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Then Rocky’s name came up in the chat room. All I read was “Wow, do I make you googly-eyed?” before I yelped and said I had to log off, that someone was knocking. It must have seemed like I had either the government or the SWAT team banging at my door, because I looked shaken to my very gay core.
But I couldn’t. I just couldn’t have Rocky hear more about how I was dick-struck and googly-eyed and whatever else my friends would end up throwing out there. I loved them to death, even without ever meeting them in person, and yet I also knew when it was time to pull the emergency cord and slam the laptop shut.
Hazel looked up from her phone, smiling, thin brow arched toward her bangs. “You okay there, Sam?”
“Yup, fine. Totally fine. Never been better.”
Never been so damn head over heels for someone either.
Shit… Rocky really did make me googly-eyed, didn’t he?
20
Rocky Hudson
My grin was wide enough to strain my cheeks. I sat back in my office chair, chuckling as the image on Sam’s stream went black and he logged off in a panic. Right after I sent him the message about the googly-eyes. I knew I’d caught him off guard just by subscribing, and I wasn’t exactly sure how he’d react to the “tip” I sent him, but I couldn’t help it. There was an easy option to give whatever amount I wanted to give, so I gave. He had mentioned to me before about how his gaming rig wasn’t exactly up to par and that he felt it slowed down his growth, so maybe now he could get what he needed.
Hell, I would have given him way more, but I felt like I’d really freak him out. I didn’t want him to think I was trying to win him over with my money.
And I certainly didn’t want him running from me. Not after these last few weeks of getting to know him. We hadn’t been able to have another night like we had in the Velvet Room. My schedule had become tight with Hazel’s case, but I talked to him as much as I could throughout the day. Either through texts or phone calls, we were always chatting, and sometimes we were just on the phone in silence, something I’d never experienced before.
There was a lot about Sam that I’d never experienced before. He had such a bright way of tackling the world, and that brightness seemed to spread from person to person, whoever surrounded him. I noticed it whenever we were together. He had a way of lighting up the room without even realizing it.
That guy is brighter than bright.
Maybe that’s why I’d been smiling so much lately.
My phone started to vibrate with a call. Sam’s name appeared on the screen. I answered it with a friendly hello, but Sam didn’t waste a beat: “Rocky, you’re crazy! Seven hundred dollars? I can’t accept that. And also, you’ve got to unsubscribe, or I’m blocking and reporting you.” He said the last part with a laugh, which of course spread to me, even over the phone.
“Go ahead,” I said, challenging his threat. “I’ll just make a new account to subscribe to you with.”
“I can’t believe you.”
“Believe it.”
He sighed. I could almost hear his eyes rolling as loudly as I could hear the smile in his voice. “You aren’t going to Pretty Womanize me, okay? I’m not going to be bought over by a big bank account.”
“How about a big—”
A knock on my door interrupted me. I could see two shapes moving behind the frosted glass. “I’ll have to call you back. We’re still on for tonight, right?”
“Yes, of course, even though I’m super mad at you.”
“Perfect,” I said, chuckling as we hung up. “Come in.”
The door opened, revealing a smiling Holly and an equally smiling Angel. “I’m taking bagel orders for today. Want anything?” Holly asked.
“Go for the everything bagel with strawberry cream cheese,” Jonah Brightly said as he walked past my office.
Angel nodded. “Do it.”
“I’ll take an onion bagel with regular cream cheese,” I said. I actually hated strawberries, but I didn’t expect many people to know, especially not the guys at Stonewall. I wasn’t very open with the detectives I worked with. Something I was realizing more and more as the weeks passed and people seemed more distant with me. It wasn’t what I wanted to happen, it was just… a defense mechanism. A way to survive.
But with Sam in my life, I was beginning to see that there were other ways to keep myself protected, and being an asshole wasn’t one of them.
It’s why I had been making a conscious effort to open up and be… well, nicer.
“I’ll try that one next,” I called out to Jonah, hoping he heard me in the hall.
