Page 35 of Perfect Matcha
Which Theo was not going to think about.
“Even the nicest person’s eyes glaze over when I talk about bioinformatics.” It wasn’t as if Theo sold high-dollar fetish gear. Now, that was a job that could perk up a conversation.
Hawke laughed. “I think you underestimate your appeal.”
Theo’s face went hot, and he glanced at Camden. Camden nodded at him encouragingly, but Yan was touching his arm and leaning over him to speak to her wife, Diana. Theo zeroed in on that contact, a tight feeling in his chest.
He shifted to face Hawke. He could do this. He could flirt.
“Okay, I analyze hot, hot datasets all day, program very sexy statistical models, and optimize sensual specialized databases.”
Hawke’s mouth tipped up in a grin. He leaned his elbow on the table and turned his body toward Theo like he was advertising to the whole world that Theo had his full attention. “Oooh. Tell me more.”
“That’s about it. The job is remote, so I do my work at Bold Brew most days. I don’t like the silence of my apartment.”
“I love Bold Brew. Ralph, Jess, and Aries have created a cool space there.”
“Yeah, they have.” Of the Bold Brew owners, Theo only knew Ralph, who was a natural caretaker. He worked the floor sometimes and was always there with a smile when Theo needed one.
“I used to go to the Tuesday munch every week.”
Theo wasn’t sure what to say to that. He knew about the Bold Brew munches—the informal social meetups for the local kink community—but what did it mean that Hawke used to attend? Theo had no idea how to broach the topic. What was the etiquette? Did you ask,Hey, what’s your kink?
Theo wasnotgoing to do that.
“Interesting. I like their tea.”
Hawke grinned and smoldered. He gave pretty good smolder, Theo had to admit.
“It was nice to see you at First-Rate the other day,” Hawke said. “Camden talks about you all the time.”
Theo looked at Camden. He had his arm over the back of Diana’s chair, and she was curled toward him slightly. Brandilynn had been looped into the little lovefest across the table, her attention on Camden as well. His hair was messy like someone had run their fingers through it.
“It was nice to see you too,” Theo said stiffly to Hawke.
A cute young man approached Camden, slinging an arm over his chest and giving him a hug from behind. Theo didn’t recognize the guy, but he was obviously friends with Camden.
Everyonewas friends with Camden. He was so fucking friendly.
A boiling potion of emotions bubbled up inside Theo, the strongest of which was ugly and unexpected.
He downed about half his beer in one go, then tried to focus on Hawke. Hawke was watching him closely, and Theo flushed.
“I’d love to take you out,” Hawke said. “Get to know you better.”
“Did Camden tell you to ask me out?” That had been the plan from the beginning, but Theo had pictured it going differently. He’d expected Camden to give both Theo and Hawke a time, date, and location to meet. He hadn’t expected Hawke to ask him out and pass it off like it was his own idea.
Hawke’s eyes flared in surprise, and he glanced at Camden. Theo studiously did not.
“No. Yesterday, he mentioned in passing that you’re single and wanting to date more. I figured I’d shoot my shot. Was he supposed to tell me to ask you out?”
Damn, Camden was a great manipulator. He hadn’t even had to explicitly do the matchmaking, just a prod and poke here and there to get his way.
“Yes,” Theo said through clenched teeth, trying to smile. He didn’t have the energy to lie.
“Seems I preempted him, then. Lucky me. Now we can simply leave Camden out of it. How about that?” Hawke gave Theo a conspiratorial grin.
“Yeah, let’s.”
