Chapter 11
ELEVEN
Leo
“Oh my god, you two are too cute,” Selena says, flopping down on the bed beside Heath and I. Heath groans and stuffs his face into my shoulder, our half naked bodies pressed against each other under the comforter. I should be more uncomfortable about this, but I do porn for a living.
Not that she knows that. I’m pretty sure he didn’t tell her that.
Oh shit did he tell her that?
“Selena, we’re mostly nude,” Heath says and she rolls over and stares at her brother.
“Well, mostly isn’t all. Just keep it under the covers until I leave. Oh, and before I forget, I ordered us all coffee so we can get ready for the workday ahead.”
“You work at noon,” Heath grumbles and I thread my fingers through his hair.
“Be nice.”
He grumbles again and Selena grins. “He’s always a grump in the mornings. Hates it, and anyways, I ordered coffee because I feel like death. You forced me to drink too many margaritas.” Before Heath can get a word in edgewise, the doorbell rings and Selena bounds out of the room. When she leaves, Heath grumbles and pushes into me further.
“She’s a menace.”
“She’s lovely,” I reply just as she returns with our coffees. She hands me an iced drink, and then one for Heath who takes it begrudgingly.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Now, invite me back when you two make plans again. I want to see you both together when I’m not drunk or hungover.”
“Yeah, alright. Now shoo,” Heath mutters as he sits up and the sheet falls down his deliciously chiseled chest. I wet my lips and do the same, sitting up a little further and taking a sip of my drink as Selena disappears out the front door, leaving me and Heath alone once more.
“You have cum on your chest,” I say and he glances down at his skin, to the space where I marked him.
“No, I don’t.”
He grins at me and I can’t help but smile back. “I made you look, though.”
“You did,” he replies as he sips on his coffee.
Last night was nice, the two of us just kissing each other endlessly until we finally fell asleep in each other’s arms.
I’ve never liked just kissing someone so much, but then again, seems I’m kind of far gone for Heath. He does it for me. Big time. I don’t even need sex. I just like to be close to him.
I’m growing very attached.
“What time do you need to go to work?” I ask and he shrugs.
“I’m the boss, so I can do whatever I want.”
“Yeah? Want to take a bath and then grab breakfast?” I ask, feeling slightly nervous asking him this.
“Yeah, but don’t you have class or something? ”
“Most are online, but yeah, I do have homework. But after work, maybe we could meet up?”
“Another office meeting?” Heath asks and I nod.
“Yeah. Maybe another recording?”
I can’t believe this is my life now. That he’s letting me film us together and not only that, but letting me post it online. I’m so glad I’m doing this with him. So fucking glad.
“Sounds like a plan.”
I‘m walking on clouds the rest of the time I’m with him and when I leave, I have to force myself out of his place and back to mine. Because I really don’t want to leave. But I’m buoyed by the fact that I’m going to see him tonight and I’m going to get to touch him again.
And he’s so going to touch me.
And we’re going to blow each other’s minds.
I can’t fucking wait.
My evening has not gone to plan. Not at all. I’m on my way to Heath’s office, my bag of toys in tow when my mom calls me, her words slightly broken and tears in her voice.
“Baby, I got into an accident.”
I pull over onto the side of the road and take a deep breath. She’s okay. She’s alive, I think, but then I hear her voice crack. In that moment, I drop everything and speed to the hospital, my heart racing, my skin uncomfortably clammy.
A nurse leads me to where they’re caring for her. I pull open a curtain and see her face banged up, her arm clutched to her chest.
“I broke it,” she says, fighting back tears. She’s hurting, but also afraid.
I know what kind of bills this will lead to.
I move toward her and she reaches out and grasps my hand.
“What happened?”
“Someone ran a red light. Hit me. The car is totaled. ”
“Mom, oh my god, I’m so glad you’re okay. We’ll figure this out.”
“I’ll be fine, just worried about the bills.”
“We’ll manage. We always do. Don’t worry about the money, just focus on yourself right now.”
She won’t do as I say. She will fret over this and probably end up back at work far too soon. When the doctors take her to orthopedics to put on her cast, I finally pull my phone out and see the missed messages and calls from Heath.
