Page 76 of Mann Hunt
“Ow, ow, ow, ow,” Charlie moaned.
“I think it’s time for some medication,” Declan said in a cheery voice. He went to the bathroom, returning with a glass of water and two painkillers. “Here. Take these.”
Charlie obediently followed the instructions.
“Now,” Declan said, “did you have any plans for the day?”
“Other than going home and hoping my parents haven’t changed the locks? Nothing.”
“Are you up for some weekend work?”
“Do I get paid overtime?” Charlie shot him a crooked smile.
“How about your hourly wage plus a free breakfast?”
“That works for me.”
Declan smiled. “Good. First, I want you to stand up.”
Charlie did as instructed.
“Let’s have a look at those bruises.” Declan stood in front of him, reached around and gently pulled the T-shirt over his head, then off of his arms. He carefully pressed on Charlie’s ribs, watching for any expressions of discomfort. “No pain when I did that?”
“No. It just feels bruised, but not too bad.”
Declan took a step back and examined Charlie’s torso. The right side of his chest was blotched dark red where bruises were starting to bloom. He stepped forward and touched the back of his hand against Charlie’s forehead. “No fever, which is good. When you move your body, does anything hurt on the inside?”
Charlie rotated his upper body and slowly bent his back, and arms. “No. It’s just sore muscle.” Charlie looked to the floor. “What there is of it.”
Declan put his finger under Charlie’s chin and lifted his head so he was looking into Charlie’s eyes. “You are perfect the way you are. Sure, muscle might give you strength and a little more padding, but it can never improve what’s in here,” he said, tapping Charlie’s head. He lingered a moment before stepping away. “By the way, Mickey saw how you leapt onto the hood of the car, then tucked and rolled. Did you ever take self-defence training?”
Charlie nodded. “Yeah. When I was a kid, I was pretty small. Dad thought it would give me some self-confidence, so I took karate for almost seven years.”
“You studied karate? Was that in your resumé?”
“It’s rarely a prerequisite for a tech job.”
“Well, it’s an asset here. When you talk to your dad later, thank him for those lessons. They may have saved a few of your brain cells.” Declan turned away. “I’m going to grab a hot shower. When I take you for breakfast, I’ll debrief you on what I found out last night.”
Declan headed to the bathroom. He stood in the shower, the water as hot as he could take it. He thought about Charlie and the bruises on his body. He thought about Charlie’s lean torso and, to his surprise, Declan found himself getting hard. He shook his head.Remember the golden rule—never sleep with an employee or a client. Besides, I have Luke.But the thought of Luke and Charlie got him further aroused. He decided to take care of the problem and had just started to come when there was a rap on the door.
Charlie said, “Mind if I come in and brush my teeth?”
Declan was still hard, but the steam on the door would hide the details. “Be my guest,” he called out.
Charlie entered the bathroom and brushed his teeth, occasionally turning his head towards the shower stall. Charlie spit out his toothpaste just as Declan turned the shower off.
Declan called out from the shower, “How are you feeling?”
There was silence for a moment, then Charlie said, “The painkillers are kicking in. I think I’ll be fine. I’ll be downstairs when you’re ready.”
He heard Charlie leave. “What have I gotten myself into?” Declan said to himself.
* * **
Twenty minutes later, Charlie and Declan walked into No Poaching. It was packed with the end of the Saturday morning breakfast rush. There was only one table available, and it was piled high with dirty dishes.
“Just grab that table, hun,” the waitress told them. Her name tag identified her as Ethel. “I’ll clear it as soon as I can.”
