Chapter 17
Seventeen
Remi
Gentry meets my gaze from across the bar. A smirk tugs at my lips as I take a slow pull from my drink. I keep replaying the conversation we had outside, each time growing more amused than the last.
He wants me.
It’s written all over his face.
He wants me, but won’t let himself have me. And I get it. There’s a lot at stake, a lot of reasons why we shouldn’t. My best friend being the biggest reason. Hollis is his son, and I can understand why wanting to bang your son’s best friend would make you a little hesitant.
And yeah, I’m sure Hollis would be pretty pissed, and maybe even weirded out, if he found out his dad and I kissed.
But what I don’t think Gentry realizes is that Hollis, more than almost anyone, knows what it’s like to want someone they shouldn’t.
It wasn’t all that long ago that he had a secret relationship going on with my boss—a relationship he kept from even me.
But again, I get where Gentry’s coming from, and I understand his hesitancy, even if it’s driving me nuts. If I had to guess, his attraction to me is new. Whereas I’ve sat on my attraction to him for years at this point.
I’ve already dealt with the guilt over finding my best friend’s dad hot.
Over wanting him in a primal, sweaty, and very fucking filthy way.
I’ve felt guilt after giving in and making myself come to the dirty fantasies that have played in my mind over the years.
I’ve had time, and Gentry’s probably still trying to process whatever it is he’s feeling.
But I’m not an idiot, and I’m not blind either.
His attraction to me is clear as day, and his restraint is slipping. He just needs a little…nudge.
One I plan to give him tonight. I will feel his lips on mine again, his body pressed into me, and I will have him moaning my name by the time this night is finished.
“Havin’ fun?” Finn asks as he sidles up beside me at the bar.
“Yeah, no complaints here,” I murmur, flashing him a toothy grin before finding his dad among the crowd again.
“Heard from Lukas?”
I nod. “Yeah, he’s been texting me. Tucker passed out about a half an hour ago.”
Lukas agreed to babysit Tucker while we went out tonight.
I was a little nervous about it at first, but both times I’ve called him, things seemed to be going okay.
Apparently, he’s babysat for a couple of the firefighters at his dad’s station, which is the only reason I agreed to it.
I sure as shit wasn’t babysitting at thirteen—or really, ever—but according to Finn, it’s a pretty normal age to start doing stuff like that.
Plus, it’s only for a few hours, and we’re not too far from the ranch, in the event that he needs us.
“I bet they had a blast,” Finn says before taking a long pull from his beer. “Tuck had, like, ten movies he wanted to watch with Lukas, and he begged me to buy a couple packs of cards so he could give them to him.”
I chuckle. “That’s sweet.”
“How’re you settlin’ into the new role?” he asks, taking a pull from his beer.
“Okay, I think.” I shrug. “To be honest, I kind of expected it to feel a lot harder than it does. Lukas… He’s a really great kid, and havin’ him around feels…right? I don’t know how else to describe it.”
“That’s great.” Finn pats me on the back. “I was surprised as shit when you told us about the plan, but I gotta admit, this new role suits you.”
His words hit me square in the chest and have my throat tightening. “Thanks, Finn. Means a lot.”
“No problem, man. I’m gonna go find Ash, but I’ll catch you around.”
No more than two minutes after he walks off, someone takes his place. Turning my head, I meet their gaze. Shamelessly looking me up and down, a man I’ve never seen before flashes me a flirty grin before offering me his hand.
“I’m Jake. And you are?”
“Remi,” I say, returning the gesture.
“Can I buy you a drink?” Jake asks, his thick Midwestern accent telling me he’s probably not from around here.
My lip curls into a smirk as I regard his offer.
All things considered, Jake isn’t really my type.
Not only does he look younger than me, and clearly, I love an older man, but his hands are way too soft and his suit is way too nice for my liking.
I’ve always preferred my men with a little more…
grit. Calloused hands, weathered skin, dirt under their nails, the type of muscles that only come from working long, hard hours.
But that doesn’t mean I can’t let him buy me a drink and flirt a little. Especially when I glance across the bar and catch the chilling glare being sent his way by a certain somebody.
Which means Jake may just be the solution to getting what I want tonight.
“You sure can,” I drawl. “What a gentleman you are, Jake.”
His cheeks pink up as he glances down shyly. “I try.”
After the bartender drops off our drinks, Jake tells me all about his life in Minnesota and the commercial real estate gig that has him in Wolf Creek for the week, but admittedly, I’m only half listening.
