Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 123877 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123877 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Fuck, Julian was sexy.
Their dances last night had to mean Julian had noticed him on more than a superficial level. He’d felt the moment Julian’s body relaxed into his. Beckett had never been more alive than when he’d held Julian in his arms.
Much like he had done over and over on the trip home, he zoned out, reliving every second of the night. He’d shocked the shit out of himself when he’d followed through with his Be Bold Initiative by accepting the private table invitation to celebrate Levi’s big night. He’d become fast friends with Levi after joining Reservations and his standing table wound up in Levi’s section. Levi’s boyfriend and owner of the club, Thane Walker, didn’t seem too keen on Beckett being included in the party. That was putting it mildly, but he had ignored Thane and stepped outside his comfort zone in his effort to encourage Julian to notice him.
Beckett replayed the raspy lilt in Julian’s alluring voice as he’d said, “You sure stare a lot. Is there a problem or something?” Those words— No, it was Julian’s husky tone while calling him out that would be etched inside his heart forever.
“Surely, you have to be used to men starin’. You’re gorgeous.” Beckett had inwardly cringed at his choice of words. Gorgeous? Where had that even come from? He never used words like that. In the middle of his mental beratement, those soul-destroying eyes twinkled with mirth. He had only thought Julian had dumbfounded him before. He’d been so wrong, because in that moment, he’d lost all of himself to that beautiful man.
“Oh, direct and smart. I like that in a man.”
Beckett grinned to himself, remembering the goose bumps when Julian’s arm slid around his back, urging him out onto the crowded dance floor. He’d removed his suit coat, tossed it aside, and danced with Julian. Something he didn’t often do, but boy, could Julian move. It didn’t matter that Beckett might not know the right dance moves. For maybe twenty minutes, he and Julian had stayed glued together under the flashing club lights.
Julian danced against Beckett like he had every right to be there. He wasn’t wrong. Julian could sidle up next to Beckett anytime he wanted to. But something about Julian changed in front of Beckett’s eyes. Julian transformed from a hardworking, take no shit off anyone manager to a master seducer. Beckett had been caught in Julian’s spell, turning to putty in his hands.
Any perspective Beckett had managed to use to tamp down his feelings about Julian slipped from his emotional grip as he’d wrapped his hands around Julian’s surprisingly hard body. Beckett’s dick had punched against his zipper, aching with the need Julian provoked in him.
Those might have been the best twenty minutes of his life.
Julian had ground those perfect hips against his groin then suddenly stopped moving as if he’d been unaware of his actions. For several seconds, Julian’s entire body became rigid before a confused look crossed his face and he bolted. Julian had dashed away without so much as a goodbye.
He had no idea what caused Julian’s panic. Had Julian felt how hard Beckett’s cock had been? Beckett forced the memory to end right there as his insecurity rushed back in waves.
The van heading his way pulled his thoughts to the present. He hadn’t expected to see his company’s passenger van so early in the morning. He flipped through his mental calendar, not remembering any clients arriving on the schedule that morning.
Beckett pulled to the side of the single-lane road and lifted a hand in greeting as the driver—a guy who’d been employed by them for the last fifteen years—passed by. Then, surprising him further, their second van came around the corner a little faster. Beckett rolled slowly forward, letting that van pass him before continuing. As he took the curve leading to the main lodge, several small groups of people came into view. They had gathered, along with their gear, in the front yard of the lodge. He racked his brain, trying to remember what training he’d forgotten.
As he pulled his truck into the gravel parking lot of the main building, he saw his father and their lead instructor, Randy, moving from group to group, clipboards in hand. Beckett cut the engine and jumped out of the truck, sending the door flying shut without a backward glance. He hoped he hadn’t left them shorthanded when he’d taken off yesterday afternoon.
He scanned the people, taken aback by what he saw. This didn’t look like their normal client demographic.
“Don’t you look fancy,” his father called out when Beckett came within hearing range. His old man’s gruff voice might sound angry to the others based on the deer in the headlights looks snapping his direction, but Beckett wasn’t bothered by his father’s teasing ways.