Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 156808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 784(@200wpm)___ 627(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 784(@200wpm)___ 627(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Barely looking over when the barista called his name, Arik grabbed his cup and went to the door, preparing his surprise meeting. He went through several introductions in his head and decided they were all lame. He’d have to wing it. Adjusting his sunglasses, he looked in the reflection of the window, brushed at his hair, made sure he looked all right, and left the building.
With his heart pounding in his chest, he walked toward Kellus.
“Kellus, how are you?” Arik said, going for a surprised tone. After he said the words, he cringed, deciding they sounded incredibly fake. Kellus startled at his name, then looked up. It was hard to gauge his expression with the sunglasses covering his eyes, but his eyebrows raised and a hand went to the book to keep the page open.
“Hi. What’re you doing here?” he asked.
Okay that wasn’t actually the invitation he needed to drop into the chair across the table, so he stood there, staring down.
“I ended up taking some time off and heard about this area. It seemed right up my alley.” The practiced lie rolled easily off his tongue. He hoped he’d been convincing. When Kellus continued to stare at him, those eyebrows still raised, he decided it wasn’t as convincing as he’d originally thought and tried to explain. “I recently relocated to the Dallas area. I really haven’t had much time to explore everything the town has to offer. It’s an effort on my part to learn the place. And I’m glad I did; I like it down here.”
“Me too,” Kellus finally agreed with a small nod. God, this man made it hard to further the conversation.
“How about some company?” Arik didn’t wait for an answer. He scooted the chair out from the table, taking a seat and his first sip of the hot coffee. “What are you reading?”
“Just Kids by Patti Smith,” Kellus answered, dog-earing the page before closing the hardback.
“I knew you had good taste. It’s an incredible book. Very emotional,” Arik said, crossing one leg over the other, trying for casual.
“Gage gifted me this book a few years ago.”
“I believe he did the same for me too. I have a couple of Robert Mapplethorpe’s prints. Gage gives him full credit for the direction contemporary photography took,” Arik said, reaching for the book, looking over the cover.
“I don’t think Gage is the only one, but I like Patti Smith’s take on the artist and artistry. I downloaded some of her music because of this book. That was quite a time in our history,” Kellus said, placing both arms on the table, leaning closer. “She touches on everything.”
“It’s a powerful book,” Arik replied, nodding as he handed the book back to Kellus.
“I agree.”
They became silent and stared at one another. By his estimation, that same sizzle that always happened when he looked at Kellus had only intensified since he’d seen him last, and he’d bet Kellus experienced it too. He studied the man, noting how his gaze seemed to be assessing. Arik lifted his coffee, taking another small sip.
“I walked around the different booths. I was surprised you weren’t showing,” Arik said, extending his coffee toward all the tents in the street. That was officially a lie. He knew Kellus wasn’t showing today, but he didn’t want to come off as the stalker he’d become.
“I sit on the board now. I’m here as a judge this year,” Kellus explained, never looking away. Arik looked down, brushing away a nonexistent bit of lint on his jeans, praying all this attention Kellus was throwing his way meant something big.
“Have you finished judging?” Arik asked, finally looking up. Kellus still stared at him. He hid a smile as he drank from his coffee cup. For a man who wants to keep things professional, he’d garnered every bit of Kellus’s attention since he’d walked up to the table.
“Yeah, it’s done, but won’t be announced until four, so in about an hour,” Kellus said and lowered his eyes to his phone on the table. “Actually, about an hour and a half. I needed to hang out until then.”
“Good. Why don’t you show me what you picked? I’d love to see what inspires you,” Arik replied, swirling the stirrer around in his cup.
“I can’t let anyone know,” Kellus replied, grinning as he sat back in his seat. Arik’s eyes lowered to Kellus’s massive chest. The T-shirt stretched tight, outlining each well-defined bulge and curve. Arik’s mouth watered, and he swallowed the lump in his throat as he forced his eyes back up to Kellus’s handsome face.
“We’ll be discreet. I’d love to listen to you talk art. It would be like my very own art appreciation class,” Arik added, nodding and grinning because Kellus’s smile was infectious. “Plus, I saw a place called the Pie Emporium. Pie would be considered a guilty pleasure of mine. I like my sweets.”