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Laith listened intently, trying to remember all the different flavors and variations. He was so caught up in Tillman’s descriptions that he didn’t notice when the other man leaned in closer to him.
“Which one do you want to try?”
Laith glanced up at Tillman, surprised to find the big man so close. He could feel the warmth radiating off of Tillman’s body, and it made his heart race. He swallowed hard, trying to focus on the candy in front of him instead of the man beside him.
“Um, that one looks good.” Laith pointed to a chocolate-covered caramel. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a caramel, but it seemed like a safe choice.
Tillman nodded and retrieved the candy from the case. He unwrapped it and held it out to Laith. “Here you go.”
Laith took the candy from Tillman, their fingers brushing against each other. Laith felt a jolt of electricity run through him at the contact, and he quickly pulled his hand away. He popped the caramel into his mouth, savoring the rich chocolate and sweet caramel.
“This is amazing.” Laith closed his eyes in bliss. When he opened them again, he found Tillman watching him with a small smile on his face.
“I’m glad you like it,” Tillman said. “I make everything myself.”
Laith’s eyes widened in surprise. “You made this?”
Tillman nodded. “I learned how to make candy from my grandmother. She owned a candy shop back in Oklahoma.”
“That’s incredible,” Laith said.
Tillman’s smile grew wider at Laith’s praise. “Yeah, I spent every summer with her as a kid, learning the tricks of the trade. It’s a labor of love, that’s for sure.”
Laith was drawn in by Tillman’s passion for his craft. He found himself leaning closer, eager to hear more about the man behind the candy.
“So, you’re not just a landlord. You’re a candy maker too.” Laith tried to keep his tone light and casual. He didn’t want to give away how much Tillman’s proximity was affecting him.
Oh my god. Have you learned nothing, you moron? No flirting with your new landlord unless you want to be buried in a shallow grave.
Tillman chuckled. “I guess you could say that. It’s work that I immensely enjoy. Plus, it helps me meet new people like you.”
“But you didn’t meet me that way,” Laith pointed out.
Tillman crossed his beefy arms. “You came into my shop a week ago.”
“Looking for an apartment,” Laith said. “And I saw you outside. This is my first time in here.”
“I hope it won’t be your last.”
He was saved from having to respond when a group of customers came into the shop, distracting Tillman. That should have been Laith’s cue to leave, but clearly, he had a death wish.
While Tillman helped the customers, Laith took the opportunity to look around the shop some more. He was amazed by the variety of candies on display, from traditional favorites like chocolate-covered pretzels and caramel apples to more adventurous flavors like lavender honey and chili lime.
When Tillman finished helping the customers, Laith turned to him with a grin. “I think I’m in love with this place.”
And if he stuck around, he would gain a hundred pounds.
Tillman really did have a gorgeous smile. “I’m glad you like it.”
Laith had opened his mouth to say something else when his phone rang. He held up a finger to Tillman before he pulled out his phone. To his shock, it was Daniel calling him.
But why? It wasn’t as if he’d stood up for Laith. It wasn’t as if he’d stopped those men from attempting to pulverize him into a permanent chalk outline. In fact, Daniel had gone out of his way to hide when shit hit the fan.
It had been Daniel who’d dumped Laith when his daddy had started to press his son about where he was going at night. Pissed off at Daniel’s cowardice, Laith had purposely kissed his neighbor.
Who hadn’t been gay.
Doing things out of spite was the dumbest shit someone could do. Laith hadn’t used his best judgment that day, but who did when they felt as if their world was imploding?
