Page 14 of Break the Rule
“My name could be Addy,” Eden asserts.
“Could be,” Charlie grins. He doesn’t lean closer or move into Eden’s personal space. “But we both know it’s not.”
“Whatever,” Eden grumbles. Sure he was full of shit, but he doesn’t need to be called on it.
“So are you going to give me your real name tonight?” Charlie asks with a smile. His teeth are so straight he probably had regular dental care or braces. Maybe both. Eden runs his tongue along his own uneven teeth, reminding him of why he so rarely smiles.
Charlie really is stupidly handsome with his messy hair and tan skin and a blinding smile. The fucker.
“What, you think just because you rescued me from some dickhead making unwanted advances you deserve my name?”
“Here I was hoping you’d give it to me just because you thought I was cute.” Charlie’s expression softens in a way that makes Eden want to run away. People don’t look at Eden like this. They look at him with attraction or annoyance. Hell, even confusion sometimes, depending on what he wears. Definitely not with whatever the fuck expression is on Charlie’s face right now. “You don’t owe me anything for intervening, especially not your name.”
It’s a very decent thing to say; Eden has no idea how to reply. He can’t even be rude right now because that would make him an asshole, and while he’s half-feral and definitely uncultured, he doesn’t want to be a dick when it’s unwarranted.
Charlie shoves his hands in his pockets, hunching his shoulders. “Look I’m the first to admit I’m a flirt, but I don’t ever want to direct that somewhere it’s not wanted. I thought maybeyou were a little interested in me, but if you’re not that’s alright. I can leave and?—”
“One night,” Eden interrupts, because if he has to listen to Charlie for one more second, he’s going to get himself fired. Whether that’s from dropping to his knees or getting in a fight, Eden has no fucking idea.
“Huh?”
“One night.” Eden squares his shoulders, refusing to show an ounce of the insecurity he feels. “One fuck,withrules.”
“Okay,” Charlie agrees, even easier than he expected.
“You don’t even know what my rules are yet,” Eden points out.
“I’m still in,” Charlie says.
He’s either a masochist or a dipshit. Somehow his reckless stupidity turns Eden on, which is absolutely fucking ridiculous.
“I can’t tell if you’re that desperate or?—”
“A slut,” Charlie finishes loudly, earning them several confused stares.
“I mean I wasn’t going to say it out loud.”
“But you were thinking it,” Charlie laughs.
Eden shrugs. He can be polite sometimes, but he sure as shit isn’t a liar.
“What makes you so sure it’s not just me being mesmerized by you?” Charlie asks.
Well, that settles that question. Charlie’s a dipshit with questionable judgmentandtaste. Eden is a walking red flag. He knows it, other people know it. Charlie must know it. Why he wants to fuck is beyond Eden, but he’s too grumpy and horny to care about someone else making questionable life choices. Charlie is clearly old enough to make his own decisions. For whatever reason, he wants Eden, and Eden wants him too. There’s no point in denying it when he’s got a goldenopportunity for a no-strings-attached fuck with a hot guy who will likely move on to someone new tomorrow.
The only thing holding Eden back is that he doesn’t like running into the people he’s had sex with. Fucking someone with such a close degree of separation from his only job is exactly the kind of messy entanglement Eden normally avoids. He should just say thank you and move on. Then again, Eden’s been working this serving job for a few months, and this is the first time he’s seen Charlie at this gallery. After tonight, he might never see him again. In fact, he hopes he never sees him again.
Just because he’s itching for sex doesn’t mean he needs to fuck Charlie. Heshouldn’tfuck Charlie. He could pick someone up at a club or anywhere else. He should pick up anyone else.
Alas, Eden rarely does what he should.
“Tonight. One and done. No phone numbers. No feelings. No repeats. You in?”
Charlie’s smirk is unfairly sexy. “I’m in.”
4CHARLIE
Charlie speedsthrough his front door, hinges creaking as he slams it shut behind him. He spares the few seconds needed to lock the deadbolt before all but running to his bedroom, shedding clothing in a trail on his way. His colorful silk shirt gets tossed on the back of his couch, Crocs kicked across the room and boxers and suit pants dropped in a heap on the floor.