My chest swells that he hasn’t forgotten about me and I quickly message him back, letting him know what’s going on.
He’s quiet, not responding, and I place my phone back in my pants pocket. Maybe I shouldn’t have told him. This whole thing between us is pretty casual and may not ever be more than that. We just like to kiss and I enjoy blowing him. I may have met his sister and he met Asher, but still…friends. Friendly.
That could be all this is and I majorly overstepped by oversharing.
Fuck. I always overshare. It’s a problem.
I sit in the waiting room, toying with my phone and worrying about my mom and Heath when I see someone move next to me. I glance up and my eyes widen.
“Heath,” I gasp and see that he’s carrying a bouquet of flowers in one hand. My heart flutters ridiculously fast and I almost feel light headed. “What are you doing here?”
“You said your mom was in an accident. I…am I overstepping by showing up like this?”
He looks so concerned that I jump up and engulf him in my arms.
“No, not at all. I felt bad for involving you in my family drama.”
“It’s not drama. It’s your mom,” he whispers and I hold onto him a little tighter.
“She’s all I have. I was so scared.”
“You’re shaking,” he says and then pulls away. “Let me get you something to drink. ”
Before I can protest, he moves over to a machine on the far end of the room, swipes his card and returns with a hot chocolate.
“Probably tastes like shit but drink it. You need the sugar.”
“Okay,” I say as he leads me to a chair and helps me settle into it. “She’s fine, by the way. Just a broken arm, but I know she’s going to worrying about bills and will be back at work far too soon. She doesn’t really have sick days at her jobs.”
“Jesus,” Heath says and then pulls a face. “I hate that.”
“Me too, but she didn’t go to college and well…it’s really all she can get.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, it’s not your fault. It’s just how it is. It’s why I want my camming to be successful. I want to help her in times like this.”
“I get it,” he says, but I’m not sure he does. We’re from different worlds.
It doesn’t matter though. He’s here. That’s what’s important.
As I process these thoughts, my mom is rolled out in a wheelchair and I stand up, feeling Heath following behind me.
“Mom, love the cast,” I say with a smile and she grins back at me.
“I do love pink. So much better than the red they offered,” she says as she peers down at it.
Heath swears quietly and I realize that the flowers in his hands are bright red and I can’t help but giggle at that.
“Oh, who is this?” my mom asks, her eyes falling on Heath. She tries to fix her hair, but she doesn’t quite manage.
“This is my friend, Heath.”
Heath stares down at the flowers in his hand and then back up at my mom.
“I didn’t realize you hated red.”
“Oh gosh, no! I love red, just not wearing it,” she replies and then holds her palm out and Heath places the bouquet in her hand. “They’re beautiful. This is so thoughtful. Thank you.”
She meets my stare and arches an eyebrow and I know what she’s asking. Is this really just a friend, but I can’t give her any more information. Because Heath has never said he is into me and he’s never said he’s queer, so this could be just an experiment with someone safe.
So right now, to guard my heart, we’re just friends.
Who kiss and do other things.
Lots of other things.
My mom cradles the flowers in her arms while Heath pushes the wheelchair out into the parking lot. He insists. I’m to finish my hot chocolate before I drive anywhere.
“I’ll drive you home, mom,” I say and she sighs as I help her up from the chair. As Heath pushes it back to the entrance and I help her inside my car, she meets my worried gaze.
“They brought me here in an ambulance, Leo. I don’t know how I’m going to afford that.”
“I know. We’ll figure it out, I promise.”
“I’m just…I’m tired.” I know she is, that sort of bone deep, crippling kind of tired from working way too long, and too hard, for way too little. Never getting ahead and always having to worry. It’s not fair to her. I wish my camming would just take off already and I can truly help her out.
Say what you will, but she was always there for me. Well—she always provided for me. I was taken care of because she was always busting her ass.
I nod as Heath nears. He touches my hand softly.
“Let me follow you both home,” he says and I almost tell him not to, mostly to spare my heart, but I end up just nodding. It would be nice to have someone with me while I’m at my mom’s place. It’s soothing in a way. I’ve never really had that before. It was always just me.
When we make it home, I walk my mom inside and she moves into the bathroom to shower. But before she goes, I help her wrap her arm in a plastic bag so it doesn’t get wet.
