“Did you think I didn’t notice you had last weekend off and you came back last night all singing songs, humming, and far more smiley than usual, which is a pretty significant feat.”
He blinked, his cheeks starting to color. “And?”
“You’re obviously getting some as well,” I said with a shrug. “I also heard we had a big-time investor visiting over the weekend, and that they were a former Guest here.”
“Ummm—”
“I’m not saying they’re connected and all, but I am starting to wonder why your first attempt at being a Guide was so complicated. And I have a theory.”
He shifted in his seat, biting his bottom lip before sucking in a breath and smiling. “And, uh, who did you tell this theory to?”
“So far? You,” I said with a smirk. “But your reaction confirms what I suspected. You little skank.”
“Skank,” he muttered in a scandalized tone. “Look, it’s...complicated. If you promise to keep it to yourself, I’ll tell you the story, alright? But not here. Your room or something.”
I absolutely wasn’t going to tell anyone what I suspected and had now confirmed, but hey, I wasn’t going to pass up the chance to get more information either. I suppose I just had to makepeace with the fact that even if I was a reluctant gossip, I wasn’t all that reluctant toheargossip. But I would make sure to tell Luka I had never planned to tell anyone...after he told me the story, that was.
“Deal,” I said with a snort and looked up as two familiar faces slid into the seats across from us, making Luka sigh.
“You always seem so happy to see me,” Clay said with a smirk.
“He’s probably always waiting for one of your oh so effective pick-up lines,” I told him, picking up a dumpling and taking a bite. Yep, it turned out that whoever made them knew what they were doing; the filling was full of flavor and moist, while the skin was thin but with some bite. “That was sarcasm, just so we’re clear.”
“Thanks,” Clay snorted. “I wouldn’t have figured that out on my own.”
“I can’t always assume that you understand me,” I told him with a smile. “Especially because anytime we’re around each other, you have the look of someone who’s imagining me without my clothes on, if not more.”
“Oh, definitely more. I’ve seen you half-dressed in the locker room, so I have a pretty good idea what you look like.”
“But not a complete one.”
“No, and what a shame that is. I’d love to have the full picture for, you know, later.”
“Later,” I said dryly. “When you’re locked away like a fourteen-year-old boy who got turned down for a date to the dance, just you and your hand.”
“Hey, he’s been more faithful than a lot of my exes,” he said with a smirk.
Luka eyed me warily. “How do you put up with this?”
“Easily,” I said, thinking that even if I kept shooting him down, I liked the attention. In the past couple of weeks, he hadbeen a constant presence, and while, yes, him being a walking boner could get irritating at times, it wasn’t terrible. It didn’t hurt that, despite his perverted attitude, he wasn’t actually a creep. I’d caught him looking at me in the locker room, but it had been a quick glance, and he’d looked away before it turned into leering. He might not be afraid to make comments, but he had never pushed too far, and he hadn’t tried to put his hands on me.
Maybe it wasn’t just because he was harmless; maybe it was because I was attracted to him and not sure what to do with it. Sleeping with someone as myself rather than some role was sometimes a feat. Of the handful of times recently that I’d tried, most of the attempts had been met with internal revulsion at the very idea. Only once had I been able to sleep with someone, and it had been an old friend-with-benefits that I was comfortable enough around to take things at my pace rather than a pace set by someone else, or their expectations.
I wasn’t blind or stupid; I could see he was a good-looking man, and I suspected he might be a lot less horny than he let on. Sometimes he could actually hold his dirty commentary, and I saw a man who was down to earth, more thoughtful than even he knew, and had a knack for making people smile and feel good about themselves. During those moments, it was a lot easier to imagine pulling him somewhere quiet and alone.
This was not one of those moments.
“And unclench your butthole,” Clay told Luka with a smirk. “I don’t hit on taken men.”
Luka frowned. “What makes you think I’m taken?”
“My thoughts,” Clay said with a shrug.
Cade shook his head. “I know it’s hard to believe, but sometimes, he actually thinks about more than just fuckin’, I promise.”
“Hey, what do you mean it’s hard to believe?” Clay asked in outrage, glaring at his friend. “You’re supposed to back me up when other people are busting my balls, not take a swing.”
“Ya are what ya are,” Cade said with a good-natured chuckle. “Why should I pretend you’re anythin’ but?”
