Page 25 of A Hard Sell

“What else do you get up to on weekends?” Luka asked.

The conversation drifted from there, Thomas sharing what he’d discovered in Oakport so far, Luka nodding along eagerly.

“Have you eaten at Montecalvo yet?”

Thomas shook his head.

“Oh, you have to try it. It’s the next town over, a bit of a drive, but it’s worth it. They hand-make the most incredible pork-stuffed pastries. It’s like you’ve died and gone to heaven.”

“Sounds delicious.”

“We should go sometime.” Luka wanted to bite back the words as soon as they escaped.Holy shit, did I just ask him on a date? Chrissake, Luka!He scrambled. “Sometimes Tawney and I will make a day trip of it. You could come with us.”

Thomas shifted in his seat. “Sure.”

“Okay, great.”

There was an awkward pause while they each took another drink. “So, what made you get into advertising?” Thomas asked, filling the silence.

“Well…I’ve always loved to create things,” Luka said, a little shy. “Things that will touch people, connect with them, speak to them. Maybe make them laugh, or feel inspired. And seeing the ideas that were in my head, fully realized on a screen?” He shook his head. “I remember the first time I saw my work out there… I was folding laundry, watching a rerun ofFriends—had my hands on an old Harry Styles tank top, to be exact—and then there it was—an ad for the Oakport Mountain Lodge. I made that, you know? There’s nothing like it.”

Thomas stared at him for a moment, coffee forgotten in his hand. “Yeah. That’s…that’s exactly it.” He cleared his throat. “But I also enjoy the administrative side—coordinating departments, providing support where it’s needed, helping pull the whole vision together…”

Luka nodded. “You’re very good at it.”

It was Thomas’ turn to look shy. “Thanks,” he said, eyes on the table.

“What do you think you’d do if you weren’t in advertising?”

“Hmm.” Thomas frowned. “Well, I wanted to be a lawyer when I was a kid. I went into Business Admin thinking I’d go to law school once I had my degree. But I spent a few summers working at a law firm and…it wasn’t for me. Too regimented, too structured. Then in second year I took an elective in marketing and fell in love with it.”

Luka pictured Thomas storming around a courtroom or glaring at opposing counsel across a conference table. He would be scary. “Ah, so that’s where you got your sense of style, then?” He grinned. “Lawyers.”

Thomas raised his eyebrows a little before he chuckled. “I feel like that’s a shot, but you’re right.”

“Not a shot! I love your suits.”

“Thanks.” A corner of his mouth lifted. “What about you? What else would you do?”

The answer to that one beat through Luka’s blood like a drum, but he couldn’t say it out loud. “Not sure, something to do with art, I suppose. Like a cartoonist, or, ooh, maybe an art gallery director.”

“That sounds nice. Are there any good art galleries in town?”

They chatted for another while about the local gallery scene and their favorite artists until Thomas looked at his watch. “Oh, wow, it’s gotten late. I’d better head home and take care of a few things.”

“Okay. Thank you for the coffee.” Luka swallowed hard as Thomas stood. His gaze flicked to the bulge in the man’s tights, his face turning bright red as he realized what he’d done.

He risked a glance up at Thomas, who was watching him.Fuck. He saw that.How could he blame him, though? It was very…noticeable.

“Enjoy the rest of your day.” Thomas nodded. A hint of a smile ghosted his lips.

“You, too.” Luka watched him walk away. Speaking of noticeable…

Luka wrenched his eyes back up as Thomas turned and waved before he pushed open the door.

Luka stared after him through the window, the sunlight glinting off the black spandex. He stifled a moan as last night’s dream came back to him. He suspected there would be spandex in his dream tonight. And just like that, he was right back where he started.

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