Page 44 of Worthy

I try another angle. “When was the last time someone looked at you like you might be interesting? Outside the bedroom.”

″Fuck, I don’t know,” he grumbles. “Probably in school. I hit it off with a girl I worked on a project with. We went out a few times.”

″See,” I tell him. “You grew up in a big city, went to college. You probably had your fair share of ladies, or guys, who were interested, but did they treat you like the only thing you had to offer them was sex?”

″Are you kidding? I would love it if they treated me like the only thing I have to offer is sex. That’s living the dream, all the fun parts of a relationship without any of the work. That’s why I’m here.” He gestures towards the landscape around us.

″I hear you.” I lock my jaw and nod. “I lived like that for years, and you know how much fun I had. But that was before anyone looked at me like I’m more.”

″So, you’re telling me since Maddox doesn’t want to jump you, you’re fine to hang out with him and not try to screw him? Or anyone else for that matter?” He rests his hands on his hips.

He’s trying to piss me off to make his own anger justified, but I’m determined to keep the anger out of my voice. “Yeah,” I admit, “Surprised the hell out of me too, but yeah.”

″Don’t you want to though?” Deacon presses. “I mean, he is hot.”

″He’s gorgeous. And yeah, I’m attracted to him.” I rub the back of my neck. “But I like just talking to him, too. It’s interesting.”

″You’re gonna do that all summer? Justtalkto him? You’re not even going to try to suck his dick or get him to touch yours?” His eyebrows rise as he lowers his head, making it seem like he’s looking down on me.

″I don’t know. I keep trying not to do anything, but I keep plowing into him, and it’s hard to walk away.” I rub my hands over my face. “I know what I should do, but I can’t make myself do it.”

″So, come out with me. Have fun, take the edge off. Get Maddox out of your head,” he pleads.

″That’s just it, cousin.” I sigh heavily, willing him to understand. “Taking the edge off has no appeal anymore. I know, I used to live for the thrill, but now it doesn’t seem as fun.”

″Are you seriously trying to tell me sex isn’t fun?” Deacon recoils.

″No. I just don’t think it sounds fun with a random stranger who comes through town.”

″Random strangers are what we were supposed to do all summer.” He throws his arms wide, like he’s got nothing to show for coming here. No reason to stay.

″You still can.”

″Yeah, but it was fun to do together. Tell me that bachelorette party wasn’t amazing.” I swear his eyes are pleading for me to see reason.

″It was amazing.” I placate him, though he’s right. At the time it was. Those girls had some kinky games to play, and we both enjoyed every minute of it.

″And you want to give that up?” Deacon balks.

″Just because I’m taking a break from picking up tourists doesn’t mean you have to. And it damn sure doesn’t give you an excuse to be mean to Maddox.” I point an accusing finger at him.

″I haven’t been mean to him.” He crosses his arms defiantly.

″Deacon, he’s not blind,” I groan. “He sees you glaring at him.”

″I was glaring at you, not him.”

″Well, he doesn’t know that.” I throw my hands up. “He’s still the client so you can’t treat him like shit.”

″Speaking of, I thought we agreed it was a bad idea to get too close to the client?” He scowls, throwing my own BS back at me.

That’s the other part of this fucked up situation I’ve been trying to avoid. I said that earlier, and it still makes a lot of sense, though a part of me doesn’t care anymore.

But I can’t just ignore it. This is my dad’s business, my future business we’re talking about. And the Gerome’s are good clients. I don’t want to mess that up because of my interest in Maddox. Yet each time I’m with him, I feel my resolve fading a little more, and I don’t know how much longer I can hold out.

I’m still shocked I didn’t screw up and start kissing him last night when we walked to our cars. I’m even more shocked he enjoyed hanging out at the bar and hearing about our stupid drinking games.

Seeing him smile, laugh, and even throw down a few jokes made him that much more appealing, and when we were alone, I realized he once again didn’t judge me for my immature antics. That made me want to push him up against the car and kiss the hell out of him like I did in the studio.

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