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“Okay,” he said. “Let’s go to the diner.”
As they walked, Laith glanced at the couple that had exited the diner earlier. They were still holding hands, laughing and talking as they strolled down the street. Laith felt a pang of jealousy in his chest. He wished he could be so open about his feelings, but he knew that wasn’t possible with Daniel.
They reached the diner, and Tillman held the door open for Laith. The smell of burgers and fries filled the air, making Laith’s stomach growl even louder. They took a seat at the counter, and Tillman ordered them both a burger and fries.
As they waited for their food, Laith felt a little more at ease. Tillman was easy to talk to, and he seemed genuinely interested in getting to know him. They talked about everything from music to books to movies, and Laith found himself laughing and smiling more than he had in a long time.
When their food arrived, Laith dug in with enthusiasm. The burger was juicy and flavorful, and the fries were crispy and salty. He moaned in pleasure as he ate, making Tillman chuckle.
“I take it you like the food.”
“It’s delicious,” he said, swallowing his bite. “I haven’t had a good burger in a while.”
Tillman grinned. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I come here all the time, and the food never disappoints.”
The more Laith talked with Tillman, the more Daniel faded into the background. “I’m surprised you’re eating burgers and fries.”
“Why?” Tillman asked.
Laith waved a hand at him. “You’re so buff. I thought guys like you watched what you ate.”
“Guys like me?” Tillman asked.
“Gym-aholics,” Laith clarified. “You know, the whole ‘my body is a temple’ thing.”
Tillman chuckled. “Believe it or not, this body isn’t from a gym. I’m all natural.”
Laith gaped at him. Was Tillman just messing with him? “No guy is born that chiseled.”
Tillman had to be lying. He was the epitome of workouts. His arms were the size of most men’s thighs. Laith bet two of his thighs put together still wouldn’t reach the circumference of Tillman’s biceps.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He frowned. “You really think I’m lying?”
Laith just shrugged. He wasn’t sure what to think, especially since he didn’t know Tillman all that well. A lot of guys lied about themselves when meeting someone. Laith couldn’t count how many times he’d caught dates fabricating some story that wasn’t even true.
That had been before he’d met Daniel.
Stop thinking about him.
“Roman,” Tillman called out in a deep, rich voice that Laith could listen to all day. Hell, he’d listen to Tillman read a boring ass science paper and think the topic was fascinating because it was Tillman who was reading it.
The cook popped his head out of the order window, and Laith’s jaw went slack. Roman was freaking gorgeous. He had the darkest blue eyes Laith had ever seen, and wavy blond hair that made his eyes pop. The guy also looked tall as shit, unless he was standing on something. “What?”
“Did I get this body from a gym?” Tillman asked.
“No,” Roman said. “You stole it off some dead guy. Any other useless thing you want to ask me, or can I get back to cooking?”
“You’re no goddamn help,” Tillman called out.
“My goal in life,” Roman replied before he disappeared.
Laith snickered at the exchange. “He’s funny.”
“Damn pussycat gets on my last nerve,” Tillman grumbled. “He’s lucky he’s an expert cook because he has no sense of humor.”
“I don’t know.” Laith smiled. “His comedic timing is amazing.”
Tillman furrowed his brows. “You think he’s funny?”
