KIERAN #2
“Kieran, I’ve been thinking about tonight, and although there’s nothing I’d love more than to get you under me and spend the night bringing you pleasure, I don’t think that’s what you want.”
Kieran wasn’t sure what to say, and before he could think of anything, Grant held his hand up.
“I’ve been watching you closely, and I think you need more than I can give you right now. It’s not been long since something long term came to a final end for me, so I couldn’t offer you more than one night – and it would the best night of your life, I could promise you that.”
Kieran felt his face heat. He assumed it was going to be a one and done, so wasn’t sure what Grant was getting at.
“My plan was to offer you one night, but something’s come up that complicates things.” He smiled.
Kieran wasn’t sure what that meant. Grant still had hold of his hand, and his heart was beating fast.
“I might be the owner of Eclipse Ink, but Jez was your boss, so less . . . complicated.”
“Was?” asked Kieran, having to swallow a lump in his throat.
“Jez has moved on with immediate effect, which leaves me without a manager. Is that something you’d be interested in, Kieran?”
“What? Sorry . . . what?”
Grant chuckled. “You’re the best artist I’ve seen, Kieran, and probably one of the best in London. It’s why you were hired in the first place, despite your bratty attitude, which we could have a lot of fun with, but not in a place of business.”
Kieran’s head was spinning. He was wondering what had happened to Jez to make him leave so suddenly, and then he remembered how Grant had been with him yesterday in the shop.
Had something happened to Jez? That wasn’t a road he wanted to go down, as he’d only assume the worst. Grant was offering him the opportunity to manage the shop. Why would he do that?
“I can see your brain overthinking, Kieran. Let me tell you why I’m asking you. You’re talented, and the customers like you. Your colleagues like you. It was only Jez who had an issue with you, and he’s gone now.”
“Gone where?” Kieran couldn’t help himself.
“Not important,” he replied with a smile.
“I know you want your own shop one day, and this would give you the management experience to do that. And you’d be helping me out.
I’m likely going to get rid of the place next year.
It’s served its purpose for me. Prove yourself, and I’ll give you first refusal on taking over the lease from me. ”
There was no way Kieran could afford a city location, even if it sounded like a dream.
“Why?” asked Kieran.
“Why what?”
“Why me?”
“I just answered that question, Kieran.”
“But I’ve never been a manager before.”
“I’ll help you. Well, I’ll get one of my team to help you.”
Kieran tensed, causing Grant to chuckle again.
“You need to stop believing everything you read on the internet, Kieran. I have someone on my team who looks after my more . . . traditional business affairs. I’ll still be around, of course, but think of Carl as more of a mentor.
Prove yourself, and the shop could be yours.
And before you say you can’t afford it, we could come to an arrangement. ”
Kieran’s eyes widened.
Grant laughed. “You have a one-track mind, don’t you, Kieran? Look, we’re still going to have dinner tonight. You just need to decide. Do you want to talk business, or go back to mine and get ruined for every other man who comes after me?”
Kieran’s jaw dropped, and his dick plumped, so it was clear what decision that body organ had made.
His head was telling him to take this business opportunity, but there had to be a catch.
Kieran knew that traditional must mean legitimate, but since he’d found out Grant was the owner of Empire Ink, he’d assumed it was a front for something else.
Hassan had suggested it was money laundering, but they mostly took card payments.
Not that you had to be a cash-only business to launder money, but Kieran had seen nothing that looked dodgy.
Despite that, he knew it couldn’t be as straightforward as Grant was implying.
On the other hand, there was the offer of a one-night stand, and probably one he’d remember for the rest of his life.
There’d be no obligation for it to become something more, as Grant had been clear on that.
It would be a one and done, and he had a feeling Grant would respect his limits.
It could be just what he needed to get back in the sex saddle.
“I still don’t understand why you’d want to do this for someone you don’t even know.”
Grant sighed, but he didn’t look annoyed. “You remind me of someone, Kieran. That’s all I’ll say. I know what your mum did, and I thought you could use a break. I don’t take chances on just anybody. But this has to be your choice. So, are we going for dinner or back to mine?”
Kieran closed his eyes and tried to calm his racing thoughts.
Hassan, Milo, and Liam all popped into his head with their opinions.
Liam would tell him to get dicked down for the night.
Milo would tell him to take the job, and Hassan would tell him to take neither.
Okay, so that hadn’t given him an answer.
His mind went to Derek. What would he say?
Based on his reaction to Grant when they’d been in the shop together, he would probably say the same as Hassan.
Was that because he still saw himself as Kieran’s stepdad and was being protective, or could it be jealousy?
Nah. There was no way it was anything like that.
Kieran’s crush was definitely one-sided.
Derek might own a sex club, but he always came across as a man with morals.
Why was he even considering what Derek’s view would be on this? Until a few weeks ago, he hadn’t seen the man for ten years.
“Kieran,” said Grant.
He opened his eyes.
“Have you decided?”
Kieran looked at the handsome man in front of him, and everything became clear in his head.
“Yes!”