Page 25 of Wounded Soul
“Well, you’re fit as fuck. Of course you dance like a stripper.”
Now Jesse laughed, eyes lighting up with amusement. “Thanks. I think.”
“It’s a compliment.” Imagining Jesse dancing on a pole wasn’t doing anything to dispel Ian’s hard-on. Blowing out a breath, he tried to change the subject. “What do you do then? Job-wise.”
“I’m actually a chef.” He laughed softly and shook his head.
“Why’s that funny?” Ian frowned.
“It’s not, it’s just... never mind.” Reaching for Ian’s hand, he twined their fingers. “My house mates tease me, that’s all. They reckon it’s a weird job for someone who eats as little as me.”
“They sound like wankers.”
Jesse’s smile widened. “Yeah, a couple of them are, but the rest of them are all right.”
How many does he have?Ian wondered. But then Jesse started to trace the veins in his wrist, the touch light, yet it felt like fire on Ian’s skin. “So um... Where do you work?”
“Hmm?” Jesse glanced up from where he’d been watching his fingers move, tongue tracing along his bottom lip. It took him a second to focus on Ian. “Work?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m between jobs at the minute.”
“Oh, sorry.”
Jesse shook his head. “No, it’s fine. It’s my choice.”
Fair enough. Ian was curious as to what he did for money, but now wasn’t the time for that conversation. At least he wasn’t in danger of coming in his pants any more.
“What about you? What do you do?” Jesse asked, gaze dropping back to Ian’s wrist.
“I’m the HR manager forOne-Del.”
Jesse frowned for a second, then seemed to recognise the name. “Oh, the delivery people?”
“Yeah.” Ian nodded. “I know it doesn’t sound very glamorous, but—”
Jesse met his gaze, the intense look in his eye making Ian falter. “Do you enjoy it?” His voice sounded far too seductive for the question he’d asked.
Ian swallowed. “Um, yeah. Yes, I do. Most days.” He shrugged, trying—and failing—to tear his eyes away from Jesse’s.
“That’s all that matters, then.”
“Hey,” Cate interrupted. “What can I get you? Usual?” She glanced between them, eyebrow raised, and Ian wondered what they looked like to garner that reaction.
“Yeah, please.”
Jesse nodded and Cate twirled away to get their drinks.
“Has there been some trouble around here recently?” Jesse asked, shifting on his seat so their thighs brushed.
Ian frowned. “Not that I’m aware of, why?”
“Because you offered to walk Cate to her car after her shift, so I just wondered—”
“How did you know about that?”
Jesse looked a little sheepish, fingers still stroking up and down the inside of Ian’s arm, following the vein. “Sorry. I overheard you talking when I first got here. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
