Beautifully Spun
Candied Crush #15
Charity Parkerson
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—Warning: This book is intended for readers over the age of 18.
Copyright © 2021 Charity Parkerson
Editor: BZ Hercules & Consultants
ISBN: 978-1-946099-87-7
All rights reserved.
Created with Vellum
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
About the Author
Introduction
Zayn is looking for love. Spencer wants to live the single life forever. One of them is doomed to fail.
Spencer Wright, better known as Zealous Blaze, is the number one DJ in the world. Not only does everyone know his name, he’s also the most sought-after man on the scene. There’s zero chance anyone is tying him down. His life is too crazy. He would be insane to let himself get ensnared by one person. It’s too bad Spencer can’t stop thinking about Zayn.
Zayn has the worst luck with men. He’s rich and works hard on his body. Zayn would like to think he’s also a nice guy. It just seems like there’s no one left out there for him. Everyone he meets only wants to hook up. Zayn wants a real relationship. It doesn’t help that he has his heart set on the unattainable. From the first time he set eyes on Spencer, he hasn’t wanted anyone else.
Mixing tracks isn’t Spencer’s only talent. He also has Zayn’s head completely spun out of control with the way he wants Zayn one day, and then he pushes Zayn away the next. Maybe this next time, Zayn won’t come back.
One
Meeting men on dating apps was the absolute worst. Unfortunately, Zayn didn’t meet men around every corner in real life. That meant Zayn was stuck with the mixed bag of crap that was online dating. Javier Bisset was a world-renowned heart surgeon. He had a good twenty years on Zayn, but he was Zayn’s third date this week. Pickings were getting slim. Javier seemed nice enough, if not a little reserved. They had spoken on the phone a few times before setting up this date, and every conversation had been on the up and up before now. Still, Zayn had gone back and forth with himself about meeting Javier. In the end, he needed to give the man a shot, age difference or not.
Cool air washed over Zayn as he stepped inside the elite luncheon spot in the heart of upscale L.A. Zayn took off his sunglasses and scanned the crowd.
“Good afternoon, sir. Do you have a reservation?”
Javier came to his feet at a nearby table.
Zayn flashed the maître d’ a smile. “My date is right there.”
The man nodded, and Zayn headed Javier’s way. Javier was tall, dark-haired, and handsome. Intelligence flashed in Javier’s eyes, no doubt making people instinctively trust every confident word he spoke. That was the way of most respected doctors. A gorgeous—if not too white—smile spread across Javier’s face as Zayn neared. He held out his hand for Zayn to shake.
“Zayn. It’s so nice to finally meet you in person. Wow.” He released Zayn’s hand and touched his chin. Before Zayn grasped his intentions, Javier tilted Zayn’s face from side to side, openly inspecting him. “You’ve taken amazing care of yourself. I took a chance on you since you’re over forty. Honestly, I thought you might be a catfish or had work done, but if so, you have an amazing plastic surgeon. I’m not seeing any scars. You’ll be the perfect arm candy.”
For a moment, Javier shocked Zayn speechless with his audacity. Then the outrage set in. “Um. Yeah. That’s going to be a no from me. Don’t contact me again.” Without a word, Zayn headed for the door. Despite longing to be settled down with someone he could call his, Zayn was not that fucking desperate. He made it to his car before Javier caught him.
“Zayn. Wait. I’m sorry.”
Zayn took a calming breath and turned Javier’s way, even though he didn’t doubt he would regret it. He lifted his eyebrows and waited for Javier to say whatever he intended to say.
Javier pasted on a pained expression that looked practiced to Zayn. “Please accept my apology and come back inside. I have a problem with attracting gold diggers, which I can tell by your car you’re not.” Javier’s gaze moved from the Chiron Zayn drove back to Zayn’s face. He smiled. It was fake. “I tend to be obnoxious to weed out the weak.”
Zayn barely restrained an eye roll. “You should stick with the gold diggers since your rudeness also weeds out the strong. Have a nice life.”
Javier didn’t give up. “I’m sincerely sorry. Please come back inside and have lunch with me. I promise you won’t regret giving me another chance.”
“Zayn?”
Zayn fought a wince at the sound of his name being yelled across the parking lot.
“Zayn Tanaka. I thought that was you.”
Of all the people in the entire world that Zayn didn’t want to see him in this position, it was Spencer Wright. Most people knew Spencer as Zealous Blaze. He was the most sought-after DJ in the entire world, and he was also the one man Zayn wanted more than he craved his next breath.
Zayn pasted on a smile that felt brittle even to him as Spencer headed his way. “Hey.”
Spencer barely spared Javier a glance before his icy blue gaze landed on Zayn again. “It is a small world, dude. I literally just had coffee with Felix this morning. It’s like I’m seeing his peeps all over the place. Are you leaving or going inside?”
