Total pages in book: 20
Estimated words: 18571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 93(@200wpm)___ 74(@250wpm)___ 62(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 93(@200wpm)___ 74(@250wpm)___ 62(@300wpm)
That should be my job.
Down, boy.
He needed to keep things light. He could practically hear Rory’s advice and Robert’s warnings ringing in his ears. Ask him about himself, dumbass.
He was trying.
“Is there any personal information you’re willing to part with? Maybe what you do for a living? I warn you, if you don’t give me something, I’ll have to guess that you’re nineteen and you’ve spent your life in isolation in the Himalayas, training for the Olympics. I’m not sure how else to explain the kind of shape you’re in.”
Oliver set his cup down, eyes sparkling. “Close enough. I’m twenty and I teach dance—think senior citizens and the tango. I also perform with a local dance company. So far I’ve never been the lead in anything, but if there’s a play with a ballroom scene in town? I’ll be in the background.”
He took a breath, looking almost defiantly into Matthew’s eyes. “And I’m incredibly attracted to you, in case this adventure in small talk is you not being sure. I have been since you showed up a few days ago.”
Matthew blinked slowly. A few days ago?
“That’s good to know,” he said as casually as he could, heart thundering in his chest. He had to beat back his primitive instinct to grab the man and drag him to the nearest bed he could find. Any flat surface would do at this point.
Just coffee.
Damn it.
That didn’t mean he couldn’t exact a little revenge for the shocker Oliver had just delivered.
“I’m still enjoying this adventure, though,” he drawled. “And I should have guessed you were a dancer.”
Oliver flushed, looking disconcerted. “Why do you say that?”
“The way you walk. The way you move. There’s a rhythm to it I haven’t been able to get out of my head.”
“Oh. I didn’t realize it was my moves you were staring at.” He swiped his finger through the remaining whipped cream and sucked it between his lips, the move innocent but so surprisingly seductive, Matthew barely held back a groan. Was it wrong that he wanted to be the whipped cream?
“I didn’t even think you were gay,” Oliver told him. “I’m usually a good judge of that kind of thing. I’ve had to be.”
“I’m not.” The denial escaped before Matthew knew what he was saying.
Oliver went noticeably still.
“You’re not a good judge, or you’re not gay?”
Rory had warned him to approach this topic with caution, but the look in Oliver’s eyes really brought home the danger and Matthew started to ramble. “I didn’t even think I was bi until—I mean, you’re the first guy I’ve wanted to—”
Oliver held up his hand. “You don’t have to go into detail about what you wanted. I get it now. Why your family was staring. Why you seemed so nervous. At first, I thought—” He sighed in disappointment, shaking his head. “This isn’t something I’m interested in pursuing. I’d stay and finish my coffee, but I think it would be less awkward for both of us if we end the night now. No harm done.”
If you don’t play your cards right…
Matthew covered Oliver’s hands with his own, holding him in place before he could push away from the table. “Just give me five minutes, would you, Legs? I admit I’m new at all this, but I don’t think you get it at all.”
There was a bitter edge to the curve of his lips. “You don’t think I get it? I know the vibe I give off can be confusing. But despite the way I look, I’m not an idiot or an easy mark. I’m also not desperate.”
The way he looked? What the hell was he talking about? “I don’t think you—”
“You aren’t the first straight guy to want to experiment—though you might be my hottest. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to play therapist and reassure you that coming like a geyser while you suck a man off doesn’t really make you gay. Because it kind of does and lying is exhausting, and I’d rather get the job done myself once I get home. What I’m saying is, if you don’t know what you want by now, I’m not the one who has your answers.”
Matthew flushed, but refused to look away. “You really don’t know my family that well do you? I thought they were infamous in this town.”
Oliver shifted and tugged on his hands impatiently. “I don’t live in a cave, Matthew. Everyone knows about the Finns. Owen’s wedding made the front page.”
“Owen is the perfect example. Everyone was sure he was straight for years. Even Owen. Most of the men in my family didn’t know they were bi or gay or whatever they ended up calling themselves until they got with the right people. It sounds hard to believe, I know. I guess you could say we’re all bloody late bloomers.”