Chapter 4
Reece
Hanging up the phone, I couldn’t resist berating myself. Could I have sounded any more like a needy sub? It didn’t matter that Iwasa needy sub in desperate need of a spanking and thorough fucking. Houston didn’t need to know that.
He also didn’t need to know that I was quickly becoming obsessed with what he was wearing under his clothes, and what other kinds of sexy things I might see in his laundry. Working around half-naked men all day and scrolling through page after page of sexy photos on the site wasn’t helping, either. I could picture Houston in everything from sweet and simple to erotic and wicked, and everything in between.
“You’re an idiot.”
“Why are you an idiot?” Eli’s head came around the doorframe, grinning and clearly looking for something to do, if the teasing gleam in his eyes was any indication. “Did you do something fabulously naughty?”
Laughing, I shook my head. Not yet, at least. “No, I just realized how stupid I sounded on the phone.”
Eli didn’t bother to hide his curiosity. He just sauntered right in wearing tiny little briefs and not much else, unless you counted the bright pink nail polish that hadn’t been there earlier. “Who were you calling?”
“My new roommate.” I shrugged and leaned back in my chair, stretching my neck out. “I was just letting him know when the truck was going to drop off the storage container. You’re still okay with helping? I really appreciate it, but I know it’s a lot—”
“No.” Eli held up a hand and leaned one half-naked butt cheek on my desk. “None of us mind helping. We’re a family here. A weird, fucked-up, maybe slightly incestuous bunch, but still a family.”
I knew his little speech was supposed to make me feel better, but I was left feeling confused and curious instead. Hell, that had probably been the point to begin with. Ignoring the weird parts, I just focused on the fact that I was clearly family too. “Thanks, I appreciate it.”
Eli grinned. “So why did you sound like an idiot?”
It had been too much to hope he’d forget about that part. “Nothing specific, I just didn’t come across very professional.”
Eli wasn’t going to be thrown off the trail. “If you weren’t professional, I’m thinking he’s distracting…or hot?”
“Eli.” I rolled my eyes and tried not to let him guess how right he was, but it was no use.
“Oh, he’s that hot? Tell me all about the sexy mystery man. We know he’s gay. You said something about him being in finance and working from home. Didn’t you say he was kind of off and just charged in…charging in…taking charge…taking control…” Eli smirked and did a little happy dance. “Hmm, I think we have something interesting here.”
“Nothing interesting.” At least, probably not. “He was just a bit rough around the edges.”
“Rough around the edges like a Dom that’s passionately into his new mysterious roommate?” Eli was clearly getting into the fantasy. “I bet you didn’t tell him about yourself at all, and he’s pining for you.”
In my dreams. “You’re an idiot.” And so was I.
“I’m fabulous and right. We’ll see when I go on Friday. I have great radar for Doms.” He shrugged. “They always turn out to be assholes, but I can spot them a mile away.”
Considering his weird almost-relationship with Roman, I wasn’t going to count on his radar. He couldn’t even see—Nope, I wasn’t going to get involved. Not my business. “I’d rather you not point out that he’s an asshole, but thanks. I need a place to live, and I’m not getting kicked out for coming on to him. Besides, nothing about him said Dom, and no one at the bar said anything about him being a Dom, did they?”
Vague hinting didn’t count.
Eli shrugged. “That’s not the point. I didn’t ask. I just made sure he wasn’t insane when you found the notice.”
Such a big help.
“Well, he’s not crazy, and that’s all I’m worried about.” With a big room and great kitchen, he could be as crazy as he wanted, as long as the rent didn’t go up. He could even walk around in the same sexy outfits that Eli and the rest of the guys did, and I wouldn’t say a word. Nope, not one word.
Moans didn’t count.
Pushing away from my desk, I groaned as I stood up. I’d been sitting for too many hours. “Okay, I’m done.”
Eli glanced at the clock and cocked one eyebrow. “You should have been gone ages ago.”
I shrugged, not concerned about the time. “I knew when I took the job that the hours might be weird. And with the time off I’m getting on Friday, I don’t feel bad. Preston said not to worry about using PTO for it, so I want to make sure I’m not leaving you guys in the lurch.”
“We’ll be fine. And I even promised not to update the blog while you’re getting moved in, didn’t I?” He gave me a look like I should be very proud of him.
