Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 99918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Thankfully the waiter gave him the second or two to compose himself. Honesty was such a good policy. One he lived his life on. He’d confessed and Dylan seemed to be flattered by his admission. Which technically was exactly what he wanted to happen.
“You’ve got an incredible restaurant here in this town. Wolfgang prepared our meals himself,” Tristan said, dropping his napkin in his lap. Dylan looked blankly at him and that caused him to smile. He reached out and took Dylan’s hand, linking their fingers together on top of the table. These were the things that Dylan did so well. He allowed Tristan the simple pleasure of holding his hand or giving a slight caress. They touched his heart in a way that nothing else ever had before.
“I planned our menu. I hope you’re good with the selections,” Tristan said again, leaning in and lifting Dylan’s fingers to his lips for a soft kiss. “I kept it healthy. I saw how you ate in California.”
“Thank you,” Dylan replied. There was that look again. That stunned look. Dylan was such a strong, well-constructed man, but he clearly wasn’t used to people looking out for him. Tristan filed that little piece of information in the back of his mind. If this continued between them, he could see that he needed to spend the time making Dylan feel as special as he could and somehow Tristan knew he was up for the task.
The dinner went off without a hitch, everything turning out as he had meticulously planned. Dylan raved about the delicious food as dishes were removed and, per the pre-discussed arrangements, the waitstaff left the bottle of wine close to Tristan. They remained scarce throughout the meal and scooted out the door when they were done serving the last course. The dessert was left in a covered dish inside the refrigerator. After a while and with only two glasses of wine under his belt, Dylan started to relax and open up.
“Would you like dessert?” Tristan smiled.
“No, I’m stuffed. Maybe later,” Dylan said, placing his napkin on the table.
“So, how are your children?” Tristan asked, touching on a subject they’d only talked a little bit about, but in his rehearsal of topics of discussion for tonight, Dylan’s children were top on the list. They were incredibly important to Dylan so Tristan needed to get to know them.
“Good, I think. I haven’t seen them much. I’ve been a little out of sorts. I think everyone’s keeping their distance,” Dylan said, nodding at his statement. He lifted his wineglass, taking a small drink this time.
“They’re good kids?” Tristan questioned, moving away from the moodiness Teri said and Dylan hinted he’d been experiencing. That conversation would close Dylan up and he didn’t want that. Tristan reached over with the bottle of wine, topping off Dylan’s wineglass. He figured Dylan would be conscious of drinking and driving. He seemed like that kind of guy, so if he drank a little too much, he’d need to stay longer to sober up. That could possibly lead to make-out time.
“So far they’ve been great. They’re expensive. I think I told you, Chad’s going to Duke in the fall. Cate’s planning on Harvard. Chloe’s at the University of Oklahoma, but she’s recently talked about moving to a northern school, something a little more progressive.”
“Chloe’s the oldest?” Tristan asked, taking a drink of his wine. He’d only let go of Dylan’s hand long enough to allow them to eat. He’d resumed the hand-holding the minute they were through. Dylan hadn’t resisted and was finally participating in the finger play he’d started.
“She’s a freshman at OU,” Dylan responded. “We had them back to back.”
“And they have no idea? Teri’s the only one besides me that knows about you?” Tristan asked and Dylan nodded.
“What’re your plans after they leave?” For the first time in a couple of hours, Dylan grew completely quiet. Tristan watched the almost visible withdrawal. “No, don’t close up. The subject’s none of my business. Got it. I’d just like to get to know you better. I can stick with the other parts of your life.”
“It’s not that. I just don’t really know what’ll happen. I see Teri getting a little antsy. When we decided to do things this way, we were young with babies. Thirty-seven seemed so old. It’s not as old as we thought,” Dylan said and Tristan smiled. He understood.
“We aren’t that far off from each other.” Tristan laughed at the crazy look Dylan gave him. “We aren’t. I’ve spent the last twenty years building Wilder. The market was nonexistent when I started. You’re the one that’s helped me see that maybe there’s more to life than the newest technology that’s consumed me.”
“How did I do that?” Dylan asked, clearly not believing him. Tristan paused. He pushed back a little in his chair and reached for his wine, drinking the glass down. Dylan kept an expectant gaze on him.
“Too many ways to say. The biggest ones are the honor and integrity you live by every day. No one does that. Stop shaking your head. No one does that, Dylan,” Tristan said.
“I’m small beans in your life,” Dylan started, but Tristan leaned in, placing a finger over his lips.
“Stop. You’re the only person in my life that doesn’t want anything from me,” Tristan said, watching those lips, wishing his were covering them and not his hand.
“Have you forgotten how I met you?” Dylan asked with Tristan’s hand still on his lips. Tristan laughed at that one.
“I believe my team found your company, and if I remember correctly, I’m paying you far less than your company’s actually worth. That doesn’t mean you should raise the price,” Tristan added with a smile. “I’m interested in you, more than I’ve been in anyone before.”
Dylan remained quiet and Tristan let the statement stand there between them.
“I don’t understand why,” Dylan finally responded.
“You smell incredible.”
“That’s the dinner you just served us,” Dylan said, the smile was back. That smile was rare and stirred him to a full hard-on.