tightened. “I-I can’t pay for it.”
She shoved it into his hands. “Honey, I’m not asking you to pay for it. It’s on the dollar menu, Kevin. I promise, it’s fine.”
He smiled. “Thank you, Gabby. You’re so sweet. You make me almost wish I was straight.”
She laughed. “You’re also too young for me. Eat your burger and then use the phone before Mr. Lewis returns.”
Kevin sat on the little stool beside the cashier’s counter and wolfed down the double cheeseburger in four quick bites. He didn’t really even taste it, but his stomach appreciated it even if his taste buds didn’t get to savor it. He poured himself a small cup of water from the dispenser and swallowed that in two gulps.
“Thanks again, Gabby. You’re a lifesaver.”
Kevin scooped up the phone and dialed the work number for his friend, Noah. He didn’t get to see Noah nearly as much as he once had. Noah had a new man in his life, Charlie, and the two were getting very serious. In fact, right around Christmas, Noah had moved into Charlie’s house. Noah now had a nice empty house he did nothing with and Kevin would give anything to live there. But he couldn’t pay any money for it, not now, and he also couldn’t tell Noah about how far his life had fallen apart. He was simply too ashamed.
“Noah Riggins.”
“Hey, beautiful,” Kevin said, forcing a cheerful note into his voice he definitely did not feel.
Noah laughed. “Kev, what’s up?”
“Listen, babe, I hate to cancel on you and all, but I can’t make it over tonight.” Noah had invited him a week or so ago to come over and have dinner and maybe play some poker. Kevin wanted to go, but without his motorcycle he really couldn’t find a way to get to Charlie’s house. The stops for the city buses were just too far.
“Oh. Well. Are you sure?”
Kevin felt bad. He heard the disappointment in his friend’s voice. He’d canceled a lot lately on plans they had. He closed his eyes. Sooner or later he would have to admit he’d lost his job. He knew he would. “Yeah, sorry, babe, something’s come up.”
“You mean another man?”
“You guessed it. I can’t pass up a chance to get laid, now can I?” The levity in his voice sounded forced even to him. But, man, the perkiness was tough today.
“All right. I’ll call you later in the week to set something up,” Noah said. “Oh, hey, wait, is something up with your cell? I called it earlier and it said something about not being in service.”
“Yeah, um, I’m having trouble with the cell company. I’ve been harassing them.” Or they’ve been harassing me . “I’m sure they’ll get it straightened out soon.”
“Okay, Kev, talk to you soon. Bye.”
“Bye.” He replaced the receiver and carefully avoided Gabby’s sympathetic gaze. “I’ll see you later, Gabby.”
He walked outside and studied the cars lined up to be washed. Reaching into his back pocket, Kevin pulled out the pad of paper where he marked what washing packages the owners chose. He went to the head of the line and started taking care of customers. He didn’t even look up for several moments, having no idea the size of the line.
Jose, who stood near him ready to vacuum the interiors, whistled. “ Caliente .”
Kevin glanced up from the pad. Just a couple cars away was a dark red Maserati. Kevin recalled seeing it in a magazine advertisement. He thought the name of that particular model was the GranTurismo. His jaw dropped. He swallowed heavily, unable to keep from staring, but not at the sleek, sexy speed demon. Rather his gaze was fixated on the hot-as-fucking-hell guy behind the wheel.
The god wore deep, dark shades, had dark wavy hair, and sensuous, kissable lips. Kevin’s tongue slipped out, and he ran it along his own lips, imagining what the other man’s mouth would feel like. Even though he was still a couple spots away, Kevin could see he wore a suit. Broad shoulders filled out that suit. He frowned. Damn, but there was something
She shoved it into his hands. “Honey, I’m not asking you to pay for it. It’s on the dollar menu, Kevin. I promise, it’s fine.”
He smiled. “Thank you, Gabby. You’re so sweet. You make me almost wish I was straight.”
She laughed. “You’re also too young for me. Eat your burger and then use the phone before Mr. Lewis returns.”
Kevin sat on the little stool beside the cashier’s counter and wolfed down the double cheeseburger in four quick bites. He didn’t really even taste it, but his stomach appreciated it even if his taste buds didn’t get to savor it. He poured himself a small cup of water from the dispenser and swallowed that in two gulps.
“Thanks again, Gabby. You’re a lifesaver.”
Kevin scooped up the phone and dialed the work number for his friend, Noah. He didn’t get to see Noah nearly as much as he once had. Noah had a new man in his life, Charlie, and the two were getting very serious. In fact, right around Christmas, Noah had moved into Charlie’s house. Noah now had a nice empty house he did nothing with and Kevin would give anything to live there. But he couldn’t pay any money for it, not now, and he also couldn’t tell Noah about how far his life had fallen apart. He was simply too ashamed.
“Noah Riggins.”
“Hey, beautiful,” Kevin said, forcing a cheerful note into his voice he definitely did not feel.
Noah laughed. “Kev, what’s up?”
“Listen, babe, I hate to cancel on you and all, but I can’t make it over tonight.” Noah had invited him a week or so ago to come over and have dinner and maybe play some poker. Kevin wanted to go, but without his motorcycle he really couldn’t find a way to get to Charlie’s house. The stops for the city buses were just too far.
“Oh. Well. Are you sure?”
Kevin felt bad. He heard the disappointment in his friend’s voice. He’d canceled a lot lately on plans they had. He closed his eyes. Sooner or later he would have to admit he’d lost his job. He knew he would. “Yeah, sorry, babe, something’s come up.”
“You mean another man?”
“You guessed it. I can’t pass up a chance to get laid, now can I?” The levity in his voice sounded forced even to him. But, man, the perkiness was tough today.
“All right. I’ll call you later in the week to set something up,” Noah said. “Oh, hey, wait, is something up with your cell? I called it earlier and it said something about not being in service.”
“Yeah, um, I’m having trouble with the cell company. I’ve been harassing them.” Or they’ve been harassing me . “I’m sure they’ll get it straightened out soon.”
“Okay, Kev, talk to you soon. Bye.”
“Bye.” He replaced the receiver and carefully avoided Gabby’s sympathetic gaze. “I’ll see you later, Gabby.”
He walked outside and studied the cars lined up to be washed. Reaching into his back pocket, Kevin pulled out the pad of paper where he marked what washing packages the owners chose. He went to the head of the line and started taking care of customers. He didn’t even look up for several moments, having no idea the size of the line.
Jose, who stood near him ready to vacuum the interiors, whistled. “ Caliente .”
Kevin glanced up from the pad. Just a couple cars away was a dark red Maserati. Kevin recalled seeing it in a magazine advertisement. He thought the name of that particular model was the GranTurismo. His jaw dropped. He swallowed heavily, unable to keep from staring, but not at the sleek, sexy speed demon. Rather his gaze was fixated on the hot-as-fucking-hell guy behind the wheel.
The god wore deep, dark shades, had dark wavy hair, and sensuous, kissable lips. Kevin’s tongue slipped out, and he ran it along his own lips, imagining what the other man’s mouth would feel like. Even though he was still a couple spots away, Kevin could see he wore a suit. Broad shoulders filled out that suit. He frowned. Damn, but there was something
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