A Fighting Man by Sandrine Gasq-DIon Read Free Book Online Page A

so wrapped up in thinking about Casper’s eyes and, well, everything else, I’d probably missed half of what he was saying.
    “Actually, no. My problem is I can’t stop looking at you and my mind tends to wander.”
    Casper ducked his head and I took his hand.
    “You could never bore me, Casper.”
    “I can say the same about you,” Casper chuckled.
    “Good.”
    We talked during dessert, nothing earthshattering, but I was getting the feeling that Casper was holding back on me. I could wait, though. I had a little less than thirty days to make Casper Kennedy mine. Once we were done and in the car, I made sure to turn the radio down—to Casper’s amusement.
    I walked Casper to his door and waited for him to unlock it. I noticed the small tremble in his hand as he twisted the key in the lock. He was nervous. So was I. Casper turned to face me and I searched his eyes.
    “Well, thank you for dinner, Slater.”
    I stepped forward and Casper backed up a bit. I touched his face lightly and leaned in. A slight hitch of breath met my ears as I kissed Casper’s cheek softly.
    “Goodnight, Casper,” I whispered in his ear as I backed away.
    “Night.” Casper backed into the apartment and shut the door. I stood there smiling like an idiot. I had wanted to kiss him, but I knew it was too soon. Whatever battle Casper was having with himself, he hadn’t won it yet and I wanted to prove that I could respect at least some of his boundaries.
    I sailed home with a smile on my face even though I hadn’t asked Casper out on a second date. That would come Saturday. I knew he’d be there for the photo shoot. The house was quiet as I crept in and locked the door behind me. I looked around the living room. My parents had left the small light on by the couch and I turned it off. Trudging upstairs, I threw my clothes off and landed on my bed. I was exhausted and my body was still trying to catch up to the jet lag. I closed my eyes and fell out.
    Saturday morning, I stood covered in makeup in a photography studio. Hot lights blazed down and I felt like I was melting. Every few minutes, the makeup woman had to come touch me up. It was ridiculous. I was covered in baby oil and wearing what I think were shorts. Tiny brown ones that seemed to suffocate my dick. I hadn’t seen Casper yet, but Blaine was in one of the chairs laughing his ass off.
    Mr. Pritchard stood off to one side talking to the photographer. The door opened and I looked up to see if it was Casper. No such luck. Instead, some huge Italian-looking guy walked in, oiled to his hairline. A row of perfect white teeth smiled at me and my dick deflated. This was not my type of man.
    “Ah! Juan-Carlos, come meet Slater Cassidy.”
    Juan-Carlos? Oh for fuck’s sake. I plastered a smile on my face and sort of shook Juan’s oiled hand.
    “Nice to meet you.” I nodded.
    “Oh, no, the pleasure is all mine.”
    Juan-Carlos checked me out ever so slowly and I knew Blaine was snickering.
    “Puta merda!” Juan-Carlos whistled.
    Great. I knew enough Portuguese to get by—and had—in Brazil. Juan-Carlos had just confirmed he was gay or bi or whatever, with ‘holy shit.’ In Portuguese. The guy was looking at me like I was the last morsel on Earth. I heard a chuckle to my right and noticed Mr. Pritchard eyeing Juan-Carlos’ tight ass. It seemed everyone was gay.
    “Okay!” Pritchard clapped his hands together. “You two get on the island for the next shot.”
    The ‘island’ was a mound of sand with a sea backdrop and a palm tree. I stood with my arms crossed and waited for the photographer to get ready before I put my muscles on display. Juan-Carlos leaned into my ear and I backed up a smidge.
    “How about you and me go for a drink after, eh?”
    “I’d like to, but I have plans with my boyfriend.”
    “Oh, that is a shame.”
    Juan-Carlos pinched my ass cheek and I wanted to smack him across the room. The photographer snapped his fingers and I looked up, posing for the