Cisco Boyd, an outgoing thirty-five-year-old, believes in fortune cookies and horoscopes. Despite his lack of success in finding a steady boyfriend, Cisco never doubts the stars will eventually lead him to the man of his dreams.
One day, Cisco reads the fortune inside a cookie that says, “Red is the color of your heart’s desire.” So when Cisco’s date turns up wearing a red shirt, he’s ecstatic. But things don’t go as planned. After the date turns ugly, Cisco finds himself locked in his bathroom and calling the front desk of his apartment building for assistance.
Benjy McCrae, head of security, comes to his rescue. Cisco has always appreciated the hotness that is Benjy McCrae, but the man’s stern demeanor has never invited too much speculation...until now. Suddenly, Cisco sees Benjy with new eyes, including the part of the man’s security uniform that’s always been there—his red tie.
Perhaps Cisco’s “heart’s desire” has been right under his nose all along. But are the stars finally aligned in his favor?
One day, Cisco reads the fortune inside a cookie that says, “Red is the color of your heart’s desire.” So when Cisco’s date turns up wearing a red shirt, he’s ecstatic. But things don’t go as planned. After the date turns ugly, Cisco finds himself locked in his bathroom and calling the front desk of his apartment building for assistance.
Benjy McCrae, head of security, comes to his rescue. Cisco has always appreciated the hotness that is Benjy McCrae, but the man’s stern demeanor has never invited too much speculation...until now. Suddenly, Cisco sees Benjy with new eyes, including the part of the man’s security uniform that’s always been there—his red tie.
Perhaps Cisco’s “heart’s desire” has been right under his nose all along. But are the stars finally aligned in his favor?
Genres: Gay/Contemporary/Interracial/Multicultural
Heat Level: 3
Length: Extended Amber Kiss (13k words)
Length: Extended Amber Kiss (13k words)
Read a short excerpt...
...I decided to gather my nerve and test the waters. What could it hurt? I had just narrowly escaped a bad-news date, and my savior was before me, as scrumptious as ever. Maybe my “heart’s desire” was closer than I thought, and had been all along, long before I’d ever read that stupid fortune cookie. Hell, I was curious at the very least, though that had killed many cats before me. I was never one to pass up an opportunity for love.
“Am I so hard to get along with?” I asked, walking to where Benjy stood next to the wall that separated the kitchen from the living room. I saw him try valiantly to not notice the extra oomph I added to my hips as I approached. He was definitely interested, but trying to be a gentleman. Score.
His expression turned wary as he watched me. “Not at all, Mr. Boyd.”
I stopped a foot away from him. “So, why don’t you call me Cisco?”
“It’s easi—”
I cut him off. “You said that. Why, Benjy?”
He turned and walked to the door, his firm stride getting him there quickly. “I have to get back to work. Paperwork, you know.” He opened door and headed down the hall with a purpose.
I went in hot pursuit and got ahead of him at the elevator. “Not so fast, mister. I know you’re man enough to face me.” I blocked the DOWN button by standing in front of it, staring him in the eye. “Am I so hideous that you can’t give me a straight answer?”
“God, no!” he burst out. “You’ve got to know you’re hotter than—” Benjy clamped his mouth shut and leaned to the left to press the button hidden behind my back.
I smiled. “Now we’re getting somewhere. So, you don’t think I’m ugly. You think I’m hot, and you want to keep things professional because it’s easier.” I waved away the nonsense of those words. “I don’t see why we should. You don’t work for me, you work for the building. And”—I stepped closer and placed a hand on his finely made chest—“if it helps at all, I read a fortune cookie the other day that leads me to believe you may be my heart’s desire. Who are we to argue with the universe, right?”
His eyebrows raised at that, and then he blinked. Benjy fought a grin before saying, “A fortune cookie, huh? Well, I suppose that says it all, doesn’t it?” He shook his head and let out a gusty sigh. “I’m still on the job. Perhaps we should discuss this over breakfast. I’m working the night shift for one of my security guards. I’ll be off at seven o’clock. Too early for you?”
