Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 123877 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123877 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Living in Coronado had its benefits. The sheer volume of physically fit men was a plus to staying in the area. Thane shoved his chair away from the table and got to his feet. Julian watched him move around the table, his gaze focused out the window. That was strange for the new Thane Walker. As a reformed rake, Thane rarely let his eyes wander to anyone other than Levi.
The scraping of Arik’s chair against the floor had Julian looking his way. Arik’s gaze was transfixed on the men too. And Arik’s new husband held all of the man’s attention generally.
Julian found himself automatically rising too, lost to the bizarre behavior of the two men. Arik wrapped his arm around Julian’s shoulder, guiding him out of the office to follow Thane. Something was off, but he’d play along until he could figure it out.
“Have you seen the rooms surrounding the conference center? They’re newly decorated. Kellus designed the theme. It’s a first for us. He’s charging me a ton of money. You’d think I’d get a family discount.” Arik kept up the inane chitchat as he urged Julian out the door. Arik only paused, still holding on to Julian as he reached back to shut the door behind him.
“Why do I need to see the rooms?”
Thane’s stride had purpose as he went for the door the pack of military men just exited from.
“Moving a little slow there, Cullen?” Arik teased, ushering Julian through the door Thane had just entered. Julian wasn’t prepared for the heart-stopping scene he encountered. The muscular thighs and ass had him catching his breath. Beckett was bent over a box of supplies, his hard, suntanned body on full display in a tight-fitting T-shirt. His broad expansive chest stretched the material to its limit. But those tight clingy shorts—short shorts—gave his imagination a workout.
Beckett looked back over his shoulder, spotting him, and rose, letting the supplies in his hands fall into the box. Sweat dotted his brow, and he wiped it away with an arm while standing to his full height, concern marring those handsome features. The man was fucking breath-taking. Bowed chest, broad shoulders, thick arms. Julian’s mouth watered. Why would Beckett ever hide that body underneath a jacket? Reservations’ dress code was a menace if it covered the likes of Beckett St. Clair.
Beckett’s surprise morphed into something more serious as his brow furrowed. “Did you not get my text, Walker?”
Although Beckett stared at Julian, he spoke directly to Thane.
Since when did Beckett get on texting terms with Thane? Julian scowled in Thane’s direction, waiting for an explanation of why he’d been dragged in here. Thane was clearly up to something again.
Chapter 12
Though caught completely off guard by the sight of the three men standing in the doorway, only one drew all of Beckett’s attention. Julian always looked like a million bucks with his sharply dressed good looks, and today was no different. Beckett shifted his gaze to Thane then to Arik before cutting back to Julian.
“Thank you for agreeing to work with Julian,” Arik Layne said, removing his arm from around Julian’s shoulders to step forward, his hand extended for a shake. Beckett reached for a hand towel nearby and wiped his sweaty palms before shaking Arik’s hand, not happy with this ambush at all.
Beckett saw the exact moment Julian realized what was going on. Outrage and disappointment flashed across Julian’s handsome face. “You’re in on this?”
“No.” Beckett shook his head, running the towel over his sweat-damp hair. “Well, I was approached, I guess. It’s hard to tell them no, but I backed out after we talked last night.”
Julian’s brow arched as he crossed his arms over his chest and shifted his accusatory stare from Beckett to Thane. “You’ve gone too far.”
“Julian, this is what he does for a living,” Thane explained. “He’s got your best interest at heart, and he’s given his promise to be discreet.”
“Oh no. Absolutely not.” The words held finality. Julian whirled around in both elegant grace and fury, exiting the room in three long strides, leaving the three of them standing there in stunned silence.
Without any real plan, Beckett started out of the room to go after Julian. At the door, he spared a glance at Thane. “Dude, what are you doing? I told you now wasn’t the time. He’s not ready.”
Beckett didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, he took off after Julian, who was hurrying out the main doors of the conference hall. At the entrance, Beckett looked this way and that, but Julian was already on the last step of the stairwell on the right, then rushing across the parking lot toward Reservations. Beckett took the steps down two at a time, wiping at the sweat on his face as he went.
“Julian, wait.”
Julian’s long stride ate up the distance to the parking lot separating Escape from Reservations. The man’s frustration could be heard with every step that pounded against the concrete.