4. Will

Chapter Four

WILL

" O kay, you have to tell us more," Chip said the minute Roland and John disappeared. "Your story's so romantic. But really, how did you end up together? Did you ever go back home or did he lock you up in his penthouse and keep you forever?"

Luca gagged, then added his own question. "Did he buy you a new car?"

"I'm more interested in when you started redecorating the penthouse all the time," Julian said.

I loved how much they wanted to hear our story, probably because I loved it so much. "No, I never went back to the apartment. Well, except to clear out my stuff. I have no idea what happened to my car. Daddy told me it was none of my business, since I'd never be driving it again. And as for the penthouse…"

~Eight years ago~

"So, boy, I was wondering if you'd like to spend the day with me again? It's Sunday, so I don't have any plans. How about you? Will staying here keep you from anything important?"

Every time he called me boy, I melted into a pile of goo. What was it about that word? No, it wasn't the word itself, it was the affectionate tone in John's voice when he said it. At this point, I'd probably cry with disappointment if he called me Will, and it had only been what… less than thirty-six hours?

I rolled onto my stomach and folded my hands over his chest, propping my chin on it. "I suppose I can do that," I teased, like I wasn't jumping up and down inside that he hadn't tired of me yet. "I ended my last project last Thursday, and the agency hasn't given me a new job yet, so I'll have an extended weekend." I frowned. "Although, it's best if I bug them every day when I don't hear from them immediately, so I'll have to call them in the morning."

John stroked his fingers through my hair. I knew I had to look an absolute mess after all of our extracurricular activities last night. I bit back a smile at the memory of him clutching my hair as he fucked my face. Damn, that had been hot.

"That's great news. Then I can keep you right here in my bed for another night. I'll give you a ride home on my way into the office tomorrow morning."

Oh wow. So he didn't just mean another day together, but he was suggesting another sleepover, too. Hell ya. "I'd love to, but I really need to give Timothy a call. We've been texting, but I think he probably needs to hear my voice. He had himself convinced that we were going to die at Donald's Friday night."

John snorted. "I don't blame him. That place is something else."

"Why would anyone live like that? Who's his interior designer? Oh!" I clapped my hands together and sat up. "Speaking of interior design, can I help spruce up your place a little?"

John snorted and rubbed his thumb along my cheek. "Why don't you tell me how you really feel, boy?"

Giggling, I jumped up. I was a man on a mission. Grabbing his hand, I pulled him into the living room, both of us with our naughty bits on full display. "I was thinking, you need some color in here. It's all Brown's, which is a little drab. Although…" Tapping my finger on my chin, I studied the room. "You might need to repaint, too."

John smiled at me fondly. "I have an idea."

"What's that?" I asked, only half paying attention to him as I visualized a whole new makeover in the center of his home.

"You said the temp agency hasn't given you another job yet, correct? Why don't you let me hire you to redecorate my place?"

"Sure, whatever." Slowly, his words registered, and I spun around and gaped at him. "Are you serious?"

He crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah, why not?"

"But I'm not an interior decorator or anything. I just know what I like."

I've been in your room, boy. You might not have some certificate or degree or anything, but you definitely have an eye. What do you think? Interested?" He arched an eyebrow at me.

Ugh. That would be so fun, but completely unrealistic. "Well, I mean, I'm interested, Daddy, but I have to work."

He pulled me into his arms, tipped my chin up, and stared into my eyes. Against this backdrop, his eyes were a luminescent blue instead of the pale green when I first met him. Wow. "Of course, I'd pay you. You wouldn't be doing this for free."

Okay, had I entered an alternate universe? Going to the Daddy-boy night was supposed to be for a bit of fun, not to end up in the land of make-believe."Seriously?"

"Of course. Why don't you call Timothy and talk about it? Get his opinion."

So that was exactly what I did.

After hiding away in the bathroom to give my best friend an update on how my weekend had been this far and getting his opinion on this incredible opportunity John presented to me—which he was suspicious of, by the way—John and I went to a luxury furniture store to look around. "Well, Daddy. First, why don't you tell me what you like," I said, throwing out my arms to encapsulate the whole building.

"I'm easy. Why don't you show me what you're thinking?"

I planted my hands on my hips and glared at him. "You have to take this seriously. It's your home we're talking about, so you have to love it. Not me."

"What if that changed? What if it's our home that you're decorating, not just mine?"

I scoffed, then grabbed him by the arm. "Come on, let's wander around for a while." While we went from display to display, I thought I said no to the right things and pointed at whatever would fit his space, but inside? Inside, my mind was reeling. Was he serious? John didn't seem to be the type of person who'd carelessly throw around words, but surely he wasn't looking at a future for us.

We'd only met this weekend. How could he be? He was rich, successful, handsome, and everything any boy would want in a Daddy. Hell, he was everything that a person would want in a man.

