“Gee, thanks, Tweety. Sidebar question—do you have a Looney Tunes fetish I should know about because”—he tugs on the collar of my shirt—“you seem to have a lot of these.”
“Just the two…and one Lola Bunny shirt. Another Elmer Fudd, because come on, who doesn’t love that grouch? I alsohave a fewSpace Jamshirts and—” I hold my hands in the air. “Okay, you know what? Yup, I hear it now. That’s a lot of Looney Tunes shirts.”
Taio’s eyes bulge to teasing proportions. “I’d say.”
“Back to my question…”
“What do you want me to say? I’ve never had any complaints that I know about.” It’s like watching a tree blush. How is he so tall? Most of my barefoot conversations with him are me speaking directly to his pecs.
“That must’ve been so nerve-wracking.”
Taio grumbles, a low bubbly gurgle from his throat teaming with reluctance. “It’s notthat kindof agency. Really. Rina hired us to be arm candy for events. That’s it. She encouraged us to network and make friends. When you rub elbows with the upper financial echelon of humanity, sometimes there are opportunities. I didn’t actually sleep with anyone until four months in.”
“And Rina’s okay with this?”
“We’re grown men. There’s not much she can do about it. Look—it’s not my forever plan, okay? It’s a means to an end.”
I read the anguish suddenly shadowing his face. “Taio, do you think I’m judging you?”
“No.”
“Then why are you being so defensive? Please understand if I’m asking questions, it’s only to get to know you better.”
“I just don’t want you to see me as an escort. I mean, that’s why you keep coming onto me, right? Because you think I’m some sort of sex Yoda that’s going to get between your thighs and awaken you to a whole new world of magic and creativity? And then because of my gag order, there’s no chance of public consequences for me being your practice fuck.”
“That’s not true.” It comes out like a plea, my hands wrapping around his muscular forearms. “Not true. I don’t care what the public thinks.”
“No?” he asks. “Then why are you dating Grayson when you don’t want to be?”
“It was a business strategy.”
“That’s the point. Your job capsizes your love life. Charlie, that’s?—”
“Not so different than what you do.”
His eyes lift and he looks shocked, as if my declaration was a slap to the face. “What’s that mean?”
“I mean we both would rather make room for work than love. Or are you going on jobs while still looking for Mrs. Right?”
“Definitely not.”
“So, pot.” I point at Taio, then myself. “Meet kettle. We have more in common than you think. And I don’t see you asjustan escort. I see you as…”
“What?” he prods, eyes full of anticipation.
“The guy who keeps showing up right when I’m about to give up.”
He hunches over and hooks his arm around my shoulders, yanking me into a hug. “That’s right.” He kisses the top of my head. “And I’ll keep showing up as long as you need me to.”
Forever, is on the tip of my tongue, but it seems like a “pick me” response, so I redirect the conversation.
“So, what in the world inspired you to make a blanket fort?”
“I had insomnia as a kid. Bad bouts of it, from about nine to eleven. Sleepless spells that would last two weeks. It was miserable. I’d miss school. I was cranky and constantly saw double. The doctors wanted to pump me up with drugs but my mom was so worried about stunting my growth. I was a little small for my age.”
My jaw drops. “You? Were small?Ever?”
“My growth spurt kicked in really late.”
