Ohh Ohh Oh it’s magic.
“WRRRRRRRRRRR boom!”
“What the hell was that?”
Ry rapidly twirled his finger, then slammed his fist into his palm. “That, my friend, was the sound of you being shot down and crashing. Dude, you just got rejected by a total geek.”
Tikron glared at his friend, then jerked open the door and stepped out of the bakery. He glanced to the right, tempted to go after Richard. It was dark, he was alone, and for some weird reason, Tikron had the urge to be Richard’s protector. However, he didn’t think the title of stalker would be productive. He might never get Richard to speak to him, and he really, really wanted to talk to Richard again. The instant he’d laid eyes on the smaller man with the head full of curls, he’d been intrigued. After staring into those amazing hazel eyes, Tikron needed to know more about the guy. Richard wasn’t only handsome in a nerdy kind of way, there had been a depth in those expressive eyes. Tikron hadn’t seen anything like it in a very, very long time. Plus, there were those weird invisible threads that pulled Tikron to Richard. Tikron most definitely needed to find out more about the source of that strangeness. He huffed out a breath and turned to the left. No sense in scaring the poor man.
Ry caught up with him. “What? No witty comeback?”
“What do you want me to say? I did get shot down by the guy.”
“And?” Ry insisted.
“And nothing.” Tikron kept walking. He knew Ry wasn’t going to give up and would more than likely pester him about it all night. But Tikron needed a moment. He didn’t know what it was about Richard that had him messed up in the head. Until he figured it out, he didn’t know how to take or respond to Ry’s taunts. More proof of the effect Richard had on him, because he always had a witty comeback. Always. It was part of his charm.
O’Kelly’s was packed, full of boisterous laughter and chatter, and the music added to it until it was just a stream of jumbled noise. The place was always bursting at the seams on Friday and Saturday, but rarely did they have crowds this large during the week. Tikron wasn’t sure what was going on—probably some kind of important sports game—but he wasn’t looking a gift horse in the mouth. With the high level of noise and throngs of patrons, Ry would have a difficult time keeping focused on Tikron and his disastrous meeting with Richard. Ry, bless his heart, was a great friend, but he was also a bit of a scatterbrain. Flash something shiny in front of him and there he went, chasing it.
They were about to give up on any chance of finding a table when a couple suddenly stood, dropped some bills, and left. Ry plopped down into the chair, holding his hands over his head in victory. “Timing is everything, baby.”
The table was located at the back in a nook where the noise was at a tolerable level. Tikron took the seat across from Ry. “Shouldn’t that be ‘finding the right spell is everything’? You totally used your mojo on them. They walked out of here like frickin’ zombies.”
Ry waved a dismissive hand. “Yes, well, if you can’t use your talents for the good of others, what’s the point?”
“Good of others?”
“Yup, me and you. I’m starving. Besides, I didn’t do anything but give them a gentle reminder that it was a work night and they had to be up early.”
“And you know this how? Is mind reading one of your talents too?”
Ry stared at him for a moment, then flashed a sly smile. “I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work.”
Tikron scanned the room, found a waitress, and waved to her. She acknowledged him with a nod. “Besides trying to order a beer and some food, what, pray tell, do you think I’m doing?”
“You’re trying to distract me from ribbing you about what happened at the bakery, and like I said, it’s not going to work.”
“It already has.” At just that moment the server appeared. Ry wasn’t the only one who could toss around a little mojo.
“What can I get you fellas?”
Ry rolled his eyes at Tikron and turned a charming smile on the waitress. “Hi. My friend and I will take a couple of drafts and some of those Irish nachos for now. And if you could put a rush on it….” He raked his eyes up and down the woman’s body, and his grin grew to brilliant. “I sure would appreciate it. I’m starving.”
Of course she fell for it, agreeing to whatever Ry wanted and giggling as she hurried away. Ry was an extremely handsome man, and he knew how to work it to get what he wanted. He really was quite shameless at times.
“You don’t feel the least bit guilty that that poor girl is back there rushing to serve you and thinking she actually has a chance with you, do you?”
“No shame in my game. Besides, how do you know I don’t plan on making all her dreams come true?” Ry countered.
“Because I know you, and more importantly, I know your type.” Tikron held up his hand and clicked off each statement. “She’s not tall enough, blonde enough, nor does she have those big ol’ knockers you’re always going on and on about. You’re using that damn charm of yours to get what you want, and it’s cruel, man. What have I told you about karma?”
“All right, fine. I’ll play nice and give her a big tip. Will that make you happy?”
“It’s a start.”
Something brushed against Tikron’s calf, and as it moved up, inching toward his crotch, he knew exactly what it was. Just before Ry reached his target, Tikron slapped his foot away. “Would you knock it off? Christ, you’re annoying tonight. What gives?”
Before Ry could answer, the server returned with their beers and appetizer. Her hair was pulled up and her lips painted bright red. “Is there anything else I can get you?” With the way she was looking at Ry, it was clear she wasn’t talking about items on the menu. Poor thing.
“Thank you. This looks awesome, and thank you for being so quick about it. Could we also get two breakfast burgers and fries with ranch on the side, please?” Without looking at the waitress, he took a big bite of his potato, chewing happily.