Zayn’s gaze moved between Javier and Spencer. Javier wore a cold expression that matched his flawless suit that likely cost thirty grand. Spencer looked like a Viking pimp. His light blond hair was perfectly styled, and his beard looked freshly brushed, but he was dressed like nothing Zayn had ever seen. His brown leather pants somehow went perfectly with his bare chest and fur coat. The two complete opposites stared back at him, waiting for him to answer. An unexpected and powerful desire to burst into uncontrollable laughter overwhelmed him.
A ridiculous smile pulled at Zayn’s lips. “I have no idea.”
“Ah. Well. It be like that sometimes.” Spencer threw his arm across Zayn’s shoulders and steered him to the door, leaving Javier behind as if he didn’t exist. “Let me decide for you. After all, when you don’t know which way you’re headed, it’s best to let someone else be in charge.”
Zayn couldn’t stop smiling. The door to the restaurant flew open as the staff rushed to serve Spencer.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Blaze. Your usual table is occupied, but we have another waiting.”
Spencer winked at Zayn before looking the maître d’s way. “Thank you. This is my friend, Zayn. Let’s make sure he’s every bit as happy as I always am.” Spencer shrugged off his coat and passed it along.
Zayn didn’t notice who took it. He couldn’t tear his gaze from Spencer’s body. It was cut. Every muscle was perfectly defined. In the past, Zayn hadn’t really gravitated towa
rd that. Even as a part-time bodybuilder who appreciated the hard work it took to look like Spencer, muscles had never been his thing on other men. Zayn had always liked regular people, but Zayn saw a lot that he liked now because it was Spencer.
No one said a word about Spencer’s shirtless state as they headed for their table. At the edge of their table, Spencer waited for Zayn to choose a seat before grabbing a chair, pulling it as close to Zayn as possible, and draping his arm over Zayn’s shoulders again.
Spencer spoke to the staff while Zayn stayed lost in watching the way Spencer’s jaw moved. He had met Spencer at a friend’s house one time, but he had seen the guy countless times Spencer didn’t know about. Zayn was a fan. He felt like a rabid one at the moment.
Finally, Spencer’s gaze moved Zayn’s way. It felt like they were alone inside their own bubble. Spencer smirked. “You can thank me for the rescue now.”
A smile exploded across Zayn’s face. “You have no idea how much I sincerely appreciate you saving me from what—undoubtably—was about to be a scene.”
A loud laugh burst from Spencer. His eyes swam with good humor. Zayn couldn’t stop smiling while looking at Spencer. He looked like such a happy person. The guy wore a gold chain around his neck that probably cost a hundred grand. He didn’t seem to give any fucks about conforming to society. Spencer made Zayn want to be wild too. Maybe that was why Zayn had started secretly going to some of Spencer’s raves. He stayed out of sight and made sure Spencer didn’t spot him. Zayn could resist him. Spencer was like an untamed animal Zayn wanted to pet.
“Why did you come to my rescue?” The question was out there before Zayn could think better of it.
Their drinks arrived. Spencer didn’t respond until after their server walked away and he had taken a sip of his drink. His amazing blue gaze locked on to Zayn and Zayn knew no matter Spencer’s answer, it was worth the wait.
“For the same reason that I do everything. Selfishness.” His gaze turned heated as it dropped to Zayn’s lips. Butterflies stirred in Zayn’s gut. His mouth went dry. Only God knew how often Zayn had fantasized about Spencer since they’d met. He wanted to taste Spencer’s lips. In his heart, Zayn knew his flavor would be every bit as wild as he looked. Spencer’s gaze moved back to Zayn’s eyes. His smile returned. “What were you doing with an old guy anyhow?”
“I’m old,” Zayn said without thought.
Spencer snorted. “I’m not talking about years on this earth. After all, I’m forty-six. I meant in spirit. That guy was as stiff and dusty as the crypt keeper.”
An unexpected laugh burst from Zayn at the comparison even as he fought his surprise. Never in a million years would Zayn have guessed that Spencer was six years older than him. He seemed so young. “We met on a dating app and he didn’t seem so bad over the phone. That’s why you caught me running away. I don’t mind the extra years. For me, it’s all about the heart. He has an ugly one. I couldn’t get away fast enough.” Zayn found his gaze dropping to Spencer’s mouth again. He had nice lips. They looked firm. “I’d much rather spend my time with someone fun.” The confession slipped out in Zayn’s distraction. It was worth it to witness the way Spencer’s lips turned up in one corner in a sexy smirk.
Spencer handed him a menu. “You should try the shrimp and calamari. It’s amazing. You’ll need your strength.”
Zayn accepted the menu, proving his body could still work with a frozen brain. There was no missing the sexual innuendo or the spark between them. He wasn’t the type to sleep around recklessly, but there was no way he would turn Spencer down. No matter how this lunch ended, Zayn was onboard. He wanted more of Spencer. Zayn craved everything.
