Thunder - Willow Summers Page 0,8
ban on sex?” Dave asked.
“Yup. They want action.” Dick looked up as someone walked out, an older man with sweat drenching the back of his shirt. The man had pushed through the doors before Dick resumed speaking. “Most of them list their house as the destination. They don’t want to be taken anywhere.”
“Hear that, bro?” Dave flashed his money-maker, which wasn’t his body or his good looks, but the quirky grin that showed off his boyish charm.
Growing up, Colton had watched countless times as Dave flashed that thing around, turning a frown or a refusal into something he wanted, whether it be a candy bar or getting between a woman’s thighs. The ladies were after Dave as much for his charm as for his prowess. His jokes and fun as much as how he left them, panting and sweaty, at the end of the night. Colton wished he could be in his buddy’s place. Mutual respect was a helluva lot better on the ego than being a fuck toy for wealthy women.
“Why don’t you just take a couple a month or something?” Dave asked. “You can hack it for a night every couple weeks. Make them pay double. Or triple. Some of them would. Only go for an hour and then vamoose.”
“I told you. I’m done with that.” Colton shook his head and squared his body, showing them he was serious. “I’m out. This is just going to keep happening, and I don’t want to deal with it. I’ve made enough to get my thing going. Thanks for hooking me up ’n’ all, but it’s time for curtains.”
“Whoa, wait.” Dick held up a hand.
The smile fell off Dave’s face. “You sure, bro? Things are just starting to get good. We’re rolling in bank right now. Why not just hold out for a little longer until you have a bigger safety net?”
“We can get around this,” Dick said, attacking his keyboard again. “We can find an alternative.”
“We tried to find an alternative with the last one,” Colton said, checking the time. “It didn’t work. The women climb on me like I’m a jungle gym. It’s gotten weird, bro. I’m out.”
“Wait. Here.” Dick pointed at the screen. “Here, look. We got a reservation for Sam. That’ll work. We’ll sub you in.”
“Sam?” Dave scrunched up his face and leaned over the counter. “He’s long gone. Why is he still on the website?
“Would you get off the counter?” Dick shooed him away. “You have a sweating problem.”
“Because I work out. You should try it, chubby.” With the towel, Dave wiped off a droplet of sweat before wiping his face and then his arms.
“Big is the new beautiful,” Dick said, not fazed. “It shows character.”
“I’m big.” Dave flexed, widening the eyes of a middle-aged woman entering the gym.
“Yeah, big and dumb.” Dick reached for the woman’s keycard. “I leave Sam up just for kicks.”
After the woman made her way around the partition, Dave said, “He’s scrawny.”
“He’s normal. Stop the ’roids, and you’ll remember what normal looks like.”
Dave rolled his eyes.
Interest piqued, Colton slid closer to the others, trying to get a peek at the screen.
“What kind of woman would pick Sam over the lineup we offer?” Dave asked. “Is she old?”
“What does age have to do with picking Sam?” Colton said.
Dave shrugged. “I don’t know. Sometimes old people have weird taste.”
“You’re an idiot.”
“She’s twenty-seven,” Dick said. “And don’t discount Sam.” Dick pounded the keyboard. The ancient printer behind him shook as it roared to life. “He was working just as much as you guys when he was here.”
“Then why don’t you get more hits on him now?” Dave countered.
“He doesn’t have a stupid nickname, that’s why. But it looks like someone isn’t into all the muscle and waxed eyebrows.” Dick eased himself off his chair and snatched up the paper. His eyes roamed the details of the reservation. “She needs a date to a wedding. She wants her guy personable, able to carry on a conversation even if he has to fake interest, and someone she doesn’t have to babysit.”
“Did she really say that?” Dave leaned over the counter so he could get a better look.
Despite the time crunch, Colton couldn’t help lingering. “She knows the guy won’t care about her conversation, but she’s cool with that as long as he fakes it?” Chuckles bubbled up out of his middle. “When have you ever heard someone say that?”
“When have you ever heard someone say they don’t want to babysit their date?” Dave asked.
“My sister has