Promises Part 1 (Bounty Hunters #1)(56)
His long trek through college had been uneventful and tiring. Even undergraduate wasn’t the fun that he’d heard so much about from his high school nerd buddies. College was supposed to change their status from geeks to smart hotties. Needless to say, that didn’t happen. While he didn’t endure the bulling he had in high school, he was still ignored just as much. Unless someone needed a science tutor, then he got a phone call.
Cayson groaned. He couldn’t get Quick’s look of revulsion out of his mind. Those piercing green eyes had been his undoing when he’d first met him. Never had he seen a man more gorgeous and so far out of his league. Hell. All of Duke’s friends were handsome and hot. He didn’t have one visitor that wasn’t fuckin’ fine as hell. That’s why he was still berating himself. Never had Cayson come close to pulling a man has striking as Roman or any of Duke’s buddies. Roman. Damn even the man’s name is sexy. Cayson cringed inside when he thought of how he—like he was special—called the man his given name when everyone else called him Quick. But the man put him in his place faster than Cayson could turn on his charm. More like the charm he wished he had.
He figured whatever the man had going on; it wasn’t a good time to be in his company. He’d remember that he was strong, confident and demanded respect for himself and his friend while he was in the hospital, but he was also kind. That wasn’t the man he’d just seen. He hoped that maybe it would change, but he had a feeling it wouldn’t, because it never did. Of all the men who’d rejected him, no one had ever called him with a change of heart after realizing they’d let a good man pass right by them. And damnit, Cayson was a good man. He worked hard, cared for people and healed them, empathized with them. He wasn’t a bad person. Cayson squeezed his eyes closed. Then why the hell am I so unlovable?
Leaning back, he replayed the scene in Quick’s office when Duke had left them alone.
Cayson looked at Quick like he’d lost his mind when he fussed at Duke for closing the door. Nervously fidgeting with his hands, he stilled them by pushing them into his pockets. Quick was just staring at him like he was a visitor from another planet.
“Can I sit?” Cayson finally asked after realizing Quick wasn’t about to help make him comfortable.
“I don’t care,” Quick grumbled. “But if you think you need to apologize, then save it. It’s no big deal.”
Cayson sat down gingerly and braced his hands on the chair’s arms to keep from reaching out for Quick. When he’d walked into that house in all that fuckin’ black leather, the words BOUNTY HUNTER stenciled boldly across his deliciously huge chest, Cayson thought he’d pass out or come. He’d never seen a man look that deadly and delicious all at the same time. When he removed that coat, Cayson immediately noticed the weapons nestled close under Quick’s large biceps. He hadn’t realized he was fawning until Duke roused him out of the fantasy that was starting to play in his mind again.
A vision of Quick barging into his home and forcing him to the ground, securing his hands behind his back. He could smell the leather as Quick rubbed against him, keeping him pinned under him. Oh god. Cayson might’ve moaned out loud. The dialogue in the fantasy that he was boldly picturing right there in front of the man was even hotter than the image of being taken.
“If you fight me, pretty doctor, it’s only going to make me fuck you harder.” Quick would warn him in that growly voice right before he—
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Quick stood, his hands on his strong hips, his sharp eyes filled with rage, making his usually meadow green eyes appear more hunter green and meaner.
“Nothing’s wrong. I was just—”
“It ain’t gonna happen. Whatever you were thinking right then.” Quick pointed at Cayson’s head. “Not. Gonna. Fuckin’. Happen.”
“I wasn’t thinking anything bad.” Cayson hurriedly tried to recover. “I was trying to come up with a suitable apology for the way I talked to you. I shouldn’t have called you Roman. If you prefer Quick, then I will call you that.” Cayson tried to look unaffected, but his brain was screaming at him to make it right. Make friends with them. Let them see how great a guy you really are. Maybe there was enough room in Duke and Quick’s circle of friends for him. He didn’t expect to be an honorary member of the club, but an invite to a barbeque or a fight night would be nice.
Cayson bit his bottom lip—another nervous gesture—while he thought of the right words. He was a thinker, typically, and didn’t usually act or even speak without thinking it through first. So why did Quick take him so far out of his comfort zone and make him pine for things that would never be within his grasp?
“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“You didn’t, doc,” Quick said, his tone unfazed.
“Well then, good.”
“If you want to examine your patients, I think you should do it in your own office, not mine.” Quick went back to shuffling some papers around as if Cayson was dismissed.
“You’re a real asshole. You know that.” Cayson regretted it the moment he said it. Because Quick stood to his full height and came from around the desk and stood over him like Cayson was in for the ass whupping of his life, but if he was… fuck it. Might as well have his say first. “You called my office, worried about your friend. When I couldn’t reach him to schedule him to come into my office, I came out to check on him. Not all doctors disregard their patients as soon as they exit the hospital doors. Duke will be under my care for a year or more. Since y’all are all so close and you’re my other patient’s next of kin, I thought we might see each other a few more times.”