by Lynn LaFleur
He shifted on the seat as his mental image made his dick react. Of course, if Kory noticed anything, he’d think Kirk reacted to the thought of those Florida babes.
“Not until after Christmas.”
“Shit,” Kory muttered. “Am I gonna have to go without you?”
“If you’re determined to go before Christmas, yes. I won’t disappoint Mom.”
“Hell, Kirk, I would never do anything to disappoint Mom either. I just want some warmth. I hate cold weather.”
Kirk chuckled at his twin saying the same thing a third time. “I’ll try to remember that.”
Kory sighed heavily. “Okay, if you won’t go to Florida with me, how about hitting a club this weekend in Fort Worth? Maybe we’ll get lucky and find some babes with big tits to keep us warm for a night.”
That idea didn’t appeal to Kirk either. But he could go with his brother, have a drink or two and enjoy some music, and not make any attempt to hook up with a gal. “Sure.”
Kory smiled. “Great. We’ll make plans later in the week.”
He pulled the big delivery truck into Wilcox Lumber and headed toward the storage area for the cement blocks. Kirk jumped down from the seat and rounded the hood. “I’ll go get Gus to help us load the blocks and shingles and check with Dad to see if there are any more deliveries to make today.”
“ ’K.”
Kirk made his way to the back door of the business. He passed the employee break room, where he found Gus Lindell pouring a mug of coffee. “Hey, Gus, Kory and I need some help loading the next delivery.”
“Be right there.”
Not seeing his father in the office, Kirk continued to the main part of the store. He nodded at customers as he walked by them. A quick count produced a dozen people—mostly men—wandering through the aisles. Perhaps the onset of the freezing weather had people winterizing their homes to keep their water pipes from freezing.
Kalinda Meyers stood at one register, his father at the other, while they checked out customers. Kirk waited until his dad had finished ringing up Red Wilkerson’s purchase before he stepped behind the checkout counter.
“Kory and I are making another delivery to Parker Place. Anything else need to go?”
“Nothing yet. Check back again after you finish there.”
“Will do.”
He started to turn to walk back outside when his father’s next words stopped him.
“Kirk, there’s a guy in the plumbing section who’s looking for a job. I told him I couldn’t talk to him until I finish checking out some of these customers. Would you talk to him?”
“Sure. I’ll tell Kory I’ll be a few minutes. He can come in and have some coffee. Maybe that’ll warm him up.”
Hank grinned. “Is he bitchin’ about the cold again?”
“Always.” Kirk glanced toward the plumbing section, although he couldn’t see down the aisle from there. “What’s the guy look like?”
“Tall, about your age, black hair. Said his name’s Joshua Stafford.”
Customers stepped up to be checked out, so Kirk moved out of the way so his dad could wait on them. He called his brother’s cell while he headed toward the part of the store where Joshua Stafford should be.
“Yo,” Kory answered.
“Dad asked me to interview a guy looking for a job. Why don’t you come in and have some coffee? I’ll only be a few minutes.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice to go inside. I’ll be in the break room when you’re ready.”
Kirk disconnected the call, turned the corner, and headed down the plumbing aisle. He saw the back of a man with black hair, broad shoulders, and a gorgeous ass in tight jeans perusing the array of plastic pipes. “Joshua?”
The man turned … and Kirk instantly fell in lust.
Joshua’s black hair fell over his forehead and ears in gentle waves. A square jaw carried a day’s worth of stubble. The first two buttons of his blue Oxford shirt were open, revealing a sprinkling of dark chest hair. Those broad shoulders tapered to a trim waist, followed by long legs. He topped Kirk’s five-eleven by a couple of inches.
Kirk didn’t dare look at Joshua’s fly.
The man stepped closer and offered his hand. “My friends call me Josh.”
Having lots of practice at hiding his true feelings, Kirk smiled and accepted the other man’s hand. A flash of sensation shot up his arm and through his body at the contact. He caught himself before he groaned. “I’m Kirk Wilcox. My dad asked me to speak to you. You’re looking for a job?”
