Page 12 of My Dear Mr. Corporate

“Huh?” My brain was too scrambled to comprehend what he was saying.

“I can’t let you go all the way,” he remarked. “Not after your determination to build a strong foundation for us. I know I’ve been ragging you about it, but I respect what you want to sacrifice for us. I’d give up a fleeting moment of passion to spend an eternity with you.”

I swallowed hard and looked up at Tate. I knew how much it had cost him to say this. He was so damn hard against my leg but here he was being a gentleman and showing me he was more than just a mountain man fucking the first boy he came across in the woods. Nothing else could have convinced me then that Tate wanted me and cared for me as much as I cared for him.

The doorbell chose that moment to ring, the sound carrying to the pool because of the sound system Tate had designed all over the house.

“That’s the distraction we both need right now,” he said with a painful smile. He squeezed my buns hard. “God, I’m gonna love fucking you when the time is right. Go get us some towels. I’ll check who it is and send them on their way.”

I nodded and quickly walked away to do his bidding or else no telling where we would end up. I picked up my clothes on the way upstairs, taking the elevator because my legs were still too weak to climb the winding stairs. Once in our bedroom, I walked through the door that led to the bathroom and took out fresh towels from the cupboard under the sink.

After making short work of drying off and pulling on a pair of gray sweats and a T-shirt, I left the bathroom with a towel for Tate. I frowned when I descended the stairs and heard him talking. I thought he would have gotten rid of whoever was at the door. He was in no state of dress that was fit for company.

I came to a standstill at the foot of the stairs to see him in the hallway with his friend from the restaurant. I couldn’t remember his name right off the bat, but his gaze flickered to me and showed surprise. Clearly, he had no idea he would find me here.

Hadn’t Tate wanted him to know we were living together? I didn’t know what to think as Tate turned and saw me. A flush of crimson flooded his cheeks. Tate never blushed and it bothered me to see it now.

“Bryan, you remember my friend Gio from the restaurant,” he stated, waving me over. I approached and handed him the towel which he gratefully took and wrapped around his waist.

“Yeah,” I answered then turned to the other man with a smile. “How are you?”

“Fine. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you guys. I had no idea you had company, Tate.”

“Bryan’s living here until he finds a place,” Tate answered, which stung a little. It sounded like he was just providing hospitality until his service was no longer needed. This was the opposite of the vibe he had given me a few minutes ago when he had stalled having sex with me because he wanted to respect my wishes. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go change and I’ll be right back. Gio, you know where everything is. Help yourself to a drink.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” We both watched Tate go and when he was out of earshot, Gio gestured to me. “Wanna join me for a drink?”

I shrugged. “I’m not much of a drinker but sure.”

He raised his eyebrows at me but refrained from commenting. I wondered how he had gotten so far to ring the bell. He must have known the key code to enter through the gates of the property which led to the house. Tate’s property was pretty much sealed off, and it wouldn’t have been easy to get to the front door without anyone knowing.

Something bothered me about the way Gio knew Tate’s home, although I guessed it should be normal if they were as close as I thought they were. He didn’t need to be told where anything was but helped himself to the wet bar and produced two shot glasses.

“So, how do you like it here?” he asked, pouring tequila into a glass and handing me one.

“It’s okay,” I answered with a shrug. “Not exactly what I had expected but you adapt to situations.”

“Hmm, how long have you known Tate?”

I tried not to be defensive because questions and mistrust lurked behind his eyes. He thought I had some hidden motive towards Tate.

“Not very long,” I admitted. “Almost a month.”

“Shit. That’s a short time to be living together.”

He made me almost want to tell him Tate and I weren’t fucking although we lived together, but in the end, I decided I didn’t owe him any information. Tate could tell him what he wanted to know. I took a drink of the tequila instead and tried not to make a face. I really hated drinking.

“How long have you and Tate known each other?” I asked him.

He drank his tequila in one shot and poured more into the glass. “Tate and I met back in college so roughly ten years. We became friends quickly. He’s a good guy, a little surly but not as tough as he acts. He lets people in way too easily.”

“And of course, you’re referring to me.”

He swallowed the next shot and slammed the glass down onto the table. His curly black hair swayed a little from the force of his movement and his gray eyes narrowed. “Let’s cut the bullshit here. Tate’s vulnerable right now. I know he’s not over what happened. Perfect opportunity for you to come along and comfort him a little, work your way into his bed and into his heart with false motives. You don’t fool me with those big blue eyes and pouty lips of yours. Yeah, get all heated and angry, but it doesn’t change the fact of what I just said. I’ll be damned before I let you or anyone else hurt him.”

“I’d never hurt him,” I snapped, pushing away from the island. He hadn’t realized it, but he had said way too much and revealed his secret. He wasn’t just acting out of his friendship with Tate. There was a lot going on there and I wondered if Tate knew his friend was also gay. I doubted it, or he would have said something to me. Or not. Tate could be tight-lipped when he wanted. What if they had slept together in college? It wasn’t far-fetched. I had slept with a friend before.

“You see that you don’t, or I’ll give you the eviction notice myself. You might get it either way.”

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