Page 17 of Room for Elijah

“I do.” Dermott held a tumbler up to the light before putting it back on its shelf, then joining him. “Frankie and I have been talking, and it’s obvious that you have both a knack for cooking and an interest in it.”

Elijah tried not to worry. He thought he’d done a good job, and Dermott’s words and tone implied that he had. “I’ve been really enjoying helping out in the kitchen.”

“Good. There’s a cooking school around here that will give you a chef’s degree in less than a year. How about I foot the bill for you to attend this fall? All I ask is that you give me a year’s worth of work after you graduate before you decide to seek a job somewhere else.”

Elijah’s stomach muscles tightened at the offer and a spark of fear shot through him. He tried not to show it in his expression, but he squirmed a little, clenching his hole. The final plug was embedded there. The feel of being filled always gave him both pleasure and comfort. It was a kind of grounding, oddly. And he’d learned to take care of it himself. After the first time, he’d asked the boys to help him master taking it out, cleaning it and putting it in again, lubed up. He kept it in as much as he could, and anytime it was out for a while, he felt strangely empty. Taking it up the ass was apparently something he’d longed for without knowing it, not that a plug was an end goal. No, the whole idea was to make him ready for the man standing in front of him.

He dropped his gaze. “Are you saying you want me to leave here?”

Dermott sighed and tipped Elijah’s face back up by pressing a finger under his chin. “My dear Elijah, what was it in the words I spoke that led you to that worry?” A lump caught in his throat. He could only shrug. “Can you not see how much I and the boys adore you? Are you aware that you’ve been with us for a month now, as of tonight?”

Oh. He hadn’t been keeping track of the days so much as counting his time in terms of firsts—first up-close view of sex between men, first kiss, first blow job—both given and received—and first time sleeping safely in a bed populated with men he desired and trusted. He shook his head. “No, sir. I guess it snuck up on me. I’m so happy that time passes quickly, it seems.”

Dermott ran the pad of his thumb across Elijah’s lower lip. “I’m glad to hear it. And believe me when I say my only intent is to help you develop a marketable skill in order to make you as independent as possible. Rienk and Nico have their performing. They can do drag anywhere because they’re good at it. I want you to be self-sufficient, too, and cooking is obviously your skill set.

“It’s not a matter of pushing you out of the nest. It’s about making sure that you know you can fly away of your own volition. You’re young, Elijah, and newly emancipated from your family. We love having you as part of ours, but only if and for as long as you truly want to be. There’s such a big world for you to explore, and that can be scary. I want to arm you with the tools necessary to do it with more confidence.” Dermott leaned in to give him a quick, reassuring kiss before letting him go again.

Elijah had the urge to climb over the bar and leap into the man’s arms. Instead, he stayed put and responded as maturely and as truthfully as he could. “I’m right where I want to be, Dermott. I can’t imagine that changing, but I also do want to learn how to be a proper chef. I accept your kind offer and will work my butt off to prove myself worthy of the generosity.”

“Your work ethic is not in question. In fact, you’ve barely left the club since you arrived.” He snapped his fingers. “I know… This coming Monday, I’ll take you and the boys out for a proper dinner, one that you don’t have to prepare. There’s a lovely place by the harbor with wonderful views. Have you tried lobster?”

Elijah shook his head, eager to go on a real date—another first. “I’d love to try. Oh, but they’re expensive.”

“I think I can splurge for all of my boys to have a fancy meal.”

Thrilled to be included in that group, Elijah pushed up and leaned as far over the top of the bar as he could manage. Dermott understood, apparently, because he met him halfway and took the kiss Elijah shyly gave him. “Thank you.” He hopped off and raced back to the kitchen, wondering if he had time for a quick stop in the bathroom before returning to work. Being close to his dream man had produced the usual result, after all.

Chapter Ten

“I have your reservation for four here, Mr. McCarthy.” The hostess grabbed some menus. “Right this way, please.”

