Page 7 of Candy Hearts
Benji almost swallowed his tongue. “This was supposed to be a party. I came to get my mind off my utter aloneness, but instead, the universe has conspired to magnify it.”
“You’re not alone. I’m here.”
Benji waved that comment away. “You know what I mean. The romantic ambiance is wasted on us.”
William made a surprised noise in the back of his throat. After a few seconds, he said, “Why are you alone, then? You’re young and hot and nice. I’d think you’d have partners forming a line.”
“Sexual partners, maybe. It’s a bit harder to get them to stick around.”
“Yeah. I hear you,” William said softly.
Benji narrowed his eyes. “Are we dishing about our sucky love lives? Because I might need some wine for that.”
“Did you bring wine?” William asked.
“No. Do you not have any?”
“Unfortunately not. I was not in charge of food or drinks this weekend.”
“Well, that blows. What are you smiling about?” Benji asked.
William schooled his expression, and Benji could have mourned. “Nothing. You’re very intriguing.”
“Are you making fun of me?”
William sat forward in his chair. “Of course not. I think I could listen to you talk for hours. Even if it’s complaining about your love life. Even if it’s complaining about being stuck here with me.”
“That sounds boring too.”
“What do you suggest we do, then?” William asked.
“It’s your house.” Benji said this petulantly, but with a small, ornery smile. He wanted to goad William into a reaction.
“I have cards.” Benji brightened at that, then William said, “If you want to play Solitaire.”
Benji laughed.
William continued, “You’re welcome to my nonfiction. I own Doris Kearns Goodwin’s entire catalog. There might be a book of Sudoku in my office.”
“So you’re not going to entertain me. Is that the message?”
A charged silence vibrated between them for one breath. Then two. Three.
“Oh, sweetheart, I’d do more than entertain you. If you’d let me.”
Chapter Three
Benji froze. The pet name rushed through him. He loved that shit. Loved to be spoiled, to have sweetness dripped over him like hot fudge. Benji’s sisters claimed he had a compliment kink, which was true, but not a fact he freely admitted.
It made him feel silly to ask for it. It was much better when it happened naturally, when someone just figured it out and fed him nice words and dirty sex in equal measure.
Not that William was offering him dirty sex, exactly. In fact, Benji wasn’t sure what was going on. He could normally tell when he was being hit on, but things with William had been weird since Benji had arrived.
“Are you hitting on me?” Benji asked. It was better to get it all out in the open.
“Would you be okay with it if I were?”
“Yeah. Probably.”
