Trusting Jack (MC Securities Book 1) Page 4
“You walked. Why?” What the hell was wrong with him?
The flush on his cheeks was immediately more than from the cold and he hung his head. “Sorry,” he mumbled and then, after a hesitation, fished in his pocket, pulled out the twenty, and offered it to him.
Michael closed his eyes and cursed himself. “Keep it.” Michael was furious at not seeing what he would do. Not seeing that twenty quid meant the difference between eating and not, so of course he would opt to walk and pocket the cash. He was more than furious; he was embarrassed.
Jack took it shyly. “Thanks.”
They stood awkwardly for a moment. Jack shifted and swallowed. “Do you mind if I warm up the rest of my sausage and mash?”
“It’s after three in the morning.”
Jack shrugged. “I’m hungry. Do you want yours?”
Michael opened his mouth and closed it again before he said something else ridiculous. What the hell.
“Why not.” Moments later he found himself sitting in his kitchen, at half past three in the morning, eating warmed-up sausage and mash with a gorgeous man, who now seemed to be wearing eyeliner, and wondering if it was totally wrong that it turned him on.
Once they had finished, and Jack had cleared up the plates, Michael nodded to pillows and duvet that he’d got out. They sat on the edge of the sofa.
“Will you be okay there?”
Jack nodded and smiled. “Thank you.”
Michael just nodded. And headed for bed.
Jack watched as Michael went to the bedroom and shut the door behind him, hoping that he wasn’t too angry that he’d tried to keep hold of the twenty. He looked at the pile of bedding. A soft, fluffy-looking duvet, proper pillows, and a couch with soft squishy cushions. Long enough that he would be able to stretch out. He couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. He hurried to the bathroom and had a proper wash, scrubbed at the eyeliner so it wouldn’t mark the towels, cleaned his teeth, and had a pee in a proper toilet. He scrambled back into the fleecy pyjamas, turned off the light, and arranged the duvet so he could lay on half and fold the other half around him, and snuggled in. He’d rather be snuggled up with Michael, but this was a pretty good second. He set the alarm on his phone for six-thirty, tucked it under his pillow, and then pulled the duvet around his ears and closed his eyes.
He barely felt to have slept before the alarm went off, but when he peeled open his eyes in the warm, feeling safe, it was absolute heaven. It had been so damned freezing in the wreck and he’d felt so damned vulnerable there. He poked his nose out of the duvet and listened. Nothing. He let himself languish for a while and enjoyed the sheer luxury, while he pondered what to do. He needed somewhere to live, and although Michael might let him stay another night on the sofa, maybe a couple of nights, he needed a plan. His plan could include going in and crawling under the covers to give his boss a blow job before work, which might buy him a bit more time. The thought made him smile, but he had the feeling that while Michael seemed interested, he was skittish about it. Probably thought he’d be taking advantage. Jack wondered a bit more about who would be taking advantage of whom and spent a few happy moments imagining what it might be like blowing Michael, seeing that taught, tightly controlled body tremble, watching those intense dark eyes become blown and needy. He’d probably hold his head, but he’d fuck his mouth gently. Carefully.
Christ! Jack grabbed his dick and squeezed hard. He almost came just from the thought.
The flat was quiet, so he threw back the covers and headed for the shower. He let the hot water flow over him and took himself in hand, his mind going back to Michael. Naked. Kneeling before him, sucking him until his beautiful body contracted with a huge orgasm.
Jack bit his lip to keep quiet as he came so hard it made him dizzy.
Blinking in the spray he made short work of scrubbing himself. He didn’t want to take all the hot water or make too much mess.
He towelled his hair, then used it to mop up the splashes, leaving the shower almost as tidy as he found it. As there was no sign of movement from Michael, he took his time cleaning his teeth, shaving, and investigating the contents of the bathroom cabinet. No condoms or lube in there; perhaps he kept them in his bedside cabinet. Jack smiled to himself. He ran his fingers through his damp hair, gave himself a last check in the mirror, and then slung the bath towel around his hips.