It’s damn near impossible to pay attention to a word he’s saying when a set of glowering brown eyes are burning a hole into the side of my head.
Each time I glance in Gentry’s direction, he’s not even hiding the fact that he can’t look away anymore. Jealously and irritation vibrate off him in waves, and fuck, does that fill me with joy.
Get mad, Daddy Moore.
Get jealous and put me in my place.
This is so fucked up. Normally, I’m not somebody who feeds off making someone jealous. It’s not my style. But if this is what it takes to make Gentry’s walls shatter and for him to give in to what we both clearly want, then so be it.
And surprisingly, it doesn’t take much. A couple of laughs, my hand brushing against Jake’s arm, a bite of the lip…
and before I know it, Gentry’s storming into the bathroom, huffy and pissed off, and I’m quick to follow, like a lab chasing a fucking treat.
Shoving the door open, I find Gentry standing in front of the sink, his head hung and his hands gripping the edge of the counter.
He doesn’t bother looking at me before growling, “Get out, Remington.”
My heart thumps, and my stomach does a flip. “Aww, is Daddy Moore mad?”
“I’m not mad,” he lies, standing to his full height and facing me. “I’m just not in the mood for any more of your bullshit.”
I take a step closer and tilt my head. “And why’s that? It wouldn’t be because you’re jealous, would it??”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” He scoffs, his face twisted up in disgust. “What the fuck is there to be jealous of?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Another step in his direction. “Maybe because that guy was flirtin’ with me.”
“Watch it,” he grits out.
“Admit it,” I taunt. “Admit you’re jealous that someone else had my attention. Fuck, I bet he would’ve come home with me if I asked.”
Gentry huffs at that. “Maybe you should.”
“You think so? Then you can go home, climb into bed, and think about what we’d be doin’. Think about his lips wrapped around my cock… Or maybe mine wrapped around his.”
The only tell that I’m getting to him is the tightness in his jaw and the flare of his nostrils as he exhales sharply.
“What? Does that thought make you mad, daddy?”
Be it the hungry, wild look in his eyes or the alcohol flowing through my veins, making me brazen, but I surprise myself when I close the rest of the distance between us and bring my hands to his belt buckle. His breath hitches as I work it open, but he doesn’t pull away or stop me.
“Be honest…are you jealous that it’s not you givin’ me all that attention, daddy?” The vein in his neck pulsates as I work his jeans open. First, popping the button, then sliding his zipper down. “Or maybe it’s that my attention was on someone else?”
Gentry doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t move a muscle.
I’m not sure if he’s even breathing. He stands perfectly still as I reach behind me and lock the bathroom door before sliding his pants down his strong legs.
Denim pools around his ankles, the outline of his thick cock pressed against his light-blue briefs.
Dropping to my knees, I peer up at Gentry from beneath my lashes, waiting to see if he puts a stop to this.
He doesn’t.
This is a dangerous game I’m playing. There’s a bar full of people on the other side of that door.
Finn and Hollis are out there. And yeah, the door’s locked, but that doesn’t mean they can’t knock.
How would we explain this? It’s a question I should probably give more thought to, but I’m too wrapped up in the way Gentry is looking at me right now to care.
“Admit it,” I grit out. It’s torture not touching him, especially when I can see how turned on he is, but I force my hands to stay planted on top of my thighs. Before I do anything, I desperately want him to be truthful. “Admit you felt jealous watchin’ that guy flirt with me.”
“Why do you care?”
A shiver rolls down my spine at the gruffness of his tone.
“Because I want you to admit, for once, that you want me. I know you feel it too, Gentry.”
His eyes darken, and I keep going.
“You were just as into that kiss as I was, even if you ran out there and pretended like it never happened.”
“It never should’ve happened.”
“But it did,” I push. “Admit you loved it as much as I did.”
Gentry’s hand comes up, threading through my hair. He tugs on it just enough to bring on a bite of pain, but it’s also surprisingly…gentle. “I don’t know what you’re tryin’ to prove here, Remington, but it ain’t gonna work. What happened was a mistake.”
Peering up at him, I wet my lips and slip my fingers into the waistband of his briefs. My heart thrashes against my ribs, but it doesn’t stop me. I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to. “Then why haven’t you put a stop to this yet?”
He grits his teeth and exhales a sharp breath through his nose, but I don’t give him a chance to respond before tugging the cotton down, letting it join the denim around his ankles.