“Yes, but I kind of have a unique situation. Could we go somewhere more private to talk?”
“Sure. We can go to the office. This way.”
Kirk kept his gaze trained straight ahead of him, instead of straying to the side to look at Josh. The high cheekbones and olive skin, combined with that black mane of hair and brown eyes, made Josh one of the most handsome men Kirk had ever seen.
Kirk waited until Josh stepped into the office before closing the door. “Sit down. Would you like a cup of coffee or something else to drink?”
“No, thanks. I’m fine.”
Kirk sat behind the desk while the other man took the steel armchair in front of the desk. Josh crossed one ankle over the opposite knee, hooked his hands together across his stomach. Kirk didn’t see a wedding band on Josh’s finger, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t involved with a woman. A man as good looking as he probably had dozens of women chasing him.
Damn it.
“What kind of job are you looking for?” Kirk asked.
“Something physical. I’ve spent the last several years in school … first college, then law school.”
“You’re a lawyer?”
Josh wiggled his hand back and forth. “Technically, yeah. I passed the bar, but I’m not ready to practice law yet. I’ve had enough of using my brain for a while. I want to use my body instead.”
Kirk could think of several ways the handsome man could use his body.
Josh patted his stomach. “After all that classwork, I feel like I’ve turned into a mass of putty.”
Kirk couldn’t see that at all. Josh’s stomach wouldn’t be that flat without some work. “You don’t look out of shape.”
“Good metabolism. All the men in my family are lean. That doesn’t mean strong or healthy. Hitting a gym isn’t me. I’d rather do something that builds muscles other than working out on a hunk of metal.”
He admired Josh’s determination and goal. Unfortunately, business dropped off in the winter and he couldn’t offer Josh a full-time position now. “We’re busier in the spring and summer, so I don’t have anything now but a part-time position.”
Josh smiled. “Part-time would be perfect. It’ll give me the chance to explore the area in between the days I would work.”
Hiring Josh would be strictly personal for Kirk. While his father owned the business, he depended on Kirk more and more for the management of Wilcox Lumber. They didn’t need any more part-time help now, but he hated to turn away anyone looking for work. Especially a man he’d be happy to look at every day.
Josh leaned forward in his chair. “I have no job experience, Kirk, so I can’t give you any references. Like I said, I’ve been in school. All I can do is promise I’ll do the best job I can. I won’t make you regret hiring me.”
Kirk believed him, and wanted to help … and not just so he could enjoy the scenery. Getting a first job could be really hard, especially in a small town like Lanville. The people here tended to keep their jobs for years.
Which made Kirk wonder about Josh’s hometown.
“Where are you from, Josh?”
“Dallas.” He leaned back in his chair again. “I’ll be honest. I come from a well-off family. My father wants me to be happy, but he’s disappointed I didn’t join his law firm as soon as I passed the bar. I told him I wanted the chance to drive and see parts of the country I’ve never seen. I’ve flown a lot, but I’ve never driven.”
“Lanv
ille can’t be on your list of places to see.”
Josh grinned. “Actually, it is. I have a friend who has relatives here. They’ve always raved about the town. I decided it would be a good place to start my travels.”
“So you don’t plan to stay here long?”
Josh shook his head. “I’m thinking two, three months. After that …” He shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t know. It depends on how I feel at the end of those three months.”
Three months to see this man several days a week and dream about what could never be. Kirk should tell Josh that wouldn’t work, that when they hired someone, they expected the person to stick around for a while. Josh had no work experience. He came from a rich family, meaning he’d probably whine the first time he got a callus on his hand.
So it surprised Kirk to hear the words “Okay, I’ll give you a try” come out of his mouth.
Josh smiled and stood. “Thanks, Kirk.”
He offered his hand over the desk. Kirk accepted it. That flash shot up his arm and through his body again.
I’m an idiot to put myself through this torture.
“Do I need to fill out some paperwork?” Josh asked. “When do you want me to start?”
