The O'Brien Way Read Online Free Page B

position and pulled Moby into his arms. He buried his face against the other man’s neck and lightly kissed it. “I’d kiss you for real if I weren’t afraid of getting you sick.”
    “And I’d let you if you’d felt like brushing your teeth,” Moby said, adding humour into the somewhat awkward moment.
    Sean chuckled and gave Moby one last kiss before releasing him. “I won’t forget what you’ve done for me tonight.”
    “Thanks for not throwing me out the moment I came in,” Moby replied.
    Sean shook his head. “I wouldn’t have done that.”
    “Good to know.”
     
    * * * *
     
    After his afternoon jog with Jilly , Moby started dinner. He heard his mom enter the room and glanced over his shoulder. “I found a great deal on pork chops so I picked up two for dinner.”
    “I don’t like pork chops,”
Virginia
said.
    Moby rinsed his hands and pulled a couple of paper towels off the roll. “What? We used to have pork chops at least twice a week while I was growing up.”
    “Bill liked them.”
    Moby turned back towards the counter and squeezed his eyes shut. “Will you eat one this evening if I make it?”
    “Is there anything else?”
Virginia
asked.
    “Not really.”
    “Then I guess I will,” she answered on her way out of the kitchen.
    Moby wiped his face with the paper towel before tossing it into the trash. When he’d moved in, he thought he was doing his mom a favour by offering to cook a couple of times a week, but it seemed he always managed to get it wrong.
    He opened the fridge and stared down at the pork chops. He’d been so excited to find them in the sales circular that he’d travelled across town to a different grocery store to get them. Unfortunately, they no longer held the appeal they once had.
    Pulling the package out of the refrigerator, Moby started preparing them. After opening the package, he gave the chops a quick rinse before patting them dry with a paper towel. As he seasoned the meat, he decided he would stop trying to impress his mom with his self-taught cooking skills. From then on it would be pizza or take-out when it was his turn to take care of dinner.
    As he worked to prepare the pork chops and wild rice, his thoughts went to Sean. It had been a week since he’d found his boss on the floor of the bathroom. The days since had been awkward to say the least. Every shift was a test of Moby’s control. To make it worse, Moby could tell Sean was having the same problem.
    The attraction between them was intense, leading Moby to question the wisdom of The O’Brien Way of business. Quitting a job that paid more than anything he was qualified for in Sheridan just wasn’t an option.
    Moby glanced outside and shook his head. The snow was coming down like crazy. He wondered if he’d still be able to fix the fence on his day off. He’d finally saved enough for the panels, which were currently keeping dry in the garage, but getting someone to help him in a blizzard wouldn’t be as easy. Jay was out of the question. Although he loved his new friend, he needed someone with strength. With the weight of the fence panels and the blowing wind, it would take someone with some muscle. Sean. Sure, his boss had the muscle he needed and more, but would he be willing to drive all the way to Sheridan to help him?
    Once dinner was prepared, Moby walked into the living room to tell his mom. He was surprised to find Jilly on the sofa beside her. “ Jilly ! Get down,” he ordered, snapping his fingers.
    Jilly immediately jumped off the couch and went to her large dog bed. “Sorry, Mom.”
    “Don’t be sorry. I told her she could get up here.”
    That was a new development. Instead of arguing, Moby went to the linen closet and pulled out an old blanket. He spread it out on the couch and glanced at Jilly . “From now on make her lay on that.”
    Virginia
shrugged.
    “Dinner’s ready,” Moby said, heading back to the kitchen. He waited for his mom to join him before pulling out the