by E. L. Todd
Cameron wasn’t easily subdued. He was aggressive and territorial. The fact Jett could scare him and make him look like a total pussy was impressive.
“I didn’t hear you.” Jett didn’t back off.
“I’ll just go…” He stepped away.
Jett grabbed him and shoved him against the wall again. This time he pinned him down by the throat. “I didn’t hear you.”
Cameron grabbed the hand that covered his throat but didn’t try to pull it off. “Okay…I understand.”
“Do you really?” Jett asked with a dark voice. “Or am I going to see your sorry ass next time I take my girl home?”
“I’ll leave her alone,” he said quickly.
Jett finally backed off. “Now run.”
Cameron walked away, gave me one final look, and then disappeared around the corner.
My eyes turned to Jett. “He’s never scared of anything.”
He was still in an angry mood. “Then he’s never met me.” He waited for me to get the door open.
After I snaked my keys out, I got the door open. I tossed my bag on the table and Jett followed me inside.
Max came out of his bedroom. “Good. No crazy ex-boyfriend to deal with today?”
Jett watched him but didn’t react. He didn’t even look happy to see him.
“Well, Jett scared him off,” I said. “But he didn’t hit him this time.”
Max approached Jett then hugged him.
Jett flinched for a moment before he returned the embrace. “How are you?”
“Good. You?” Max pulled away then regarded him for a moment.
I watched them, noting their odd behavior. They didn’t kiss each other like I would expect most couples to do. “Why don’t you guys ever kiss?”
“Sorry?” Max asked.
“You guys never kiss,” I said. “What’s that about?”
Max cleared his throat and put his hands in his pockets. “We don’t want to make people uncomfortable.”
“Well, it doesn’t make me uncomfortable,” I said. “You guys can be yourselves around me.” I opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water.
“Well, thanks…” Jett’s voice trailed away.
I sat at the table and took a deep drink. “So…no word from Mom and Dad?”
“No.” Max sighed then sat down.
Jett did the same, sitting beside him.
“You want me to talk to them?” I asked.
“Not sure…” He ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s been weeks…I would think that would be enough time for them to accept it.”
I shrugged. “I don’t see what the big deal is. They need to get over it.”
“Well, I’m their only son,” Max said. “Perhaps that’s why it’s difficult to digest.”
Jett patted him on the shoulder. “They’ll come around. Just give it time.”
“I hope so,” Max said.
“They’re going to that benefit next weekend,” I said. “I’m assuming they want us there.”
“Maybe just you this time,” Max said.
“You’re going,” I said firmly. “Even if I have to take you as my date you’re going.”
Jett flashed a smile in my direction. I guess he wasn’t upset over Cameron anymore.
Max turned to Jett. “Want to do something tonight?”
“Sure. What did you have in mind?”
“How about I stay at your place?”
“Sounds like a plan.” But Jett didn’t seem too excited about it.
I excused myself from the table. “I’m going to go in my room and read. I’ll see you later.”
“I’m going to leave so I’ll see you sometime tomorrow,” Max said.
“Okay, have a good time.” I turned to Jett. “And thanks for having my back.”
He gave me a serious look. “I always have your back—and your front.”
Throughout work, I wondered how my shopping adventure with Jett would be. He didn’t seem like someone particularly interested in fashion, but he claimed he was. And he was gay, so his sense of style was automatically better than mine.
He was on my mind a lot lately and I couldn’t shake him. I remembered the way he scared Cameron off without any effort. He was cocky, dominant, and aggressive. He emitted so much testosterone he had enough for two full-grown men. Sometimes I couldn’t believe he was gay.
My thoughts were shattered when there was a knock on my office door. I stopped thinking about Jett’s physique, cocky smile, and smartass comments long enough to join reality. “Come in.”
The door opened but someone I didn’t expect walked inside.
Cameron.
I froze while I stared at him. Irritation and anger washed through me in waves. I was starting to boil but I had no outlet to let out the steam. It was one thing to harass me at home, but it was completely different to come to my work. I slowly rose to my feet and shot him a glare. “Close the door.”
He did as I asked then approached my desk.
“How dare you come to my office.” I kept my voice low. Yelling would draw attention. “I have an image to protect. This is totally unprofessional.”
“You didn’t leave me any choice,” he said coldly. “This is the only place I can find you without your boy toy.”
“There’s nothing to say.” I gave him my best look of menace. “We’re done. Move on. You didn’t love me anyway. So what’s this really about? Wounded pride? You want to dump me instead? Would that make you go away?”
He rested one hand on my desk and stared at it. Then he looked up at me. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking over the past few weeks…”
“I didn’t realize you could think at all.”
He ignored the jab. “You were right about everything. I didn’t treat you right and you deserve a lot more. Somewhere down the road…the relationship just got old. But that wasn’t your fault. It was mine.”
I didn’t expect him to say any of this. Cameron never apologized for anything. I figured he would argue with me until he got his way.
