Page 39 of Ride the Lightning

“A boy won’t grow to be a man if he skips meals,” Oscar had countered. “Eat your oatmeal, boy.”

Granny made it more palatable by sprinkling brown sugar and adding fresh fruit to his bowl. Just thinking about fresh peaches and brown sugar made his mouth water, and he knew it was time to call it a day.

Even though he had plenty of food at home, he still swung through Arby’s drive-thru for a beef and cheddar sandwich, curly fries, and a milkshake. He could worry about calories, carbohydrates, and cholesterol another day.

Jonah started on the fries and shake right away but saved the messy sandwich for when he got home. He practically devoured the entire thing in four bites and immediately regretted his life choices. The only thing making Jonah feel queasier than consuming fast food was the idea of calling Avery. What would they talk about? Would it be awkward after everything that happened? Would sexual tension render him stupid? Probably.

After ten minutes of freaking out, he picked up his phone to call Avery, but his tormentor beat him to the punch.

Jonah’s heartbeat accelerated as he accepted the call. “Hello.”

“I could hear you freaking out clear on the other side of town,” Avery told him. “I thought I’d put you out of your misery and call you instead.”

“I wasn’t freaking out. I had just picked up my phone to call you.”

Avery snorted. “Uh-huh.”

“Fine. Don’t believe me,” Jonah said casually. “How was your day?”

“Oh, the usual. Copied some files, met a cute pup, and kissed a guy.”

Jonah’s laughter rumbled deep and low. “All in a day’s work, huh?”

“Something like that, although, I think my afternoon would’ve turned out better if I’d listened to my gut.”

Alarm rippled through Jonah. “Why? Did Trexler do something to you when you returned after lunch?”

“Oh, I wasn’t referring to the job,” Avery said. “I meant the instincts that urged me to drag you into your house so I could live out every dirty thought I’ve had about you over the past eight months. No one would’ve noticed I was missing.”

Jonah’s breath snagged in his throat. “Avery,” he whispered, sounding both turned on and shocked.

“Don’t bother clutching your pearls, Jonah. I felt how your body reacted to our kiss. So, how about a nooner tomorrow?”

“Avery,” Jonah repeated, but this time his voice was raspier and full of need.

“This better not be the part where you start expressing regrets,” Avery said.

Jonah chuckled. “Regret is the last thing on my mind right now.”

“Were you going to lecture me about how it’s inappropriate for you to get involved with your intern?” Avery asked, pushing on. “I’ll quit tomorrow if that’s what it takes.”

“No,” Jonah said firmly. One day Avery would leave. It was inevitable. When he did, Avery would cast Jonah back into the depths of gloom where sunlight and heat couldn’t reach him.Not yet. Please, not yet.“It is inappropriate, but I don’t care.”

“Senators, judges, and presidents do it all the time,” Avery argued. Like that was a ringing endorsement. Then he quieted when Jonah’s words finally sank in. “Oh.”

“Avery, will you go out on a date with me?”

Crickets. Jonah pulled his phone away from his ear and looked to make sure he hadn’t accidentally disconnected the call. He hadn’t, so Jonah pressed the phone to his ear again. ‘Um, hello?”

“I’m here,” Avery said breathlessly. “Did you just ask me to go out on a date?”

“I did,” Jonah confirmed. As exciting as a nooner sounded, hookups and meaningless sex were all Jonah had known for years. Avery made him want things he’d stopped believing in.

Maybe love wasn’t just for other people.

“I thought I was going to have to battle much harder,” Avery replied. “I was prepared to fight dirty too.”

Jonah chuckled. “I have no doubt. What do you say?”