Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 101764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
In my fantasy, that look had been even better than Ryder’s hands all over me.
“No one has to know,” I mumbled, and as I told myself every time, this would be the last time I thought of Ryder while jerking off.
CHAPTER TEN
RYDER
“Goddamn.”
Everyone knew Top Shelf kept Parker’s pockets stuffed, but they had to be overflowing for him to own this kind of property. And this was coming from me, who’d lived in luxury my whole life.
“Impressive, right?”
Trevor’s voice had me glancing down to my right, where he stood at my side wearing skintight jeans, his white puffy coat with a fur-trimmed hood, and boots that matched.
“I had no idea Parker was this loaded.”
Unlike my parents’ home, whose style could only be described as old-money ornate, Parker’s place had a fresh, modern style. The foyer, where Trevor and I stood gawking, had at least a thirty-foot ceiling. To our right, a wall of windows offered a gorgeous snowy view of his vast yard, while the left wall featured an enormous modern painting. Music played somewhere in the background, though nothing like the loud beats we were used to at the club.
“Yeah, Top Shelf is his baby, but not his only source of income. He’s invested in multiple businesses in Boston.”
“Huh.” I cast him a sideways glance.
“What?” Trevor narrowed his lined eyes as he peered up at me.
“Nothing. You know a lot about the man, that’s all.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. I’ve been working for the man for a long time.”
It was more than that, and everyone who spent five seconds around Trevor and Parker knew it.
“How long?”
He sighed. “I’m twenty-eight, and I’ve been working for him since the day I turned twenty-one.”
My eyes nearly fell out of my head. “For real?”
He nodded, gnawing on his lower lip. “Yep, I waited tables at an Italian restaurant he owned before opening Top Shelf. He sold it about two years ago, wanting to focus more of his attention on the club.”
“And the whole time you’ve been obsessed with him?”
Sighing, Trevor nodded. “The whole time. Pathetic, right?”
“Nah.” Heartbreaking, maybe, but not pathetic. “Anything ever happen there?”
“Nope,” he said, popping the ‘p.’ “Not a once. Parker is… complex.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I get that impression.” As I spoke, I unbuttoned the large buttons on my peacoat. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think your feelings are unreciprocated.”
He snorted. “You know, Ryder, that actually makes it ten times worse.” He shrugged out of his coat and cast me a sad smile.
Yeah. I could see that. Wanting someone so badly and knowing they wanted you but couldn’t or wouldn’t move forward for whatever reason had to feel like a daily knife to the heart.
“Gentlemen, I apologize for keeping you waiting. Please forgive me.”
The newcomer jerked us out of our depressing conversation. He was an older man, probably in his fifties, wearing a perfectly pressed charcoal suit. His snowy white hair had a slight curl he’d tamed into a neat style atop his head.
“I’ll take your coats and take you to where Parker and his guests are enjoying drinks.”
“Thank you, James,” Trevor said as he handed over his jacket.
James, huh? Clearly, this wasn’t Trevor’s first time, probably not even his tenth, visiting Parker’s home.
“Yes, thank you,” I echoed as I draped my coat over his waiting arm.
“Follow me, please,” James said, turning.
I glanced down to find Trevor looking up at me with an amused grin. “So formal,” I whispered.
Nodding, he linked his arm through mine. “That’s Parker for you.”
We followed James down a hallway, where more impressive artwork filled the walls. It appeared my boss had an extensive collection of paintings.
“Do me a favor?” Trevor asked as we trailed a few feet behind James.
“Sure, what do you need?”
“Lay off Alex tonight.” His eyes no longer sparkled at me—they’d gone serious and almost lethal. “Whatever you think you know about Alex, whatever impressions he gave you when you guys were younger, they’re wrong. He’s a good guy… the best, actually. Now, I happen to think he has the wrong idea about you, too, but make no mistake, my loyalty lies with Alex. And if it comes down to choosing my allegiance, I’ll choose him. I’d appreciate not having to do that, so like I said, lay off him tonight.”
I’d wondered if Alex had spoken to anyone at work about our dislike of one another. I guess he had. My stomach twisted at Trevor’s fierce expression. He might be the smallest guy in the room, but he wasn’t the meekest.
“In case you haven’t noticed, Alex isn’t exactly open to the idea of a truce between us.”
Or a blow job. Damn, I wanted his lips on my cock.
“Oh, I’ve noticed.” He chuckled. “But I told you my loyalty lies with him, so you’re the one who gets my lecture.”
“Lucky me.”
He snorted.
“All right, I’ll be nice. You know, I don’t even hate the guy the way he hates me. He annoys the shit out of me, sure, but it’s mostly because he has a giant stick up his ass.”