"A penny for your thoughts," John prompted. "I can see the smoke billowing from your ears."

"Um, can we go back to your penthouse now?"

His brow creased with concern. "Something wrong, boy?"

I shook my head. "No, not really. Well, actually, yes. Were you serious about it potentially being our home and not just yours?"

An unnameable expression passed over his face. "Am I moving too fast for you, Will? If I am, please tell me."

"No." I snapped my hand onto his chest. "Call me boy. I feel like I'm in trouble if you call me Will."

His face cleared as he chuckled. "It is your name, boy."

Jutting out my bottom lip, I said, "But you said I was your boy."

John held out his arm to me. "I think you're right. Let's go back to my place so we can speak openly."

I wish that I could say I played it cool, calm, and collected, but I didn't have a lot of chill in me during the best of times. As soon as the front door closed, I launched into the monologue to end all monologues.

"Listen, I'm not sure if you threw that out there because you thought I needed saving or whatever. If that's the case, I feel like you should know that I grew up a spoiled little rich boy. I mean, spoiled, as in I had all the money to spend that I could ever want, but my parents actually sucked.

"I'm not even sure why they had me, to be honest, because they certainly didn't want me around. So what I'm saying is, that's how I ended up in Takoda. I was sick of being in Little Beach Bay. It's a small town, and everyone knew I was basically unwanted, so I decided to tackle the big city on my own. It's my choice to live the way I am. So if you're trying to ? —"

John grasped me gently by the arms. "As much as I hate the environment you're living in, and as horrified as I am by that hunk of metal you drive, I'd never propose living together if you hadn't wormed your way under my skin."

"But how? I'm so extra. I'm a little loud, I don't always use my filter—I'm not actually even sure I have one—and I don't bring anything to the table."

"Yes, you do," he said softly. "You bring you, and that's all I want."

My heart beat so hard in my chest that I expected it to burst out through my skin. Every second that I'd been with John, I'd pushed down fantasies of more, of having him forever. Hell, I was halfway in love with him when he brought me breakfast in bed yesterday morning. But insta-love wasn't real. No, those kinds of things were fairy tales, and I was no prince charming, and I certainly didn't want to be seen as a damsel in distress. However, that didn't change how drawn and connected I felt to this man.

"Do you want me to say it, boy?"

"Say what?" I asked hesitantly.

"Are you sure you're ready to hear it?" he asked, running his long fingers through the hair on the side of my head.

Fuck, was I? "Yes, maybe, I think."

He pulled me closer so that our bodies were flush against each other, and I kinda wished we were naked right now. "I love you, pretty boy. And I can't think of anything better than you letting me keep you."

I wrinkled my nose. "Pretty boy?" That didn't have the same feel to me, so I shook my head. "No, that doesn't sound right. I just want to be your boy."

He kissed the tip of my nose. "Then will you be? Will you move in and be my boy and let me take care of you and spoil you and pamper you while you redesign our home?"

I swallowed down the lump in my throat. Like I said, eyes were the window to the soul, and it had been John's eyes that first drew me in. I saw how serious he was. How important my answer was to him. I saw… love . He wasn't trying to use me. He'd never abuse me. This man was the real deal. A real Daddy who could give me all of the emotional junk that I'd always acted like I didn't need on the outside while craving it on the inside more than anything.

"You're serious?" He opened his mouth, and I clutched his shirt in my hands. "Be sure because once you say yes, you're never getting rid of me."

A huge smile covered his face. "Then that will work out since I want to keep you."

Letting go of his shirt, I threw my arms around his neck and held on tight as he picked me up, wrapping my legs around his waist. Kissing his cheek over and over, I mumbled, "I love you, too, Daddy. I love you, too."

He caught my lips in a deep, passionate kiss. When we finally came up for air, he said, "I think we owe Donald and Max dinner."

"And did you?" Chip asked.

Shaking off the most epic memory of my life, I asked, "Did we what?"

"Take Donald and Max to dinner?" Indie asked.

Kenny laughed. We'd grown up in the same town but had only reconnected right around the time all hell broke loose for poor Max. "Yeah, tell them about Donald and Max."

I wrinkled my nose. "We decided to wait until we'd redone the penthouse before inviting them over. Before we could, Max found out that Donald wanted him to be part of his, uh?—"

"Harem," Kenny burst out. "That guy legitimately had a harem of boys."

"What a douche," Luca said with disgust. He knew all about a Daddy behaving badly.

"Pretty much," I agreed.

"Is he okay? Max, I mean. I don't care about Donald."

Kenny and I exchanged a smile. "He is, as a matter of fact. Kenny did his hair for him a few years ago for his wedding."

"Aww." Chip sighed. "I love a good romance."

Luca tipped his chin up at me. "And, Will, you've got one."

I did. I really, really did.