“You’re going to have to be more specific, Mr. James.”
I growled. “I think you know what I’m talking about, Mr. Reed.”
He studied me a moment, then smiled. At least he was flirting with me again.
“Oh, you want me to make you a drink.”
“No. I don’t want a damn drink.”
He hummed, studying me with narrowed eyes. “Okay. The only other reason I could imagine you might want to talk to me is to offer me a job.”
“No.” This little game was annoying. “Well, maybe. But not tonight.”
Nick looked mildly amused with me. “I’ll ask you again. What do you want with me tonight, Preston?”
Did he really not understand how much I wanted him? Young guys like him liked blunt honesty, right? I’d just give it to him straight.
I leaned forward a little more, just inches from his mouth. “I want to take you to bed and make you feel things you’ve never felt before. I want you writhing under me and begging me to let you come while I worship your body.”
Nick stared at me, trying to size me up. I never broke our gaze as he pulled away. “As delightful as that sounds, I don’t sleep with the boss, Preston. I have a hard and fast rule about that. And if you intend to offer me a job, this,” he motioned between us, “will never happen. You and I obviously are not on the same page when it comes to carnal intent.”
Was he serious? Most guys would jump at the chance to bed an older rich guy. But not Nick. I looked at him. “Then you’re fired.”
Nick laughed, and the sound of it made me hopeful that maybe I hadn’t completely fucked this up.
“I appreciate the offer, Preston. I really do, because it’s been a long time. But what you’re offering is really not my style. I don’t do one-night stands, or players. If I need to get off, I’ve got a hand.”
I stared at him with my mouth hanging open. Nick was magnificent. He was strong and determined, and wasn’t taking any excuses, or any of my shit. He was perfect for me. Just like I thought.
“Look, after this semester, I only have my final project before I graduate. Something tells me working for you would be very distracting. And there’s not enough money in the world to make me want to leave Alejandro’s.”
Was he serious? Nah, he couldn’t be. No one had ever turned me down. But I wasn’t one to give up easily.
“We could make it work.”
Nick laughed humorlessly again and scrubbed his hands over his face. “You’re not listening. The only thing we can be right now is friends.” He studied my face, then added, “And I’m not sure I’ve got it in me to even be that.”
When he went to step back, I reacted like the out-of-control, desperate man I was and grabbed his hand. Nick looked at me as the current I was feeling seemingly transferred to him. He looked down at our connection and took a deep breath. But he didn’t pull away.
I held his hand a little tighter. “Alejandro mentioned you were finishing your master’s in architecture. What kind of project do you have to do?”
“I’ve got to design a building with all the schematics.”
I swallowed and spoke softly. “Have you decided on a project yet?”
He shook his head. “I have some ideas, but nothing concrete yet. I’m still thinking about it.”
I grinned. Without knowing it, he was making this so much easier for us. “Is the design supposed to be hypothetical, or can it be a real renovation?”
Nick tilted his head, never taking his eyes off mine. “Either one. Why?”
Fuck, this could really work.
He was trying to figure out if I was serious since it was a complete one-eighty from propositioning him.But the longer we talked, the closer we got to being on the same page.
I turned off flirty Preston and spoke sincerely. “I have something you might be interested in taking a look at. I’ve got to do something about the lack of space at Bernardo’s. Business is booming, and I’m out of dining space. And storage space. You need a project, and I need an architect. I think we might be able to help each other out.”
Nick’s eyes widened as he listened. “Are you serious?”
