Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 113741 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113741 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Gage stepped in closer and Trent could only stare. The guy stood easily six foot two inches tall, an inch or so taller than Trent. His hair was longer than he ever remembered seeing it, but still short and looked a tamed, wavy blond. His eyes were deep slate blue, his skin a golden dark suntanned, and Gage wore an easy smile, with some of the fullest lips he’d ever seen. Gage Synclair looked extremely handsome in print and photos, but to see him in person shocked all of Trent’s senses. It took another second for him to understand Gage Synclair’s mouth moving.
“I’m Gage, this is my place. I’m guessing you’re the electrical contractor?” He thought Gage may have repeated himself, but he wasn’t one hundred percent certain. After another long pause and a bigger grin spreading across Gage’s perfect lips, Trent finally answered.
“I’m a huge fan. I know all of your work and bought your books. I’ve followed your career for years. I knew you were putting up a place. I just didn’t know this was that place,” Trent rambled, tumbling all his words out. Gage still held out his hand with his eyebrows rising as Trent continued to speak. And still Trent stood there a minute more before accepting the handshake. “I’m sorry, I’m just a really big fan and at a complete loss for words.”
“Thank you. You’re very good on my ego, I’m certainly glad someone follows my work. They do put food on the table. Perhaps we could start with your first name,” Gage said, his gaze never leaving Trent’s as he continued to stay spellbound under the weight of the most perfectly blue eyes he’d ever seen.
“Trent Cooper,” he finally said as the handshake continued.
“Well, Trent Cooper, it’s certainly my pleasure to meet you,” Gage said as his smile turned to a slightly crooked, sexy grin. The look on his face changed, and Gage took on a knowing expression and advanced another small step closer, still never releasing his hand. Reality came crashing back as Trent’s heart picked up a beat. He found himself a little breathless and off balance as he stood in the middle of a job site with a partial hard-on building in his jeans, acting like a teenage girl over her teeny bopper crush. To top it all off, the foreman and most of the sub-contractors were all within seeing distance of where they currently stood close together.
Trent never hid he was gay, but he also never put it out there while working. There were simply too many homophobes in the construction industry. A long time ago he decided to keep all parts of his world separate from one another. Em and Hunter were always first on his mind, but keeping work, dating, and the kids all separated made sure nothing ever got complicated. It was what his children deserved. Pulling his hand from Gage’s hold, he forced his eyes away and cleared his throat. It still took a minute more to look back at Gage and even then, he couldn’t meet those arresting eyes.
“I’m the electrical contractor. I was heading down to the panel box in the basement. I also need to check the inventory levels and check out the roof. Don’t worry, my men will be starting Wednesday morning as scheduled. I only need to get everything lined out. Make sure we’re clear on the end result and go over a couple of things I’ve found,” Trent said it all while looking at Gage’s forehead, wondering why he kept rattling on about schedules and check lists…He never did that.
“Mmmm, well, Trent Cooper, I could certainly tag along, show you around. I saw the site foreman has a thing for my new curator. You might need a tour guide around the building,” Gage said. Trent could feel Gage’s eyes still on his, but he never lowered his gaze to test his theory. Luckily, before he could respond Gage’s phone began to ring at his belt. The guy palmed the phone and answered within a second, but Gage still looked directly at Trent.
“Gage Synclair, hang on a minute,” Gage said into the phone before lowering it and covering the receiver with the palm of his hand.
“I regret I must take this call, Trent. I’ll catch up in a bit.” Gage finally turned his head away and spun around on his heels. A small trickle of sweat began to work its way down the side of Trent’s face as he watched Gage in almost a slow jog, trying to get to his office before he spoke again into the phone. He could only catch something about Mexico before Gage closed his office door.
If he remembered correctly, Gage worked on one last case, something he’d started a few years ago. Since Trent followed every story so closely, he found himself in a fierce internal battle. Part of him needed Gage to leave him alone, he wouldn’t have been able to hold out for too much longer before he started gushing, but he also loved the intrigue of investigations Gage put together. No one else dug as deep or found the loopholes Gage found while investigating a story. Whatever called him away may have something to do with his last investigation and wouldn’t he absolutely love to know what it might be.
After a minute, he forced himself to focus solely on his surroundings and turned from the spot he apparently rooted himself to. He reminded his legs how to move across the floor and walked straight to the basement door. His head and eyes stayed trained on the door knob, not looking at anyone else in the room. Suddenly, he dropped the clipboard in his hands low to cover the bulge he just realized he sported in the front of his jeans.
From the very moment he met Gage Synclair, the room narrowed in on him until the heat of the moment dripped down his face. Gage stunned him, making it impossible to see anything other than the man who stood in front of him. Then just as quickly, the room popped back open, pulling everyone there back into this minute. Hell, for all he knew everyone in this room, gay or straight, could have responded the same as he did when meeting Gage freakin’ Synclair. Of course he wouldn’t be alone in the awe he felt.