Ry was concentrated on his food, so he didn’t see the girl’s face fall, but Tikron did. He supposed he should feel sorry for her, but really, it was better to have her unrealistic dreams dashed now than watch her swoon over Ry all night.
“How was that? Friendly, complimentary, but without a hint of promise,” Ry said around a big bite of food once the server left.
“Much better. And they say you can’t teach old dogs new tricks.”
Ry raised his mug. “That’s because they have never met you.”
Tikron clinked his mug against Ry’s. Not so much because he agreed with him, but Ry was smiling and enjoying his food and teasing Tikron. As long as Ry was doing that, he wouldn’t be ribbing Tikron about Richard—curly-haired, gorgeous, hazel-eyed Richard, who Tikron planned to learn a lot more about in the very near future.
Of course, Ry might have a bit of an issue with being scatterbrained, but Tikron should have known the man would rarely pass up a chance to goad him. Ry took the opportunity the instant the now-pouting waitress walked away after serving their meals.
“So this geek at the bakery….” Ry took a bite of his burger; the egg yolk ran down his chin.
“Christ, for a man with impeccable style, you sure lack on eating manners.” Tikron threw his napkin at Ry, who caught it easily. “Wipe your chin.”
Ry used the napkin but ignored the dig, because he continued talking with his mouth full. “You had that smitten look on your face when you were staring at that geek. I haven’t seen you so interested in a guy since… since…. Damn, what was that thug’s name?”
Tikron frowned. “Thug?”
“Yeah, you know. That gangster guy. The one who had a pink hankie in his pocket and liked to twirl his pocket watch.”
It took a moment for Tikron to search his past. Considering he’d been around for over three hundred years, trying to recall a single man among the list of ones he’d been smitten with was like trying to find a particular seashell in the ocean. Okay, maybe it wasn’t that vast, but it was a hell of a list.
“Henry or something like that,” Ry prompted.
“Henrik!” Tikron hooted. “Oh shit, I haven’t thought about him in years.” Eighty, to be exact. Henrik had been a wannabee gangster, but he hadn’t had a mean bone in his body. He played a great act, but when it came down to it, he was a pussycat. “He most certainly was not a thug.”
“Well, he dressed like one,” Ry insisted.
“You’re seriously critiquing his clothing? It was the 1920s. Double-breasted pinstripe suits were all the rage,” Tikron reminded him.
“It was ill-fitting, and with that high-pitched squeal he did every time he saw you….” Ry shook his head. “I still don’t understand what you saw in him. You certainly have some strange taste at times.”
“You’re right. He wasn’t the sharpest dresser, and he could be a little annoying at times—”
“A lot annoying.”
“Fine, a lot annoying,” Tikron conceded. “However, he also had the most impressive manly bits, and he knew how to use what he’d been gifted.”
Ry rolled his eyes, but Tikron just smiled smugly in response. He had been quite attracted to the wannabe gangster mainly because the guy exuded happiness, and the fact Henrik was awesome in bed had been the cherry on the top. The old memories caused a twinge of sadness to descend over Tikron. Henrik had come on to the wrong man and had been gunned down. It had been during a time when being gay could get a person killed. Sadly, that fact was still true in some places eighty years later. Immortality did have its downside. Watching friends and loved ones grow old and having to continue to exist after their deaths was something he’d never gotten used to and never would. Maybe he was a fool for even trying to find a solution to counter the curse. Perhaps it was time to accept his fate and just let the inevitable happen. No more heartache sounded like a pretty good gig, even if it came with a dirt nap.
“Oh hell no you don’t!”
Tikron looked up from his plate and blinked at Ry.
Ry pointed a finger at him. “Don’t you dare even consider checking out on me. I will kick your ass.” Tikron gawked at him. Had Ry really figured out a way to read people’s minds? “I know that look. Whenever you start thinking about the people you’ve lost, you get it, and I’m telling you, I will kick your ass!” Ry’s voice rose with each word he spoke.
Tikron was relieved his friend hadn’t picked up a new talent, but he also felt guilty as hell for causing the sadness he saw in Ry’s eyes. “All right, all right, simmer down. I’m not planning to check out tonight. I mean, I’d be a fool considering you promised me a blowjob for dessert,” he said to lighten the mood.
Ry sat back in his chair, taking his beer with him. “I don’t know if you deserve one.”
“Are you seriously going to welsh on our deal? Low, man, low.”
“I’ll make you a new one, and I’m being very generous considering the damper you put on my good mood.”
Tikron took a long pull from his own beer, then wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. “Let’s hear it.”
“I’ll blow you if you’ll blow me,” Ry said. A sly grin curled his lip.
Tikron held out his beer. “Sounds like a win-win to me.”
Ry clinked his bottle against Tikron’s. “You’re welcome.”
The atmosphere swirling around them lighter, Tikron went back to enjoying his burger and brew. A lingering sadness stayed inside him, but he pushed it down. He hadn’t lied to Ry; Tikron didn’t plan on checking out tonight. He had thirty days to consider his options, and in the end, he might actually be able to keep his promise. He wouldn’t be the one doing it, but he’d be taken out. Problem solved.