Corvin looked out from the elevator.“Theo!Come on, we need to get going before it gets too late for brunch.Celeste, thanks for the cookies and the recipe.Mind if I come back for more recipes if I can train my man to bake?”
“Well, aren’t you a little devil.You sure can, but I take no responsibility for the outcome.”
“What outcome is that?”Corvin asked as Theo headed toward the elevator.
“Me sneaking cookies from you instead of Celeste,” Theo said, then tried winking at her.
He failed and probably just looked as if he had something in his eye.Celeste still gave him an odd little look.Almost as if she were proud, but that couldn’t be it.He’d done nothing.Her beard was probably just making him misread her again.
Working here is going to be good.I’ll earn my own money, same as I always have.I’ll be independent again, and everything will be simpler.
In the elevator, Will looked at Theo.“Thank you for taking me.But I don’t need watching out for.”
“Heard that, huh?A werewolf thing?”
Will shrugged.Corvin gasped.“Excuse me, what was that?You’re a werewolf?And you didn’t say anything when I made you watch that movie with all the werewolves who enjoy taking their shirts off?”
“That was fun,” Will said.Then he frowned.“Plus, your siren said I wasn’t allowed to tell you anything, and he can be intimidating.”
Corvin’s brows drew tight.“Hmm.No, that makes sense actually.I didn’t know he was a siren then.”He looked at Theo.“Did you always know Peter was, well, Peter?”
Shit.“Yeah.It’s like… Actually, hehadto tell me.It’s a requirement.When clients come to the Boudoir and want something specific, they have to tell Celeste in advance.”He took a deep breath.“We met here, not at the library like I told you.That was a lie.I lied to you.”
Corvin appeared to be confused.Will, not so much.“Oh!You worked at the Boudoir.That’show Peter met you.Makes a lot of sense.Also explains why you’re so pretty.You probably did really well.Everyone up there is really nice and easy to talk to.”
“Thanks.I guess?”
The elevator opened.“You were a sex worker,” Corvin said, sounding halfway between excited and curious.Either was a lot better than what Theo had feared.
Carl came over, holding the elevator door open.“Hey, fellas.Everything all right here?”He nodded at Will in silent acknowledgment.
Corvin pointed at him.“You didn’t give him away at all.Shit, I’m being insensitive, aren’t I?Theo, I’m not judging.I actually think sex work is really interesting, and I’d love to know more about it.”
Carl eyed them all in that way he had when he was waiting for a signal from an employee.Ready to escalate or deescalate, depending on what the employee needed.
Will stepped forward.“Corvin’s my friend, you know.He’s actually really fun.”
Carl nodded.“I could tell.”
Corvin sighed.“Did I fuck up bad here?Carl, you’re sort of glaring at me.”
“His face just looks like that,” Theo said, then turned to Carl.“It’s a good face, don’t get me wrong.”Carl frowned, and Theo groaned.“Okay, sorry.I stepped right into that.Shit.Carl, if you want to come to brunch with us, I’m buying.”
Will looked at Theo, then back at Carl.“I like that idea.You should come with us.”Then he lowered his gaze and frowned.Theo wasn’t sure what to do with that.
Carl snorted.“Is that because your man is still upstairs and you don’t want him to walk past me without you glued to his side?Pup, you know that’s you acknowledging—”
Will straightened and all but glared at Carl.“No!It’s not.Sage ismine.”
He struck a pose, right there in the elevator.Theo and Corvin exchanged a look.Carl cackled.
“Pup, you’re making the humans think you’re weird.”He looked at Theo.“I’ll call upstairs and clear it with the boss.Friendly gathering, right?”
Theo shrugged.“Sure.”
Carl nodded and called Celeste.It didn’t take very long.He put his phone back into the inside pocket of his suit.“She says it’s fine.You fellas have anything specific in mind?”
“I have a list.”Corvin pulled out his phone.“Here, see?El Sol.Spanish food.Is everyone okay with that?”
