Page 40 of Say It Again

“I don’t know, smile? Are you capable of that?”

Aaron was struggling with that at the moment, so he bared his teeth. “How’s this?”

“On second thought—” His client pulled a drag from the joint and lounged back in the bed with an arm tucked beneath his head. “—go ahead and keep your beautiful mouth shut.”

Fine. Perfect. Talking seemed like the more annoying choice, anyway. He yanked his shirt back off and crawled into the bed, where he stretched long, mirroring the guy.

“Look at you,” his client cooed, dragging his gaze over his body. “It never gets old. I ought to buy you something to match those pretty eyes of yours. Would you like that?”

He nodded.

“You may speak.”

“Yes, sir. How kind.”

“Attaboy. Come here.” The judge sucked an extralong drag from the joint, touched their lips together, and exhaled it into Aaron’s mouth. Great. Not only was he going to be stuck here a while longer, but he was going to be stuck here and high.

“Now get your ass to work.” The guy patted his cheek in light smacks. “I’m not paying you to get high on my weed.”

His clients weren’t his friends. They were barely even friendly.

A FEW HOURS later, when the buzz had worn off, Aaron stood on Daniel’s porch under an old oak tree that shed acorns in little plunks. Things were so wholesome over here. Not that his tiny, horny dancer was wholesome in the traditional sense. Hardly. He cussed like a drunken sailor and probably fucked like one too, but he offered sanctuary. With easy, bright-eyed humor and heartfelt rolling tears, he offered warm waters where Aaron could shed his armor and take a little swim.

“Aaron, is that you?” Daniel’s voice sounded behind the door, along with his hurried footsteps. It didn’t sound easy with bright-eyed humor. It sounded panicked.

“Yeah,” he responded, slanting his brow. “Everything okay—?”

Daniel swung the door open in a fury, his melted caramel eyes huge in distress. “Thank the heavens you’re here. I have a crisis—God, you look gorgeous—that I need your help with. It’s my dad.”

Aaron’s eyebrows shot up. “Your dad? What’s going on?”

“He’s doing something completely uncalled for. He’s….” Daniel whimpered and fell into his arms like a corseted damsel in a period film. “He’s turning fifty.”

Even though he had questions, he squashed those along with the urge to break a smile at the dramatics, because if he’d learned anything so far, it was best just to let him feel. He wrapped Daniel in a hug and said, “Oh no. Did you say fifty? How could he do that to you?”

“I know, right? And look.” Daniel swiped open his phone and handed it over to display a text from an unknown number:

My name is Melissa, and we’ve yet to meet, but I’m your dad’s girlfriend. Throwing him a surprise birthday party tonight at my place. Would mean so much if you could make it.

Ahh. An instant sadness deflated Aaron’s shoulders, but maybe it was a sign. He had no right to be standing here taking Daniel out on one more date.

“I’m sorry,” Daniel said. “I’m sorry about our date, but I feel like I have to go.”

“It’s okay.” He rallied a smile. “This is more important.”

“Do you think we can reschedule whatever you had planned?”

No. He’d cashed in a favor from a client to reserve a private room at a Michelin restaurant complete with a sommelier, an opportunity he likely wouldn’t get twice. “Sure. All right, well, I guess have fun. Text me if you need—”

“Oh, you’re going.”

Aaron blinked.

“Right?” Daniel’s eyes widened even more. “Aren’t you going with me?”

Aaron opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came forth.

“Aaron, you have to go. I can’t go alone. Please? Please?” Daniel gripped his hand. “I need someone there. I want you there.”

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