Professional Distance (Thorne and Dash 1)

“I did. I was afraid you wouldn’t try something new if I didn’t push.”

“How do you know I like…whatever it is you ordered.”

“You weren’t even listening, were you?”

Thorne scowled at him. “I was distracted.”

“I do seem to have that effect on you, but you had a chance to change your order and you didn’t take it.”

“No, I didn’t. Dinner will just be a surprise.”

Dash studied him. “You told me you hated surprises.”

“I do.”

EXCEPT WITH DASH, he didn’t. That thought terrified Thorne, because it meant that Dash had the power to change him. Dash was a hired companion. No, he was a hired fuck. He’d told Dash he wasn’t looking for someone to talk to. What was he doing?

“You know what, I don’t think this is a good idea after all. I should go.”

He pushed back from the table, but Dash put a hand over his. “Stay. Would it make it easier if this were off the clock?”

God no, that would make it worse. This would be a date, and he’d have to admit… Thorne shook his head. “No. That’s got nothing to do with it.” That had everything to do with it.

Dash raised a brow. “You should eat. I won’t keep you after that.”

Thorne sat back down, his heart hammering. Dash was so beautiful, everything he wanted but… He was twenty-two, and he was there because Thorne paid him, no matter how much it seemed otherwise.

He just offered to stay off the clock.

He has to eat, and I’m paying for dinner.

“Do you trust me to know how to pleasure you?” Dash asked, keeping his voice low.

“Yes,” Thorne answered automatically.

“Food is just another form of pleasure. It’s a sensual experience just like sex. It’s fitting that I’m an escort and a chef. The two go together perfectly.”

Thorne couldn’t take his eyes off Dash. The man had wrapped him in a spell, his voice, the look in his eyes, even the fucking beautiful way his lips moved as he spoke, hot as hell. “Tell me what you ordered for us, in detail.”

Thorne could tell by the way Dash’s lips curled up in a devious smile that he’d understood Thorne’s meaning. Thorne wanted Dash to describe the food in a way that would make Thorne hard, the way he’d talked about cupcakes earlier.

“I ordered the kartoffelpuffer, potato pancakes. They’ll be crispy on the outside, but when you bite in, you’ll taste the potato. Soft. Smooth. Hot. For our main course, we’ll have beef rouladen, soft, succulent beef covered with tangy mustard and wrapped around savory bacon and sweet, thinly-sliced onions and carrots. The butteriness of the beef, spice of the mustard, and salt of the bacon will tantalize your mouth. I promise you’ll love it.”

Dash kept his voice pitched low, and he spoke slowly, dragging out his vowels. By the time he finished, Thorne was half-hard and considering whether to ask for dinner to go and drag Dash back to his apartment.

“LIKED THAT DID you?” Dash asked, well aware of his skill and Thorne’s reaction.

“Fuck yes, I did.” Thorne’s voice was scratchy with need. Would he be asking for another round after dinner?

“Just wait until I order dessert,” Dash said.

“We’ve already had cupcakes.”

“We had a lot of things that were sweet, but I”—Dash licked his lips and closed his eyes—“believe you can never have too much.”

Dash slipped his foot out of his shoe and lifted his leg, pushing his foot into Thorne’s lap. Thorne’s eyes widened as Dash pressed against him, discovering that, as he’d expected, Thorne’s cock would be more than happy to have dessert.

“Quit that. Our server is headed this way.” Thorne looked horrified.

Smiling, Dash lowered his leg and slipped his shoe back on.

Jordan set the kartoffelpuffer and their bourbons on the table. “Did you choose a wine to go with your entree?”

“Yes,” Thorne said. “We’ll have the Dornfelder.”

“Excellent choice. Do you need anything else?”

“No. Thank you.”

“Then enjoy.” Jordan left them.

Dash used his fork to spear one of the cakes, and Thorne followed suit. Dash tasted his carefully. They were still piping hot. “Mmmm.” He closed his eyes to better enjoy the taste. A perfect blend of saltiness and quality-potato flavor. When he finished savoring his bite, he realized Thorne was staring at him; glaring, more like.

“How did you learn to be so…” He waved a hand. “Did you go to seduction school or what?”

Dash laughed. “If there were an Escort Academy, it would be nothing like most people would imagine. Most of us are already quite comfortable with our sexuality when we’re hired. It’s the unexpected parts of the job—being a therapist, career consultant, personal shopper, companion to a sports enthusiast—most of us could use help with.”

“So were you just born knowing how to make men want you?” Thorne looked annoyed that seduction came so easy to Dash.

“Were you born knowing how to swagger around the office and tell people what to do?”