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“I don’t—”
Dash raised his brows, and Thorne stopped his feeble protest.
“I learned some of that from my dad and the rest from the man who hired me.” Thorne looked as though he wanted to add more but ultimately, he didn’t.
Thorne finally tasted his kartoffelpuffer then. His response was nearly as dramatic as Dash’s had been. “These are amazing.”
Dash smiled. “They are.” Since Thorne had answered his earlier question honestly, Dash gave a little more. “Most escorts learn from someone else in the business who thinks we’d make a good candidate and coaches us.”
“Did Marc teach you?”
Thorne’s expression told Dash he didn’t like the idea. Was he jealous? Dash wasn’t sure he should analyze how that made him feel. “Yes.”
“Were you lovers?” Before Dash could answer Thorne held up a hand. “That was probably out of line.”
“Possibly. Marc and I were occasional fuck buddies, but lovers, as in boyfriends, no. Marc’s way too much of a prima donna for me.”
Thorne laughed. “He is rather particular, but he’s good at letting go when he’s in the mood to.”
“He really knows how to top a reluctant bottom, and he can also surrender beautifully when a client is in the mood. I see why he worked for you.” They would have been beautiful together. He’d love to watch Marc pin Thorne down and make him beg the way Dash had.
“That’s a sexy smile. What are you thinking about?” Thorne asked.
“A threeway.”
Thorne sputtered as if he’d swallowed the wrong way. “With Marc and…”
“You,” Dash said.
Thorne stared, looking torn between nervousness and desire.
“Don’t worry. Marc’s in California, so it won’t go beyond fantasy.”
THORNE NODDED. “THAT’S probably best.” As hot as it would be to see Marc and Dash together, Thorne wanted Dash all to himself. He wanted to cocoon him away from the world and pretend… Pretend what exactly? That they were lovers, boyfriends? That was absurd. “I’m not good at sharing attention.”
Dash rolled his eyes. “Of course you’re not.”
Jordan arrived then with their dinner, and Thorne was glad to have something to focus on other than the lust in Dash’s eyes. His entree was exactly as Dash had described, and it smelled amazing.
“Will there be anything else, sir?” The server deliberately looked at Thorne. “Was the appetizer to your liking?”
“Very much so. Dash, do you need anything?”
Dash looked up, surprised. “Oh, no. This is excellent, thank you.”
Jordan nodded and backed away.
“They aren’t used to me bringing anyone here who’s not as old and boring as I am.”
Dash studied Thorne like he’d never seen him before. “First of all, you’re not old; sure, you’re older than me, but—”
Thorne shook his head. “Stop while you’re ahead.”
“But boring? Not for one second have I thought you were boring.”
“I work. That’s all I do. Most people find creating business plans to be about as exciting as sitting in an empty room.”
“That’s what you do? Make business plans?”
Thorne shrugged. “More or less.”
“You appreciate good food, you’re generous, kind, and did I mention hot? You know how to flirt and how to play when you want to. None of that is boring.”
Did Dash really see him that way? “It’s hardly in your interest to name your client’s faults.”
“I already know you’re pleased with my work, so I had no reason to contradict you if I didn’t mean it.”
He had a point.
They ate in silence for the next few moments. The rouladen was possibly even better than the sauerbraten, but it still didn’t beat the company. By the end of dinner, Thorne was contemplating asking Dash to spend the night, which told him it was way past time for him to go home, alone. “Should I call you a car?” Thorne asked as they rose from the table.
“No, I can walk.”
Thorne frowned. “How far do you have to go?”
Dash bristled. “I can take care of myself.”
“Maybe I want to take care of you.”
Dash’s brow wrinkled in annoyance. Thorne found it ridiculously fetching. “I don’t need—”
“It’s not about need. I’ll call a car, pay the driver, and send you on your way. You don’t have to tell me where you live, okay? I’m not going to stalk you.” Or not much, anyway. He’d checked Dash out before Dash came to his apartment the first time, the same as he’d done with every escort he’d hired.
Dash smiled. “It’s not that. I’m just not used to anyone taking care of me. I’ve been on my own for a while now.”
“You took care of me tonight. I’m just returning the favor.”
Dash shook his head, but he was smiling. “Fine. You win. I’ll accept the ride.”
“You knew I wouldn’t stop insisting until you did, right?”
Dash rolled his eyes. “I did, but I actually like that about you, your command mode. I like knowing that you love being in control, but that in bed, I can make you drop that facade. I can take your ass. I can own you.”