“I should have worked harder to keep this relationship alive. Seeing the way I hurt you and the way you walked away…made me realize the mistake I made. I know it doesn’t seem like it but I really do love you. And I want to prove that.” He looked me in the eye.
I crossed my arms over my chest.
“And the fact you’re already with someone else…makes me realize what I lost.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I really want another chance. I’ll be better this time.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Then what is he? Just a hookup…?” His voice faltered at the end.
“No. He’s my brother’s boyfriend.”
He flinched at my words. “Max? He’s gay?”
“He just came out a few weeks ago. He’s been dating Jett for a while. We’ve become good friends and he was just trying to protect me from you.”
“That guy is gay?” he asked incredulously. “He just doesn’t seem…”
“I know.” I couldn’t agree more. “But he is.”
He nodded slowly. “You have no idea how relieved that makes me feel.” He turned back to me, apology in his eyes. “Baby, I love you. Please give me another chance. Remember the way we used to be? How amazing it was?”
How could I forget?
“Let’s try to get it back. Please.”
I’d never heard him say please so many times.
“You really hurt me…” More than I would care to admit.
“I know…I’ll make it up to you.”
Could I really let it go? I would always remember the way he was so much more interested in the waitress than he was with me. But he didn’t cheat on me. We’d grown distant with each other but we never betrayed each other. And our relationship used to be magical. I wished it had stayed that way. “I can’t just jump into a relationship with you again. As petty as it sounds, I don’t trust you.”
“Okay…can we
start dating again? Take it slow?” There was desperation in his eyes. “I’ll do anything to keep you, baby. Whatever you want.”
His determination was what I wanted—months ago. But I couldn’t deny his charm. Maybe our old relationship was too far gone to get back but I wanted to try. Maybe I was chasing something that would always be out of my reach but if we could make it work…I wanted it to work. “Okay.”
A smile stretched his lips. “Okay? You’ll give me another chance?”
“I’ll date you again,” I said. “But that’s all I can give you. If you prove your sincerity then…we’ll go from there.”
He released a deep sigh, and joy lit up his face. “Thank you so much. You won’t regret it.”
“I hope not, Cameron.” I really hope not.
5
Jett
“So, you want to see my place?” I asked as Max and I walked up the sidewalk.
“Actually, no. I was just using that as an excuse.”
“An excuse for what?” What would he be doing that he didn’t want his sister to know about?
“To see my boyfriend.” He kept his hands in his pockets as he walked.
“Whoa, what?” I stopped in my tracks. “You have a boyfriend?”
“Don’t tell me you’re jealous.” A joking smile was on his lips.
This was a crucial piece of information. If Max already had a boyfriend, he wouldn’t need my services anymore. Then I could go for his sister. I was tired of pretending to be gay around her. My attraction to her was only increasing. Instead of just wanting her on my sheets, I was thinking of her in other ways. I wanted to spend time with her, take her out to dinner, and lay in the park with her. But I couldn’t make that happen if I had to pretend I wasn’t deeply attracted to her. “If you have a boyfriend then you don’t need me anymore.” I wanted to skip then click my heels together.
“No, not at all,” he said. “I’ve had a boyfriend this whole time.”
Now I was even more confused. “Then what do you need me for?”
“I told you. You’re the ideal man. My parents are more likely to accept me if I bring home a man they like.”
“And why wouldn’t they like the man you’re actually seeing?” Was he ashamed of him?
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I have a very specific taste in men. And I don’t think my parents would like it…”
“Is he a horse?” I blurted.
“No.” He chuckled lightly.
“Well, I’m sure your sister wouldn’t care. You can tell her the truth.”
“No. She’s a terrible liar. I love her to death but she can’t act the part if her life depended on it.”
I was starting to feel hopeless. “So, are you expecting me to do this forever? That’s not fair to your boyfriend.”
“No, of course not. You’re just doing the dirty work so he doesn’t have to deal with it. It’s the best thing for us.”
I didn’t care about doing the heavy lifting. I just wish Ophelia could know the truth while I did it. Spending time with her was only making me obsessed. Her ass looked like a nectarine in those spandex shorts, and I wanted to run kisses up and down her tight stomach. Whenever she laughed, I melted. Whenever I touched her I didn’t want to stop.
“Just stay the course. It won’t last forever.”
A minute without Ophelia felt like forever.
Max came closer to me and lowered his voice so no one could hear, not that there was anyone to eavesdrop. “My sister thinks you’re just her gay friend. She doesn’t think there’s any attraction to her on your part. I don’t care if you want to continue to spend time with her—as long as she’s okay with it. But if you bother her or make her uncomfortable, I will break every limb you have.” There was seriousness in his eyes. “I mean it. If you really want to go for her after this assignment is over, I won’t stop you. But I can guarantee she’ll reject you.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re already in the friend zone. And once you’re there, you can’t get out.”
I disagreed with that. I felt a connection between us. I even felt heat between us. Whenever she looked at me, especially when I was shirtless, I caught a glimpse of desire. There was sparks between us even if I couldn’t see them. Maybe she didn’t realize it because she thought I was gay, but there was something there. I just had to spend more time with her so she wouldn’t date someone else. Then once I was free of my contract, I would tell her exactly how I felt. And I would tell her my dick only wanted her pussy.