Zayn Tanaka was a name everyone knew. If they said otherwise, they were lying. Zayn was the creator of the biggest crypto currency in the world. He was worth so much money, he had literally made his life worthless. From what Spencer understood from their mutual friends, Felix and Koda, Zayn was a part time bodybuilder because he had nothing at all to do but exist. He could live a thousand lazy and extravagant lifetimes on his money and still never go broke. To anyone else, that might sound amazing. Spencer thought it sounded like a nightmare. He couldn’t imagine living a pointless life where everyone he met wanted his wealth. Even though Spencer had money too, his life was nothing like that.
Spencer was a free spirit. He didn’t give any fucks what people thought. Music was everything to him. He lived in his own world inside his head where the music played twenty-four seven. Maybe that sounded insane to anyone else, and perhaps he was a bit mad. There were worse things than insanity. He could have an old, stiff crypt keeper chasing him through the parking lot like Zayn had. Spencer smiled at his thoughts. No one would catch him growing old.
“I have to know. What’s that smile about?”
At Zayn’s question, Spencer’s gaze slid his way. Zayn’s naturally light brown tone looked even more gorgeous with the sun from the window washing over him. His brown eyes were like whiskey. Beautiful. Spencer always got what he wanted. He wanted Zayn. “I was imagining what your expression would be if I told you to take me back to your place.”
A smile exploded across Zayn’s face. “You think I’m pretty weak, don’t you?”
That one threw Spencer off balance. “I...”
“Because I am today,” Zayn said, shocking him speechless. “You should come home with me.”
Spencer found himself backpedaling in the face of Zayn’s unquestioning willingness. “We should eat first so I can get to know you.”
Zayn shrugged. “If that’s what you want. You know my name and what I do. I’m forty and boring as hell. My grandparents immigrated from Kyoto when my mom was a teenager. She married my dad a little less than two years later. They had me and promptly divorced. My mom and Koda’s mom are best friends, so Koda and I grew up together. He’s ten years younger than me, so we didn’t really start hanging out as friends until about five years ago. I do part-time bodybuilding for competitions.” He paused as if trying to find anything else to say. “I collect cars,” he added, as if really digging for anything he forgot. Finally, Zayn shrugged. “That’s really about it. Like I said, I’m boring.”
Spencer had to admit that was more than he usually knew about anyone he slept with. “So we should go, then.”
Zayn’s gaze dropped to Spencer’s mouth, making his stomach quiver. “I think that’s best.”
Without another word, Spencer stood. He dropped three hundred dollars on the table and headed for the door. No one asked questions; they simply scrambled to give Spencer back his coat. He didn’t bother putting it on. It wasn’t cold. Spencer had only thrown it on because he hadn’t wanted to find a shirt. Sometimes, his mind jumped around too much. He had been working on a new mix when hunger struck. With no thought to anything but food, he had grabbed the first coat he saw and headed out. He hadn’t expected Zayn. Zayn was another impulsive move.
Spencer had suggested Zayn’s house because he had seen the guy’s car earlier. He didn’t imagine Zayn’s would be willing to leave his nearly four-million-dollar car in the parking lot to come home with Spencer. Spencer could have suggested Zayn follow him. That option gave Zayn too much time to change his mind. Spencer would leave his Navigator. No big deal. He headed toward the passenger side of Zayn’s car with the confidence of a man who knew his mind. Spencer fucked a lot of people without looking back. Zayn looked like a man who was the same. People like them didn’t need anyone else for any other reason.
The car door unlocked, and Spencer slid inside as Zayn slid behind the wheel. Spencer automatically leaned Zayn’s way as Zayn backed from the parking space. Zayn’s shoulders were wide. He put off a warmth Spencer wanted to feel against his skin. Spencer twiddled his thumbs restlessly beneath the coat in his lap. The music pouring from the speakers had his mind slipping away, matching downbeats with a different song he had heard earlier in the day. Before that moment, he hadn’t considered overlapping the two. Damn, they would sound great together.
He would add that to his list when he got home. Spencer had no concept of time when his creative juices flowed. Zayn pulled into a driveway and a private gate opened automatically. He followed the drive until he circled a massive estate and into an equally large garage. They were met with an extensive car collection. It was an impressive show of wealth. Spencer barely spared any of it a glance. He was here for the sex.
As Spencer jumped from the car, he left his coat behind. They likely wouldn’t be here long. Zayn quietly waited to escort him inside. They fell into step beside each other. Still, neither of them spoke. The silence didn’t bother Spencer. He didn’t spend a lot of time with people. Maybe that wasn’t entirely true. Spencer spent a great deal of his time at parties, raves, and clubs. He didn’t think that counted. Despite always being surrounded by people, Spencer was still alone. He lived inside his mind. Everything and everyone else were just noise.
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