Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Laurie shrugged. “I haven’t even really thought about it. All I thought about for so long was getting as far away from Tommy as I could. It didn’t matter where I went. I would have gone anywhere I could find a job and support myself as long as I was safe.”
“You had to know Beck was willing to help you.”
He sighed. “For a long time, I refused to see how bad things really were. By then, Beck had moved to Chicago, and we grew apart. I didn’t feel like I could ask him to bail me out.”
“I’m glad you finally called him.”
Laurie frowned. “I don’t know how glad he is right now.”
“If he’s angry at all, it’s with me, not you.”
“I’m not sure about that. You honestly didn’t recognize me, but I knew who you were.”
That made me smile. I liked that he knew who I was, and that he’d trusted me. I especially liked how obvious it was that he wanted more. “What about New York? You could move there.” I knew this was territory I shouldn’t be in, but I couldn’t help myself.
“I’ve never been there. I’d love to visit sometime, but I don’t know if I’m cut out for living there.”
“You could live anywhere you want to.”
He looked away. “I can’t live off your charity or Beck’s. I won’t do that. These weeks of vacation are an aberration.”
“You’re going to need money to get started.”
He exhaled. “I’ll consider a loan, but that’s it.”
“We’ll see about it. Why don’t you come to New York with me? I could show you around.”
“After you take me on your yacht?”
“Yes.”
Laurie shook his head. “I’ve got to start looking for a job.”
“I’ll help with that.”
“I don’t know how we’re going to make it through our time here and not piss Beck off more, much less….”
“Don’t go there, just think about whether you’d enjoy it or not.”
“You know I’d enjoy it. I’d be with you.”
My pulse sped up, and the room started to spin. Did he mean that? Oh fuck, I was in deep. I’d sworn this couldn’t happen to me, and here I was experiencing it. No wonder my friends had all acted like they were losing their minds when they met their partners.
Laurie enjoyed the rest of the meal as much as he had the crab cakes. We finished with Irish coffee and devil’s food cake flambéed in rum with vanilla ice cream on top. We were both full of good food, buzzed from the alcohol, and even more drunk on each other’s company.
I loved watching Laurie’s reaction to everything: the solicitousness of the staff, the care that was taken with each course that was brought to us, the perfection of the food. The longer we lingered at our table, the more we began to reach across the table to touch each other, and we stopped hiding the longing in our expressions.
I’d eaten plenty of incredible meals with people who were indifferent to the magic of the food presented to us. I’d dined with people who appreciated the food but barely noticed the setting. I’d never seen someone have an experience like this for the first time. Laurie took in the evening with all of his senses, and I was enchanted. I wanted to take him right back to the room and kiss every inch of him, but I’d promised to take him dancing, so that was where we headed next.
15
LAURIE
Worth took my hand as we walked to the door of the club. I knew I shouldn’t let him. I shouldn’t have agreed to any of this, but my feelings for him were becoming so much more than desire for hot sex with a man I chose, a man I actively wanted. I was falling hard for him.
That thought should make me run as fast and as far as I could, but where was I going to go? Back to St. Louis and risk Tommy coming for me? To Chicago to beg Beck to let me come stay with him? With my tiny savings, I might manage a week on my own before I would have to find a job. Or I could hold this beautiful man’s hand and follow him into a place I would never normally go and enjoy the fuck out of the time we had. The bouncer nodded to Worth and ushered us inside. How could I possibly say no to this? Why would anyone want to?
The thumping beat of the club made it impossible to talk, but I knew Worth would take care of me. More than that, he’d make sure I had every comfort, every luxury on offer. He led me up a few stairs to what was clearly a VIP section.
We took a seat and server came to us immediately. I ordered a Moscow mule and Worth got Scotch and water. It was slightly quieter up here, and we had a good view of the dance floor. Worth gestured toward the mass of dancers. “Go on if you’d like, I’ll stay right here and watch.”