Page 27 of Step Daddy

Chapter Nine

Okay, so maybe Gareth was right.

Kit was close to freaking out and they were almost at the club, so he needed to pull himself together. The Pink Diamond Arcade wasn’t that far from Gareth’s condo, but he was taking them on a winding path through the streets off the Strip to avoid the crush of traffic.

Thankfully, Gareth had put on some music again, so they didn’t have to talk. Kit could barely breathe let alone speak. He’d found the buffer between them annoying earlier, but he welcomed it now. However, before he’d finished his thought, Gareth turned the volume down.

“We don’t have to go through with this, you know.”

Kit wiped his palms on his thighs, brushing them across the slim fit, black dress slacks Gareth had purchased him earlier that day. The new open-collar, royal blue satin shirt was just as pricey, but Gareth had insisted. Despite Gareth’s repeated protests not to worry about it, Kit planned to pay him back as soon as he could.

But secretly, he was glad Gareth had talked him into accepting the clothing. The appraising look in Gareth’s eyes when Kit tried them on was totally worth it. He wasn’t sure if Gareth realized Kit had noticed him staring.

“Kit?”

“Huh?” He jerked up his head. “Sorry. I uh…” He smoothed down the shiny fabric of the shirt beneath the shoulder strap so it wouldn’t get wrinkled. “No, I still want to go.” He glanced at Gareth. “I’m just nervous, that’s all.”

Gareth cleared his throat, his eyes fixed forward. “You’ll be okay. I’ll be tying a leather strip around your neck when we get there. That’s my way of signifying hands-off, you’re my boy. And…” Gareth adjusted himself in the seat. “And if we show up holding hands and stick close together, everyone will get the message. So, you know, don’t stress.”

Kit nodded, even though he was sure Gareth couldn’t see him. Which was a good thing. “Yeah, okay.” His face was probably bright red from imagining Gareth’s strong, warm hand gripping his own. Kit licked his lips. He hoped like hell the club was very dark. Between the blushing expressions of shock and awe, combined with the erection he’d likely be sporting, the embarrassment meter would hit the redline.

“All right, we’re here.” Gareth pulled into one end of a half-moon shaped driveway, then idled behind a magenta colored sportscar as they waited their turn. “Follow my lead. Don’t protest when I do things for you.” He pointed ahead. “And when we reach the valet, wait until I come around and open the door for you.”

Kit’s eyebrows shot up. “Seriously?”

“Seriously. Everyone knows me here and they know how I behave with my boys. If you mess up, it’s cool. I’ll let on that you’re a newbie. But we should at least appear as if we’re taking on the roles.”

Kit tried to ignore the clenching in his gut at Gareth’s mention of other boys. Boys? Plural? Of course, intellectually he understood that Gareth’s past was his past, that it was none of his business what his brother did. And while it might be unreasonable, that didn’t stop him from feeling jealous about Gareth’s future.

At last, it was their turn and Kit tensed as he waited for Gareth to come around and get him. His heart thundered, the beating like a drum in his ears. He needed to calm his incessant shaking, to quit being so scared as if he were going to his execution. Kit repeated in his mind like a mantra that he was being ridiculous and to knock it off.

But in his heart, he knew it wasn’t the club. At least, not all of it. His terror centered on what would happen if he liked it too much, if he liked Gareth acting like he was his Daddy too much.

I never should’ve pushed for this to happen.

The door swung open, and Kit choked on his own spit. Gareth held out his hand and Kit sucked in a deep breath before accepting it. The moment Gareth’s fingers closed around his own, Kit’s body felt as if it had gone to mush. He couldn’t hold Gareth’s gaze.

Then everything reached a whole other level of intensity when they stepped into the lobby area and Gareth paused to retrieve a leather string from the pocket of his leather vest. The vest, the skintight pants and sheer black dress shirt beneath it made his brother look so hot, Kit had needed to turn away so Gareth wouldn’t see the desire in his eyes.

“Hold still.”

Gareth was so close that the warmth of his breath wafted over Kit’s ear, the light scrape of his calloused fingertips against his throat giving Kit goosebumps, the enticing smell of leather mixed with the woodsy aftershave Gareth always used… Kit’s knees wobbled, and he trembled.

Never. Never had he been so aroused.

Gareth finished then gave a light tug on the makeshift collar. “Is it comfortable? Not too tight?”

Kit could barely breathe, but not because of the leather strip. The pull on the collar had sent a zing straight to his dick. The decadent thrill of being Gareth’s, of being owned by him—he was consumed by it.

Even if tonight is pretend.

“Here.” Gareth started fumbling with the leather as if to untie it. “Let me make it looser.”

“No!” Kit grabbed Gareth’s wrists and he froze. “Leave it.”

If anything, he wished it were tighter. He wanted to feel his Adam’s apple struggling to move past the leather as he swallowed, to feel as if Gareth’s hands were encircling his throat, holding him, controlling him. He wanted to be reminded every second that passed that he was Gareth’s boy.

Even it’s only for one night.

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