Love Me Tomorrow (20 page)

The sound of Jake’s zipper was all Levi heard, finding it difficult to breathe. Jake was most definitely flirting, but again, it was presumably under the guise of attempting to make Levi feel better about being a buffoon, which made it impossible to confront the man over. The fact that he didn’t exactly hate having Jake flirt with him was so totally beside the point.

“That’s sweet, though as a rule, party planners aren’t supposed to smear the catering all over themselves.”

Jake shrugged, his eyes slightly glazed as he glanced back over his shoulder at Levi. “I still say you added a certain zesty flavor that wouldn’t have been there otherwise.”

“Well, I’m a busy man, so I’m not sure I have time to run after you all day, fondling your food as you break for meals.”

Jake chuckled, his head tilting sideways as he zipped back up and flushed the urinal. He didn’t need to say anything. Levi could see it there, in Jake’s eyes as he walked over to the sink and began washing his hands. Whatever attraction there was between the two of them, it wasn’t going away, and judging by the expression on Jake’s face as he hazily looked up at Levi, the man wanted to do deliciously depraved things to him.

“I suppose it might freak people out to see me licking food off your naked body in the hospital cafeteria or the nearest drive through lane.”

How Levi had managed to become naked in this scenario was completely lost on him, and when he opened his mouth to speak, nothing came out. Instead, images of a naked Jake popped into Levi’s version of this food-licking fantasy and it took all his concentration to purge the visual from his brain before his erection decided to return for an encore performance.

The discomfort must have been apparent because Jake took a step back after wiping his hands dry and tossed the paper towel in the trash.

“That was completely out of line for me to say,” Jake said, visibly anxious and uncomfortable. “Wow, so sorry, Levi, please accept my apology. You must think me a total scumbag.”

“No,” Levi said, unable to move as if rooted to the damn floor. “You were just trying to make me feel better, right? At least, that’s how I took it.”

He heard Valarie’s voice in the back of his head.
Liar, liar pants on fire
.

“Okay… cool… that’s good, then,” Jake smiled weakly. “Champagne went right to my head.”

Which one?

Levi eyed Jake’s crotch, momentarily contemplating the possibilities.

Stop! Stop that!! Sheesh!

Jake smiled, thumbing back toward the door. “I’m gonna go now.”

“Thank God,” Levi said, eyes widening when Jake paused, eyeing him suspiciously. “I meant
good
as in
okay
… I’ll see ya out there, buddy.”

Laughing, Jake shook his head. “We’ve got some work to do on the friendship front, I guess.”

“It’s looking that way,” Levi said, his own tension relieved by Jake’s candor. He then remembered the super-secret, special project he was setting up and sighed, wishing he didn’t have to prolong this particularly awkward moment any longer. “Say, before you go, I wonder if I could ask a favor of you?”

“Sure, anything you need.” Jake was standing awkwardly with a hand on the doorknob like he too might be desperate to escape.

“It’s for Julia, for the party, but I want it to be a surprise and I’m afraid her PA might be uncomfortable with the intrigue.”

“I’m listening,” Jake said, his curiosity peaked.

“I need photographs, candid stuff of Julia and Gregory?”

“For what purpose?” Jake asked.

“I don’t suppose you happened to catch the Darius Wertz exhibit over the summer?”

“The one down at the Prather Gallery?” Jake asked. “With the photographs projected up onto the giant silk sheeting?”

“That’s the one,” Levi said.

Jake nodded. “Yeah, so?”

“I know Wertz, sort of a friend of a friend thing, and he’s agreed to help with the same sort of installation—it would be a private showing for Julia and Gregory, about Julia and Gregory—kind of a relationship retrospective.”

“Why would you be doing this?” Jake asked, visibly confused.

Levi sighed, irritated that Jake didn’t appear to trust him, which stung. “Something Julia said to me the first night we met, that to expect any semblance of romance during her anniversary was ludicrous—which is crazy, right? It’s their anniversary, which is supposed to celebrate their love and commitment to one another.”

Jake grinned, shaking his head in disbelief. “You are so great.”

“Great, as in you’ll help?” Levi asked, doing his best to look past the piercing, blue-eyed adorability Jake was firing his direction.

“I will, Levi. I’ll touch base next week, and we can make a plan?”

Levi nodded, their gazes fixed onto one another before Jake finally turned and left the bathroom. Levi paused for a moment, taking in deep gulps of air while checking himself out in the mirror, pretending not to notice he had dirty in his eyes.

So much dirty he found it difficult to breathe.

“You are a bad,
bad
man, Levi Goode.”

Dirty-eyed cake smasher.

Chapter Nine

As he surveyed the office, Levi was beginning to imagine a few more pieces falling into place. They’d hired three more employees over the past few weeks that had already started and he and Valerie had settled on three others who’d be coming in for their first day next week. The Thanksgiving holiday had thrown a bit of wrench into things since Goode City Event & Party Planning would only be open part of the week, but it would be enough time to get a feel for whether or not the newbies were going to work out.

He was unsure about one gal that started this past week, but the new receptionist, Caitlyn, was a firecracker. She’d come with loads of experience and had been instrumental in helping Levi and Valerie choose a phone and messaging system for the office that could also interface with their individual cell phones. They were still trying to work all the bugs out, but Caitlyn had single-handedly brought them out of the dark ages in under three days.

Then there was Angelo, who had also turned out to be a godsend. The man had not been lying when he’d said he was willing to do anything. He’d made coffee runs and helped Levi lug all the heavy party supplies left over from the cancer gala back into the storeroom—then took it upon himself to organize the storeroom—without being asked to. Beyond the benefit of being extra muscle, he also kept all the ladies in the office very happy. He was easy on the eyes, and on top of that, it was as if he put off some sort of pheromone that stunned everyone into a sort of hazy, state of bliss.

