A Perfect Hire

By KC Kendricks

Shopkeeper Chris Douglas traveled the world as a tour guide. He settled in New York City and turned his love of coffees and wines from around the world into a thriving specialty business. He enjoys meeting new people and his small emporium just off Bleecker Street brings all sorts through his door. After he falls off a ladder, Chris tapes a “help wanted” sign on the door and hopes it will attract the right person.

Eric Todd is at loose ends after the company he worked for changed hands and he was let go. He can get by financially, but with too many hours to fill in a day, he’d like a part-time job to keep busy. When he spies the hand-drawn sign on the door of The Corked Bean, he goes inside to check out the store, and the sexy proprietor.

The two men hit it off and Chris hires Eric on the spot. Now the pay and benefits aren’t as enticing, or satisfying, as the after-hours perks available for the perfect hire.

_*_*_

“You’re full of tricks aren’t you?”

“The name of the game is get them in here. They can’t purchase if they don’t come in.”

We enjoyed our java in comfortable silence for a few minutes but I sensed something was on his mind. 

“You’ve bought me coffee—several cups. Can I treat you to breakfast at my place?”

I didn’t want him to think I was too eager nor did I want to blow the chance to get laid. The crowd I hung out with was fun, but they were friends only. I wanted the man across the table from me.

Heck, I wanted him bent over it or sprawled on it, or even under it if we happened to slide off. I met his smoky gaze and shivered.

“I’ve a better idea since my knee isn’t up to much walking. Why don’t we go to my place for breakfast? You can still cook, though.”

He nodded. “Where do you live?”

I pointed at the ceiling. “It’s a short commute.”

I’d purchased the building a few years ago not caring that the elevator went only as far as the second floor. With the street storefront, the second-floor stockroom and a third level apartment, it had been perfect for my needs. After living in the small space for a year, I discovered adding a fourth story for a bedroom suite was not only financially feasible but would keep me sane. I liked the old industrial elevator so I didn’t replace it with one that went all the way to the top.  

Having to gimp my way up the stairs on a bum knee in front of a guy I planned to take to bed was embarrassing.  It also brought home the fact we would need to be a bit creative since I couldn’t put a lot of pressure on the joint. Of course, figuring it out could be interesting. 

Eric did the heavy lifting in the elevator, pulling the grate down with a grin.

“Going down?”

I snorted and answered truthfully. “Nope. It’s going up.”

His gaze dropped to my zipper and the cheeky grin on his face widened. “I’m not sure it’s acceptable to take advantage of you when you can’t run from me.”

“What makes you think I’d run even if I could?”

He closed the distance between us. The smile faded from his face, replaced by a searching seriousness as I grasped his hips and pulled him closer. His hands went to my shoulders, his intense hazel gaze locked with mine. I stared into those gleaming orbs and memorized every golden and green fleck. The elevator jolted to a stop but I barely felt the bump in my knee.

“Time to get off.”

Eric shook his head, his husky voice barely above a whisper. “It won’t be that fast.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: White Deer Enterprises/White Deer Books
• Release date: Feb 25, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386255543

KC Kendricks

KC Kendricks calls herself an accidental writer. After completing her first novel writing as Rayne Forrest, she was urged to submit it to a publisher, and everything snowballed from there. Today, the author has had over seventy books published. The author does not use AI in the creation of her books or the book covers.  In May of 2022, she "retired" from her day job, moving from being an Administrative Assistant to an Administrative Consultant. She says it sounds grand, but the job is basically answering emails to her protégé as she becomes acquainted with all aspects of the job.  A native of scenic western Maryland, the author enjoys most activities that don't include snow. In warm weather she might be found walking the dog, biking on the C&O Canal towpath, planting delicacies in her garden for the deer to munch on at night, playing in the creek, or lazing on the patio with her ebook reader or laptop. She recently began to research her family history and can't drive past a cemetery without stopping to search for family sites. Her mission is to photograph old tombstones before the elements erode the stones and the names are lost to time. For more about KC Kendricks and Rayne Forrest's writing life, please visit the Between the Keys blog at http:kckendricks.blogspot.com . If you'd like to know more about the author's country lifestyle and her daily activities full of simple country pleasures (and a lot of work), please visit the Holly Tree Manor blog at http://hollytreemanor.blogspot.com . And for dog lovers, there is Deuce's Day – life seen through the eyes of KC's black Lab, Deuce (http://deucesday.blogspot.com) KC finds YouTube a fascinating place and has recently uploaded a few short videos of life in the country. She hopes to do more in the future. Her channel is called The Hideaway Between the Keys. https://www.youtube.com/KCKendricks KC can be reached through her blog, Between the Keys. All comments are strictly moderated by the author and personal messages are treated as such. Follow the author on X (formerly Twitter) for up-to-date announcements at Twitter.com/KCKendricks.

