Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 67981 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67981 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“I do have a job, but I start early, so I’m usually done by two and then I spend a few hours doing side work. I can work on your house in the afternoons and on weekends.” Emilio took in a deep breath and tightened his grip on Spencer before putting the next part of his pitch on the table. “And instead of paying cash, we can work a trade. You let me move in here, feed me more of those great meals, and I’ll cover the labor.”
He was right to have increased his hold on Spencer, because as soon as the offer registered, the man started wiggling, trying to get up off his lap.
“You can’t do that!” Spencer blurted out.
“Sure I can. The biggest part of the job is electric, and I’m an electrician. It’s a perfect fit,” Emilio said with a wink.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know you’re worried about the rest of it, but I’m a decent carpenter, I can lay tile, and for the type of work you need, I can do the plumbing. Did I mention that my dad started out as a plumber?”
“No.” Spencer shook his head. “But that’s not what—”
“And I’ll be taking the general contractor’s exam next year,” Emilio said, pushing forward. “So I’ve been working alongside all the trades, making sure I have a full grasp of every aspect of construction, from foundation to roofing and everything in between. So you’ll be in great hands, I promise.”
“Emilio!” Spencer finally shouted.
“Yes, Spencer?” Emilio asked using his best butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-my-mouth tone.
Spencer narrowed his pretty brown eyes to tiny slits and glared at him. It was adorable, reminding him once again of the feral cats he had befriended as a child. He had to curl his lips in and bite them to keep from smiling.
“Don’t act like you don’t know what I mean. I cannot possibly let you do all that work without getting paid.”
“I will be getting paid. Like I said, it’s a trade—room and board in exchange for labor,” Emilio said. Spencer opened his mouth, no doubt to object once again, but Emilio kept talking. “And actually, you’d be doing me a favor.”
At that statement, Spencer slammed his mouth shut. “How would I be doing you a favor?” he asked.
“Well, right now I’m sharing a three-bedroom house with three other guys. Two have their own rooms, if you don’t count the girls they have coming in and out of there, and I share with another guy. My one roommate has this girlfriend that’s into being choked, and at least two nights a week I wake up because she’s yelling at him to choke her harder while they’re fucking. Between that and the beer cans everywhere and cars all over the lawn, which my other roommate keeps saying he’s gonna fix up, and the pills the guy I share a room with swears are herbal but make him shake and after he takes them he sits around listening to music all night with his psychotic friend who only lets us call him the Horse, and we have to say the ‘the’ part or he loses his shit, I never get enough sleep, and I’m pretty sure any minute now we’re gonna have an arson investigation on our hands.” He took a deep breath and looked at Spencer’s shocked face. “So you see? You really would be doing me a huge favor by letting me move in here and work on this remodel. What do you say?”
Spencer opened and closed his mouth a few times before answering. “I don’t… I guess that does sound like a really bad situation you’re in, and I would love to get started on the work, and I have the spare bedroom, so—”
“No,” Emilio said. “The deal only applies if I sleep in your room. With you.”
Spencer’s eyes widened again and he started sputtering. “Are you saying you’ll only work on my house if I have sex with you?” he asked, sounding positively scandalized.
Emilio gave a slow, sure nod, and said, “If that’s what I need to do to stay in your bed. Oh yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying.” Then he brushed his lips over Spencer’s neck and whispered in his ear, “But don’t worry, cariño, I’ll make sure you like it.” He moved his hand onto Spencer’s lap and cupped and massaged his balls. When Spencer whimpered, Emilio grinned and pressed his advantage, saying, “So do we have a deal?”
With his breathing heavy and his arm trembling, Spencer tried to put his hand between them for a handshake. “I….” He gulped. “I guess, yeah, we do.”
Emilio disregarded Spencer’s hand and cupped his cheeks. “I already told you I ain’t gonna shake your hand.” He rubbed his thumbs along Spencer’s jaw. “This ain’t business. It’s personal.”
Though he still looked nervous, Spencer gripped Emilio’s wrists and moved closer, making clear with his body language that he very much wanted a kiss. With a glow of victory radiating from him, Emilio bussed his lips over Spencer’s. Spencer whimpered, the sound full of need, and Emilio felt an answering pang low in his belly.