Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
No pressure. Isn’t that what he’d told Oliver? Rory and Robert hadn’t gotten that memo. “So what do I do?”
“Is the advice window open?” Rory asked hopefully.
“Do I have a choice?”
“Afraid not,” Robert said, laughing. “Barbie and I are in this now. I can’t wait to tell your brother. He is going to—”
Matthew sent him a warning look.
“Never hear about this from me,” Robert finished slowly, disappointment sagging his shoulders. “Fine. I’ll keep my mouth shut, but I should at least get more food out of this.”
“Leftovers from the next Finn Again?” Matthew offered.
“That could be arranged,” Rory said agreeably. “We did just flip another Finn over to the Gay Side. That deserves some kind of compensation.”
He wasn’t flipped, damn it. He was…
Fuck it all. He wasn’t sure what he was.
Excited? Confused? Horny as hell and wishing you were in the shower with Oliver?
Yes. To all of the above.
“Coffee,” Matthew corrected his cousin sternly. “For the moment, that’s all this is.”
“And if you don’t play your cards right, that’s all it’s ever going to be.”
“Ignore Nora. He’s a downer.” Rory slid his arm through Matthew’s, guiding him back to his seat. “We need to hurry. We don’t have much time to Cinderfella your oral skills. And yes, you can take that any way you want.”
Matthew eyed the men warily, wondering again why he’d thought they would be the best people to help him with his prickly problem.
Pickle problem. As in, you are in one right now. A big one. And yes, you can take that any way you want.
Chapter Three
Rory: The most important thing to remember is that this coffee date is all about him. Ask him questions about himself and then—and this is crucial—actually listen like there might be a pop quiz later. Don’t be the dick that only talks about himself and his badass Irish upbringing.
Robert: That’s what happened on my last date. I thought she’d like hearing about my trip to Greece. Big mistake.
Rory: Yeah, yeah, we’ll solve your problems later, Nora.
Matthew sat at the small, kitschy coffee shop across from a freshly showered Oliver, admiring the way he wore his street clothes nearly as much as he’d admired those workout shorts. Maybe more, since he’d seen a few men eyeing his date when he walked in and knew he’d have had to fight them off if they’d gotten a look at those sexy bare legs.
Despite all the warnings, the first half hour hadn’t been about conversation at all. Oliver had been too busy inhaling the three blueberry muffins and dozen chocolate chip cookies he’d ordered to go with his large caramel-flavored coffee. The man had a bottomless stomach.
And not a little pride. As soon as he joined Matthew, he’d announced he’d be paying for his portion of the bill, as if he weren’t entirely willing to consider this a date.
Maybe it doesn’t mean anything. Look at how much he’s eating after that workout. He’s obviously lightheaded from hunger.
“We should have gone for pizza instead. I didn’t realize you’d missed dinner.”
He could have offered him some of the leftovers, if Rory and Robert hadn’t inhaled everything before he’d left.
Oliver smiled sheepishly, brushing the crumbs from his chin and the bow-shaped lips that kept drawing Matthew’s gaze.
“I had a turkey sub in my locker and ate it halfway through my workout. I’m still this hungry because I’m always hungry. My metabolism is freakish. My poor grandmother swore I was on drugs for years. It was the only way she could explain her smallest grandchild eating more than everyone else combined.”
“Nothing wrong with a healthy appetite.”
Did that sound sexual?
Only to you, idiot. Stop staring at his mouth.
“How many grandchildren does she have then?”
“You don’t want to hear about my family,” he said firmly, softening his decree with an irresistible grin. “It’s big, crazy and full of constant drama. We’d be here all night.”
“You’ve got one of those, too? Fancy that.” Matthew chuckled, fingers tracing his cup so he wouldn’t reach for Oliver’s hand. “Mine is growing so fast we’ll need to rent out an auditorium for family gatherings soon.”
“Why did you say you were still getting used to them?”
“So I can’t ask but you can?”
“Yes.” Oliver lifted his chin in challenge.
Fair enough. He wanted this man to trust him, didn’t he?
“Now that’s a story,” Matthew started, rubbing his hands together. “I’m not sure if William told you, but I only found out about most of them a few years ago, when I moved to the States. Until then, I’d grown up believing I only had one brother, one sister and one Grump.”
“Grump?”
“Paternal grandfather. It’s a term of endearment.” More of an accurate descriptor for the irascible Aaron Finn. “He never thought I was on drugs, but most of the time he was convinced I was using my computer skills to cheat on tests. The old sourpuss wouldn’t acknowledge my genius and let me skip a grade, he was that sure I’d found a way to rig the system.”