Elijah tried to bring up the rear of their little column, but Rienk pushed him forward so that he was behind Dermott. He’d worried, despite what the others had said, that his simple button-down shirt and black jeans wouldn’t be dressy enough for such a nice restaurant. They were newly purchased and the best clothes he had, yet nothing fancy. As he scanned the crowded room, however, he saw that lots of people were dressed casually, as were Dermott and the boys. Elijah had assumed they had done it to make him feel more comfortable, but no, that wasn’t the case. Back home, everyone put on their Sunday best whenever they went out for a rare, celebratory meal. People were oddly more laid back in the city.

“Here we are.” The hostess put the menus on the table by the window. In front of it was a big view of Boston Harbor. “Your server will be by soon to take your drink orders. Have a good evening.”

Elijah couldn’t take his gaze off the beautiful ocean in front of him, filled with all kinds of ships. When Dermott ushered him into one side of the booth first, it barely registered that he was being given the front-row seat. He sat with his nose practically pressed against the glass. Dermott offered to do the ordering for him, because he was having a hard time concentrating on the menu. It saved Elijah the awkwardness of not knowing many of the choices and not wanting to pick anything pricey on the assumption that Dermott could afford it. The man selected well for him, anyway. Everything was delicious. He sipped his iced tea and ate something called lobster pie with his eyes still glued on the view. The others gave up asking him any questions, given that he was so distracted. He realized toward the end of the meal that he’d been poor company.

“Sorry,” Elijah said as he finished his last mouthful of food. “I haven’t had the chance to get a good look at the harbor since I arrived. Boston is the first place I’ve ever been that wasn’t land-locked.” The others smiled at him indulgently. Even Nico had been playing caretaker, he realized belatedly, helping him move from one dish to the next. He got a sense that something more than a nice meal was up. Only a month ago, he might have held his tongue. Now, he’d become emboldened in no small way, thanks to these three men.

“What’s going on? Are there more plans for this evening?”

“Only if you want there to be,” Dermott replied.

Elijah’s heart skipped a beat. “Yes, please.”

Everyone seemed happy at that response, especially Dermott. His gaze became more intense. “Well then, I’d better get the check so we can leave. And I suggest we walk home. It’s not far and the exercise will help us digest our meal. We don’t want to be too weighed down the rest of the night.”

The next thing Elijah knew, they were strolling along Atlantic Avenue, like lots of people, enjoying the nice weather. Dermott was in the lead, naturally, but he surprised Elijah by taking his hand. Elijah’s initial instinct was to snatch it away, having slammed the lid tight for years on showing outward signs of his sexuality. Even if he’d had the chance to hold another man’s hand, he never would have dared to do so. He fought that urge and relaxed because Dermott made him feel safe. If someone walking past them objected to their open show of affection, there weren’t many who would want to take on a guy as big and tough as Dermott. The man walked slowly, so it was easy to match his pace with Dermott’s. The boys were behind them, chatting away about their new routine. Elijah didn’t bother to listen and felt no need to have a conversation with Dermott, either. It was nice simply enjoying his company.

As soon as they entered the club, Dermott kissed the back of his hand, then let it go. “I have some paperwork I want to catch up on. Rienk and Nico will help you get ready for bed. Ready for me,” he added with a knowing look.

Elijah could only nod, his voice and rational thought having fled upon hearing Dermott’s words. If there had been any doubt about what the man was offering for the night, it was gone now. He’s going to pop my cherry!

Giggling, the other boys took him by each arm and practically raced him up to the apartment. They led him into the bathroom, and Rienk grabbed something underneath the sink. He held it up. “This is a disposable enema kit.” Elijah must have given him a horrified look because Rienk laughed and said, “It’s not as bad as you think. The instructions are on the package, but we can stay and help if you’d like.”

Elijah snatched the box. “No! Thank you.” He glanced at the step-by-step guidance and was relieved to see it wasn’t difficult, not considering that he had a big plug up his ass already. The small tube at the end of the water bulb would be a piece of cake in comparison. “Is this, like, a thing that turns Dermott on?” He was determined to be adventurous, and if it made Dermott happy… Now both of the boys laughed. It was good-natured, and it told him more than anything that he was part of their group. Their family, maybe? God, he wanted that so badly.

“What Daddy’s going to do is eat you out,” Rienk explained. “Think of this prelude as a courtesy. After you’ve flushed everything out, jump in the shower for a quick soap and rinse.”

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