Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 103819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
"Well, sir, I'm not a hippie, I don't guess. My ancestry might actually roll over in their graves had I chosen an anti-government stance. I might have had a moment or two of free love, though, along the way. I can say, since I met Kane, he makes me want to be a better man." Rodney reached out a hand to give Avery a quick good-answer slap.
"Kane Dalton's a good man, better than anyone I've ever known. He deserves that back. I heard you were here to get into politics. How's that gonna work?" Paulie asked, taking a big long drink of his whiskey without a single wince at the burn as he swallowed. Clearly whiskey was the man's drink of choice.
"Paulie, give the guy a break. It's their second date," Markie said, sliding a drink tray onto the bar.
"Date?" Paulie gave a grunt. "Nobody ever goes on a real date anymore! My Marjorie and I, now we had some good times out together. Kane deserves to be taken out on the town."
"Paulie," Kane warned, coming up from behind. He carried a rack filled with glasses. The restaurant was officially closed, and they were in cleaning mode now.
"Paulie! Paulie! Is there a parakeet around here? You do deserve to be taken out. There's nothing wrong in saying it, and I think this pretty boy has it in him to take you out, show you a good time." Kane cut his eyes over to Avery, clearly embarrassed. Avery just grinned back. This was a family. A tight family and he loved to watch them interact.
"I'm sorry," Kane shot out when Paulie was done with his rant.
"No need," Avery said. He tended to agree with Paulie, and he was definitely up to the task of taking Kane out on the town. By this time, most of the restaurant staff had gathered around them at the small bar. Rodney worked to supply everyone a drink, seeming to know what each person wanted without asking. Paulie was their patriarch, and Avery wondered if perhaps they were all a little misplaced in the world, but together they'd found a unit.
"Paulie, you know who his granddad is, right? He's President Adams," Kane interjected. The statement came out of nowhere and didn't fit the conversation at all. Kane had just tried to change the subject. Sneaky man.
"No kidding?" Paulie took the bait, turning fully on his barstool to face Avery. "Now that was a good man. A statesman. Our last true statesman. Best president we ever had."
Paulie went off on the wonders of Avery's grandfather's administration while Kane looked at him, raised a finger, and mouthed to give him a minute. Avery nodded, kept the amused smile on his lips at the old man who never stopped his lecture on the wonders of Avery's grandfather's policies. Kane held true to his word. He came back in a few short minutes, a duffle bag in one hand and coat in another.
"Lock up for me tonight?" Kane asked Rodney.
"Absolutely," Rodney immediately shot back, giving Avery a wink. Avery pulled his wallet out, tried to pay. He'd had four or five drinks over the last few hours, but all three men were immediately on him. Apparently his money wasn't any good at the bar, which was a first for Avery.
"Go on! You two have some fun. The night's still young," Paulie called out, waving them on. Kane seemed more than happy to oblige, already halfway across the restaurant before Avery had his wallet tucked in his back pocket and his coat shrugged on.
"Good night, thank you." Avery jogged the steps until he reached Kane who now held the front door open for him.
"I was gonna change, but I didn't take the time. I'm sorry about that in there. He's getting old, too old really, to be doing all this," Kane said as soon as they got a safe distance from the front door.
"No, it's fine. They're protective of you. I admire that," Avery said, dropping his hands in his pockets. Kane seemed immune to the cold as they walked stride for stride toward Avery's apartment.
"He is, for sure. He's been like that since the beginning. He took me in when my parents kicked me out. I owe him everything. I'm not sure where I'd be today without him," Kane said. Avery jogged ahead, opening the front doors to his building for Kane. Security sat at their station, acknowledging him with a nod as Avery shivered in the warmth of the lobby. After a couple of steps, Avery reached out and took Kane's hand in his, entwining their fingers. Kane's hand was warm against his, and he imagined his body would be too. Neither spoke a word as they walked, hand in hand, toward his bank of elevators.
"I like your restaurant. Those are good people," Avery said, trying to find something to say. His entire body was focused on finally being able to touch Kane again. "You won't have to get me too drunk. I did lots of that work for you."
"Good, then we can get right down to business," Kane said quietly, looking around to make sure no one was in hearing distance.
"What? Was that a joke? Did Kane Dalton just lighten up enough around me to joke?" Avery teased, stepping in closer, standing chest to chest with Kane.
"Ha ha," Kane said, grinning. He didn't step back, just stood there with his head tilted slightly up, looking Avery in the eyes.
"I like when you smile, and when you laugh. You've done more smiling tonight than the first two nights I saw you." Avery's gaze lowered to that sexy mouth. Images of his cock sliding between Kane's perfect lips had stayed with him most of the day. Now they turned his half arousal into something hard and solid.
"I'm nervous around you," Kane admitted. Avery liked how Kane just spoke the truth. There was no cat and mouse with him. He didn't hide himself or make Avery guess what was going on inside his head.