Nathaniel
NATHANIEL
It took less than twenty-four hours after he met Tyler before his phone started buzzing in his pocket again. pulled it out, looking at the screen to see it was Tyler before setting his book aside. He was alone in his room, so he didn’t hesitate to answer, only belatedly realizing it was a video call request.
The screen blacked out before suddenly lighting up. He could see a large garden in the background, but the foreground had ’s attention. Tyler was more dressed than he’d been the day before, but his forehead shone with sweat, and his t-shirt stuck to his broad chest. Tyler grinned when ’s feed came through, and felt his heart trip over itself.
“Hey, you safe?” Tyler asked.
“If by that, you mean alone, then yes,” told him.
“Yeah, that’s what I meant.”
“Well, again, yes, I’m alone. We can talk without having to behave ourselves.”
Tyler chuckled, the sound low and throaty. “Oh, we can misbehave, huh?”
cleared his throat, belatedly realizing what his words could have implied. On its own, he might have been able to tolerate it. However, he’d never known Tyler’s voice come out like a purr before, and he could feel his dress slacks growing uncomfortable at the realization.
“What are you doing?” asked, not wanting to draw attention to his thoughts.
“Well,” Tyler glanced over his shoulder at the garden. “I was supposed to be helping with yard work. But then Elliot decided to slack off, so I’m doing the same and decided to see how yesterday went for you.”
From the background came an annoyed grunt. “I am not slacking.”
Tyler looked past the camera, raising a brow. “You’re sitting in a lounge chair, drinking a beer.”
“It’s called a break! I’m allowed one.”
“That you’ve been on for half an hour.”
“An extended break.”
chuckled. “Good afternoon, Elliot.”
Elliot’s voice immediately took on a cheery tone. “Heya, Nate! Been doing alright?”
“As well as I can.”
“That’s good.”
Tyler’s face pinched suddenly. “Uh, oh.”
“What?” Elliot grunted.
A new voice entered the background. “I leave you two alone for less than an hour, and I find you drinking and talking on the phone.”
Tyler winced. “The supervisor is back.”
“Babe, I’m on a break,” Elliot complained.
“Don’t ‘babe’ me. You can’t sweet-talk your way out of this one,” Clay’s familiar voice told him.
Tyler winked at the camera. “Bet you he can.”
“And you,” Clay said, and Tyler blinked. “Quit talking with your boyfriend and get back to work.”
“Clay!” Tyler complained. “Quit being an ass. He’s not my?—”
“Fine, call him what you want, but you should’ve been on the phone with him after you were done. Also, hello, , hope you’re doing okay.”
was still recovering from the ‘boyfriend’ comment, and it took him a moment to get control of his senses enough to reply. “Ah, hello, Clay. Yes, I’m doing just fine, thank you.”
“Clay, leave them alone,” Elliot chided, though, to ’s ears, there wasn’t much heart in his words.
“Fine, then I’ll focus on you,” Clay grumbled.
“Promise?” Elliot asked.
Tyler rolled his eyes, backing up. “God, there they go. Now Clay will try to act like that didn’t make him happy and Elliot will keep going. Then they’ll probably disappear and I’ll pretend like I don’t know what they’re doing.”
raised a brow. “Didn’t you use to have a crush on Clay?”
Tyler’s eyes widened. “Nate!”
“You what ?” Clay demanded.
“He’s lying!” Tyler shouted, the screen shaking as he hurriedly backed up.
“No,” Elliot said with a laugh. “He’s not.”
“Go have sex!” Tyler barked at them.
cringed as the background was filled with wooden fencing, and Elliot and Clay’s voices disappeared. “I am...so sorry, Tyler, I thought you were away from them.”
Tyler groaned. “Thanks a lot, Nate. I’ve never seen Clay look so horrified.”
“I am sorry.”
“Ugh.”
“I mean it.”
“I know, but that was one thing I really wish Clay had never learned about me,” Tyler moaned.
“Would it make you feel better if I told you your plan yesterday went off without a hitch?” offered.
Tyler squinted at the camera. “It might if you meant it and weren’t just trying to make me feel better.”
“It is possible it’s both.”
“Alright, then yeah, it does make me feel better.”
“Outside of the urination incident, it did go off without a hitch.”
Tyler laughed and sat at the base of the fence, phone in his lap. The angle was enough to stare up the expanse of Tyler’s body while he found a comfortable position. tried his best not to notice the way the front of Tyler’s shorts stood out noticeably or the slip of skin at his waist when his shirt rode up.
They’d never had the chance to do much when they were younger. It had been a friendship, first and foremost, for them both. The attraction had come later, delayed by Tyler’s awkwardness and ’s reluctance. Eventually, both had given way and, in a moment of need, had kissed. It had been quick, hurried, and a little clumsy and hadn’t gone much farther than that.
In fact, didn’t have the slightest idea what Tyler looked like without clothes on. He’d, of course, seen him shirtless when they’d been younger, but other than that, he had no idea. And if the full-grown man on display for the camera was any indication, was very interested in what was beneath Tyler’s clothes.
“How much trouble did you get in for disappearing?” Tyler asked.
blinked. “What?”
