Page 4 of Five Minute Man
Chapter 4
“Tuesday night is ladies’night,” Adam groused a week later, annoyed that he had been had by his conniving nephew. The fact was confirmed when he read the laminated card clearly displayed above the trench of sugar packets on the table. “You set me up.”
Brandon’s facial expression was just a bit too innocent to be completely believable. “Relax, will you? Just have a couple of drinks, enjoy a nice dinner, and watch the game.” Brandon indicated the huge flat-screen mounted on the wall.
Adam narrowed his eyes. He did have a good, unimpeded view of the screen, and the place really wasn’t crowded at all, at least not where he was sitting. Most of the action seemed to be at the fancy bar on the other side of the restaurant where drinks were half price. Regardless, his bullshit detector was sounding the alarm loud and clear.
“Donoteventhinkof sending a woman over to my table, or buying one a drink and saying it came from me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Brandon lied smoothly.
Adam knew for sure he had been played when two women were seated behind him and Brandon came over to take their drink orders. One was a thirtyish blonde in a stylish gray suit; the other, a petite brunette with cherry colored streaks in her sable hair, dressed more casually in jeans and some kind of loose-fitting top. The blonde had caught his eye as they passed, her pretty baby blues widening with instant interest. The brunette hadn’t even glanced his way.
“Hello, ladies,” Adam heard Brandon say from behind him. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“You’re just saying that because I forgot my bifocals last time and gave you a fifty instead of a five,” one of the women said. Her voice was low and musical, filled with amusement. It was clear she was teasing him.
“You’re not wearing your bifocals now,” Brandon observed.
“No, but it’s Liz’s turn to pay tonight, and she’s a notorious cheapskate.”
Adam discreetly glanced back to see the one called Liz stick her tongue out and flip the brunette the bird at the same time.
Brandon laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind. Now, what can I get you ladies to drink?”
Originally, Adam had planned on eating his meal as quickly as possible so he could get the hell out of there, yet he found himself taking his time. He wasn’t in the habit of eavesdropping, but the two behind him were loud enough to be heard without any effort on his part. They really were a hoot and a half.
One of them—Adam thought it was the blonde—was a systems analyst at a software development company. The other, as far as he could tell, was currently a writer, though judging by the way they spoke about people at the office, he guessed they had both worked together at one time.
The analyst seemed nice enough, but it was the writer that piqued his interest. She had a pleasant, soothing voice that was completely at odds with her rather pessimistic and jaundiced views. Oh, she laughed and made jokes—she really was quite funny— but he heard the cynicism underneath.
It was ironic, really. The blonde worked at a software company, yet still believed there was a Prince Charming waiting out there for her. Meanwhile, the brunette wrote romance novels for a living, yet believed the only thing awaiting her was a bunch of frogs.
They didn’t talk about five-minute orgasms, but they did have quite a detailed discussion on female sexual aids that he found both shocking and rather fascinating. By the time they ordered their after-dinner coffee, Adam was reeling.
As if romance novels and Disney’s false expectations imprinted upon females shortly after birth weren’t bad enough, now a man had to compete with thrusting, revolving, life-like vibrators with front and back stimulating attachments? No wonder modern women were so empowered.
His male confidence suffering a mortal blow, he was just about to slide out of the booth and go home to lick his imagined wounds when he heard something that had the blood freezing in his veins.
* * *
“HEY, DID YOU CATCHthat guy sitting right behind us when we came in?” Liz asked, lowering her voice slightly.
Holly swirled a piece of broccoli around in the buttery cheese sauce that had pooled beneath the chicken. “No. Why?”
Liz shook her head sadly. “No wonder you can’t get any, Holly. The guy was totally hot.”
Holly leaned over in interest. “Do tell.”
“Around our age. Dark brown hair. Gorgeous icy blue eyes; kind of like Ian Somerhalder’s, but more ... I don’t know, intense. And not as pretty. A little rough around the edges, if you know what I mean. Clean shaven, but with a sexy shadow around his jaw. Big, broad shoulders; muscular arms and chest. Couldn’t see any lower,” Liz said, her disappointment evident. “The table was blocking the good stuff.”
“Damn. Think he’s still here?”
“I doubt it. He was by himself, and we’ve been here for hours.”
Holly sighed deeply. “Figures. If he’s really as good-looking as you say, he might have made a good muse. I’m completely stuck on my latest alpha male. I need some inspiration.”
“Sorry, I should have said something sooner. Hey, I think that cute waiter kid was talking to him earlier. Maybe he knows who he is. I could ask.”
