Impress Me Not: Neon Underground

Chapter 19

"I think you've just gotten lucky," Mateo argued, still keeping the conversation going. This business of his and how it's expanded didn't seem like a good idea at all. It was risky letting strangers have a piece of your business, after all. It could lead to so many complications, no matter how much you think you know them.

"I think you're thinking too much about your last job too much," Melvin said. He looked so different that morning than any other time he saw him. He was shirtless, for one. His hair was short, but he had some strands that could cover his eyes if he let it. Mateo was too used to seeing his hair done up with gel. He had no idea just how long it was.

Melvin wasn't wearing eyeliner that morning either, which Mateo always saw on the man. It made his eyes look softer without it, and more exhausted. The blue eyes were closing a lot, probably bothered by the sunlight that sneaked in between the branches of the plants that were all around the back porch.

It was a pretty house, he would say that. Mateo wasn't the type who enjoyed a lot of greenery. It took up too much effort to maintain them, and sometimes a lot of money. But he enjoyed the color in the backyard. It actually made it seem a bit brighter, even though everything about this man was dark and dramatic.

He was definitely being dramatic, too. Mateo had dealt with many people who were hungover. That's how he could tell that the grumpiness was because of that instead of anything else. He used to be that way too. But Mateo didn't really get hungover much anymore. He was very much used to alcohol, and knew the drill of what he needed to do when he woke up.

Eating something before drinking also helped a lot.

"Maybe so," Mateo frowned. He didn't like whenever Melvin brought up the past. It wasn't something he wanted to think about ever again. He really just wanted to focus on the present. That's what he always did. That and the future, but that was becoming more and more unknown. "But my point still stands."

"If I say you can come back to my club," Melvin groaned, rubbing his face. "Will you stop arguing with me about business practices?"

Mateo had to stop himself from laughing at that. It was fun to see the man who was typically stoic and acted like he knew everything, to suddenly be so annoyed by Mateo's very presence. It only made him want to stay there longer.

"Maybe if you give me a free session?" He asked, looking down at the man's neck. It was the first time he got to see it, considering he always kept it hidden through collars or turtle necks. It was sculpted pretty well. Mateo thought there would be something wrong with it if he kept it hidden all the time, but there wasn't a single blemish on it.

That, mixed with the bare chest, and black pants that accented every good part of him, was the true reason he was delaying his leave now. His original plan, if Melvin wasn't awake, was to leave the food there along with a thank you note. But then he heard coughing from the backyard and thought he would check just in case.

He was so glad he did.

"I have a business to run, Gorgeous," Melvin took a swig of his cigarette. Mateo hated the smell of it. "I can't just give you free sessions."

"Did you just call me Gorgeous?" Mateo was so caught off guard by that. He was so busy thinking about how this man looked right then that he originally thought he was hearing things. But there was no way that his mind could make that up.

"You don't think you are?" Melvin asked. Those dark blue eyes had a humor in them now. The food must have helped him feel better. "I thought that was already a fact you knew, Pretty Boy."

"That doesn't mean I was expecting for you to say it," he said. Melvin had only ever insulted him or teased him. How was he supposed to know that he was going to give him a compliment.