“Just be careful.” He gave me one final look before he walked up the sidewalk.
I stood there and wondered what kind of man Max was hiding. Was he hideous? Was he disfigured? I guess I would know eventually.
I stood in front of Bloomindale’s and waited for Ophelia to arrive. I wondered what she would be wearing. Shorts? A dress? I hoped she wouldn’t wear pants. I wanted to see those beautiful legs. Imagining them wrapped around my waist was my greatest fantasy.
But I had to act like I cared about fashion. How would I pull that off? I always wore jeans and a t-shirt, and I went shopping maybe once a year. It wasn’t a hobby of mine.
Max said Ophelia really believed I was gay, so every time I flirted with her, discreetly hit on her, called her sweetheart, and every time I tickled her she thought it was just a friendly gesture on my part.
Did that mean I could get away with more?
Just when I started to think about it, she appeared. “Hey yoga master.”
I looked up and saw her in a yellow sundress. It reached passed her thighs and she wore nude pumps. A teal cardigan was over her shoulders and her purse hung at her side. Her hair was curly and long.
My god, she looked beautiful.
I stood up, and without thinking, I embraced her. I’d never hugged her before and I wasn’t surprised by how much I loved it. My chin rested on her head and I pulled her chest against mine. I could feel her tits covered in the padding of her bra and I loved the sensation. She was tiny in my arms and I wanted to hold her forever. Her scent came into my nose and I inhaled it deeply, enjoying it. I wondered if she enjoyed me as much as I enjoyed her. “You look beautiful.” I reluctantly pulled away so she wouldn’t feel the hard-on in my jeans.
“Thank you.” She looked up into my face and her eyes danced with the green color. They reminded me of freshly mowed grass in the summer. I could even smell it just by looking at her. “You look nice too.”
“Nice?” I asked in disapproval. I was only wearing dark jeans that hung low on my hips and a shirt that highlighted my powerful chest, but still. I tried on several different outfits until I found something that would soak her panties. “Come on, sweetheart. I look better than nice.”
“You get cockier every time I see you.”
“Just admit it.” I pressed my face closer to her and I resisted the temptation to kiss her. “I look hot.”
She rolled her eyes.
“We aren’t shopping until you give me a better compliment.”
She sighed but I could tell she was amused. “You look too handsome for your own good.”
“That’s better,” I said. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she said with a light laugh.
I automatically wrapped my arm around her waist as we walked inside. I realized my mistake then pulled it away and acted like I did nothing wrong. It was just an impulse I couldn’t control. I could cross the line a little bit but I still had to pretend I preferred men. But after meeting Ophelia I couldn’t believe any man would be gay. How could they not be attracted to something so beautiful? “Where to first, sweetheart?”
“I need to find a new dress for the benefit.”
“I can help with that.” I walked beside her and kept my hands to myself.
“You do a lot of dress shopping?” she teased.
“I like to experiment.” I smiled in her direction.
She laughed. “You don’t strike me as the drag type.”
&n
bsp; “I’m adventurous.”
“And my brother certainly doesn’t strike me as that type.”
“You don’t know him the way I do.”
She chuckled.
We entered the dress shop. It was a swanky place. I could tell by the way the employees were dressed and the music on overhead. Plus, the prices were ridiculous.
Ophelia moved through the aisles and studied each gown. “Hmm…”
I scanned the dresses on display then found a black on with lacy sleeves. But it was also backless. I loved backless dresses. Nothing was hotter than woman’s slightly sculpted bare skin. And I would love to see Ophelia’s. I snatched it then picked the smallest size I could find before I came behind her.
“I like the pink one.”
“Wear this.” I handed it to her.
She examined it, feeling the sleeves and noting the lack of material in the rear. “It’s cute…and a little scandalous.”
“I think it would look amazing on you. Try it on.”
She debated it for a moment before she agreed. “Okay. But let me look around more.”
“No, I think this is the dress.” She would look damn fine in it, and with a pair of heels she would look stunning. I’d have a hard time not blatantly hitting on her and dragging her into the bathroom so I could kiss her everywhere. “Let’s hit the changing room.” I grabbed her by the wrist and guided her to the fitting area.
She reached a door then walked inside.
I sat on a chair and waited for her to present it to me when she was finished.
She opened the door again. “What are you doing?”
What did she mean? “Sorry?”
“Get in here.”
My heart raced in my chest and steam came out of my ears. She wanted me to go in there…and watch her change? That sounded fucking awesome but I also felt guilty. If she knew I was straight she never would invite me. “It’s okay…I’ll wait out here.”
“Don’t be stupid. Get in here.”
I knew I should be a gentleman and refuse her advance. But I wasn’t a gentleman and never had been. Trying to pretend I wasn’t extremely excited and about to explode, I walked inside and joined her. “Are we allowed to do this?”