Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
As he selected meats and cheeses, he second-guessed himself. Was this a ridiculous idea? He didn’t even know what kind of cheese Caleb liked. At least he did know Caleb wouldn’t be disappointed when he didn’t include blue cheese.
Maybe he should get them takeout like usual, but he wanted to do something nice. He knew Caleb was frustrated with their situation, and he didn’t want to fuck things up. He liked kissing Caleb way too much.
Rhys still couldn’t believe he’d been the one to initiate things between them. He’d practically jumped Caleb. What was wrong with him? He had no self-control around Caleb. He’d never been like that around other men. He’d enjoyed hookups, but not like he did with Caleb. He’d never needed a man so much he thought he might die if he couldn’t have them.
And it wasn’t just the kissing. Rhys’s face heated at the thought of the other things they’d done, but it wasn’t just sex either. It was Caleb, as a person. Rhys really liked him. What was he going to do if they kept seeing each other? And they would, at least until the festival, but what then? Could they just become friends?
For years, Rhys had only hooked up with guys from out of town so he didn’t have to see them again afterward. He wasn’t any good at being friends with somebody he’d fucked, and that was when there weren’t deeper feelings involved. With Caleb, he was already feeling way too much.
Rhys pushed those thoughts away while he finished his shopping. As he approached the checkout, he realized he might have gotten too much food, but he didn’t know how hungry Caleb would be, and he wanted to make sure he had enough.
“Having a party?” the guy at the counter asked.
“Oh, yes.” It was easier to lie than to say he was panicking about how much he needed to feed himself and one other guy.
“This is my favorite cheese,” the guy said as he scanned the wedge of Port Salut.
“It is?”
“Yes. I’m sure your guests will love it.” Rhys nodded his agreement.
As soon as he was in the car, he hurried home. He wanted to have plenty of time to put things together before he needed to be at Cloud Nine.
A few hours later, Rhys pulled into a parking space a block down from Cloud Nine. He knew they couldn’t keep working together in secret much longer, even if he wanted to, so he decided not to worry about someone seeing him entering Cloud Nine after hours. He was far more worried that he’d made the wrong choice about dinner, but it was too late now. He didn’t have time to get something else or run home. If Caleb didn’t like the charcuterie, Rhys could walk to the pub and get them something else.
He was about to get out of the car when he saw Caleb through the windows. He was wearing dark jeans and a dark green button-up with the sleeves rolled back. He looked incredible. No wonder Tessa had commented on his outfit. Rhys would’ve been happy to get on his knees and lick Caleb’s forearms.
Maybe he would before the night was over, but first, he had to actually go knock on the door.
CHAPTER 20
Caleb paced back and forth as he waited for Rhys to arrive. He had way too much on his mind. No matter how hard he’d tried, he couldn’t let go of how much it had hurt for Rhys to pull away from him in front of Jonah. He’d been prepared for it. He’d agreed not to tell anyone they were even working together, much less… whatever they were doing. But it still hurt.
When he wasn’t worrying about where exactly their relationship was going and how deep his feelings for Rhys had become, he was trying to figure out what Rhys was reading. He’d hadn’t gotten a good look at the book Jonah had brought out for him because Jonah bagged it quickly, but he’d seen enough of the cover to see a shirtless guy in a cowboy hat. Was it a romance? He would never have thought Rhys would be reading something smutty. Should he ask Rhys about his secret reading life?
Caleb was so lost in thought he didn’t even notice Rhys parking out front. Rhys’s knock startled him, and when he turned around, he saw that Rhys had a picnic basket, a wicker one lined with gingham like a fairy-tale princess.
“What’s this?” he asked as Rhys entered the shop.
Rhys winced. “I look ridiculous, don’t I?”
“No, I love this, though a cute little frolicking dress might set it off even better.”
Rhys glared at him.
“I’m serious. Do you know how hot that would be?”
Rhys narrowed his eyes, clearly trying to figure out if Caleb was joking or serious. “It’s just a picnic basket.”