Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 103637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Mike hummed. “I imagine you’d like to put every single detail on paper. Every perfection and imperfection,” he said as they emerged behind the museum to bright sunlight hitting their eyes.
There are no imperfections, Arden thought. “You know me, I’m all about anatomy.” He winked, sparkling with joy over being able to be loosen up this much.
Mike entwined their fingers, and they walked along the building, toward the entrance. The mood was perfect, the sun kissed Arden’s face, and they were like any other couple spending time together. And then, Mike’s phone beeped.
He exhaled and picked up the call. “Yeah?”
Arden used this moment to put on his shades, but the scowl twisting Mike’s features made him stall. Was something going on? Would they have to speed back home?
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll deal with it. See you tomorrow,” Mike said and put his phone away.
“Everything okay?” Arden asked as they entered the shade of the building. He couldn’t believe Mike planned all this for him. Even the air smelled better around here, and he could breathe easily for the first time in two months. Luke was so far away he felt like a bad dream, and his pretend-boyfriend wasn’t ashamed of holding his hand in public.
They would have been perfect together if Mike didn’t see their arrangement as a game to startle and shock people.
Mike groaned. “It’s the Jarens again. Mom says I need to talk to them, but what is there to talk about? I’m not getting married.”
Arden’s cheeks tingled when he saw a large poster featuring a bare-chested hunk with very masculine features and a muir cap. He knew what the exhibition was before he saw its title.
Mike sniggered and pressed a kiss to the side of Arden’s head. “Thought you’d be interested. Didn’t think they showed gay porn in galleries, but you learn something every day.”
Arden’s heart beat so fast he had to take several deep breaths to settle his nervous excitement. Not only because he was a huge Tom of Finland fan, but also because Mike had taken his time to research local events and found it for him.
“Maybe one day my art will be on display in a place like this?” he mused, pulling on Mike’s hand so they’d reach the ticket counter faster.
Mike grinned and paid for everything, like he always did, then picked up the map and led the way. Arden could see himself following Mike like this on many trips to come, being a permanent feature on the back of his bike, and wearing the property vest he didn’t dare ask about.
“Your boys are prettier than his. You could totally dethrone him. You just need a good manager,” Mike said, proving that he had no idea who Tom of Finland was or why he got so famous. But that was okay. What mattered was that Mike cared.
They were about to enter the elevator when Mike’s phone rang again, once more about the Jarens. It was a bit unnerving for the topic to come up so unexpectedly, but Mike calmed Arden by saying that if something serious happened, Dad would have told them to come back. But unease still curled in his heart.
”Are you prolonging the fake-dating me to get them off your back?” Arden asked, his voice quieter than he would have liked.
Mike rolled his eyes and entered the elevator. “I don’t give a fuck about them. They can all line up to suck my dick, and I wouldn’t have given them the time of day. I just wish they’d fuck off already, but confrontation seems unavoidable.”
A member of staff, who joined them in the elevator along with a couple more people, cleared her throat. “Sir, please, refrain from such language.”
Mike showed her his palms and apologized.
“Is that girl really so obsessed with you?” Arden laughed, but he scanned Mike from head to toe in appreciation. Anyone would have grown an obsession if they tasted a stud like him. The tattooed arms partially hidden by the sleeves of Mike’s black T-shirt were so lickable Arden imagined himself tracing each line of ink with his tongue. Right here, where everyone could see.
Unaware of Arden’s lusty thoughts, Mike shrugged. “Not really. She was just fed up living with them. She really wanted to skip condoms, so my theory is she’s desperate to get married and leave home. She was barking at the wrong tree anyway, since I got the snip. Told her she should just move out, but she doesn’t think that’s an option. Funny story, actually. Two years ago, Leo was itching to get married to pretty much any girl. But if he succeeded back then, he wouldn’t have gotten together with Zolt, and I would have missed out on the juicy opportunities to tease him.”
“But he’s bi, right?”
Mike shrugged, his brows lowering as the elevator opened and they entered a somber white corridor. “No idea. He was always so desperate around the girls that maybe he wanted to hide something. Doesn’t matter, does it?”