“We should have bought something that’s more efficient,” I say and she shakes her head.
“I’ve got to save every penny if I’m going to make ends meet.”
She says it a little too loudly and Heath overhears because a moment later he’s on his phone tapping wildly. I don’t have time to process it because as soon as my mom moves away into the bathroom, he’s in the kitchen, working on doing the dishes.
“You don’t need to do that,” I say as I sink onto a chair and put my head in my hands. “I’ll get to it. I just need to breathe a moment.”
A glass of water is set near me and I gulp it down. He doesn’t say anything, just continues to work until the entire kitchen is spotless. My mom reappears a moment later and Heath meets her gaze.
“I have some cast covers being delivered here tomorrow.”
“Oh, you didn’t have to do that,” my mom says, pushing back her damp hair.
“It’s my pleasure to help however I can.”
I stare at him and something bubbles inside my stomach. Is he my prince charming? Is he swooping in, trying to make this all better for me and my mom?
I don’t know if I want to tell him to stop immediately or to just let him do it. I don’t really want that.
“Anything else I can do while I’m here?” Heath asks and my mom turns her gaze to the kitchen and sighs.
“You didn’t need to do this. I was planning on doing it later.”
“I’m happy to have helped.”
“Well, thank you. That is so kind.”
“Anytime, Ms. James.”
“Oh please, call me Charlotte.”
“Okay.”
“Well, you two. I’m pooped. I’m going to head to bed. Work tomorrow.”
“Mom…”
But she cuts me off, looking slightly embarrassed. “Please, not now love.”
I sigh and lean back in the chair as she squeezes Heath’s hand in thanks and then disappears into her bedroom. I stare after her and so does Heath.
“I could offer her a job.”
“Stop it right now,” I murmur and he winces.
“Was that overstepping?”
“No, it would have been if you’d offered my mom a job. I honestly don’t know if she’s qualified for anything at your office. And she hates charity.”
“I know, but she needs health insurance and a decent wage.”
“It’s too late. She already took an ambulance ride, plus all the other hospital bills. We’ll figure it out. I’ve navigated the health care billing system before. I can get it down to a mostly manageable amount. I think.”
Heath’s hand falls on the back of my neck and squeezes gently. I can tell he wants to argue with me, but thankfully he only asks, “Want me to take you home?”
“Yeah, I think I’d like that. Plus, then I can leave my car here for my mom to use.” I’m suddenly exhausted and want nothing more than to fall asleep in his arms.
He drives me back to my apartment and I want to ask him to come inside. I probably shouldn’t, I’m not even really in the mood for anything sexual—which I mean, that may be the first time ever in my life that’s happened. But I’m overwhelmed with everything and life is just kicking my ass constantly.
I was starting to get ahead. I was so excited to have an extra hundred dollars this month to try to slip into my mom’s purse. And then boom! Some asshole had to run a red light.
She’s hurt and she’s still going into work tomorrow and I can’t stop her.
“Hey.” His voice is a deep, soft rumble and I jump slightly because I forgot he was there for a moment. “I’ll come in.” He answers the question I didn’t even have to ask, and I offer him a sad little depressing smile that I know he isn’t buying.
We go inside and my entire body just feels numb. He follows me into my bedroom where I don’t even bother flicking on the light. I should probably blow him. He came all this way and he was so kind. And it’s not like it would be a hardship. I love his body.
I love sending him over the edge, such a big, powerful man going weak in the knees for little ole me.
He walks over to my bed and I’m certain he’s going to command me to strip or kiss me or do something, leading towards sex, but instead he just peels back the covers on my bed and motions for me to come to him.
He removes his shoes and suit jacket, leaving that on the edge of the bed, but he doesn’t kiss me when I walk over to him or say anything. He just sits down on my bed and pulls me to him, wrapping his arms around me, his hand resting against my belly.
I take the moment, letting the weight of the world fall from my shoulders, running my fingers through his soft hair.
“Lay down with me.” His voice is so soothing, comforting. I nod even though he’s not looking at me and I kick off my shoes before we crawl under the covers together, my head resting on his chest.
“She’s fierce, huh?” he asks, “Your mother.”
