Tied to Trouble(9)

Today, he was bow tie–less. But he was still Bow Tie. That same lean build, the glasses, the perfect hair, the great ass that looked spectacular in profile.

Who was this guy? And why did just the sight of him make Chad hot?

Chad shifted, and the keys in his pocket jingled.

Bow Tie looked up, those blue eyes immediately meeting his gaze. Chad swallowed and tilted his chin up, refusing to look away. Although it was really hard to look this guy in the eye. Not while knowing that back home on his computer, his background was the Dapper Dick, which was the illustrated spitting image of Bow Tie.

He discreetly slipped his book onto the shelf beside him, which—he risked a glanced—was for European travel. He silently apologized to the bookstore employees, but no way was he going to get caught with a how-to book in front of this guy. He’d probably be stuck in a two-hour lecture on how to run his life, because that just seemed like something this guy would do. He already loved to detail how he’d fuck Chad. Which, admittedly, was a more entertaining conversation. A shiver ran down his spine just thinking about it.

The other man turned to face him head-on, squaring his shoulders slightly and setting his jaw. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned a shoulder on the shelf beside him. “Well, hello.”

Chad scratched the side of his head. “Hey.”

Bow Tie’s gaze dipped slightly and then snapped back up. “Break any traffic laws on your way here?”

Chad frowned. “What?”

Bow Tie cocked his head and his tongue peeked out to wet the corner of his lips. “On the way to the party, that was me you passed when you crossed the center line on your crotch rocket. Remember?”

Chad blinked. “You were Turtle Toyota?”

Bow Tie’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Turtle Toyota?”

Chad shrugged. “Hey, I like alliteration.”

“I’m not a turtle,” Bow Tie said, his face reddening. “I was following the speed limit.”

“You were kinda being turtle-y.”

Bow Tie’s jaw clenched. “Yeah? Well, you need to get a helmet.”

“A helmet?”

“What don’t you understand?”

“Who died and made you my dad?”

Bow Tie straightened, fisting his hands at his sides. “I seriously don’t like you.”

“I won’t call you Turtle Toyota anymore if you tell me your real name.” Chad didn’t know why he asked, or why he felt like he needed to know more about this guy. Nothing more was going to happen between them. Bow Tie had said so, and damned if Chad was going to put his cards on the table first.

Bow Tie’s nostrils flared a little, like he was going to tell Chad to go to hell. But then, softly, he said, “Owen.”

Chad mouthed the name. It sounded familiar. Had Marley had ever mentioned this guy before? Owen. He liked the way his lips had to curl around the first syllable. The way it sounded a little like a groan. He shifted his weight to ease the growing situation in his pants. “I’m Chad.”

Owen didn’t react. Chad thought his name was pretty decent, so the guy could at least acknowledge it. Instead those blue eyes shifted to the shelf beside Chad, and Owen frowned.

Chad turned to see the source of Owen’s expression, and a shiver of apprehension licked down his spine.

Oh, shit. The damn book.

Owen lunged forward and picked up Quark for Dummies with a soft growl. Which was kinda hot, but Chad wasn’t going to go there right now. Not while the guy was about to go on a nerdy rant.

“I don’t think there’s anything I hate more than when people leave books on the wrong shelves,” he said. “Don’t they know how irritating that is to the employees and the customers?”

Chad nodded, eyes wide. “I know, what a dick bag.”

Owen’s lips thinned. “It’s rude.”

“The person who did that should probably be arrested.”

Owen’s frown deepened. “Are you mocking me?”

“No way. Something tells me mocking you about books is a serious offense.”

Owen narrowed his eyes, looking pretty hot all pissed off and proper. Chad lifted his chin. “So what’re you doing here, anyway?”

“I ordered my favorite author’s latest release, so I have to pick it up. Thought I’d browse a little first.” Owen raised his eyebrows. “What are you doing here?”

“I just come to pick up hot nerds.” He waggled his eyebrows dramatically.

Owen rolled his eyes, but Chad caught a flush that reddened his cheeks. Owen walked by him, heading toward the back of the bookstore, and Chad didn’t hesitate. He followed. He should have turned around, grabbed his book, and run the hell out of there. But all he could think about was making Owen as speechless as he’d made him.