Most importantly, Angelo never said a word to Valerie about the whole Levi forcing him to be his pretend boyfriend debacle. She would have had a field day with that intel and he’d still be getting tortured by her for being such a dumbass. Levi typically berated himself enough for being an idiot as it was.

He powered down his computer and turned off his desk lamp, ready to call it a day. Between the ass he’d made of himself during the tasting at the Rainbow Palace earlier that day and the slew of meetings he’d had throughout the afternoon, he was ready for the weekend. Tomorrow he’d go check in on Ruby, but he had tonight to himself.

Nearly six o’clock on a Friday night and the only hot date he had lined up was with his right hand. On the bright side, at least his date planned to feed him some spicy Szechwan before trying to get into his pants.

“It’s nice to be respected,” he muttered, pulling on his coat as he headed toward the front door.

“Is that so?” Angelo asked, coming out of nowhere, scaring the shit out of Levi.

Thankfully he’d managed not to scream like a horror-movie-chick, but Levi’s hand was now clasping his chest like he feared his heart might otherwise burst out of it.

“Christ, I thought you left already?”

Angelo thumbed back toward the bathroom. “I was changing.” He held up a duffel as if offering further evidence that he was on the up and up. “Didn’t mean to frighten you, though, sorry dude.” He walked to his desk, stuffing the bag underneath.

“No, it’s fine. Sorry, of course, you’ve got plans with friends, no doubt.”

“I do, but not until later.” Angelo weaved his way through the office, stopping next to Levi at the front door. “My apartment’s all the way on the other side of town, though. Didn’t want to go all the way home only to turn around and come back downtown later.”

“Makes sense,” Levi said, opening the door.

“I’m looking for a place closer, but it takes time to find when you’re on a budget.”

Angelo followed him out onto the sidewalk, waiting for Levi to lock the door.

“I’m headed off to find something to eat,” Angelo said. “You could join me, assuming you don’t already have plans.”

“Um… sure, that sounds good,” Levi said, motioning for Angelo to lead the way. “My treat?”

“You don’t have to do that,” Angelo said. “I invited you, remember.”

“True, but I’ve done very little for my faux-boyfriend up until this point.”

Angelo laughed as they headed south on Waterfront, which was fairly heavy with foot traffic by this time of night.

“Allow me to please apologize to you once again for that,” Levi said, looking over at Angelo warily. “It was completely unprofessional for me to use you that way.”

“I didn’t mind,” Angelo said, still grinning. “You have to know I think you’re pretty hot by now. God knows I’ve flirted shamelessly.”

“That’s very kind of you to say, but completely unnecessary, Angelo. And dude, you flirt with everyone.”

He laughed again. “Yeah, but I mean it with you.”

“You’re kind of a mess, aren’t you?” Levi asked, pointing down the street. “Ever been to Batista’s?”

“No, but I’m game for anything.”

“It’s nothing too adventurous, classic America cuisine, burgers, steaks and such?”

Angelo nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

They each stopped at the next corner, waiting for the light to change.

“I’m just gonna throw this out there in the spirit of nothing ventured,” Angelo said, not seeming to care who might overhear him. “I would be completely open to some good old fashioned fucking, you know, in the event you might be into that as well.”

Levi watched the two ladies on the other side of Angelo smile at one another while pretending not to be eavesdropping.

“Who just up and says something like that?” Levi asked, feeling his face flush with heat.

“I’m not like an expert or anything, but in my vast experience thus far, the answer to your question would be, other gay men.”

“I’m your boss, Angelo.”

“And I’m propositioning you here, not the other way around,” he said, following Levi who stepped off the curb to cross the street the second the light changed. “It’s really not a big deal, Levi, I like to do what feels good—”

“And you think I’d feel good so you want to do me.” Levi was laughing over the absurdity of the conversation. “I get it, I just can’t believe it.”

“It’s just sex, Levi,” Angelo said. “I’m not asking for your hand in marriage. I’m not asking for any kind of a commitment, actually.”

“The old-fashioned-fucking bit pretty much made that clear.”

“Oh, awesome,” Angelo said.

“You know that if I agreed to the sex, I’d totally be using you?”

“I kinda picked up on that when you asked me to kiss you in an attempt to make ‘The Jake’ jealous.”

“I’m
soooo
sorry, Angelo. God, I totally
suck
.”

“That certainly sounds like a great way to make it up to me.”

Levi smirked, slowing the pace down as they came upon the door to the restaurant.

“I have zero issues with you licking my wounds, I’m just sayin’.”

“Will you please be serious?” Levi asked, opening the door.

Angelo walked into the restaurant, turning back to face Levi as he followed. “I never joke about blow jobs.”

“Shhh, please stop saying… stuff like that! You’re embarrassing me.”

“I see that, it’s kind of adorable,” he said, lowering his voice.

“Oh my God, again with the flirting.” Levi held up his hand to the hostess. “Table for two.”

“You make flirting fun,” Angelo whispered into his ear.

“You’re incorrigible.”

“Pulling out the big words, huh?” Angelo was looking him up and down with a lusty glare. “Please tell me incorrigible is like French for devastatingly handsome?”

Levi burst out laughing as the hostess told them it would be fifteen to twenty. They headed into the bar to wait.

“I’m begging you, Angelo, please behave yourself.”

“Look, all I’m saying is I have no problem being the hot piece of meat you use to make your married boyfriend jealous.”

Levi gasped. “I am not sleeping with Jake.”

“Not yet, but I see the writing on the wall. I don’t judge, Levi. Please feel free to use and abuse me in the meantime. I get off on that.”