Tyler looked at the phone, frowning. “I asked how much trouble you got in for being gone. You okay? You’re red again.”
That was the second time Tyler had called him out on being red-faced. was pretty sure that if it continued, he wouldn’t be able to keep explaining it away.
“Of course,” he replied evenly.
Tyler cocked his head. “Uh-huh.”
Did he know?
cleared his throat harshly. “It turns out no one noticed I was missing. That or my father is playing some game and seeing how often I’ll step outside his approved lines.”
Tyler snorted, shifting his position again. “Sounds about right. You deserve better, Nate.”
“We’ve had this discussion before, Tyler. It is what it is,” reminded him, keeping his eyes at face level.
“And we’re always going to have it so long as you and I talk. Because you do deserve better, even if you don’t realize it,” Tyler huffed, adjusting the phone.
Of course, he adjusted it so his crotch was once more on display. had to fight to keep his eyes on the top half of the screen where Tyler’s face was. It was a losing battle when he realized there was more to Tyler than he might have ever suspected.
tried for the diplomatic approach. “Your crotch is taking center screen, Tyler. We need to talk about your camera skills.”
Tyler blinked, looking at the camera and adjusting it. “Ah, sorry.”
“It’s no problem,” assured him, glad his voice didn’t betray him like his cheeks had.
Tyler squinted. “Jesus, are you...are you red again?”
“No,” said simply.
Tyler grinned. “You are .”
“I am not.”
“Enjoying the show, were you?”
If the boldness, which was so unlike the Tyler he’d known before, hadn’t done in, the tone certainly would have finished the job. Once more, Tyler's almost guttural purr came through, and couldn’t help but wonder where that had come from. The sheer aggressive masculinity felt like it slapped him across the face and grabbed his attention just as swiftly.
“Ty,” whispered, trying to plead, though for what, he wasn’t sure.
Tyler’s eyes widened. “Oh, my God . I thought something was up and at the café.”
closed his eyes. “Look, can we just, not?”
Despite Tyler having moved the camera above crotch height, it hadn’t moved completely to face range, which gave Tyler more than an ample chance to reach down and play with the bottom of his shirt.
“So, I shouldn’t put on a show?” Tyler asked, grinning wickedly as he tugged at his shirt.
’s eyes widened. “Tyler! When I said we could misbehave, this isn’t what I meant!”
“That’s not a ‘no’ I’m hearing, which I know you could say oh so easily.”
Lord above, when had Tyler developed this new-found confidence? Gone was the awkward but earnest teenager, replaced by a full-grown man with a very well-grown body and all too willing to make use of it. He continued to tug at his shirt, showing just a flash of the bare skin of his stomach and the trail of hair that led up to his furry chest and below the waistline of his shorts.
“Tyler,” said between gritted teeth, knowing there was no way he was going to tell him to stop.
Tyler, however, stopped, his entire body rigid as he stared boggle-eyed into the camera. “Uh?—”
blinked. “Tyler?”
And then an all too familiar voice spoke from behind him, and he understood.
“I was going to ask who you were talking to, but I see you’re looking at porn instead,” Sonia said dryly.
would never admit to the noise he made at that moment. He practically tossed his phone as he spun, finding Sonia standing behind the couch, staring at him with a raised brow. And while he kept the phone in his grip, he had to fight not to fall off the edge of the couch.
“I’m not!” protested.
“Really?” she asked, brow still high.
From the phone came Tyler’s chagrined, “Hi, Sonia.”
“Wait,” she said, taking the phone from him before he could protest. She stared at the screen, a smile suddenly lighting her features. “Oh my Lord, Tyler?”
“That’s me,” he said, sounding, rightly in ’s mind, mortified.
“Well, look at you. The last time I saw you, you were nothing more than this short little twig,” Sonia exclaimed.
“Short little twig?” Tyler repeated, sounding like he was trying not to be insulted.
Sonia beamed. “Well, yes. If I had seen you on camera before, I would have never mistaken you for a porn star.”
“Oh God,” Tyler groaned.
finally found his voice, giving out a mortified, “Sonia!”
She ignored him. “I always thought you were handsome, and now look at you? Oh, it warms my heart to hear you’re doing well and see it as well!”
“Ah, well, it’s good to see you too. Though I wish your timing was better,” Tyler told her.
“Well, I was coming to retrieve Nathan. So, while I’m so happy to see you, we do have to go,” Sonia told him.
“That’s fine. I should probably get back to work before I get strung up,” Tyler said.
“I’ll make sure Nathan calls you back after he’s done here, okay?”
“Sure, thanks. It was nice to see you again, Sonia.”
“And you, Tyler.”
“Talk to you later, Nate!”
“Bye,” managed.
Sonia hit the end call button and held the phone out. “If I’d known you were in the middle of a private phone call, I would have announced myself before coming in.”
didn’t think his face could get any redder. “It wasn’t...that wasn’t...we weren’t?—”
Sonia smirked. “Of course you weren’t. And even if you were, I wouldn’t blame you. You two always had a strong connection, and considering what happened, it’s only natural that even after so much time, you might...well, especially when he?—”
She tried to explain herself without horrifying , which he didn’t think was possible. He knew exactly what she meant, though. Yes, there was that bit of unfinished business between him and Tyler, though he hadn’t reconnected with Tyler for that reason. And yes, Tyler had grown into himself in a way found impossible to ignore.
