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“Have you looked at other places?”
“Not really,” I confess, leaving off how awful applying for jobs and doing interviews sound. Especially because I have to sell people on me when I don’t think I’m anything special.
“Well, for what it’s worth, I think whoever gets you eventually is going to be incredibly lucky.” He says it so easily, and I have no idea what to say back. “Anyway, tell me something new. What’s your favorite Chicago pastime?”
“Going to shows. Concerts and local bands. Chicago’s got a solid music scene.”
“What kind of music?”
“Indie rock, metal, emo mostly. You?”
“I’m all over the place. I’ve been on a folk kick lately, which is weird for me. But it’s good hiking music.”
“Folk?” I raise an eyebrow and my lip quirks up at the thought. “Really?”
“Hey, don’t judge me.” It’s funny, but somehow folk music seems fitting for him, even if it’s just a “phase” he’s in.
“No judgement from me.” The corner of my lips pull up as I turn into a hotel parking lot. It’s nicer than last year’s chain hotel because I had time to plan. Not that I spent a year planning. I spent maybe twenty minutes. An hour, tops.
“Did I do so well last year that you upgraded our room? If I keep it up, will I eventually get the Ritz?” Evan teases me as I open the car door, and we both get out, grabbing our bags.
“Bloomington definitely doesn’t have the Ritz,” I argue.
“No, but I’m pretty sure Chicago does.”
Is he… “Are you saying you’d like to come visit me in Chicago?”
“Maybe. We’ll see how your performance is tonight,” he jokes.
The sheer audacity of him. A laugh bursts out of me, and he grins like he just won a prize.
After I regain my composure, I clear my throat and turn to look at him. “You’re really going to stand here in a hotel parking lot and question whether I can make you come so hard you forget your own name?”
“I’m just saying, talk is cheap.” He shrugs, completely unbothered. “Show me how bad you want me. I don’t just bottom for anyone.”
He says it so simply, as if it’s just a fact and not something that I will be completely obsessing over as soon as I’m without him for the next year. This is a reminder that, whatever this is, I’m the exception to whatever rule he’s got for everyone else, and I really like the way that makes me feel. For the first time in my life, it feels like I’m being chosen by someone who I also chose.
“Then let’s get checked in,” I urge. “I’ll show you exactly what you’re in for.”
His grin widens, and he looks so eager to accept my challenge.
“Lead the way,” he says excitedly, falling into step beside me.
We continue to walk toward the entrance, and it almost feels like we’re a couple checking in. A bored-looking clerk sits behind the desk, scrolling through her phone, and this is all too familiar.
“Checking in,” I say, sliding my ID across the counter.
She barely looks up, which is a relief because I’m not sure what’s written on my face right now, and I’d rather not have a stranger read into it.
“Name?”
“Marcus Hayes.”
I try to let the standard check-in process settle me a bit, but Evan has high expectations for tonight, and I want to meet them.
She types something, hands me two key cards, and rattles off the room number and Wi-Fi password without making direct eye contact. The whole transaction takes less than two minutes before we’re on the elevator heading up.
Evan turns to look at me with heat in his gaze. Outside, there was playful challenge and happiness. Now, his piercing blue eyes burn with desire and want.