Book preview

About A Perfect Hire

Shopkeeper Chris Douglas traveled the world as a tour guide. He settled in New York City and turned his love of coffees and wines from around the world into a thriving specialty business. He enjoys meeting new people and his small emporium just off Bleecker Street brings all sorts through his door. After he falls off a ladder, Chris tapes a help wanted sign on the door and hopes it will attract the right person.

Eric Todd is at loose ends after the company he worked for changed hands and he was let go. He can get by financially, but with too many hours to fill in a day, he’d like a part-time job to keep busy. When he spies the hand-drawn sign on the door of The Corked Bean, he goes inside to check out the store, and the sexy proprietor.

The two men hit it off and Chris hires Eric on the spot. Now the pay and benefits aren’t as enticing, or satisfying, as the after-hours perks available for the perfect hire.

INTRO

You’re full of tricks aren’t you?

The name of the game is get them in here. They can’t purchase if they don’t come in.

We enjoyed our java in comfortable silence for a few minutes but I sensed something was on his mind. 

You’ve bought me coffee—several cups. Can I treat you to breakfast at my place?

I didn’t want him to think I was too eager nor did I want to blow the chance to get laid. The crowd I hung out with was fun, but they were friends and we didn’t fuck. I wanted the man across the table from me.

Hell, I wanted him bent over it or sprawled on it, or even under it if we happened to slide off. I met his smoky gaze and shivered.

I’ve a better idea since my knee isn’t up to much walking. Why don’t we go to my place for breakfast? You can still cook, though.

He nodded. Where do you live?

I pointed at the ceiling. It’s a short commute.

I’d purchased the building a few years ago not caring that the elevator went only as far as the second floor. With the street storefront, the second-floor stockroom and a third level apartment, it had been perfect for my needs. After living in the small space for a year, I discovered adding a fourth story for a bedroom suite was not only financially feasible, but would keep me sane. I liked the old industrial elevator so I didn’t replace it with one that went all the way to the top. 

Having to gimp my way up the stairs on a bum knee in front of a guy I planned to repeatedly fuck senseless was embarrassing.  It also brought home the fact we would need to be a bit creative since I couldn’t put a lot of pressure on the joint. Of course, figuring it out could be interesting. 

Eric did the heavy lifting in the elevator, pulling the grate down with a grin.

Going down?

I snorted and answered truthfully. Nope. It’s going up.

His gaze dropped to my zipper and that shit-eating grin on his face widened. I’m not sure it’s acceptable to take advantage of you when you can’t run from me.

What makes you think I’d run even if I could?

He closed the distance between us and my dick finished its rise to attention. The smile faded from his face, replaced by a searching seriousness as I grasped his hips and pulled him closer. His hands went to my shoulders, his intense hazel gaze locked with mine. I stared into those gleaming orbs and memorized every golden and green fleck. The elevator jolted to a stop but I barely felt the bump in my knee.

Time to get off.

Eric shook his head, his husky voice barely above a whisper. It won’t be that fast.

What they said about  A Perfect Hire

I’ve been calling out for more books with older male characters! I’m so glad someone took on the challenge and straight up killed it! – 5 stars, Goodreads review

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Praise for the writing of KC Kendricks

KC Kendricks never disappoints!"—Fallen Angel Reviews

..beautifully moving in all the right places...KC Kendricks gives us a well-crafted tale- The Romance Studio

Good to the last word....- Sensual Reads

...Seriously entertaining and totally engaging...- Joyfully Reviewed

...solidly written contemporary romance...-Jessewave

Chapter One

If there was one thing I hated to do, it was admit I needed help. It was pride that led me to the fall, plain and simple, and the landing was painful. I planned to stay the hell off ladders for the rest of my life. I taped my homemade help wanted sign to the front door of my little emporium in Manhattan just off Bleecker Street near Washington Square, and girded my loins for the inevitable stampede of people who knew nothing about coffee or wine, and hadn’t read a book since high school.

In truth, how much an