“Be here at eight tomorrow morning. You can fill out the paperwork then, and I’ll give you a tour of the store and grounds.”
“Eight tomorrow morning. I’ll be here.”
Kirk watched Josh walk out of the office before he sat down again. Loneliness settled like a heavy wool blanket around his shoulders. He wasn’t like his brother. Kory only cared about having a good time and fucking as many women as possible. He’d told Kirk he doubted if he’d ever get married.
Not Kirk. He wanted to share his life with someone. He wanted to hang his clothes in the same closet, cook meals together, spend an evening in silence while watching a favorite TV show. All those little things that meant commitment. Devotion. Fidelity.
Love.
He’d tried online dating, but the few dates he’d made had ended up disasters. It hadn’t taken Kirk long to realize that just because he’d been honest while filling out his profile didn’t mean everyone told the truth about themselves. And while he believed the inside of a person mattered more than the outside, he’d learned that people often put up pictures that looked nothing like them in real life.
The mental image of Josh flashed through his mind. Kirk pushed it aside. His new employee hadn’t given any indication that he might be interested in a relationship with a man, even a short one. Kirk would be Josh’s employer, nothing more.
As much as he loved his hometown and hated the thought of not having his family close, Kirk knew he’d have to leave Lanville to find the man meant for him.
2
Josh slid behind the wheel of his car. For a moment, he simply sat and ran his hands over the steering wheel. Growing up in a grand home with all the material things he could ever want could’ve given Josh a swelled head and made him conceited and rude. He’d figured out at a young age when a friend’s family lost their fortune to never take anything for granted.
After he came into the trust fund from his paternal grandfather on his twenty-sixth birthday in July, he’d tucked it into the bank and indulged in only one luxury—this Mercedes SLS convertible. What a sweet ride.
The Mercedes wasn’t the only thing that would be a sweet ride.
When he first met Kirk Wilcox, he thought he’d detected a flash of interest in the man’s blue eyes. It had disappeared so quickly, Josh decided he must have imagined it. Too bad. Spending some naked time with the hunky blond would be very nice.
He had no idea if any gay men lived in this town, but he’d bet if they did, they didn’t flaunt their sexual preference. Small towns could be unforgiving toward someone they perceived as “different.” Finding a lover wouldn’t be easy. But many things in Josh’s life hadn’t been easy—despite his family’s money—and he’d learned to go with the flow. If he had to drive to a larger city to meet men, so be it.
Now that he’d acquired a job, he needed to find a place to stay. Thanks to his friend’s cousin, Jeremy, he’d contacted Country Woods bed-and-breakfast and booked one of their cabins. He’d thought about staying at The Inn on Crystal Creek, which he could easily afford, but decided to try the out-of-the-way place close to the Rose River.
Once he checked into his cabin, he’d search for some lunch. Jeremy had told him some of the places to eat in Lanville. He remember some hamburger place that Jeremy had raved about. That sounded like a good place to try first.
Kirk slid into the booth across from his brother and opened the menu. He didn’t know why he bothered. He came to The Purple Onion so often, he’d almost memorized every word of the menu.
“What are you having?” Kory asked. “As if you need to tell me. You always order the barbecue burger.”
“Not always.”
“Okay, you order it ninety-five percent of the time.”
Kirk couldn’t argue with Kory about that. He grinned. “Why mess with a good thing?”
Kory shook his head. “You should be more adventurous. I’ve tried every burger on the menu.”
“I’ve tried a lot of them. I like the barbecue the best.”
Jami walked up to their table carrying two glasses of iced tea. “One sweet …” She set a glass in front of Kory. “And one unsweet,” she said, setting the other glass in front of Kirk.
Kory smiled at her. “Thanks, Jami.”
He looked at his menu, so didn’t see the longing pass over Jami’s face. Kirk saw it. He didn’t understand why his brother constantly chased other women when a sweet young woman like Jami cared so much for him.
“Are y’all ready to order?” Jami asked. “Kirk, your usual?”
