Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 100608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
He smiles, wide and boyish. “I can arrange that.”
“It’s settled. I’ll come back without Callan in tow another day. You can have your dirty little way with me.”
“I want that,” he agrees. “You can park at Caper Beach and walk across the street so no one sees.”
The desire that had been burning hot through my veins cools. I’m not a needy guy. I promised him I’d let him stay in the closet. So why do I feel disappointed by his request?
“Sure thing, Sheriff,” I say with a forced smile. “Any other requests?”
He opens his mouth when someone bangs on the bedroom door. Jax’s face pales with horror as he quickly yanks his jeans into place.
“Yeah?” he chokes out.
“Did you really leave the dishes for us to do?” Zak asks.
“Part of your punishment,” Jax barks out. “I’m just showing Dante my…”
“Closet,” I finish with a wink as I pull my pants into place. “I didn’t believe he has forty versions of the same damn blue shirt. Boy did he prove me wrong.”
Zak laughs. “No shit. He’s the most cliché small town cop ever.”
Jax starts to open the door now that we’re decent, but I stop him by grabbing his elbow and nodding toward the lube. His face turns bright red as he snatches it up along with the towel. Once he’s cleared the area, I open the door to find Zak holding on to the doorframe, waiting with a knowing smile on his face.
I give nothing away and playfully punch his gut. “Is Callan going to be able to help you with your apartment?”
“Yeah,” Zak chirps as he starts down the hallway. “He definitely sees potential in that shithole.”
“Ungrateful shit,” Jax grumbles, finally recovering from his moment of embarrassment. “Go do the dishes, dumbass.”
Zak saunters off toward the kitchen where Callan is already at the sink. I cast a glance back at Jax, who stares at me with barely veiled hunger. Poor guy is afraid to come out of the closet. Imagine his horror when he realizes his closet is made of glass and anyone really looking can see inside. There’s no hiding the fact Jaxson Bell is gay as fuck and that he’s imagining burying himself in my ass right this moment.
Tomorrow, eager boy.
Tomorrow I’ll sneak over and drive you wild.
After a hot, sticky weekend, I’ll walk away and let him get back to navigating his sexuality alone.
“It wasn’t him,” Callan says once we’re back in the Range Rover headed back home.
“Oh yeah?”
“The note I found in my locker came from someone else. I compared his handwriting.” He holds up a piece of paper. “He gave me his email so I could send him pictures of design ideas for his apartment.”
“So someone called you a fairy via a note in your locker?” I clarify. “Why did you jump to conclusions that it was Zak?”
He sighs and shrugs. “He looked guilty. Plus, he was standing right by my locker.”
“So what now?”
“Now I have to apologize.”
“That’s a start. You didn’t do that before you left?”
“I felt stupid,” he admits. “I got him kicked out of his house. Words won’t be enough. I need to figure out something.”
“Just don’t suck his dick.”
His laughter fills the air. “Zak? Even if he were gay, he’s not my type. I want to be his friend, though.”
“Do you think it’ll happen?”
“He’s a cool guy. I may not understand football shit, but I understand having a shitty home life.”
I wince at his words. “Tell me how you really feel.”
“Not like…” He groans. “Of course you took that the wrong way.”
“I didn’t exactly think your home life was shitty, but please, do tell how I can make it better, your highness.”
“Never mind,” he snaps, turning his attention to the window.
“No,” I grit out. “I’m tired of this wall between us, Callan. Look, I get it. You hate me for ruining your life. I’m sorry. Can you just understand I’m doing the best I can? I’m not Dad, goddammit.”
“No, because he’s fucking dead.” A choked sound comes from him and he curls into himself, not looking at me. He silently cries the whole way home, making me feel like a monster.
I wasn’t trying to upset him. I only want to understand him.
When we reach the B&B, he bolts from the car, leaving me feeling like the world’s biggest asshole. I glance down at my phone in the console. Before I left Jax’s, he programmed his number into it. I’ve been gone ten minutes. Surely that makes me fucking pathetic if I have this insane need to text him in my moment of pity.
Giving in to temptation, I send him a text.
Me: Is there a handbook on this fatherly bullshit, because apparently I’m fucking failing.
His response is immediate, making me smile.
Jax: If there is, I’m gonna need the CliffsNotes.
Me: We had a good time tonight…even if my little brother is an asshole.