“When are you meeting again?” Sonia asked instead.
“I,” gasped out from his strangled throat, “don’t know.”
“Ah, well, hopefully soon. He was good for you,” she said.
“Sonia,” he said, trying to tell her to stop.
They both knew anything between him and Tyler, even a friendship, was a risk. That she had witnessed hints of more than friendship and said nothing indicated she wouldn’t try to stop him. Which she should because it would invite more problems.
Sonia sighed. “However, I do have to ruin the mood by telling you that your father wants to see you immediately. In his office.”
froze. “Oh?”
“I don’t think it’s anything to worry about, though I can’t be sure,” Sonia told him carefully.
winced. He knew better than to keep his father waiting. “Then I suppose I should go see him.”
“Good,” Sonia said, walking off. “And he doesn’t know anything, as far as I can tell. So don’t get paranoid.”
“I’m not paranoid,” lied.
Her chuckle was the only answer he needed as she disappeared into the hall. took a moment to recover, glad his mortification had been enough to kill whatever arousal might have shown. Turning toward one of the mirrors in the room, he adjusted his hair and clothes, making sure nothing was out of place. Once he was satisfied, he stepped out of his room. Crossing the hallway, he pushed through the double doors, nodding at the blond and black-haired bodyguards standing resolutely outside.
As expected, they followed him down the hallway. He crossed the second-floor foyer. They stopped just short of the door as he knocked briskly, waiting until his father’s voice hailed him to come in.
Everything was exactly as the last time he’d been in his father’s office. His father had always been fastidious about placement and cleanliness. Everything had to be precisely where it was, and changes were by his order only.
His father looked up from his desk. “Ah, , good. I was hoping you would show up sooner.”
“I was preparing for a workout, so I wasn’t properly dressed,” told him, a little surprised by how easily the lie came.
His father nodded approvingly. “Good, it’s important that you maintain a healthy body. No one will be interested in a flabby, pasty member of office.”
Not that had any interest in public office. But then again, it didn’t matter what he wanted. His father’s sincerest wish was that one day, would carry on after his father had retired from office. Of course, he suspected his father would still try to run things from behind the scenes.
“It would be good if we find you a decent partner soon. A wife makes anyone look better, so long as they are complimentary,” his father continued.
said nothing. His lack of agreement or condoning of the plan was the only rebellion he could muster. They both knew full well would be as interested in finding a wife as his father would be in talking to a homeless person. But it was a fact of ’s life neither of them openly discussed. His father pretended it wasn’t an issue, and just...went along with it.
After a moment, his father leaned back in his seat. “I imagine you’re wondering what I called you in here for.”
kept his face still. “I assumed you had a reason, yes.”
His father watched him carefully, unmoving as he studied his son. “I have no choice but to leave town for a few days, possibly a week.”
would be lying through his teeth if he said it saddened him. In fact, he felt a thrill of excitement, even as he kept his face neutral.
“Business?” asked.
The elder Carter grunted softly. “As I’m sure you know, many aspects of politics require outside help. I must meet with a few people to guarantee their help in the upcoming election.”
thought quickly to work out what his father wanted to hear. “Understandable. With re-election season coming up, I can understand the necessity of ensuring every avenue is carefully maintained.”
“Indeed. While I remain perfectly comfortable with what I currently have, there is always more to be had.”
nodded. “And in the meantime, you want everything here to continue as is.”
“Precisely.”
gave his best comforting smile. “Well, you have nothing to worry about, Father. Everything here will continue as you have left it and will run as though you were here.”
“Will it?”
“Absolutely.”
A beat, then, “I have full confidence that it will. James will maintain the house, and Sonia will deal with the rest. I have no doubt they can handle matters.”
In truth, shouldn’t have been surprised that his father wasn’t going to leave him in charge. Despite behaving himself, there was no chance his father would let bygones be bygones. And there had been a moment, brief though it was, where thought he might be given a chance.
Then again, it wasn’t all bad.
If he’d been left in charge of the house, unsupervised, he would have felt compelled to stay home and deal with running things. There wasn’t much to deal with, but guests stopped by on occasion, and he might need to be around. It meant he would have had to put off any possibility of seeing Tyler.
And now, his father had thrown that right out the window, never realizing what he was doing.
So, he smiled. “Fine choices.”
“I thought so. Sonia will deal with you as always, but she will also be in charge of your personal security. Anything you wish to do must be passed through her and escorted.”
was never gladder for his years of training in honing his skills at hiding what was going on in his head. If he were going to remain as he was, under constant watch, then so be it. He would continue doing what he’d already done. And if that meant Sonia would be doing the same, with even less oversight, then all the better.
He itched to pull out his phone and message Tyler. “Understood, Father.”
“And when I return, you and I will discuss what I expect of you for the rest of this summer.”
“I look forward to it,” he said evenly.
“Good.”
nodded, maybe there was something to Tyler’s idea about playing his own game and having fun with it after all.