The furniture designs were simple, which Jake would probably be happy for. The lighting and plumbing fixtures were just what they’d seen in her parents’ house. Or at least, as close as could be spat out by the app. The landscaping as well. The only real changes that stood out as Evander craned to see the screen were in the finishes. The house they’d toured was mostly wood and fake stone, with some very basic fabrics in the mix, save for that quilt Evander had snapped pictures of.
What Melanie picked was all across the board. Exciting, to be sure, but all different finishes of metal in all different colors, mostly dark woods, but with a couple toward the paler end. Stone and laminate and tile. Ribbed fabrics and fake leather and silk. It was a mishmash if ever Evander had seen one, and while it was definitely going to provide enough options…he had to speak up. A little. “I like the direction this is going, but is there anything in the various finishes that really stands out?” He gestured…sort of all over the screen, but tried to keep it where clusters of wood or metal were displayed. “Just one or two to hang the rest of the design on so we know which of these should really get themostfocus.”
“I’m sure you can figure it out.” Ozzy came up behind him, somehow unnoticed, and clapped a hand down on Evander’s shoulder. Hard. “You’re great at this. If Melanie thinks of anything, she’ll let us know.” He gave another hard clap, then took his hand away. “I mean, ifIcan see a perfectly reasonable design, I’m sure you have a ton going on. Of course, if you’re not able to—”
“Oh, it’s not about myabilityOswald.” He smiled, but didn’t actually turn full-on to face Ozzy, instead offering most of his attention to Melanie as his shoulder throbbed. “When it comes to the kind of design work I do versus what you do, it’s just better to give people some more choice in the matter. I know your landscaping doesn’t need as much knowledge.”Thathad been a snipe if he’d ever uttered one, but that hit on the shoulderstung. Plus, it was true. At least in this case. Evander was at a bit of a loss with how to actually structure the design. Freedom was good, but creativity needed borders to really thrive.
“Well, if we’re allfinishedfor now?” Mason inserted himself between the two of them, turning the laptop back to face his now empty chair. He smiled at Melanie. “If you don’t mind, I think we’re going to head back to the hotel. Have to work on some ofthese designs in private so we have something to surprise you with when we start kicking ass tomorrow.”
“All right.” She darted her eyes back and forth between Ozzy and Evander a couple times, then nodded to Mason. “Are you sure you have to go all the way back out there? I know it’s probably a hassle.”
They continued to hash it out, but new pressure appeared on Evander’s sore shoulder. He looked behind him and saw Ozzy, no hint of a smile. He jerked his head toward the back door, sending his bangs flying for a second. “Let’s go have that talk.”
Thegrowlin his voice was clearly frustration, but it hearkened back through Evander’s memories. All of Ozzy’s frustration sounded the same, whether it was with some annoying client or with the job…or because he had blue balls and needed a hardcore bang session. It was the growl that he had when they would come back home after a tough job and just needed to unload.
And in spite of himself, it thrummed through Evander and quaked his knees. He straightened up immediately, but wasn’t sure he got quite the same level of condescending sweetness in his voice as he intended. “I think we should talk back at the hotel, don’t you? I know you and your temper. Melanie will hear when you can’t face a reasonable argument.”
He snorted, but nodded, then moved clear to the other side of the room. And once more, in spite of himself, Evander caught his gaze wandering down to Ozzy’s ass. Even in grungy old work jeans, he had a good ass.
Not an ass I need.He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, like he could make the unbidden thoughts fly out of his ears. They broke up for a good reason, after all. A dozen good reasons.
Even if none of them presented themselves as Evander checked him out.
Chapter nine
Ozzy
As soon as theelevator opened up, Ozzy moved himself in front of Evander, blocking his path for a second as the others filed out to their hotel rooms. Bunny was the only one who didn’t take the hint, staying close as Evander eventually walked out with a sigh and a stretch.
She raised an eyebrow. “What is going on with this dick-measuring contest between you two?”
Ozzy shrugged. “Evander seems to have forgotten that I’ve got an inch on him.”
“Yeah, Ozzy’s memory is bad. So we need to go measure.”
Ozzyhatedhow much fire that rose up in his belly, justthinkingabout actually whipping their dicks out together. In his hotel room. Alone.
Bunny, thankfully, didn’t press too much. “Just don’t murder each other during your talk or measuring or whatever. I still like both of you.”
She walked off and Ozzy gestured around the corner the opposite way. “My room’s here.”
“Oh, so this is on your home turf? Seems unfair.”
Little shit.“I don’t care where we do it. I just want to hash this out before it becomes a problem.”
Evander shrugged, then followed along as Ozzy led the way. The rooms here weren’t anything crazy, and definitely hadn’t been redesigned since at least the early two-thousands—even Ozzy’s untrained eye could make out that much—but the bed was comfortable and the air conditioning kept the temps down nice and cold, like Ozzy liked them.
Made it a great place to have an argument, since he was about to break a sweat and get all kinds of pissed off, if he knew anything about Evander.
As soon as he shut the door, Ozzy grabbed Ev’s shoulder and guided him to the flimsy office chair at the desk in the corner. With a shove, he knocked Evander into it, sending him rolling back. Not much, but enough that Ozzy could take him in. “All right, cut the crap. What is this all about, Evander? And what’s it going to take for you to get off my balls?”
“I got off your balls a long time ago, Oswald.” Evander crossed his ankles and grinned up at Ozzy. “And I’m notdoinganything. I’m trying to make the best house possible for Melanie’s parents. I need the extra entertaining space the patio offers if I’m going to do that. Unless you think her mother is just supposed to host her meetings of the Ladies’ Sewing Circle and Terrorist Society in that cramped little outbuilding, or beg her daughter to let her in to use the house every time she wants to have guests.”
Ozzy rolled all that around in his head, but the question that came out was…it felt important, but not useful. “Ladies’ Sewing Circle and Terrorist Society?”
“My grandma had some pins and shit from it. Pacific Northwest feminist organization. You should bone up on your local history.”
Ozzy rolled his eyes. “What makes you think that you should have carte blanche with any of the outdoor space, if I can be so bold?”
