Question Mark by S.E. Culpepper Read Free Book Online Page A

life could be turning around.
    Their conversation settled into an easy rhythm after that and even when the server interrupted for their order, and again when he set their plates in front of them, they fell back into it without a hitch.
    Zane asked a lot of questions about Mark’s job and he could tell that the other man loved hearing about something so different from his own work. Mark talked about how his parents were still together and living in Bakersfield where he grew up as the youngest of three kids. All boys. 
    Zane looked wistful at that. He’d grown up as an only child to a single mother and it sounded tough and pretty lonely to Mark. Surprise of surprises was that Zane was never the outgoing one growing up, either. So exactly how a kid like him grew into one of the most well-known faces in the movie business with people paid to track his every movement, Mark wasn’t sure. He decided to set the question aside for some other time, secretly hoping it would be on a follow-up date.
    Mark didn’t want to ask too many questions about Zane’s job because he didn’t want it to seem like that was all he was interested in. He was liking who the man was underneath the surface and so they talked about where they went to college and their majors, hobbies, Mark’s softball league—all the usual stuff—and by the time they were on their third beers and saying no to dessert and coffee, two and a half hours had passed.
    Zane asked for the check and though Mark was wiped out from all the traveling, he wished that they could stay there talking until his mouth went dry or they ran out of beer. After a yawn that blindsided him, he apologized.
    “I’m not used to the flying, time zone stuff. Think of me as the average grandpa after any traveling whatsoever.”
    Zane’s eyes flickered at the description and he surprised Mark in the best way when he reached out and lightly ran his fingers along the back of Mark’s hand. “Would you mind if I walked you back to your bungalow? The least I can do is see you to your door.”
    The heat gathering in Mark’s stomach at the touch of Zane’s hand ratcheted up a couple degrees at the murmured question. He watched the other man over the flickering candle on their table and found himself unable to take his eyes from Zane’s.
    “I’d really like that,” he answered. His voice came out soft and seductive and his mind did a double-take. Hello, slut, is that you?
    Zane paid for the check, pulling his hand away reluctantly to sign the meal onto his tab. They left the way they’d come in, through the bar area where the night was just beginning for most of the people there. Music was thumping through speakers and it reminded Mark of the last gay club he’d been to more than six months ago—except there were a few more vaginas present here. Seeing it all made Mark feel even older.
    Making their way through the crowd, they were jostled a couple times until Zane reached back a hand to pull him up close. His grip was firm and sent shots of pure sexed-up adrenaline through Mark’s body. The gesture warmed him; it was that sensation of being protected. There was something incredibly desirable about being looked after.
    A flash and a slightly slurred voice dragged Mark permanently out of sappy fantasy land and he glanced up to see a camera phone thrust in his face before the flash went off again. More flashes and exclamations followed as more and more buzzed people realized that Zane Whitlow was in their midst. In turn, Mark was garnering quite a bit of interest himself because of Zane’s grip on his hand.
    Good grief, Mark thought as he was practically punched in the temple with some girl’s iPhone.
    “Zane, man! Awesome!” one guy hollered, his breath soured by alcohol.
    “I loved you in The Mercenary !” another girl screeched at his side.
    Mark didn’t know if he should drop his hold of Zane’s hand and run past him into the night, or keep close. Zane made the decision for him by