Page 29 of Love in Mission City: The Shorts

Said so casually.As if assuming there’d be another time.That we’d repeat the ritual of eating together on a regular basis.

Did I want that?

Hell, fucking, yes.

“Sure.”I stood awkwardly with my hands resting against the back of a kitchen chair.The table had been cleared, and a nice stack of organized papers sat on the desk.

Dickens followed my gaze.“I might’ve done some preliminary sorting.And Darlene will be here for an interview in the morning.She can start a couple of days a week until your business picks up, and then she’ll be happy for the work.”A dark expression passed over his normally sunny face.“She’s going through a rough patch.Now, don’t tell her I said that, and please don’t hire her out of pity.She’s a hard worker, and you’ll get your money’s worth.She’ll have you whipped into shape in no time.”

I believed him.

He placed two plates, heaped high with food, on the table.“I checked your kitchen, and although there wasn’t much, I also figured you didn’t have any problems eating meat or anything like that.Allergies?”

“What…uh, no.”He’d gone through my kitchen?Had worried about my food preferences?Who was this guy, and what had he done with angry Bookstore Dude?I sat and eyed the plate.“I think you even picked my favorites.”I inhaled deeply.“Yep, I think you’ve pretty much nailed me.”

“Well, not in the past day or so…” He let his words hang as he settled in the seat next to me.He gave me a wicked wink and then dug into a mouthful of sweet and sour pork.

“Are you saying I might get a repeat?”I perked up.

“Let’s see how you’re doing later.You went through a big ordeal today, and your body’s still recovering.”

“No.”I shook my head.“My body’s doing just fine.Better than fine.All ready to go.”

He deliberately eased away and leaned over to scrutinize my growing erection.He snickered as he sat back.“Horny much?”

“Around you?Pretty much all the time.”

His jaw slackened.

Too blunt?“Look, I’m not someone who goes around thinking about sex all the time.Like, I’ve been so busy the last little while—”

“How long?”

“How long?”

“Since you’ve had sex?”He scratched his nose.“With someone other than me.”

Damn.Stole my pithy response.I squinted my left eye.“I plead the fifth?”

He snickered.“You’re not an American, and I doubt your answer will self-incriminate.Unless you did something nefarious.”

It took a moment for me to realize he was serious.“No, nothing.I’m pretty boring.Well, I like it rough and I like to receive, but other than that, pretty boring.You?”I doubted Mr.Uptight’d done anythingnefariousbut better I find out his predilections now.

“Boring.But I suspect you knew that.The occasional tryst, but nothing for a while.And no one serious since university.”

And I could spot a story, but I didn’t want to pry.

“Why did Keats make you cry?”

His question was so out of left field that I gaped.Talk about personal.And yet, in that moment, being honest felt right.

“I have dyslexia.A severe case.I can hardly read.”

His expression turned compassionate.

I didn’t want his sympathy, and wished I could take the words back.

“Darlene will get your paperwork organized.”He looked around.“You’ve done okay for yourself.”

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