Page 6 of Milo
“Same.” Clay chuckles and swipes his hand through his hair again. “When you messaged me a couple months ago, I ended up going through all your posts with my secret profile. You stood out from everyone else. Shit, I sound like a serial killer, don’t I?” He takes a few steps back and I mourn the loss of his heat. At least I imagine it radiated from him.
I tip my head, trying to remember our first conversation. “I messaged you a silly pirate joke after that short history lesson on pirates.” And holy hell, the bouquet he created. So pretty!
“Exactly. I usually get messages like…” He pulls a face. “Something about plundering holes. So much hole plundering from that damn video. Which sure, with the right person, but not with someone that doesn’t know what a boundary is.”
I squint one eye and hook my pointer finger. “Argh, flower Daddy, won’t you plunder me hole for orgasmic pleasure? Something like that?”
“Exactly like that.” I swear Clay’s eyes twinkle as he chuckles.
“Yeah, ew. Totally gross. I tend to get creepy messages asking me to draw them like my French girls. I’m like… why are people still quoting theTitanicmovie?”
We’re still just standing in my doorway, but the conversation flows. Why is it so easy to talk to Clay?
Clay rolls up his sleeves, and it takes everything in me not to drool. Forearm porn is my catnip. Even if it’s just a rolled up Henley. “Why was your day draining?”
“I had a lot of rejections lately and it just got to me.” But with the hottest neighbor ever, I think I can manage. Maybe we’ll be on the same schedule and I’ll get to see him on my way tothe shop. I open my door and silently thank myself for always cleaning up after myself. Jacob raised me after our parents died in a car crash when I was ten and he was twenty. I never wanted to be a burden to him, so I always cleaned up after myself and I still keep the habit. “Come on in. If you haven’t eaten, I’ll make us something.”
Clay looks around, and I try to keep from fidgeting. “It’s not much, but I love this place.”
“I can tell. There’s a lot of good energy here.”
I nod. “I’ve only been here about a year and a half, but it’s home now. Food?”
“Me and Izzy had pizza.”
My stomach decides to sing the song of the whales right this instant.
“One sec.” Clay leaves and for whatever reason, my heart aches for it. I like him here in my space, even if we’ve only just met. While he’s gone, I kick off my shoes and put my bags in my bedroom. By the time I’m back in the living room, he’s standing at the door holding a pizza box. “If you like pepperoni, I’m happy to share the rest with you. I could eat again.”
I’m not worthy of the smile he gives me.
“Pepperoni is my favorite.” I nod towards the kitchen, where he follows me. I wave at the table. “Have a seat.” I grab a couple of plates and set them on my small table, then grab some bottled water. I’m about to have dinner with flower Daddy!
Chapter 4
Clayton
I never thoughtI’d meet the beautiful Milo_lovesartandbooks. Never even thought about it. Damn Izzy, but bless her, too. Milo’s even sweeter than I thought he’d be. Welcoming me into his apartment, chatting with me. His pretty blue eyes are so expressive. I want to run my hands through his dark blond curls. This almost feels like a date.Almost.
Milo wipes his mouth with a napkin. “Can I ask you a question?” His eyes drop to the table.
I nod and take a drink of water to give me something to do. “Ask away.”
“Why’d you move here, of all places? I know whyIdid. It’s because my brother moved here for love and he’s the only family I have left. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made because I’ve never felt more at home and I have a bigger found family. Not that I didn’t have people in Louisville because I did, but this is where Ifeelat home.”
“If you follow me on social media, and it sounds like you do...”
Milo gives me a sheepish nod.
“Nothing to be embarrassed about.” I grin. “I follow you too and have since I saw the video of you chatting about your top three favorite books of the month all those months ago.”
“Which one?”
“There was a pirate book? I can’t exactly remember which month, but I got sucked into the passion you spoke with. It’s endearing.”
Milo goes pink. “Books saved me. So did art.” He runs his finger over the edge of the table. “But I don’t want to talk about that right now,” he whispers.
“No, sorry.” I want to reach out and take his hand, but I refrain. “Anyway, I broke up with my partner of four years, about six months ago. We grew apart from each other. Then instead of talking things through or ending it, he cheated on me. It was big. People wrote articles on it since I’m a social media star and he’s a model. I got tired of seeing his face everywhere I went in New York. Plus, my sister and my niece live here and I wanted to come back. My sister still doesn’t know I moved home. She just knew I was moving. I wanted it to be a Christmas surprise that I’m here.”
