more excited about this opportunity than anything I’ve said.
We head out the door, my nervousness about fucking this all up for him intensifying as we head to his car.
12
Travis
I’m a nervous wreck. Of course, I’ll never admit it to Gary, but the way his eyes keep darting in my direction, I’m pretty sure he can tell something is up. I’m wishing I had gone to his place earlier to fuck before we left. There’s nothing like an orgasm to relieve tension…or to sidetrack me from tonight. He looks adorable as hell. The way he keeps moving around in his seat tells me he’s as nervous about this as I am.
“We’ll be okay, right? We can pull this off?” I ask, surprised by the need inside me for an answer, and the tremble in my voice that probably makes my fear obvious.
“Yeah, of course. We’ve had almost two weeks to practice being boyfriends.”
“By working out at the gym together, fucking once, and eating together a few times? Is that all boyfriends do? Hell, my neighbor Cody is my boyfriend too, then.” I hope for a chuckle but don’t get it. He turns his head in my direction, and I can see Uptight Gary making an appearance.
“Are you fucking Cody right now?”
“What? No. But it would be okay if I was.” Because this thing between us is a charade.
“Travis, that wasn’t me being weird and possessive. I just don’t need everyone at Metropolis thinking I’ve lost two boyfriends to other assholes in the building.”
I see his point there. “You don’t need to worry about that.” Fuck, this fake boyfriend shit is going to change a lot in my life. “While we keep this up, I’m good with just you, Hot Ass.” I wink at him, and the left side of his mouth teases me with the hint of a smile. “Speaking of, has Peter tried to talk to you since the pool party?”
“No.” Gary slinks down in the seat. “He called a couple of times right after the fundraiser. I assumed he just wanted to press for details about us, so I ignored him. I’m surprised he hasn’t tried again, even if it’s just to apologize.”