“Then I guess I’m attracted to loudmouths.” I leaned over and kissed him on the corner of his mouth. “And beautiful mouths.” I kissed him again on the other corner. “And expressive men who aren’t afraid to be themselves no matter what other people say.” This time my kiss landed directly in the center, and I took my time showing his lips exactly how much I loved and respected them.
When I finally pulled back, he was flush-faced and glassy-eyed. Stevie Devore at his most enticing.
“Eat, sweetheart. Don’t forget today’s the day we start stripping.”
His eyes widened before looking away. “Yeah. Stripping. The paint. Are you sure you still…”
“It’s up to you. I’d love to spend the day with you after you get off work, and I’m happy to teach you anything you want to know about wood refinishing. But if you just want to hang out and relax, that’s fine too. I’m sure you’re still exhausted.”
I watched him eat the food I’d prepared and got a strange satisfactionfrom taking care of him. Everything in me wanted to make sure he was well-fed, well-rested, and happy. If he continued working around the clock, not to mention clubbing on his rare night off, he was going to get sick or worse.
“Will you tell me what you’re saving money for?” I asked. “I meant what I said about wanting to help.” I tried to keep my tone gentle and not pressure him, but I knew him to be a proud, independent person.
His eyes glanced over at me before looking back down at his plate. I thought he was going to ignore the question, but he finally spoke.
“My sister wants to take dance lessons.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he went back to eating. Despite his shrug, there was no hiding how important this was to him.
“What about your mom? Doesn’t she have a decent job? I thought she did accounts for Donny at Valley Cross Cement.”
“Got fired when Kade got sent up. Now she works part-time at the vape shop and can’t be bothered to look for something better. Don’t ask—it’s a long and shitty story. Besides, even if she had the money, she wouldn’t spend it on something so frivolous.”
“Didn’t you dance when you were young? I thought you took classes at the dance studio in town.”
He stopped eating and stared at me. “That was before my dad took off when there was money to spare. And how the hell did you know that?”
“I swung by the studio with the old fire chief to pick up his granddaughter once. You were there doing some kind of jazz routine. I remember how tiny you looked compared to the young teenage girls in your class. They all treated you like a baby doll,” I said with a laugh. “And you had the most adorable scowl on your face because of it. I thought you were going to lash out and take them all down in a giant hissy fit. But as soon as the music came on, you were gone. Escaped into your own world. Like a switch flipped. I always wondered if you’d grow up to be a dancer.”
Stevie’s jaw tightened and his eyes blinked rapidly like he was upset. What had I said?
“I really need to get to work,” he said gruffly. “Thanks for the food.”
He put the tray on the dresser as he made his way to the bathroom. The rest of our time together was spent in awkward silence as I drove him to work. By the time I pulled up outside of Sugar Britches, I assumed I’d messed things up so badly, he’d beg off our date that afternoon.
I hopped out of the truck and raced around the hood to open his door for him. “What time do you finish?”
Instead of keeping his distance from me, he leaned his forehead into the center of my chest and let out a deep exhale. “I’m sorry for being moody. I keep trying to get you to see me as an adult, but I keep acting like a child,” he said into my shirt.
I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer. “I don’t want you to be anyone other than who you are. And I know you’re not a child. You’re a bright and beautiful man who works his ass off and still manages to make other people smile and laugh every single day. Sweetheart, don’t you know you’re a shining star? You’re the sun and the rest of us are lucky enough to get to revolve around your steady glow.”
He looked up at me with watery eyes. “Sweet-mouthed motherfucker,” he mumbled with a sniffle. “Will you pick me up at noon? Do you want a coffee before you go?”
“I’ll be here at quarter till. And no coffee. Just a little sugar.” I leaned in and kissed him softly, taking in the early morning taste of him and reveling in the smell of my soap on his skin. He stood on tiptoes to keep the kiss going as I began pulling back.
“Evan?” he asked in a shy, very non-Stevie voice.
“Yes, baby?”
“Do you think… would it really be okay with you if we took a nap this afternoon instead of starting on the green dragon?” His lips curved into a devilish smile, and I realized he wasn’t being shy at all. He was playing me. “I gotta be honest. Sassy and I looked for a woodworking ensemble for me to wear in the workshop, and, well, we couldn’t find anything that didn’t wash me out.” He gestured with his palm in a big circle in front of his face. “This body shows better in a birthday suit than a pair of bib overalls.”
Stevie shuddered dramatically and turned to sashay into the bakery. I couldn’t help but laugh and smack him on the ass before he got out of reach. That cutie could collar me and pull me around on a leash, and I’d consider myself a lucky man.
“You break it, you buy it, Chief,” he called over his shoulder. “Oh, and don’t forget to hydrate. I have plans for you later, and I don’t want you tapping out from old age.”
9
STEVIE
The place was hopping evenby Saturday-morning standards. I’d hoped to work on perfecting a new nut bar I was creating, but there was such a steady flow of customers, it was almost noon before I even had a chance to catch my breath. Otto Wilde came rushing in dressed in his uniform with my car keys in his hand.
