Chapter 1
Pizza Guy
“Could you be a bigger fucking dork?” Whojust randomly showed up with food and said “Date me”?
I continued to mumble to myself. “He’sgoing to think I’m insane.”
And he’d probably be right.
This was all that wide-eyed sub’s fault.
He just had one of those faces that seemed tooearnest to question. It hadn’t felt like he’d been lying. No, he’d been tellingthe truth. Fuck. Please let him have been telling the truth—because walking upto Warner’s door wasn’t the time to start second-guessing bringing dinner tothe sexy man.
This was definitely all Asa’s fault. He’dturned my life upside down in a matter of seconds. One slightly awkwardconversation at a coffee shop had been all it had taken to have me walking upto Warner’s house with a pizza in hand when he had no idea I was coming, muchless that I was interested in him.
This was going to be a fucking disaster.
I’d been delivering pizza to Warner everyFriday for months until recently, and even though we’d barely exchanged ahandful of personal words, there’d been something about the man that had pulledat me. But I hadn’t even been sure the sexy man was gay, much less a Dom like I’dwanted.
He’d clearly been thinking something similarbecause according to Asa, the sub of a friend of Warner’s, he’d been talkingabout me for just as long. Asa had assured me that the pull wasn’t one-sided,but I just hoped he’d read the situation right. Otherwise, the next few minuteswere going to be very awkward.
Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself Iwas strong and could tackle a bit of embarrassment before balancing the box inone hand and ringing the doorbell. It was such a familiar motion that itbrought back all kinds of memories as I stepped back.
How many times had Iwaited in this exact spot, desperately fantasizing that when he opened the doorit would turn into something dirty and erotic, like a bad porn, but with betteracting and genuine desperation?
I wasn’t sure how long it would take beforemy wait would be over, but in seconds, I saw movement through the windows nearthe door. As the door opened, the first thing I noticed was the surprise on Warner’sface and the second was the phone in his hand.
There was a split second of silence beforehe spoke into it. “I’m sorry. I’m going to have to cancel the order.”
The reply from whoever was on the phonemade him smile. “No, everything is fine. Yes, you’re right, I love the food,but I have unexpected company and it seems that my plans for the evening havechanged.”
The other person must have disconnectedquickly because he glanced down at his phone before sliding it into his pocket.
His eyes darted back and forth between thebox and my face before he gave me a teasing grin. “I really hope that’s for usto share because I just canceled my dinner.”
The laughter in his gaze snapped me out ofmy stupor. He’d always been so careful with me; seeing this side of hispersonality was enough to get my brain going again. “Yes, that’s what I hadplanned. I had an interesting conversation this afternoon, and it gave me apush.”
I swallowed and continued. “Hopefully inthe right direction?”
Warner’s smile dropped the teasing edge,looking earnest and confident. “Yes, I think so.”
Stepping back, he gestured for me to comein. “You have me very curious about this mysterious conversation.”
Following him inside had a small hurricaneforming in my stomach. It didn’t feel wrong or unsafe, but it was almost likestepping into a dream. Reminding myself it was real, I forced my brain to stayon track so he wouldn’t think I was hesitant about showing up.
Smiling, I returned his teasing grin as heclosed the door. “It was unexpected.”
My response had his smile widening. “Well,if it brought you back to my door tonight, I’m grateful.”
As he led me into his living room, I had toquestion him. “You’re more…flirty than I’d expected.”
Not that it was a bad thing, but I wascurious.
Warner shrugged as he walked us over to adining table tucked between the open layout of the kitchen and the living room.As he stopped, he leaned against a chair. “I assumed seeing you show up likethis meant you were something other than straight. Am I wrong?”
Shaking my head, I felt my cheeks heat. “No,you’re not wrong.”
Another teasing grin flashed over his facebefore he went back to just looking pleased. “Then I’m just going to relax withthe sexy man who showed up on my doorstep, and no matter how things turn out, I’mnot going to bother trying to look too stoic. Sound good?”
