“Are they not always?”
Darcy shrugged.“Sometimes the veggies seem less than fresh, but they’ve never been bad.Still, these are especially good.”
Charma grabbed one and dipped an end into the sauce before taking a bite and testing it for himself.He didn’t know what they were usually like, but Darcy was right—these were good and the sauce exploded with flavor.It boded well for his curry.And a few moments later, he could confirm that the curry was as good as any he’d had elsewhere.
He unpaused the show, and he and Darcy devoured their takeout, Darcy licking his fingers once he’d finished he last spring roll.Charma found himself watching that instead of the show, his body taking a definite interest.
Darcy caught him watching and gave him a warm smile.“I think you should stop the show.”
“I do believe you’re right.I should.”He did exactly that and turned off the TV.
They didn’t even discuss it, they just both headed to the bedroom, blankets dropping as they got to Darcy’s bed.
ChapterFour
Charma let Darcy into his little—and he meantlittle—basement apartment.Although calling it an apartment was generous.It was basically one room with a bathroom at the far end and a counter with a microwave, a hot plate, and a dorm fridge that called itself a kitchen next to the bathroom.He had a screen in front of the bed, sort of separating it into its own space.His TV and his couch were at the front end of the room, making up his living room area.He’d teased Darcy about how small his kitchenette was, but the truth was, Charma’s own apartment was far less appealing.
“I just need to grab some clothes and my phone and wallet.”
“No worries.”Darcy was looking around, taking everything in.
“It’s small,” Charma noted as he headed over to the box he kept his clothes in.
“It’s warm and it’s dry, and I haven’t seen a bunch of bugs scurrying around so it could be worse.”
“It so could be.Of course it could be better, but I shouldn’t complain—I didn’t want to stay on the compound, and I don’t exactly have an awesome job, pulling in the big bucks.”
“What do you do?”Darcy asked.“I can’t believe I didn’t ask before now!”
“You were distracted by my naked ass,” Charma suggested.He grinned as Darcy cackled at that.When the laughter faded, he answered Darcy’s question.“I’m a freelance graphic artist.And I’m just starting out with it, too, so I’m lucky if I get a couple jobs a week.”Actually, he was lucky that his family was more than willing to employ him for any graphic needs they had—they didn’t hate him, they hadn’t disowned him or anything, they were just disappointed in him.
“What about you—what do you do?”
“Help desk.I work from home, which is nice because I don’t have to get dressed up or commute.It’s a level-1 work, but it pays the bills.”
Charma pulled off his borrowed clothes and got dressed in purple board-shorts and a bright pink T-shirt covered by a predominantly yellow Hawaiian style shirt with huge red and orange flowers that he left unbuttoned.He put his phone in a pocket and grabbed his wallet, going around the screen, back to the front room area.
Grinning, Darcy nodded at him.“I love the outfit—that totally suits you!”
“I’ll wash your stuff and get it back to you.”
“Cool.”
Frowning, Charma looked through his wallet.“We’ll have to hit a cash machine.”
“Or you could come shopping with me and pay for some of it.”Darcy gave him a hopeful look.
“I’d like that.”
“Awesome—that way you can let me know what you like.”
“Are you going shopping for me or for yourself?”Charma asked.
“I’m going shopping to entice you over for more meals.”
“Oh, that was a good answer.”Charma pocketed his wallet and followed Darcy out.
Darcy was totally hooked.Like totally.They had wound up stopping at the ATM next to the grocery store because Charma said he liked to have a bit of cash in his wallet, and he’d paid Darcy for his half of last night’s supper with a promise to still help out with the groceries given that he was going to be sharing some of them.
