Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry for acting the fool. You were being kind to me, and while I stand by what I said, that neither you nor anyone else gets to tell me what to do, I appreciate where you were coming from, and this…what you’re doing…means a lot to me. You won’t regret it.”
“Oh, I’m sure I will,” he responded with a deep chuckle, but then… Was it me, or was Marcus closer?
“You won’t regret it much,” I amended.
A wave of shivers started in my neck and flowed down the length of my body when he hooked his finger beneath my chin and tilted my head up. “You’re going to test me.”
“Yes.” Why lie? We both knew it was true, and I was pretty fucking sure we both wanted it. For whatever reason, Marcus was just being stubborn.
He rubbed a thumb over my bottom lip. I sucked in a sharp breath before getting myself under control. I sneaked my tongue out and licked it. I moaned when Marcus pushed the digit into my mouth, and then I began to suck. Goddamn, I wanted him so fucking much. When he pulled it out, I tried to bite him, but Marcus’s hand was too quick. “That was hot, Marcus.”
“Yes. Too bad we’re going to live together. It’s just another reason I can’t have you.”
I was frozen, my feet suddenly cemented to the floor. It took a moment for his words to click, and by the time they did, Marcus was already stepping around me and heading for the door. He’d just pulled it open when I said, “Wait. Why?”
He didn’t answer, just kept walking, and damned if I didn’t follow him like a lost puppy. “But you really do want me too? Because that’s a pretty important piece of information. I might be willing to live in the streets to make that happen.”
He chuckled, then slowed down so I could catch up. “Too late now. No fucking if you do or don’t move in.”
“Well, considering I didn’t know it was actually on the table before I agreed to move in, I’m objecting.”
Marcus cocked a brow. “Overruled.”
I sighed as we continued down the hallway. “You like to torture me, don’t you?”
Marcus looked at me, his intense gaze like a caress against my skin. “I can promise you, baby boy, you torture me even more.”
With that, he exited the door and made his way back into the main part of the bar. “Wait! Then why say no? Why do we have to deny ourselves?” I asked, again chasing after him. I had a feeling that was going to be my MO from now on because something about Marcus Alston got to me. I’d never wanted anything as much as I wanted him, and if he felt the same, I damn sure planned to have him.
Chapter Five
Marcus
“Hello and welcome to The Vers, where four friends who rarely agree on anything share their versatile opinions about everything. I’m Corbin Erickson, The Charmer.”
“Marcus Alston, The Realist.”
“Parker Hansley-Weaver, The Romantic.”
“Declan Burns, The Loner,” Dec finished just as Corbin began speaking again.
“Hey! I didn’t interrupt Declan this time.” Corbin cheered, and the rest of us rolled our eyes.
Parker jumped right into the show. “Good job, Corb. I think we should all do a random check-in, and let’s start with…hmm…maybe Marcus? What’s new in your life?”
Fuck. Because of course Declan or Corbin would have told him what happened. I was actually surprised it was Parker who mentioned it. “Nothing to tell,” I replied.
Corbin said, “So we’re not going to talk about how a sexy little twink got you to not only allow him to live with you, but also for you to ask him to do it? Nah, that’s not gonna fly.” Corbin gave me a playful grin, and goddamn it, what had I been thinking telling him the whole story? I’d just been so…well, fuck, shocked that it had happened in the first place that as soon as Corbin and I left the bar, I’d spilled the whole thing. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that Kai had been able to get me to do that. It was completely out of character for me. Maybe I would’ve done that shit with the men in this room with me, but not with anyone else.
“We’re editing this out,” I said.
“You’re no fun,” Parker said. “The rest of us are always getting our shit put on blast. It’s your turn.”
“Yeah, well. That’s different.” As far as excuses went, it was a weak one, but it was all I could come up with. “Can we do the show, please?”
“Not sure if you think we’re solving world hunger here, but this is the show,” Dec said. “This is literally what we do every week—talk shit and annoy each other.”
“Eh, do what you know.” Corbin shrugged. “We’re good at it.”