Hope it makes you want more. I give you Gavin and Davy...
So that's it folks. Hope you enjoyed the OPENING SCENE (haha). Only about 15k to go til it's ready for betas! :) Keep checking back on my blog for more info in T&tW and don't forget that my new novel Don't Trust the Cut is out at LooseId on July 2.
Chapter One
Davy passed an ice cream cone loaded with two black licorice ice cream scoops to a beaming toddler who was bouncing in her father's arms. After a thanks and a tip from the dad Davy gave his typically shy smile and nod routine. He was pretty sure he was the only person who managed to ever get tips off of shyness but he figured it was because working in an old fashioned soda shop where the majority of clientele was tourists and children, being unassuming was preferable to being over-eager. People were at ease around his shy nature and it paid his bills so he had stuck with the same job he'd had since high school for one reason alone: he'd never have to leave his comfort zone. He figured that meant his worst fears had come true and the apple hadn't fallen far from the tree after all, but his life worked for him.
The bell that hung above the door jingled, followed by laughter, signaling that he had customers. When he turned to greet the new customers he couldn't even muster a smile when he recognized the group of five guys walking in. Okay. So there was occasionally something about his job that wasn't quite so comfortable and these guys – more specifically one of these guys – rattled his cage and he wasn't sure why.
Well, that was a lie. He knew why. They were around his age and attractive, his opposites in every way and they were guys. Cute guys. They had the hipstery look of most Seattle twenty-somethings and spoke freely with one another, laughing raucously at their own ridiculousness. They came in at least once a week. In fact, he knew most of their orders by heart at this point. He also knew they were all openly gay after having heard plenty of their care-free conversations. He knew they were students and all of them worked in the area surrounding the market at Pike's Place. He'd seen most of them daily, though he was certain they never noticed him. Not many people did. He liked it that way. But one of them always noticed him. Whether they were in Bart's Soda Shop where Davy worked or if they bumped into one another on the street this one guy rattled him the most because he saw Davy.
Davy had figured out the guy's name was Gavin, mostly because the guy had told him. About a hundred times. Gavin always zeroed right in on Davy even as the rest of the world passed quiet Davy by like he was a ghost. It was unnerving. Davy didn't know what to do around other guys in general. He could sit in the club for hours being a wallflower, seeing the occasional guy look his way and never once leave his spot. He'd flee before anyone thought to approach him. He wasn't a total freak, but being around other guys, especially gay men, tended to make Davy a nervous wreck. But damn that Gavin if he never gave up.
Gavin with his beanies and skinny jeans that hung low in the crotch and his wicked grin that sported two devastating dimples was definitely someone Davy couldn't ignore. And those eyes. Big brown eyes that were slightly darkened under a ridged forehead and prominent eyebrows. Those eyebrows were perfect. Dimples and glinting brown eyes aside, Davy had heard enough of their conversations to know Gavin wasn't exactly a blushing virgin. Not by a long shot. Davy didn't intend to be a notch on that guy's bed post any time soon. Not that he was a notch on many guys' bed post willingly but he did his damnedest to avoid it where this guy was concerned.
Of course, Gavin's gaze locked on Davy's before any one else's as his small group of friends made it to the counter. Gavin shot Davy what he must think was his most winning grin. Davy gave his usual response. He rolled his eyes. Gavin laughed, his friends shook their heads at him, but he was never discouraged damn him. He hung back, as usual as his friends came up one at a time to order their milk-shakes, floats and cones. Davy kept peeking out of the corner of his eye as, one by one, he handed each of the other guys their treats. They looked at him apologetically, rolling their eyes right along with Davy, always confirming that the only reason they came in the shop was so Gavin could throw himself at his conquest: Davy.
Davy often wondered how Gavin was so certain that Davy was gay. Not that he wasn't gay. He most definitely was. But it still seemed he was way too quiet for anyone to make an assumption other than perhaps thinking he's asexual. Perhaps Gavin hit on all men that shamelessly but he seemed overly confident that he might have a chance with Davy. Which he did not. At all.
Finally, it was Gavin's turn and Davy plastered on his best fake smile, but crossed his arms over his chest as Gavin slid smoothly up to the counter with that annoyingly sexy smile and those devilish eyes and leaned as close as he could, elbows propped on the top of the counter, chin in his hands. Davy quirked and eyebrow as Gavin shamelessly appraised him, causing Davy to blush. Damn his easy blushing for giving him away every time. Didn’t matter that his skin was naturally a honeyed tan, his blush still shone bright on his high cheek bones. Gavin's smile grew smug every time Davy’s cheeks colored and it really pissed Davy off. Another one of many reasons he wouldn't give this guy the time of day.
“Heya, Davy.” Gavin's voice dripped with suggestion and Davy rolled his eyes. Again.
“Hello, sir. Cherry lime-ade, as usual?” Davy kept his tone even.
Gavin gripped his heart dramatically and his friends snickered behind him. Davy's lips thinned in annoyance. “Ouch, Dave-o. I remember your name. Do I mean so little to you?”
“Less than you'd think.” Davy said with a glare. He hated this guy for getting a rise out of him. He tried to tell himself it was because he couldn't stand the guy but he knew it was because he actually wanted to jump the counter and lick the guy from head to toe. Thankfully Gavin didn't know that he was the only person that inspired any type of reaction out of Davy who was normally shy enough he wouldn't backtalk someone who jumped line in front of him. Damn this Gavin dude.
Gavin leaned in again with a smirk. “Now, I just don't think that's so, Davy. I don't see you talking smack to my friends. I don't see you talk back to anyone, really. So I think you're just playing hard to get.”
Shit. “Whatever.” Clever.
Gavin's eyes practically widened in excitement. Davy's horrible poker face must have shown that Gavin kinda figured him out. Although he'd call it never-gonna-get before he'd say hard-to-get. He looked to Gavin's friends, beseeching the strangers with his eyes to intervene. They were all too busy turning red from laughter or shrugging apologetically. No help there. Before he embarassed himself with this jackass any further Davy turned to the soda station and started squeezing limes for the cherry lime-ade. He just wanted them gone.
He concentrated on the work at hand, breathing in and out. If only Gavin understood. He'd give anything to be normal enough to just take his number one of the million times he'd offered it. He'd love to go have that coffee with him. But Davy wasn't normal. He was struggling past a panick attack, now. The only thing stopping him from freaking out totally was the familiar actions. Cut the lime in half, juice it, add sugar and carbonated water. Shake. Shit. He forgot grenadine. He had to look at Gavin again because the granadine was under the counter. Damn. He avoided eye contact but he could feel the smirk on Gavin's face and part of him wanted the throw the guy's drink in his face. The rest of him wanted to run in the back and hide. He hated being noticed. Why couldn't Gavin just figure that out?
When he went to pour the drink into a to-go cup Gavin cleared his throat, making Gavin look up at him startled. “Something got you flustered?” Gavin's smugness really really made Davy reconsider running and vote for slinging the drink in the guy's cocky mug. Gavin nodded down to Davy's hands where Davy noticed he'd dumped the damn lime-ade on the floor instead of into the cup.
Shit!
Happy reading, y'all!
<3k
Hooked.. Both me and Davy LOL
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading more of this :)