“Nope, I’m usually up by six, even on a weekend.” I placed my other hand on his chest and smoothed my way down to his waist. Fuck, there wasn’t an ounce of fat anywhere. Very nice. “What will you be in the mood for, besides me?” I teased as I slid my arms around to caress his back.
“Coffee and eggs, if you got ’em.” Benjy gently removed my hands from his lovely person.
“Done. How about a quick kiss to hold me over?” I asked, fluttering my eyelashes.
Benjy’s eyes danced at me. “You move fast, don’t you? I’ve seen you work that magic on many a man, Mr. Boyd, but while you are a very tempting morsel, I’m still at work. Patience, Cisco.”
He didn’t leave me hanging, though. Benjy took my hand and turned it palm-up to kiss my inner wrist, causing me to gasp in pleasure. “That should hold you over.”
The elevator dinged, and Benjy walked around me to enter it, his face back to being the bland professional, as was his usual demeanor. “Until the morning, Mr. Boyd...”
“Am I so hard to get along with?” I asked, walking to where Benjy stood next to the wall that separated the kitchen from the living room. I saw him try valiantly to not notice the extra oomph I added to my hips as I approached. He was definitely interested, but trying to be a gentleman. Score.
His expression turned wary as he watched me. “Not at all, Mr. Boyd.”
I stopped a foot away from him. “So, why don’t you call me Cisco?”
“It’s easi—”
I cut him off. “You said that. Why, Benjy?”
He turned and walked to the door, his firm stride getting him there quickly. “I have to get back to work. Paperwork, you know.” He opened door and headed down the hall with a purpose.
I went in hot pursuit and got ahead of him at the elevator. “Not so fast, mister. I know you’re man enough to face me.” I blocked the DOWN button by standing in front of it, staring him in the eye. “Am I so hideous that you can’t give me a straight answer?”
“God, no!” he burst out. “You’ve got to know you’re hotter than—” Benjy clamped his mouth shut and leaned to the left to press the button hidden behind my back.
I smiled. “Now we’re getting somewhere. So, you don’t think I’m ugly. You think I’m hot, and you want to keep things professional because it’s easier.” I waved away the nonsense of those words. “I don’t see why we should. You don’t work for me, you work for the building. And”—I stepped closer and placed a hand on his finely made chest—“if it helps at all, I read a fortune cookie the other day that leads me to believe you may be my heart’s desire. Who are we to argue with the universe, right?”
His eyebrows raised at that, and then he blinked. Benjy fought a grin before saying, “A fortune cookie, huh? Well, I suppose that says it all, doesn’t it?” He shook his head and let out a gusty sigh. “I’m still on the job. Perhaps we should discuss this over breakfast. I’m working the night shift for one of my security guards. I’ll be off at seven o’clock. Too early for you?”
“Nope, I’m usually up by six, even on a weekend.” I placed my other hand on his chest and smoothed my way down to his waist. Fuck, there wasn’t an ounce of fat anywhere. Very nice. “What will you be in the mood for, besides me?” I teased as I slid my arms around to caress his back.
“Coffee and eggs, if you got ’em.” Benjy gently removed my hands from his lovely person.
“Done. How about a quick kiss to hold me over?” I asked, fluttering my eyelashes.
Benjy’s eyes danced at me. “You move fast, don’t you? I’ve seen you work that magic on many a man, Mr. Boyd, but while you are a very tempting morsel, I’m still at work. Patience, Cisco.”
He didn’t leave me hanging, though. Benjy took my hand and turned it palm-up to kiss my inner wrist, causing me to gasp in pleasure. “That should hold you over.”
The elevator dinged, and Benjy walked around me to enter it, his face back to being the bland professional, as was his usual demeanor. “Until the morning, Mr. Boyd...”
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