Page 33 of His Choice

“Good morning, everyone,” he greeted with a wave before taking a seat at a table with the woman I learned was his mother.

“Are you going to eat that, or are you going to keep it suspended hoping a genie will turn it into Cliff Walker’s cock,” Aaron teased.

I scowled at him before shoving the meat in my mouth. I scanned our table, but it seemed the contestant named Daryl was the only one who had heard. He had a filthy leer.

“I sure hope his dick is thicker and longer than that,” the guy remarked. “I’ll be sure to let you two know once I find out for myself in a couple of days.”

“What’s in a couple of days?” I asked.

Daryl still had that irritating sneer on his otherwise handsome face. “The amount of time I give it before Cliff Walker begs me to sleep with him.”

“That long, huh?” Aaron shot back. “He already asked me last night.”

Daryl lost his composure. I cast a warning look Aaron’s way.

“Bullshit,” Daryl snapped, though his expression revealed he was concerned it was true.

Aaron grinned. “Well, if and when you make it to Cliff’s bedroom, you’ll know I’m telling you the truth when you see that three of his walls are cornflower blue and there’s a white wood accent wall. The bedspread is cream-colored, just like his dressers and cabinets. There’s a big chair in the corner that’s a lighter blue than the walls, and it has tan pinstripes. There are two sets of white French doors that open to a second-floor balcony. Oh, and the sheets are silk. At least they were last night.”

Daryl couldn’t hide his surprise. “Guess he figured he’d fuck the one who looked easiest first. Cry when you never make it back in there.”

Aaron might have continued the argument, but Daryl had already taken his plate and moved to a different table.

“What are you doing? Cliff is going to evict you if he finds out you’re telling people he slept with you,” I chastised.

Aaron half-shrugged. “I said he asked me to sleep with him, which is sort of true. Besides, it couldn’t be helped. That prick, Daryl, needed to be drained back to the limp state that matches his appeal.”

“So, now you’re draining pricks until they go limp?” I mocked.

“I would respond that unlike you, I don’t in a literal sense—but it seems you don’t either,” he volleyed back. “Anyway, Cliff must know the score. People lie on these dating reality shows all the time to gain leverage. But don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone else that I was in Cliff’s bedroom. I doubt Daryl will either. His ego won’t allow him to.”

I contemplated that, thinking and hoping Aaron was right. I used my fork to push around the eggs I still hadn’t eaten. “You sure noticed a lot of details when you were in his bedroom.”

Aaron snickered. “That’s because I was trying to look at anything and everything but Cliff Walker’s body. It was…uncomfortable.”

“I doubt that’s the word I would use had it been me in your situation,” I admitted.

Aaron sat back in his chair. “Dude, had it been you, you’d still have a smile frozen on your face and the napkin on your lap would be soaked.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re such a pig.”

“Oink.”

I tried to maintain my glare, but I ended up chuckling. “Silk sheets. How did you know that?”

“I didn’t,” he confessed. “That’s what you call embellishing enough to call checkmate.”

“Are you finished with your breakfast, Mikey?” It was James who had appeared at my side.

“Oh, good morning,” I greeted , lifting my plate to hand to him.

He shook his head. “One of the caterers will clean up. I just came over to let you know the photographer is ready for you now.”

I frowned. I didn’t relish the idea of someone else judging my looks while they asked me to pose for them. I rose from the chair, then turned to Aaron. “Do I look okay? I don’t have anything stuck in my teeth?”

“You look fine,” he replied. “And the only thing stuck on you is the napkin to the crotch of your pants.”

“Huh?” I asked, looking down before realizing he had been making another crude joke.