Page 18 of A Hard Sell

Rory and Thomas won again. They high-fived each other while Finn pouted.

“Good game.” Rory grinned at Finn, offering a hand. They shook, and Luka was sure he wasn’t imagining the spark between them. He shook Rory’s hand, too, then he turned to Thomas.

“Good game,” he said as their hands touched. A spark flashed right up his arm to every nerve ending in his body. Their eyes met as the rest of the bar faded away. Thomas’ chest rose and fell with a slow breath, a small strand of hair spilling over one eye. Luka’s other hand itched to push it back. The smell of Thomas’ cologne mixed with the scent of the dark ale he’d been drinking. The shake went on, Thomas’ grip not loosening.

“Good game,” Thomas said to him, and the rest of the pub snapped back into focus. Finn was snickering. Their hands dropped.

Thomas cleared his throat. “Thanks, everyone,” he said to the three of them. “I think I’ll be heading home.”

Luka nodded, mouth dry. “Have a good weekend.”

“You too.” Thomas nodded, and headed to the bar to settle his tab before making his way out into the darkness.

Luka watched him go. He dreamed about the pool table that night.

Chapter Six

Blackmail

“Morning.” Thomas’ deep baritone startled him.

Luka looked up from his desk where their presentation was spread out. “Oh! Morning.” He took in Thomas’ sharp navy suit. It looked new. His mouth watered at the way it hugged his every bulging muscle.

“You’ve been here a while?” Thomas asked, nodding at Luka’s near-empty coffee cup and paper-strewn desk. He set his bag down.

Luka nodded. “I was up early. Had trouble sleeping.” As of about four a.m., he hadn’t been able to stop going over his presentation in his mind, so he thought he might as well do that at work. Aleandro Sartini himself would be arriving with his team today for an update on their project.

“Me too,” Thomas admitted. “I went for an extra-long run.”

“Well, that’s good. And, you know, no running for me, so…” Luka’s brain started to drift as he pictured Thomas in running tights again, then he shook himself.Have I always been this horny?he wondered before jumping to his feet. “Coffee?” he offered. “I need a warm-up.”

“Mmm.”

Luka now knew that was Thomas for ‘yes’. He headed down the hall and found Finn and Rory giggling together in the staffroom.

“I told you!” Rory laughed. “It goes off the rails in the second season.”

Finn’s grin stretched from ear to ear. “You’re right. I should have listened to you. But it started off so good!”

Rory shook their head. “Think of the time we’ve both wasted now. Maybe if we turned it into a drinking game…”

“Moreno!” Finn announced when he saw Luka approaching the coffee maker. His eyes were sparkling and Luka knew that glow had nothing to do with him. “Ready for the big day?”

“As ready as I can be.” Luka topped up his coffee and grabbed a mug for Thomas. Pure coincidence that it said ‘Marketers Make the Best Lovers’.

“We’ve got this. Aleandro is going to love it,” Finn assured him.

“’Course he will!” Rory chimed in. “You’re both brilliant artists.”

Luka was sure Finn was blushing as he looked down at his shoes.

“Thanks, Rory. I guess we’ll find out soon!” Luka smiled and left them to their flirting.

He carried the coffee back to their office and set Thomas’ down next to his laptop. He studied the big man and saw no sign of any nerves. He was the same as always—calm, quiet, sturdy. Gorgeous.

Thomas looked up at him. “What?”

“Oh.” Luka swallowed hard. “Nothing. I was just—you don’t look nervous at all.”

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