Chapter 4 #2
“In any case, we don’t really advertise. Like I said, members bring in people who they trust.
“Because it’s all supposed to be super secret,” he says, now looking amused.
Why is every expression on his face more attractive than the last? Seriously, does the universe want to torture me?
“Yeah,” I agree lamely, but I can’t stop a smile from stretching my cheeks.
“It makes sense, then.” He nods once as if the matter’s settled.
It’s the moment I’ve been dreading, but it’s here at last, and I’m surprised at how resolute I feel.
“So, for a membership we’d run a background check, and of course I’ll still have to get that done, but you can get a day pass while it’s processed.”
I’m positive nothing about his history will throw any red flags, so of course—
“Do you normally take care of those?”
My gaze snaps up to his once again confused frown, and it takes me a second to understand.
“Well, no,” I admit.
“Then why would you bother with doing the background check? You’re the owner. I’m sure you have better things to do.”
I don’t really know what to say to that, especially because his tone has changed slightly. I pride myself on how perceptive I am—it’s a trick of the trade, if you will—and I could swear Timmy’s trying to act coy and maybe . . . flirty.
That can’t be.
So I plow right through.
“You’ll pay for the privilege of coming in, and you can use the facilities with other members however you please.
Every member is aware of the rules—consent before anything, no drugs, illicit or otherwise, no alcohol unless both parties agree that it’s part of their play, and red always means stop no matter the situation or if you’ve agreed on different safewords.
” I pause for a moment until Timmy nods.
It’s important that he understands every single aspect of what the membership entails before I even put the contract in front of him.
“If you want to pay for any other services, then you can’t drink alcohol and there’s an extra fee.
We always have a range of men with different kinks and specialities available. ”
“What about you?”
My jaw drops unceremoniously at the question.
“What?” I hate that my voice comes out shaky Fucking get it together, Jake.
“Are you available?”
He raises his chin, looking so fucking confident while I sputter.
“No—what? I don’t—I don’t do that anymore.”
The confession—even if it’s technically a lie—slips out more easily than any truth about me has in years.
At least with a practical stranger.
The truth always comes easily when I’m talking to Chris—this is seriously not the time to be thinking about my brother.
Still, I can’t regret saying it when I see his smile soften with understanding, but there’s nothing even close to pity in his eyes—that would’ve probably killed me.
Timmy surprises me again, though. “But you are a Daddy.”
It’s not exactly a question, but I answer anyway—his eyes compel me to, that’s what I’m telling myself at least.
“I am.” It doesn’t come out as strongly or as confidently as it should, and the way he tilts his head just slightly to the left tells me he noticed. Clearly, he’s perceptive too. “I’d like to be a boy’s Daddy someday—my boy—but it hasn’t been in the cards.”
Why the fuck am I telling him all of this?
Right, back to business.
“So, if you’re hiring any of ours for the night—” I stop to take one of the new membership files out of the cabinet to my left, and lay it on the other side of my desk for him to read through the agreement.
“You’ll find the rules are stricter. Everything’s laid out there. Take your time reading through it.”
He makes no move to take the folder, though, so to keep busy, I reach for the other cabinet and take out the standard NDA everyone signs.
“I’m a boy,” he blurts out before I can put the paper down this time, and I can only stare.
With my hand hovering over the desk, my eyes stuck on his, and my body frozen. For some reason, that seems to give him the idea that I’ll be able to absorb even more revelations.
“I’m here because I want a Daddy, and I was kinda hoping to find a Daddy who looks just like you.”
“You were?”
I want to punch myself in the dick.
Seriously? That’s the first thing I ask?
And let’s not even get into how full of awe my voice is.
I know I’ve felt more embarrassed at some point in my life, but right now, I can’t remember it.
“Yes. From the moment I saw you at Chris and Benny’s place, I thought you looked exactly like my dream man. And now it turns out you might actually be my dream man. So I have a . . .” He trails off, looking for the right words, I assume.
While I’m just trying to not blink so I don’t wake up from the best dream I’ve ever had.
“A counteroffer,” he settles on.
The way his throat bobs with a hard swallow is the only indication that he doesn’t feel as confident as he looks or sounds.
It’s more alluring— he’s more alluring than he has any right to be.
Standing up and asking for what he wants, powering through the nerves .
. . I was already more attracted to him than I’ve ever been to anyone else, but now I truly have no words for what he’s making me feel.
“So I propose we hold off on the membership. Instead, you fuck me tonight and we see if we can make this work. If it does, then I definitely won’t need a membership.”
My brain goes officially offline, but everything in me burns with the instinct to scream yes and bolt over my desk to kiss him. But I can’t do that.
At least not yet.