Read Online Question Mark by S.E. Culpepper - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: S.E. Culpepper
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date went so well last night. Before he could say something equally cutting back, Zane started in again.
“My work makes it hard to trust a lot of people, so I don’t. Dating is more risky than it’s worth most of the time, as my last few relationships have proven, and I refuse to get caught up in a game of my making or anyone else’s.”
Mark smirked and turned to head back into the living area of his bungalow, fighting a surge of bile. He didn’t do anything yesterday that was remotely in the realm of game playing—and if anyone knew how to play games it was old Mark, the one who specialized in fucking with people simply because he could. Zane could go screw himself if he thought Mark would stand around and listen to a bullshit lecture he didn’t deserve.
He made it less than two steps into the room before a warm hand grasped his wrist and swung him back with enough force to nearly slam his chest against Zane’s.
“Listen to me,” Zane ground out, his face piercing in its intensity. I’m listening , Mark thought, dazed.
“Last night was…amazing. If I had the luxury of staying with you the rest of the time you’re here, I would do it in a second—as long as you’d let me. I want to see you again. I want to talk to you while I’m gone. And I want you to want the same things. No games.”
Somewhere in the middle of that little speech, Mark’s heart commenced to pounding and his breathing pumped up until his chest managed to close the remaining distance between him and Zane with each inhale.
That was so not what I thought was going to happen…
“We’re both adults and like I said, I’m not interested in screwing around. I’m choosing to trust you, Mark. If you don’t want anything more, I’ll leave right now and you won’t have to worry about me bothering you ever again.”
Was he insane?
Mark looked back and forth between Zane’s eyes, seeing the subtle flecks of color in the blue. If he thought that just being on a date with the man was surreal, then hearing these words pouring out of him, and being this close to him was nearly impossible to soak in. Funny, he always thought it would be awesome to have a man say exactly what he was thinking and just be honest about whether or not he wanted to pursue a relationship —not only sex, but a relationship. Having Zane do it swept Mark’s legs out from under him. He hadn’t thought there was a man out there capable of it.
Wrong again.
His brain was in negotiations with his tongue about the possibility of speaking, so when the flare in Zane’s eyes began to die the longer Mark was silent, he forced the jumbled words out.
“No games,” Mark blurted. “I want more.”
The fierceness of Zane’s gaze sucked the breath from Mark’s chest and it reminded him of those gut-clenching moments he’d seen in the man’s films. Except he knew this was no act. That toughness mingled with sincerity and Mark was experiencing it first hand.
“Good fucking answer,” Zane hissed, and lowered his mouth in a rush.
With his brain ceasing all normal thought, Mark could do nothing more than clench his hands around Zane’s tight biceps and let himself get good and kissed. Zane was thorough, demanding, and…brief. Before Mark was able to really kiss him back, the other man was releasing him and dropping his sunglasses back over his eyes. A delicate flush rode high on his cheeks as those perfect lips closed in a line.
It was so hot that Mark thought he could orgasm with little to no effort, except that the moment was over and Zane appeared to be on his way out.
“Wait—”
Zane knelt down next to his bags outside and glanced briefly at him over his shoulder, his lips twitching like he wanted to smile. Mark watched as he unzipped a pocket and dug around until he found what he wanted. It was a heavy-weight business card with the letters ZAW inscribed on the front along with a single number.
“This has my personal cell number on it. I also wrote my
“My work makes it hard to trust a lot of people, so I don’t. Dating is more risky than it’s worth most of the time, as my last few relationships have proven, and I refuse to get caught up in a game of my making or anyone else’s.”
Mark smirked and turned to head back into the living area of his bungalow, fighting a surge of bile. He didn’t do anything yesterday that was remotely in the realm of game playing—and if anyone knew how to play games it was old Mark, the one who specialized in fucking with people simply because he could. Zane could go screw himself if he thought Mark would stand around and listen to a bullshit lecture he didn’t deserve.
He made it less than two steps into the room before a warm hand grasped his wrist and swung him back with enough force to nearly slam his chest against Zane’s.
“Listen to me,” Zane ground out, his face piercing in its intensity. I’m listening , Mark thought, dazed.
“Last night was…amazing. If I had the luxury of staying with you the rest of the time you’re here, I would do it in a second—as long as you’d let me. I want to see you again. I want to talk to you while I’m gone. And I want you to want the same things. No games.”
Somewhere in the middle of that little speech, Mark’s heart commenced to pounding and his breathing pumped up until his chest managed to close the remaining distance between him and Zane with each inhale.
That was so not what I thought was going to happen…
“We’re both adults and like I said, I’m not interested in screwing around. I’m choosing to trust you, Mark. If you don’t want anything more, I’ll leave right now and you won’t have to worry about me bothering you ever again.”
Was he insane?
Mark looked back and forth between Zane’s eyes, seeing the subtle flecks of color in the blue. If he thought that just being on a date with the man was surreal, then hearing these words pouring out of him, and being this close to him was nearly impossible to soak in. Funny, he always thought it would be awesome to have a man say exactly what he was thinking and just be honest about whether or not he wanted to pursue a relationship —not only sex, but a relationship. Having Zane do it swept Mark’s legs out from under him. He hadn’t thought there was a man out there capable of it.
Wrong again.
His brain was in negotiations with his tongue about the possibility of speaking, so when the flare in Zane’s eyes began to die the longer Mark was silent, he forced the jumbled words out.
“No games,” Mark blurted. “I want more.”
The fierceness of Zane’s gaze sucked the breath from Mark’s chest and it reminded him of those gut-clenching moments he’d seen in the man’s films. Except he knew this was no act. That toughness mingled with sincerity and Mark was experiencing it first hand.
“Good fucking answer,” Zane hissed, and lowered his mouth in a rush.
With his brain ceasing all normal thought, Mark could do nothing more than clench his hands around Zane’s tight biceps and let himself get good and kissed. Zane was thorough, demanding, and…brief. Before Mark was able to really kiss him back, the other man was releasing him and dropping his sunglasses back over his eyes. A delicate flush rode high on his cheeks as those perfect lips closed in a line.
It was so hot that Mark thought he could orgasm with little to no effort, except that the moment was over and Zane appeared to be on his way out.
“Wait—”
Zane knelt down next to his bags outside and glanced briefly at him over his shoulder, his lips twitching like he wanted to smile. Mark watched as he unzipped a pocket and dug around until he found what he wanted. It was a heavy-weight business card with the letters ZAW inscribed on the front along with a single number.
“This has my personal cell number on it. I also wrote my
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