Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 60604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Chapter 16
Two days later, Zach found himself alone with Lydia for the first time since she had walked in on them.
“You still sure you have everything under control?” Lydia said after Tristan disappeared upstairs to take a shower.
Zach looked at her and said, “Yes.”
“Have you seen the way you look at him?”
He didn’t even want to know.
“Let it go, Lydia,” he said with a sigh, dropping himself onto the couch.
Lydia gave him a stubborn look he’d become very familiar with. “Why are you still here? It’s afternoon.”
Zach met her eyes steadily. “We had to accelerate Tristan’s rehabilitation program. He has training sessions twice a day now.”
She pursed her lips, clearly not believing him. “But—”
“Look, I didn’t want to be rude, but it’s none of your business,” he said as gently as he could. It wasn’t particularly gentle. He liked Lydia, he did, but he was getting fed up with her constant interference. He really wasn’t in the mood for another rant about Tristan’s evilness and how Zach should put an end to this.
He didn’t need any reminding. He knew what he should do, had known all along. The execution was just a little elusive.
“Sorry,” she said, awkwardly. “I know I can get a bit carried away. Okay, I’ll go. It’s not like I’m welcome here. I’m surprised he didn’t kick me out already.”
“I’m trying to keep him from firing you, but you aren’t helping, you know.”
She gave him an odd look. “He actually listens to you?”
Zach shrugged. “He’s not as unreasonable as you think.”
Silence.
He could see how badly she wanted to argue with him. At last, she sighed. “Okay, you know my opinion. I’m not gonna say it again.” She grabbed her purse. “Tell him his PR manager said it would be good if he takes Darcy Peyton to some posh restaurant tonight to celebrate.”
“Celebrate what?”
“His birthday,” Lydia said, shutting the door after her.
It was Tristan’s birthday?
Zach frowned. Tristan’s routine hadn’t changed at all. There were no phone calls, no friends or family members congratulating him, no gifts. Nothing. Tristan acted like it was an ordinary day.
After a few minutes, he heard bare feet padding downstairs and braced himself mentally.
“She left?” Tristan said, wiping his torso with a big, fluffy, white towel. He was wearing only a pair of shorts, riding low on his hips.
“Yeah,” Zach said, dragging his eyes away. “She said your PR manager wants you to take Darcy Peyton to a restaurant tonight.”
A look of confusion crossed Tristan’s face. “Who’s Darcy Peyton?”
Zach said neutrally, “Maybe your beard?”
Tristan’s eyebrows knit for a beat, then his expression cleared. “Right. Probably.” He pulled a face. “Not quite in the mood for vagina.” He gave Zach a hungry once-over, licking those plump lips of his. “I’d rather have your dick.”
The dick in question twitched in Zach’s pants, springing to half-mast. Zach grimaced, cursing inwardly but unsurprised. When he was around Tristan, he wasn’t the one controlling his dick. Never mind that they’d already had sex that morning before Lydia’s arrival. He hadn’t intended to, but Tristan had looked flushed and sleepy and soft, and Zach just hadn’t been able to resist touching him. Pretty damn pathetic.
“I didn’t know today is your birthday,” Zach said harshly, trying to pull himself together. Giving in to his weakness once a day was bad enough. He could walk away without putting his dick into the boy one more time. He could.
“It’s a day like any other,” Tristan said, sauntering his way towards Zach. “Never understood why people make such a big fuss over it. I guess it’s something to celebrate for parents, but my mother’s dead, so…” He straddled Zach’s thighs.
“What about your dad?”
Tristan’s hand paused on Zach’s zipper. A shadow crossed his face before he unzipped Zach’s pants and shoved his hand inside. Zach hissed as Tristan’s slim fingers wrapped around his cock. Despite his best efforts to distract himself, he was painfully hard.
“He didn’t give a shit about me when I was five. I highly doubt he would give a shit about my birthday when I’m twenty-two.” Tristan smiled. It wasn’t a nice smile. “He and you have something in common, you know.” His fingers tightened around Zach’s cock.
“What?” Zach managed, his eyes rolling to the back of his head.
“He’s a high-handed prick. I later found out he’s an earl.” Tristan chuckled. “Anyway, he was married but couldn’t keep his dick out of my mom. She was real pretty.” Tristan stroked Zach’s cock slowly. “I know you think I’m pretty. I look a lot like her—before she got sick.” Tristan laughed. “At least you can’t knock me up.”
Zach stared at him.
Then he flipped them over and pressed his lips against Tristan’s gently.
Tristan went still, his grip on Zach’s cock loosening.
Zach kissed him softly, again and again, the kiss very innocent compared to the things they’d done in the past month. God, such a sweet mouth. Sweetest in the world.