Page 37 of Honorable Convictions
“I hate to get in the middle of your spat, but I don’t think he’s into sports. We’ve been hanging out for several weeks, and he’s never mentioned a team or checked any scores.”
“Several weeks and you still haven’t gotten into his pants? Move right the fuck on.”
“Ignore Cavendish. The chase is half the fun. What’ve you learned about him?”
Telling the guys that Pierson liked to hide and rarely discussed anything outside of work was hitting too close to home, so Mitchell picked up a pen and twirled it between his fingers. “He watches the Eternal Love Channel.”
“He needs romance,” Peter declared. “Lots of it. But you need to find out what pushes his buttons. When you go out, does he try new dishes or stick with the same tried and true order?”
“What the fuck kind of question is that? Who cares what he eats?” Noah demanded.
“Because, if he’s an experimenter, you can either get him some exotic food things or make sure you keep taking him to different types of restaurants so he can indulge in that. If he likes to cook too, you get him a book of recipes. If he’s tried and true, you can stick to classic options that you already know he likes. The bottle of wine he always orders, a glass of¬—”
“Shit, that’s enough. This is for one fuck, not a relationship,” Noah burst out.
“Guess what? You can have more than a single fuck with a person. It’s not a crime,” Peter replied.
“That’s for your mate. Building something with someone else is pointless. You’re asking to be hurt. Someone’s other half is going to show up, destroying all the romantic shit.”
“Wow, someone obviously hurt you,” Peter remarked.
“I’m not going to discuss it. That was a very long time ago, and learn from my fucking mistake. Don’t bother with any of that shit with people meant to be one-night stands. The rest of it is a waste. I’d suggest you shake this guy off and go find someone else.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Mitchell said softly.
“I’m not going to help you figure out how to woo this guy.”
“That’s okay, because I will,” Peter countered. “Learn more about him, Mitchell. When you talk, ask questions.”
“All I know is that his favorite color is blue and that he’s never had a pet.”
“Don’t forget that he’s romantic,” Peter insisted.
Noah rolled his eyes. “You ever buy this dude flowers?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“And?” Peter demanded.
“He put them in a vase and kept them until the damn things were nearly bone-dry.”
“You’ve been to his place that many times, and you haven’t screwed?” Noah exclaimed.
“Shut up,” Peter ordered. “Buy him blue flowers. He’ll love it. Be sure and find out what his favorite kinds are for the future. Find out if he likes to cook. Is he a bath or shower guy? Those are the kinds of things we can work with.”
“I’m going back to work,” Noah announced, getting to his feet.
“I need to get back too, but keep us posted,” Peter insisted.
“I will,” Mitchell promised and hoped he hadn’t made a mistake in letting his friends know he was involved with someone. It didn’t feel like one, especially since Peter’s advice appeared helpful, and Mitchell was going to pick up posies for the romantic side of Pierson that he’d ignored for much too long. Pierson might protest the idea of being wooed, but Mitchell was thrilled at the prospect. To him, it was yet another signal that there wasn’t anything wrong with their match.
Chapter 20
Flush with success, Pierson hummed while he sat on the sofa. Building his list of requirements, he’d already worked with three cities, and he’d taken Mitchell’s advice. Each fallen knight that crossed his path he treated as if they were a client. To his surprise, it was only scary the first day he was in a new place. Once he pushed past his nerves, everyone around him was friendly and cordial. It was annoying, not that it was Mitchell’s idea, but that Pierson’s supposedly brilliant mind hadn’t come up with this solution decades ago.
No longer eating alone, he had acquaintances who were happy to invite him along. At his office in DC, he was making inroads with the personnel there as well. The liaison position was rewarding, although Pierson was already longing for additional cases. There were nine months until his return to Vegas, and that fact no longer saddened him.
When he left DC, it’d be as a different person. Although he should’ve explored himself from the start, it was Mitchell’s words that had penetrated his thoughts. Emotions were frightening to him because inside him was a deep well of regret. Opening that box of things he’d shoved aside for so long was like slicing open a wound, and it was bleeding into his dreams. That morning he’d woken up with such pain he couldn’t keep the tears at bay as he stood in the shower.
