“I… I wasn’t planning to quit.” He blanched. “You don’t want me to, do you?”
“No!” I said, too loud, and he flinched. I swore under my breath, and he ducked down farther. “Please, I’m sorry. You should pretend you were going to leave, though. Negotiate. Ask for more money, or something.”
He blinked at me and then a burst of awkward laughter rushed from him. His eyes sparkled with his amusement, though he still seemed prepared to slam the door in my face to get away if the need arose.
“You going to yell more if I do that?” His shoulders were still hunched, and I hated that look on him. He was much more attractive than I’d remembered, his mouth succulent, and I had no doubt he would be a pleasant combination of soft skin and firm muscles if I was to touch him. But there was a slowly blossoming confidence in the way he shook his shoulders out and stood taller. Maybe there was some attitude hidden beneath the surface. He stared at my chest and bit his lip ring, and I’d had interested looks like that in the past—though only late at night after a few beers with a stranger.Intriguing.
“No, I truly am sorry.”
“Thanks.” His cheeks flushed brighter. “No one’s ever apologized to me for… being a jerk.”
He blinked up at me, and I got lost in his eyes; they held a million years of judgement and knowledge. It was strange that someone his age could hand out such a weighty glance. I also wasn’t sure I’d ever seen anyone pull off a lip piercing so well. He flicked his tongue and I realized it was pierced, too, as he captured the silver bar between his lips in what appeared to be a thinking move for him. The metal glimmered. He noticed I was watching him fidget and gave me a small half smile as he let the piece of silver free.
Fuck, that was… beyond interesting. I’d always wondered what a tongue piercing would feel like on my cock. He glanced down his trim body again, almost as if checking to see if something was out of place. Maybe I’d been staring too long.
Had I scared him again?
Shit, if I’d met this boy somewhere in Bar Row instead of terrifying him in the office, I’d have definitely bought him a drink. His comic book character shirt made him seem innocent. The idea of seeing him again took hold of me. I’d already done one inappropriate thing today, so what was one more?
“Why don’t I apologize the right way? Over a beer later?”
“I….” He shifted his feet and something I would have called guilt on anyone else flickered over his face and then smoothed out again into a slightly nervous expression. “It would have to be kind of late. My dad’s disabled and in a chair most of the time. He’s fine, sort of, but I stop to check in and cook a few nights a week. Do other things for him.”
“Sure, that’s okay. Ten work for you?”
He reached up and spun the piercing in his lip this way and that. I braced myself for a letdown, but his brow furrowed. “Okay,” he whispered in a rush.
I grinned like an idiot. “Don’t worry about today. You’ll get paid. Relax.”
He eyed me warily but perked up until he wasn’t cowering at all anymore. “Thanks.”
“The Yacht Club okay with you?”
His eyebrows flew upward and the corner of his mouth twisted into a smile. “Uh… I’ve never been there.”
“You’ll like it.”
He toyed with the piece of jewelry in his lip again, and I couldn’t look away from his mouth. It curved into an actual smile. My body ceased to exist for a few seconds and then I slammed back into it with my heart pattering fast. Shit, I was sunk already. Had I thought he was a pretty boy before? He was fucking stunning.
“Do you have a car? I can pick you up.” I shoved my hands into my pockets to give myself something to do. This was monumental. The apology didn’t bother me, but it had been years since I’d asked someone out. I was too busy and didn’t have the time to try to work out how to act like a good guy, but… I eyed his svelte body and endless eyes. His cheeks were smooth, like maybe he didn’t have to shave often, and I wanted to touch them. It might be worth it to learn how to stop being an asshole.
“Yacht Club, right? I’ll get there. Maybe you can bring me back here later.” His voice cracked and went husky. He turned toward me and lifted his chin. “You’re actually sorry? For real?”
“Of course I am.”
He nodded and his brows—golden and lighter than the rest of his hair—furrowed, and again he seemed scared.
“Truly, sorry,” I murmured. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Then, I’d like that drink,” he whispered just loud enough for me to hear.
“When you get to the club, ask for Casey.” I wanted to say something else, although I had no clue what. In the end, I turned and walked away after a slightly awkward nod. I’d spend the afternoon thinking up something charming to say, or at least I could hopefully dream up something to talk about that wouldn’t leave me sounding stupid or horny.
He watched me as I strode away—I knew because I turned to see if he was still there. He caught my gaze and waved. What had I just agreed to do? I couldn’t have mistaken the heat bouncing between us. He’d been looking, too. It was bad that I’d lost control in the office, but I was almost glad it had happened.
And now that I’d been reminded my temper could do damage, I’d keep a lid on it—I hoped. Chances were things wouldn’t work out anyway because the after hours activities I liked weren’t exactly mainstream, but he wasn’t a clean-cut man in a suit, either, so who knew? Maybe a little geek boy was exactly what I needed in my life.
3