Kory burst out laughing. Kirk glared at his brother before looking back at Jami. “Yeah.”
“Kory, how about you?”
“I’ll have the peppercorn burger today. I haven’t had it in a while.”
“Got it. They’ll be right out.”
Kirk watched Jami walk away, then turned to his brother. “You’re an idiot.”
Kory stopped with his glass of tea raised halfway to his mouth. “Why do you say that?”
“Jami’s crazy about you.”
Glancing toward the waitress, Kory frowned. “So?”
“So she’s a sweetheart and really cute. Why don’t you ask her out?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “She’s not my type.”
“Since when do you have a ‘type’? I thought you’d fuck any gal who spread her legs.”
His brother’s frown turned into a scowl. “I’m not that bad.”
“Damn near. You keep going to the Metroplex to date women you’ll never see again instead of staying close to home and being with someone who cares about you.”
Kory twirled his glass on the tabletop, making the ice cubes tinkle. “If you think Jami is so great, why don’t you go out with her?”
“She isn’t crazy about me, she’s crazy about you.”
Kory took a long drink of tea, returned his glass to the table with a loud thunk. “I’m not interested in anything permanent. Jami is a permanent kind of gal.”
Kirk would’ve argued more with his stubborn brother, but a prickling along his neck made him glance toward the entrance. Josh stood next to the hostess station.
He could pretend he hadn’t seen Josh, or be friendly and invite him to join them. Kory needed to meet Josh anyway, so it would be a good time to do so.
“There’s our new employee.”
Kory turned his head to look at Josh. “Oh, yeah? Invite him to join us.”
The decision made, Kirk raised his hand to wave at Josh. A quick nod of his head proved Josh had seen him. He spoke to Jami a moment, then headed toward their booth.
Kirk’s cock thickened the closer Josh got.
“Hey,” he said to Kirk. “I didn’t expect to see you again until tomorrow morning.”
“Small town.” He gestu
red toward Kory. “Josh Stafford, my brother, Kory Wilcox.”
Josh offered his hand and Kory accepted it. “Nice to meet you.”
“You, too.”
Kirk scooted over in the booth. “Join us.”
“Thanks.”
Josh slid in beside him, leaving about eight inches between their legs. If it were up to Kirk, he’d press his leg against Josh’s and find out if it was as muscular as Kirk suspected.
Jami returned to the booth with a glass of Coke and a menu for Josh. He waggled one finger back and forth between Kirk and Kory. “I’ll have whatever these guys are having.”
“Kirk ordered the barbecue burger and Kory ordered the peppercorn burger.”
Josh looked at Kirk. “Barbecue, huh? Is it good?”
This close and with Josh facing the window, Kirk could see specks of gold in the man’s brown eyes. He imagined Josh staring at him with those amazing eyes right before he kissed him.
Kirk swallowed so his voice wouldn’t come out husky. “Yeah, it’s really good.”
Josh swung his gaze back to Jami. “I’ll try it.”
“You got it,” she said, flashing him a flirtatious smile.
Kirk noticed Kory watched Jami walk away, a frown wrinkling his forehead. He wondered if his brother could be jealous of the way she had smiled at Josh.
Maybe Kory cared more about Jami than he wanted to admit.
“So, Josh,” Kory said, “what brings you to Lanville?”
“I told Kirk during my interview that I’ve been in school forever and needed a change. I want to travel, but I also want some job experience. I don’t have any.”
Kory’s eyebrows shot up. “You’ve never had a job?”
Josh shook his head. “Hard to believe, huh?”
“You rich or somethin’?”
“My family is. But I want to make it on my own.”
“You won’t earn much working in a lumberyard.”
“I don’t need much.” Josh shifted on the seat, which brought him a couple of inches closer to Kirk. “To be honest, I’d never have to work a day in my life thanks to an inheritance from my grandfather. But I don’t want to be the spoiled rich kid. It’s nice having the cushion in the bank, yet I want more out of life than partying all the time.”
