Page 11 of Nail Me Daddy

I didn’t rise to the top of the property business by acting like a playboy and letting my dick drive my decisions from one second to the next.

No, my career has been built through rock-solid planning, tough bargaining, and never acting in a way that might bring unwanted attention onto me from local residents, the planning department, or anyone who might want to cause trouble.

So I find myself asking the question – is there any way I can get to know the boy that won’t compromise my business values?

But I don’t have time right now to be pondering the great unanswered questions of my life. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve got an hour carved out of my busy schedule to meet up with my friends – and no boy is going to stop me making the most of a rare chance to relax and shoot the shit with two of the most stand-up men I know…

* * *

‘So I say to the boy,’ Reece says, leaning back in his chair and reveling in the moment as he tells his story. ‘I say to Xander… pants down, turn around, and… well, you know the rest, right?’

I laugh and so too does Trent.

Reece has got too much respect for his boy Xander to take the story any further. It might be different if we were five whiskies in, but today we’re drinking coffee and respectful limits are being respected – just about!

‘I know the feeling,’ Trent says, sipping on his espresso. ‘When Mikey wants some hard loving, he’ll doanythingto get my attention. I’ve seen him walk out of the kitchen fully clothed and then return twenty seconds later in nothing but his jockstrap. Damn. Even thinking about it right now is getting me hot.’

‘I guess this is what a good boy will do to a man,’ Reece says. ‘And it’s why Mr. Hotshot Property Mogul needs to make it happen too.’

‘I know, I know,’ I reply, shrugging my shoulders. ‘But I’m not about to rush into anything with the first boy I meet. I’ve been there with a dozen boys in the past, and it never comes to anything good. Not in the end. I need the kind of boy who stops me in my tracks, who I can’t stop thinking about for days…’

I pause.

Suddenly I feel conscious that I might be making my recent infatuation with Taylor a little bit too obvious.

I quickly glance at Trent and Reece to check to see if they look suspicious – and I don’t have to wait long for my answer either.

‘Busted!’ Trent laughs, his laidback surfer drawl getting a little more hyped than normal. ‘Who is he?’

‘Wait, no, there’s no way-’ I protest.

‘Nah, we know you too well,’ Reece laughs, slapping his hand down on his lean, muscular thigh. ‘There is one hundred percent a boy involved here. There’s no way you’re going to bullshit your way out of this, man. We know each other way too well to pull anything like that.’

‘Agreed,’ Trent says, now sitting up in his chair. ‘There is a boy. That’s a fact. So spill.’

I know I could continue to bluff or deny it.

But that would be an exercise in futility.

The guys know there’s a boy on my mind and the only way to get them off my backs right now is for me to dish up the details…

‘Okay,’ I say, finishing off my espresso in between my words. ‘It’s nothing. And I’m not going to let it develop into anything either. But…’

‘Keep going,’ Trent says, a sly grin on his face as he realizes I’m about to open up.

‘It’s the new boy on the Blue Collar Boys crew,’ I say. ‘His name’s Taylor. And he’s so far in my head it’s like he dug the fucking hole himself.’

Reece and Trent exchange a knowing look between them.

They know as full well as I do that this is probably more than a passing crush. It must be written all over my face. I know for sure that I can certainly feel my heart going again even at the mention of the boy’s name.

‘And let me guess, there’s a problem because he’s working on your new development?’ Reece says. ‘Now come on, you can’t have forgotten how me and Xander got together. Can you? It’s no reason not to pursue something.’

‘Yeah, especially if you think there could be something real going on,’ Trent adds.

‘But… I can’t risk my business, my reputation, my credibility.’ I say, the words suddenly sounding kind of hollow as I say them out loud.

‘People get in relationships all the time,’ Reece says. ‘And in way trickier situations too. If you think you want to talk to Taylor, talk to him. You’re the boss of Los Torros property, you can’t let what anyone else might think put you off.’

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