About Whatever it Costs
by Taylor Lochland
62 pages / 16200 words
ISBN: 978-1-61040-123-4
Ebook zipped file contains -
html, lit, Adobe and Sony optimized pdf, prc, epub
Max and Connor from "Whatever You Want" in Taste Test: Pushy Little
Bottoms are back! Connor has been giving Max what he wants in the bedroom,
and now Max wants to give Connor a Christmas gift that's more meaningful
than a DVD box set or a stack of new shirts -- a trip to Ireland to visit
Connor's terminally ill grandfather. Unfortunately, Max has been laid off,
and extra money is hard to come by.
When November rolls around and Max still hasn't found a new job, he accepts
temporary work at a sex expo. Will working long hours, dealing with unwanted
sexual advances, and wearing a sleazy outfit help Max earn enough money to
give Connor the gift of a lifetime?
Sample
At the end of the job interview, the store manager stood up, shook my
hand, and gave me the old "thanks for your time, we'll be in touch"
line. The look on his face was enough to tell me I wouldn't be hearing
back from him anytime soon.
"Okay. Thanks." I stood up, gathered my things, and left his office. I
weaved my way through the shoppers taking advantage of the
pre-Thanksgiving sale, then shoved open the glass door at the store's
main entrance. I hauled off and kicked the giant inflatable snowman with
the store's logo on its belly, and it went on smiling its idiotic smile,
barely even wavering from the impact. Before I could abuse it any
further, a trio of kids ran up and hugged the thing.
I'd only been out of work a few months, but it was long enough to know
that unemployment didn't suit me. Never mind the fact that it was
already too late to earn enough money to take Connor to Ireland; if I
didn't find work soon, I wouldn't be able to send him there, either.
I took the long route home to let the rest of my frustrations subside
before seeing Connor, but the garland and giant candy canes hanging from
the streetlights only made things worse. When I pulled into our driveway
and turned off the car's engine, my fingers ached from the death grip
I'd had on the steering wheel.
I finally relaxed, at least a little, when I stepped inside our house
and the scent of baking biscuits tickled my nose. "Something smells
good." I took off my jacket, wiped my shoes on the rug, and dropped my
car keys on the shelf near the door.
"Thanks. I tried something new and added cheese to the dough." Connor
pulled a tray from the oven and set it on the counter, and then turned
to me and grinned. "Sharp cheddar. Your favorite. Enough about that,
though. How was the interview?"
"Meh."
Connor paused in the middle of taking off his oven mitts. "That doesn't
sound very good."
"It's not." I slumped in the kitchen chair and loosened my tie. "They
seemed to think I'm not qualified to schlep books around because I
haven't read War and Peace."
Connor shook his head and hung his mitts on the magnetic hook on the
fridge. "Don't beat yourself up over it. The job market's tough right
now." He came up behind me and rested his hand between my shoulder
blades.
"No kidding. Nobody hires this time of year except stores that are
desperate for the help, and they don't seem desperate enough to want to
hire me."
"Shh. Don't talk like that." He leaned over and pressed his lips to my
cheek. "Maybe something'll turn up soon." He broke off a piece of
biscuit and held it up to my lips. "Want to be my guinea pig? I'm afraid
it's only a non-paying volunteer position."