Page 33 of Cosmo

And when he bought condoms and lube, Abs’ eyes were enormous because Liam picked up the large size.

By the time they got back to the pub, he was exhausted, but thankfully, Abs helped him put his stuff away, organizing his closet to boot.

“Now, next weekend, that red silk crop and the black mesh top over it. I’ll do your hair and makeup again and show you how to do it for yourself.”

Liam did something he’d rarely done in his life, and went to Abs, giving him a stiff hug. “Thank you. I really appreciate the help.”

When he pulled back, embarrassed, he forgot his embarrassment quickly as he saw Abs crying. “That was…really sweet.”

“I didn’t mean to…I mean, don’t cry. If you walk out of here crying, your huge friend, Goldie, might come in here and beat my ass!”

“He’d never! He’s an artist too, only with his body. He takes working out seriously. It’s his thing.”

“So even he has a thing.”

“We do too, remember?”

And that’s when Liam felt like crying. “Yes. I do. Thanks, Abs.”

“You’re welcome.”

Chapter Ten

The sky was clear,the temperatures in the high sixties, when Liam left to get a coffee that morning by himself.

The others were nowhere to be found, but that was fine with him. He’d never lived near downtown Denver and had only been there rarely. Getting out and looking around was something he’d meant to do from the first day. People all hurrying by, barely glancing up at him. That was his favorite part of living in the city.

He found the library and went inside, giving his ID to the librarian behind the big front desk. The place smelled like books, and it was a comforting scent. Like centuries of minds flowing onto paper, crafting stories that would entertain and enlighten others.

Anonymity. That was what he loved about the city and what he loved about books. The authors didn’t know him. The characters didn’t either. He was just someone witnessing from the shadows, learning about a life that may not be real, but became that way in his mind.

“You’ve never had a card before?” she asked in her hushed voice.

She was young and rather pretty. He thought librarians were all older ladies, or stiff-necked, middle-aged men. So much for assumptions. “No, never. I never knew how much I liked to read.”

“Well, whatever opened this world to you, I’m glad you’re here. Look around and before you’re ready to check out, this should be finished, and I’ll have your card.”

“Thanks.”

He ambled through the stacks, seeing titles jumping out at him. Imagination flowing, he looked inside his own mind at what he might like to read.

Then, when he thought about it practically, he rushed to the reference books, and to the huge section of cookbooks. There, he found at least ten books on mixology, it was called. Fancy name for slinging booze, but he might as well wear the title proudly. It looked as though he’d have it for a while, at least.

With that kind of money to be made in one night, he couldn’t imagine leaving the job.

He got two books on mixing drinks and then found a good mystery, too. When he took them to the front, she handed him his card. “There you are. These will be due in two weeks, but you can call or get on that website there at the bottom of the card to check them out again, if you like. Only the new books must be back in two weeks, as we usually have a waiting list.”

“Thanks a lot. I’m pretty sure I won’t need longer.”

“Well, I’ll see you then.”

Taking the books to the coffee shop near the pub, he ordered a tall black coffee with three sugars and started on the first mixology book he’d found.

In it were the “gold standards” of drinks, it boasted. Mostly, it was those that had been around for a long time. He read up on those he hadn’t already memorized, laughing to himself over some of the names. Sex on the Beach was idiotic. Nodrink, no matter how great, would compare to sex. Not that he remembered all that well. It had been a while since he’d gotten laid.

“Hey,” he heard from a nearby table. As he turned his head, the guy asked, “Aren’t you that bartender from Murphy’s Pub? Cosmo, they all called you.”

Liam’s eyes locked with those cerulean blues, and he felt his jaw dropping. The same guy he’d been flirting with all the previous night was sitting at a table right by him, laptop open and a half-drunk latte sitting by it.

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