Page 6 of Expensive

“Okay. Do you have any destinations in mind?” I ask.

“I’m not picky.” He sets down his tea cup and grabs for one of the sandwiches. “If possible, it would be nice to stay in a hotel with a gym.”

Of course. It’s probably part of his job to be muscular.

“Okay.”

Timber downs half of his sandwich in one bite. In one of his interviews, he said it’s difficult for him to avoid eating like he’s still in the breeding pits even after all these years. He glances down at the half-eaten sandwich, and his jaw clenches. He quickly chews and swallows, setting the other half of the sandwich down on the table.

“I should be going.” He stands.

I stand as well. “Thank you for coming, uh, Sir.”

There’s that lip twitch again. “You can call me Daddy now.”

I’m not sure I can. We don’t know each other yet.

“Until next time,” he says. He doesn’t call me baby boy. Maybe he needs more time too. He leans forward and gives me a light kiss on the cheek. My skin burns under the gentle brush of his lips.

“Next time,” I whisper as he walks away.

4

Timber

Three weeks later…

I meet Andrew at the airport. He’s waiting like a lost puppy by the boarding line. His eyes scan the crowd with a desperation that makes me realize I should have texted him when I arrived. I’m not late, but I’m not early either. Andrew strikes me as the kind of man who’s always on time. Today he traded out his suit for designer jeans and a black T-shirt that’s clearly intended to be casual but paired with a sleek pair of matching boots and a large, silver watch, comes off as formal anyway.

Clearly, Andrew spent a lot of time deciding what he’d wear today. I hope our time together over the next few days will help him relax around me.

When he finally sees me, his whole body tenses.

“Good morning,” I say.

He glances at the carry-on I have slung over my shoulder. It’s packed to the brim. “Good morning. Did you bring… stuff to play with or something?” His Adam’s apple bobs up and down.

“Not this weekend. I don’t like to check baggage when I travel, so I put everything in a carry-on.”

He looks down at his slim laptop bag. “Oh, I checked a few bags. I didn’t realize—”

I slide my hand along the small of his back. He looks up at me with wide eyes. I hold back a chuckle. He wants me to tie him up, but he can’t handle my hand on his back. Part of me aches for Andrew. Will he ever know what it’s like to have an alpha casually touch him like this unless he’s paying for it? While I’m sure I’ll enjoy our time together, it isn’t a replacement for a real relationship.

“Is this alright?” I ask.

He nods rapidly. “Sorry. I didn’t mean—”

I lower my head to whisper in his ear. “This weekend is all about getting comfortable with each other. You can relax.”

His body softens. He’s so responsive to my commands, so ready to obey. It’s going to be hard to not spend the entire weekend in bed with him.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a very attractive man?” I ask.

He gnaws on his lip, tension gathering in his shoulders again. That’s the opposite of what I hoped would happen. Most of the men who want to call me Daddy enjoy being praised.

A wave of pure pheromones rush at me, and the very distinct smell of slick fills my nose.

“I’m sorry,” Andrew whispers. “I didn’t mean to...”

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