Jose's Surrender by Remmy Duchene Read Free Book Online Page B

serious?"
    "I hope so," José replied, eyeing his bottle. "The man does things to me—he makes me feel like in those movies where your man is just so damn perfect for you all you want to do is cry."
    "You? Cry? Am I being Punk'd ?"
    "You always gotta be such a dick?" José asked.
    "Of course! That's part of my charm."
    José shook his head and smiled. He drained his beer and relaxed into the seat. It'd taken some doing but after spending most of the morning catching up on paperwork,

    he had to check in with his team. He wasn't about to go anywhere though—well maybe the bathroom.
    "I have to go to the john."
    Rajan pulled his legs in and José walked by him.

    * * * *

    Ronin peered at the swatches of material and eyed the wall. The color was a lovely bronze. He'd just bought some new paints that would be perfect for this assignment.
    Smiling, he folded the swatches of color and dropped them back into his bag. José had given them to him before coming out so he could start formulating the images but the truth was all he could think about was José. A day had passed since they made love. Three hours since he'd seen José. He wanted to touch him in the most intimate of ways but Leroy, José's godson, would be spending some time with him. The boy was bright, had manners, and was hilarious.
    He walked around to his laptop and sent a message to his supplier for parchment, frames, and a few other necessities before turning the computer off and shoving it into his bag. Outside the door he could hear José's team moving around. Off in the distance, a saw started rumbling, someone was hammering something, and laughter erupted

    from time to time.
    "Hey, Ronin."
    Ronin looked up to see a woman José had
    introduced as Marley, the painter. "Marley, what's up?"
    "Did you figure out what you needed yet?"
    Ronin nodded. "Yeah. Even sent out for supplies."
    "Perfect timing then! The team and I are heading over to Anatolis for lunch. Savaro feeds us for free whenever we drop in. You in?"
    "You're going to drive all the way to Eros to eat lunch?"
    Marley nodded, her eyes wide. "Are you kidding?
    Have you tasted that man's honey buns?"
    Ronin thought of the sexual innuendo in that and chuckled. "Can't say I have."
    "Pack up your things. You're in for a treat!"
    She grinned at him then bolted out the door screaming, "Hey guys! Ronin's in!"
    The group cheered and he shook his head with a laugh. José had said they'd welcome him but he never in a million years thought they would be this nice. Pulling himself from his thoughts, he grabbed his bag, unplugged his cell phone from the wall and walked out into the hall.
    "You going to meet us at Anatolis?" Keith the plumber asked.

    "Sure. I drove here and I really don't feel like leaving the rental car here," Ronin explained. "Anyone need a ride over?"
    "Presley! You need a ride?" Marley hollered.
    The ebony woman in the hard hat and tool belt rose from where she was and allowed the tape measure to slide in with a thwack . She pushed the brim of her hard hat up and smiled with a nod. "Who wants to give me a ride?"
    Ronin laughed. "All right, Presley. You're with me."
    "Score. Let me grab my stuff."

    * * * *

    The ride back to Eros was interesting to say the least. Presley found a hip-hop station broadcasting out of Mousa and cranked it. She was dancing in her seat like crazy.
    "Come on, smile, Ronin. It's not the end of the world," she encouraged.
    Ronin laughed. "I know."
    "José has changed," Presley explained.
    "Changed? How do you mean?"
    "I don't know." She shrugged and turned off the radio. "He's been a little quiet lately."
    "And that's new?"

    "Yes. The old José was funny; always making jokes. He was a bit of an airhead and we loved him that way. I mean, we still love him but lately he's been so… I don't know how to say it."
    "And you all think it's because of me." It was more of a statement than a question.
    "We know it's because of you. He really likes you, I think, and he's afraid if