Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 8

guy would know he was an idiot who could read. Burke's mood lifted.
    He stopped himself before another "uh" tumbled from his lips. "Y-yes. I'm a big fan."
    "Me, too." Binoc-guy smiled again, showing a nice set of nearly perfect teeth. "At least the Harry Bosch novels. I haven't read the Lincoln Lawyer ones. I am kinda tempted to see the film with Matthew McConaughey, but not really 'cause of the book, ya know?" He gave a charming little wink.
    Burke's heart fluttered and his cock might have followed suit. Thank God his sister had packed these baggy swim trunks!
    "They're okay. Well, pretty good, but I like Harry better, to be honest."
    "Good to know." Binoc-guy paused for a moment to check his watch, then turned his gaze back to Burke. "Would you– I'm so rude. I'm Staff. Staff Nelson."
    Staff ? What the hell kind of name was that? Burke couldn't help looking at Staff's stuff. His thoughts wandered to London: Nelson's column, a huge phallic monument to the nation's most famous naval hero. He couldn't tell how much column there was with the board shorts. Burke gulped a little and forced himself to look at Staff's eyes. They were warm brown, with little flecks of green and gold, and the corners crinkled a lot when Staff smiled. Staff smiled a lot. He was smiling right now.
    "What's your name?"
    "Uh." Fuck .
    "Is that Scandinavian?" Staff chuckled.
    "Wha? No. It's Burke. I mean, my name is Burke. Burke Williams."
    "Burke," Staff paused to smile, his teeth bright in the sunlight. He licked his bottom lip and Burke felt his cock stirring again at the sight of the pink tip. "Burke?"
    "Yeah?"
    "Would you want to meet me for dinner later, around seven?"
    "Dinner?"
    "Yeah, it's the meal people eat in the evening. You do eat, right?"
    "Sure, I eat. I chew. I swallow..." Awww, fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck. Burke clamped his lips together and blinked a few times.
    "Let's start with dinner and see about the rest afterward, okay?"
    "Okay."
    Staff grinned and glanced down at his watch. "Excuse me, just a minute, okay?" Without waiting for Burke's reply he raised the binoculars to his face and zeroed in on a clump of trees near the edge of the resort.
    "So, watchya watchin'?" Burke kicked at his flip flop as he asked. He shocked himself by not only asking a straight-out question but by his own almost flirtatious tone. Crap . He hoped Staff hadn't noticed it. Then again, what was the point of flirting if not to send a message. Burke was out of practice at all this social stuff. One more point to Janalyn.
    Staff was still looking through the binocs. He probably hadn't even heard Burke. Then Staff lowered the glasses and turned toward him. "Birds."
    "Really? I'm totally into birdwatching, too." Damn, that sounded pathetic. It was pretty pathetic. As geeky as Burke admittedly was, birdwatching was one thing he'd never gotten into.
    "Look, Burke, I gotta go. I'll see you later, okay?" Staff slung his backpack over his shoulder and ran off through the woods.
    He'd scared off another one. He watched Staff's receding form, which slowed, turning to glance back at Burke with a little wave. "Seven o'clock, by the entrance to Pecker's!" Staff shouted.
    Burke waved weakly back. Maybe he hadn't scared him off. Yet.
    He ran back to his room to research birdwatching before dinner.
    CHAPTER 3
    Burke left his room two minutes before seven, wearing slightly crumpled Chinos and a long-sleeved button-down cotton shirt in teal. He'd showered, shaved, and taken care with his appearance and an extra-long shower, just in case Staff actually showed up and after dinner still wanted to hang out with him.
    When Burke got to Pecker's Bar and Restaurant, a five-minute stroll from his room, Staff Nelson was already waiting. His Chinos might have been slightly less crumpled and he wore a soft coral-colored cotton shirt with a few buttons undone in a sexy, casual way. Just enough for Burke to see the sharp outline of one very attractive collarbone when Staff turned to wave and put out a hand for a friendly handshake, his other hand cupping Burke's elbow in a warm, almost tingly manner that boded well for the rest of the evening.
    "You smell good." Staff smiled and his eyes crinkled in agreement.
    "Thanks." Burke didn't know what else to say, that his sister packed the body wash? No fucking way!
    "The food here doesn't look that great. Do you mind walking to the other side of the resort, to the Asian fusion place?"
    "You mean you don't want to eat a…." Burke leaned toward