And here we go.
“I like to read romance novels,” I say with conviction. I wait for the laugh that never comes.
“No judgment here. I’ve read a few romance novels, and they’ve all been good.”
“I added a whole display section in the store for LGBTQ+ romances. Jules and I are starting our very own book club.” Now that I think about it, I should invite Olly.
“What brought you to romance novels instead of other literature?” Finn asks, and it’s a valid question. The stigma around men reading romance is loud and clear, but I’ve never been one to follow the crowd.
“I guess, in the beginning, it was that there were books out there that represented me. When I first realized I was attracted to men, I felt so alone and assumed I would bealoneforever. In the pages of these books, though, I felt like I belonged. Which made me feel more confident in myself and that finding a partner wasn’t such a pipe dream, among other things,” I say with a shy laugh. “I’ve learned a lot from romance novels. While some men go with porn, I went more to erotic novels,” I say, causing Finn to practically choke on his beer.
Just because I’m a geek and also a virgin, does not mean I’m not a sexual person. I have just as many dildos as the next guy, with my favorites being on frequent rotation.
Coughing, Finn tries to talk while banging on his chest. “I’m sorry about that. It went down the wrong pipe.”
“No, I’m sorry, I just made it weird, didn’t I?” Leave it to me to stick my foot in my mouth. Maybe next time, I should save the porn talk for when we are not in a public place, and maybe not so soon after I meet the guy.
“No, no, no, you didn’t make it weird. I mean, that’s kind of hot, actually.”
Oh my god, he thinks I’m hot?Keep it cool, Spencer!My brain, thinking of all the ways I could screw this up, is quickly interrupted by Olly and I sigh in relief.
“Hey Spencer, How's it going?” Olly asks while setting my crab tacos in front of me.Oh, god, they smell so good.Then placing a steaming bowl of seafood pasta in front of Finn.
“I’m doing good. Everything smells wonderful… Olly, this is Finn. He just moved to town and is working over at Ink Me. Finn, this is Olly. He owns The Diner.”
“Nice to meet you, Finn,” Olly says, reaching out to shake hands.
“You too. This is a great place you got here, and this,” he says pointing to his plate, “looks amazing. I don’t cook much, so I’m sure you will see me here a lot.” Finn’s charm and laid back personality pulls me straight in. He has confidence when he speaks but with no arrogance to his tone. His body has an easy flow when he moves. His entire presence is welcoming.
“Well, we are glad you’re here. The boys over there keep me in business, especially Jasper. That boy can eat,” he says with a half sigh and a sad look in his eye that disappeared as quickly as it appeared. I wonder what that is about?
“Well. I just thought I would bring out your food and come say hi. Call me later. It’s been a while since we’ve hung out,” he says, propping his hand on my shoulder.
“Yes, it has. My last exam is next week. Hopefully, my time will free up more.”
“Cool. Talk to you later, and it was nice to meet you, Finn.” With that, he strides away back to the kitchen. I feel bad, I really need to make time to hang out with Olly. He is one of my close friends, but I have been so busy. I make a mental note to text him later and see if he wants to come out with us on Friday night.
Reaching for my tacos, I try to figure out the most graceful way to shovel them into my mouth. Even when half the taco falls apart, it still doesn’t deter the sinful moan that leaves my lips when I take a bite.
CHAPTER8
Finn
The sounds emittingfrom Spencer are enough to take any man to his knees. When he first opened the door tonight, he took my breath away. I don’t know what it is with the color blue, but the fresh eye shadow—yeah I noticed—and the sweater that hangs perfectly on his slender frame makes his whole body glow. Let’s not forget about the jeans so tight, you could see the outline of his cock if his shirt didn’t hang so low. Now the moans coming out of his mouth have my dick making a valiant attempt to break free from my jeans. It’s all torture.
Finally, looking away, I take a bite of my pasta dish. And now I’m the one struggling to hold back a moan. Holy shit, this makes my mouth water. It’s right up there with Beckett and his cooking.
“Wow, this is amazing.”
“I know, right? Olly is one of the best chefs around. He should be Head Chef in some five-star restaurant in New York City, but instead he’s here. We couldn’t be any luckier,” Spencer says with affection.
I can’t take it anymore; I need to know. “This is probably altogether inappropriate, but are you and Olly, uhh, together?” I stammer out, my nerves kicking in.
“What?” he laughs. “No, he is a great guy, and a wonderful friend, but I’ve never seen him like that… and we are not really, umm, how do I say this, compatible?”
My eyes shoot up. Oh, ahh… got it!
“What about you?” Spencer softly asks, taking another bite of his taco. “Do you have anyone waiting for you back home?”
