Page 17 of Cash

“Yeah.” Brick smiled wistfully. “I hope so.”

Dinner wore on until they were both stuffed and the wine was gone, and then a text notification on Jules’s phone once again cut the evening shorter than expected. Brick was glad they at least got to eat this time, and it was just as well. Brick was enjoying their chat, but he was bummed finding out Jules had a girlfriend.

Jules’s availability shouldn’t have been a factor in wanting to spend time with him, and Brick hated that it bothered him. It was possible to be friends without any romantic aspirations after all. The better he got to know Jules, however, the more charming he became, and it was impossible to shake the disappointment.

This infatuation was getting ridiculous.

Brick blamed the wine.

And Jules’s really thick eyelashes.

And his marvelously thick arms.

And his butt. Definitely his butt.

Brick did his best to keep his eyes off of that butt as he followed Jules to the front door. “So.” He knew Jules had to leave for his super secret job, but he wanted to see him again. “Can I put you down for some bibimbap or tteokbokki for tomorrow night?”

“Oh? I’m comin’ over tomorrow?” Jules smirked.

“Why not?” Brick shrugged. “I don’t have any plans.”

“Yeah, but I do. More work shit.”

“Right.” Brick forced his smile to remain in place.

“How’s about this for a plan?” Jules leaned against the wall as he switched from the monster slippers to his boots. “Instead of you cookin’, we go check out that restaurant you told me about this weekend.”

Brick narrowed his eyes. “Are you asking me or telling me?”

“I’m tellin’.” Jules’s firm gaze left no room for argument, though there was a little smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “This weekend, me and you, I’m drivin’, and we’re gonna go pig the fuck out.”

“All right—” Brick hated how being bossed around got him hot, and he held his tongue.

He wasn’t gonna say it.

Nope.

“What?” Jules’s smile grew into a smug grin. “No Daddy this time?”

Brick choked on air.

Jules laughed and slapped Brick’s shoulder. “You have yourself a good night. Daddy’s gotta go to work.”

“All right. Uh, try not to work too hard.” Brick blushed, opening the door. “Good night.”

“Thanks for dinner.” Jules waved. “See ya’ later.”

“Later!”

Brick couldn’t stop smiling for the rest of the night.

He decided to appreciate his time with Jules for what it was—getting to know an interesting man who appreciated Korean cuisine and was so unfathomably attractive that it made Brick ache just to be near him.

If nothing else, it had been nice not to eat alone for once, and he was looking forward to going out with Jules this weekend.

Shit.

Still forgot to get his damn phone number.

---