Page 13 of Roleplay at Randy's
The guilt still makes my gut feel heavy. “He can be a handful.”
Now, Matty smiles—a grin that’s all teeth paired with teasing eyes.
“Oh, I remember. Don’t worry; I’ve got thick skin.”
As his thumb draws patterns on the underside of my bicep, I want to express how soft his skin feels on mine, but I bite my tongue. He’s here doing me a favor, not looking to get hit on.
Which I really shouldn’t be entertaining the thought of in the first place.
I clear my throat, and the moment he realizes he’s still touching me, he drops his hand and takes a step back.
“Just tell me what I need to know to make this go as smoothly as possible.”
This is where things would get tricky, and I’d know if I’m about to run Matty off for good.
“Okay, so.” I take a deep breath and thrust my hands into my pockets to play with the fraying seams. “Calum is autistic and mostly non-verbally communicative. If he wants you to know something, he’ll find a way; it just won’t usually be with words. There's a cabinet in the kitchen with his name on it that has pre-portioned snacks. He has a special cup that is always with him, but don't worry, there are spares if it goes missing.”
My smile feels weak, but the one on Matty’s face makes up for it.
Damn, he's so freaking pretty.
I understand why Calum likes to play with his hair, because I kind of want to run my hands through it myself.
Focus, Ei.
“Just kind of let him do his thing, but don't let him push you around. If you set a boundary, hold it firm. He likes to test people. His tablet should be fully charged; he’ll grab it when he’s ready. You can always text me if you have any problems or questions. Unless I'm on stage, I'll get back with you as soon as I can.”
Matty had been nodding along to my explanation, eyes wandering the room, but as I finish they drop and his cheeks darken.
To his credit, he recovers quickly, tucking a strand of dark hair behind his ear and bringing his gaze back to mine.
“I think I’ll be alright. Don’t want to keep the ladies waiting, do you?”
I’d keep everyone waiting if it meant I could hold Matty’s attention for a few minutes longer, but he’s right. If I don’t leave now, I’ll be late, and Russel doesn’t appreciate tardiness.
“I’ll call you when I’m on my way home, if that’s alright.”
His eyes crinkle, and his fingers start twisting through the ends of his hair. “Of course it is. Nowgo.”
We both laugh as he practically shoves me out of my own house, and as the setting sun beats down on me, I can’t feel anything except for the radiating warmth from each inch of skin Matty touched.
I like my job.Sure, it isn’t what I saw myself doing when I left college, but it’s fun, and I’ve gained quite a few big tippers over the years.
When I get to my locker and dig out my outfit for the night, there’s only one other guy still getting set up.
Rascal is still new, having joined a few months ago, and I give him a friendly wave as he shimmies into his leather pants.
Come to think of it, Rascal mentioned during on-boarding that he’s exclusively interested in men.
“Hey, Rocket.” I use his stage name, because that’s generally what everyone around here is more comfortable with.
He looks up and cocks his head. “What’s up, Volt?”
I shut my locker with my uniform thrown over my shoulder and lean back on the cool metal.
“Why come here and not the gay club downtown?”
Rascal takes up chewing his lip in contemplation before shrugging his shoulders and plopping his chin into his open hand.
