Page 9 of Sir Avery's Wish
“You absolutely have an accent, bro.” Ryan snorted. “I’m guessing Valley boy.”
Eli tensed.Shit.Had he been unwittingly announcing he was from California this whole time? Of course, he hadn’t been doing much talking.
Ryan held up his hands, palms out. “I’m not prying, I don’t need to know. It’s cool.”
“Thanks.”
He felt bad because Ryan was so nice, but he didn’t know anything about Ryan’s Master or his other boyfriend, so he couldn’t chance making any grand revelations. Until he knew for sure he could talk about what happened without repercussions, his lips were staying sealed.
The overhead lights in the eating area went out, and the woman who’d greeted him at the front called out, “Sorry, Ryan. It’s time to lock up the dining room.”
“Okay, Greta. We’re leaving.” Ryan rose from his chair, and Eli mirrored him. Ryan put his hand over his mouth, then leaned in. “Oops. I was supposed to help with clean-up.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Dang it. You didn’t get your other apple.”
Eli cleared his throat. “That’s okay. If there’s a market on the way back to your place, I can run in and get some.”
Ryan whirled around and broke into a bright smile. “Really? That’s awesome. I’ll sleep better knowing you’re not out in the cold or fending off the weirdos.”
Eli returned his smile. “Thanks, Ryan. This is the first time in a while I haven’t felt hopeless.”
A shadow crossed Ryan’s features, his brow wrinkling. Eli was sorry he’d dampened the mood. Ryan looped his arm through Eli’s.
“There’s always hope, hon.”
Chapter Three
Avery’s ivory silk shirt shimmered in the dim lighting of his suite, the pale hue contrasting starkly with his black leather pants. He tucked the delicate fabric of the button-up into his pants, leaving the collar open to offer a glimpse of his toned chest. After the unsettling encounter with his now-former employee, he needed to let off some steam at the club.
His phone vibrated on the coffee table in the main area. Darla had left a couple of hours ago, and he’d taken the opportunity to unwind for a bit before getting ready to leave. A little snooze had rejuvenated him enough that he thought he might have the energy to put a sub through his paces.
Avery snatched up the phone, smiling when he saw it was Zane calling.
“Hey, buddy,” he said. “I’m almost out the door.”
Zane chuckled. “I wasn’t checking up on you, I promise. But I wanted to give you a heads up that I’m leaving early tonight.”
“Oh? Nothing’s wrong, I hope.”
“Not wrong, but requires my presence. Ryan’s bringing home a guest from the shelter, and Ty needs someone to pick him up from work.”
Avery never ceased to be impressed by how well Zane took care of his little family while also running a busy club.
“Sounds like you have plenty on your plate. If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”
“Appreciate it,” said Zane. “Kurt’s going to keep an eye on things for me, call me if there are any issues. In the meantime, Ryan needs as much attention as I can give him. I’m not a hundred percent clear what the situation is with the kid he’s bringing home, but Ryan had a mild panic attack. Ironically enough, he told me our guest knew how to calm him.”
“Really? That should be an interesting story.”
Zane chuckled. “I sense I have a long night ahead of me, so I figured I should get started.”
“Sounds like it.”
“By the way, Mark dropped by with Foster to take an introductory shibari class a little while ago. By the time you get here, they should be wrapping up.”
Avery snorted. “Good play on words.”
“Wha—?” Zane barked out a laugh. “Gotcha. Listen, barring any other unexpected developments, want to grab a bite to eat tomorrow? We received a shipment today of fresh scallops,and I know that’s one of your favorites.”
While Avery believed the hotel restaurant to be one of the finest in Boston, the gourmet dining establishment attached to Club Sensation was at the top of the list, too.
