I catch myself watching him…the way his brow furrows when he’s thinking, the way he chews on the inside of his cheek when he’s nervous. He’s not my typical catch when it comes to men, but there’s something real about him. Grounded. Pure. And that’s dangerous.
Because I can’t tell if what I want is simple… or something else entirely.
Do I just want to fuck him because he’s cute and different and makes me laugh when I shouldn’t? Or is it deeper?
That question sits heavy in my chest, and for the first time in a long while, I don’t have an answer.
I tear my eyes away and force myself to focus on the paperwork. He’s just a man. That’s what I tell myself.
But deep down, I already know I’m lying.
The one and only Skip has officially been caught by a man who can’t even make it through a day without fainting. How the hell is he supposed to stay upright in a world like mine?
And why the fuck am I even asking that question? He’s probably not even gay.
Eli glances up at me from where he’s standing beside me, close enough that I can feel the heat rolling off him. I hold his gaze for a few long seconds, letting my smirk spread slowly and deliberately…dangerous and amused all at once.
“What?” he asks, his brows drawing together, voice wary.
“You’re totally into men,” I say, enjoying the way his breath catches.
“I…what? No!” he stammers, taking a small step back. “I’m not…I don’t…why would you even say that?”
I chuckle, low and dark. “Because, sweetheart, your face just turned the same shade as Foster’s shirt.”
“I’m just warm,” he mutters, looking anywhere but at me.
“Right,” I drawl, tilting my head. “Guess I just have that effect on people.”
Foster snorts from the desk without looking up. “You’re insufferable, man.”
“Yeah,” I say, still watching Eli with a wicked grin. “But I’m usually right.”
And judging by the way he won’t meet my eyes now, I know damn well I am.
“What’s it to you, anyway?” Eli asks, staring at the floor. “It’s not like it matters.”
“Oh, it matters,” I say, my voice dropping just enough to make him look up. “Maybe not to anyone else. But it matters to me.”
His eyes widen a little, and I can almostseethe panic start to rise behind them. Like he’s trying to figure out if I’m teasing him or about to tear him apart for it. Poor cutie doesn’t even realize I’m flirting with him.
I take a slow step closer, grin still playing at my lips. “Relax, sweetheart. I’m not judging you. Just stating facts. You like men. Lucky for you…” I let the words trail off, my grin widening when he swallows hard, “I’m one hell of a man.”
“With an ego to boot,” Foster mutters.
Eli blinks, clearly trying to make sense of what’s happening.
And I can feel it…the shift inside me. The thing I don’t want to name. I’ve never been the type to look at anyone and thinkmine. Never cared enough to want something that could last. But standing here, watching him stumble over his own uncertainty…
The universe is laughing at me. Or maybe it’s giving me a gift I didn’t ask for. Either way, I’m not about to fight it.
He’s flustered, unsure, and completely unaware that I’ve already set my sights on him.
“That appears to be the only debt this dump owes,” Foster says, standing from the chair and glancing back at us. “Brother, take a step back before you make the poor man pass out… again.”
I grin, not missing a beat. “Can you blame him? I’ve been told I have that kind of effect on people.”
Foster snorts. “Yeah, sure. That’s what we’ll call it.”