I chuckle at that, “She’s a fighter for sure. Never stops working and trying to climb out of that perpetual hole. It’s endless.”
He’s the one stroking my hair now and I just sink into the feeling. “That’s why you’re camming? To help your mom?”
I lick my lips, squirming a little bit because I know that it’s not the most prestigious career. “It’s why I started yeah. And college is expensive. And rent. She couldn’t really help me with school and my grades weren’t good enough for a scholarship. I needed to do something. I wanted an education.”
“No judgement here. I literally had everything handed to me my entire life.”
I don’t really believe that. “Maybe your parents were wealthy but you can’t tell me you’re not a hard worker. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.” I say, tilting my head up to look at him, my finger brushing over the stubble on his chin .
“I never had to do manual labor.”
I smile at that, my hand moving to his as I brush my fingers over his palm and then his fingers, “No callouses for you then.” I joke, trying to make the moment lighter.
“We’re so different.” He says it reverently and I don’t feel judgement there. I don’t feel like he believes I’m beneath him. I don’t think he’s ever thought that, even when our eyes first met as I was showing off for the camera fully naked at his desk. I never got the impression that was how he felt. Annoyed at me for invading his space and catching him off guard, yes, but never that I was beneath him.
“Different isn’t always bad.” I say, linking our fingers together.
“No. It’s not.” He sighs deeply, “I really want to help your mom. I know you don’t want to quit camming and I have no doubt that you’ll be successful.”
I swallow hard, closing my eyes, “Does it bother you?” I swear I’m holding my breath, “Me camming?”
“No.” He answers easily, almost so easily that it’s hard to believe him, but then he goes on, “I think…” He pauses only briefly, “I think you’re exquisite on camera. You have a gift. You entertain and you provide a service. I don’t want you to stop unless you want to. I’ll support you.”
I feel like my chest might actually burst. I don’t think I ever expected to be with anyone—not that we are actually together or anything—but still…even a friend, that was fully supportive of my choice to cam. Asher is Asher so he doesn’t count and my other friends are camboys too. But this? I didn’t think I’d ever actually get this.
“Thank you.” I barely manage to squeak out.
“Still…” His free hand goes back to stroking my hair. “I want to help your mom if I can. I know you said she doesn’t have any skills that would transfer to working in an office, but she’s smart. I can tell that just by meeting her. And I think she would be good with people.” She is. I don’t know how he picked up on that in the brief ti me he met her though. “She deserves health insurance and a 401K. A decent wage.”
“Just because you’re fucking her son?” I try to joke, but it kind of goes flat. I blush but then I hear him chuckle.
“No, not because of that. Because every human deserves that. Selena thinks we are monsters. Raised to look down on the working class. I want to change that.”
“By giving my mother a job?”
“What about as a receptionist? I know one of my executives is losing her assistant next week. She’s retiring. It’s not a lot of money, but it does come with benefits.”
“You’d do that for her?” My heart might actually burst now. It’s thumping roughly in my chest. I don’t want to rely on him, but I’m not sure pride is the way to go right now. I want to give my mom a better future and it’s not like she’ll let me take care of her outright no matter how well I’m doing.
She has far too much pride for that.
She barely accepts the money I leave for her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was putting it in a savings account for me and will gift it to me later.
“Maybe we can just agree on getting her an interview? But not with you. Someone who will judge her with no bias,” I say firmly. I don’t want a handout and I know my mom won’t want that either. She still might not agree to go at all.
“Yeah, okay.” He hugs me tighter to him. “I’ll have someone set it up for this week.”
“I’ll give her a heads up, but she’s pretty stubborn. So don’t expect her to agree.”
He chuckles, “So that’s where you get it from.”
I expect him to start to touch me more, kiss me, but he only hugs me close and kisses my temple.
“Maybe. I won’t tell all my secrets.”
He chuckles again and then sighs. “Sleep, Leo. It’s been a long day. ”
He just wants to sleep? My body stiffens because cuddling with no sex is really not good for my heart. It might really get some ideas if this continues.
Like I may actually fall for the guy and start imagining a future together.
“Sleep,” he repeats and damn him, my eyes are getting heavy. So I close them and just let myself feel him wrapped around me. So comforting.
So much like the home I always wanted.