Back in the lounge, he carefully folded the bedding and placed it in a pile with the pillows just as he’d found them, then headed for the kitchen. He had a drink of water from the tap. He’d forgotten how lovely it was just to be able to potter around in the warm, have a shower and a drink, and get ready for work in a leisurely way.
He headed back into the lounge, dried off the last of the moisture and folded the towel. He got out the new work clothes that Michael had bought for him. They were really nice quality. He found clean underpants, socks, the black pants and a pale blue shirt and smiled. He was about to pick up the undies when he heard Michael’s bedroom door open. He froze, wondered if he should let Michael find him naked, decided against it, and grabbed the towel. He’d barely got it wrapped around his hips when Michael wandered in wearing nothing but dark green sleep pants that sat low on his hips, yawning and scratching his head. He was lean and well-muscled with a smattering of dark hair between his nipples, and a goody trail that ran from beneath his navel and disappeared beneath his sleepwear. Exactly as he’d fantasised. Jack cleared his throat and tried to look nonchalant which was hard when wearing a towel.
Michael blinked at him. “What are you doing up at this time?”
Jack tried not to stare but failed. “Um, thought I would grab a shower but didn’t want to get in your way.”
“It’s not even seven. You don’t start work till nine, and work is ten seconds down the stairs.”
“What time do you normally get up?” Jack said, trying not to smile. The man was grumpy as shit first thing and looked good enough to eat. He came closer and Jack nearly groaned. His hair stood up in tufts, he had a night’s growth of dark beard, his face had a crease in it where he had laid on the pillow, and his naked skin smelled bed warm. Jack was instantly so hard again he thought his dick might break, which was pretty good going given he’d just had the biggest orgasm ever. He wanted to drop the towel and crawl all over him.
“Ten to nine,” he said, yawning again and scratching the back of his head, revealing an armpit of dark hair and some toned muscle. “Not much of a morning person.”
Jack noticed the exact moment Michael looked at him properly, because he went still. His eyes that had been bleary were suddenly sharp, and as his gaze travelled down Jack’s naked torso to the bulge his cock made in the towel, he grew an answering bulge in his soft pants. Jack’s mouth went dry and his skin tingled. Michael’s cheeks flushed, and his breathing picked up pace as the rosy glow extended down his chest. Jack moved towards him, aching to touch, and for a second he thought that Michael would meet him half way. He swayed, leaned, and there was a moment where there was a look of such yearning, but then he moved back.
“Need a shower.” He grunted and headed for the bathroom, leaving Jack almost faint with need.
“Mr. Cross?”
Michael stopped with his back to him.
“You wouldn’t be taking advantage of me.”
Michael rubbed the back of his neck, muttered something, and legged it. Jack flopped on the sofa. “Fucking hell.” He grabbed his cock and squeezed, but it didn’t help.
By the time Michael emerged from the bathroom Jack was dressed in his new work gear and making tea in the kitchen. He heard the doors opening and closing and moments later Michael came in wearing his customary sharp grey suit trousers with a white shirt. He smelled of aftershave and minty toothpaste, but Jack preferred him warm from bed.
“Hope you don’t mind,” Jack said, hoisting his mug of tea. ‘I started without you.’
Michael stared.
“With breakfast?” Jack clarified, e
yebrows raised, wanting to laugh at the flush on Michael’s face. What the hell had he thought he meant? Jack grinned at him. His lovely boss probably had a wank in the shower.
“Right.” He headed for the coffee machine and set it working. “Have you eaten?”
Jack shook his head.
Michael grabbed a loaf and brandished it. “Toast?”
“Great.”
Michael filled all four slots of the toaster with white bread, grabbed butter and marmalade, and stuck it on the island. When the room filled with the warm, comforting smell of toasting bread, Jack’s mouth watered. They demolished the lot and filled the toaster again. Coffee and food obviously made Michael human, because it was only after his second cup and the last of the toast was eaten that he leaned back in his chair and looked halfway approachable.
“Did you sleep okay?” he asked.
Jack laughed. “Like a log. I can’t remember when I was last this warm. Thank you for letting me stay.”
“No problem.” He cleared his throat and rubbed at a spot on the table. “You need to sort out a few things, so you are welcome to stay longer if it would help.” He flicked a momentary glance at him and looked back down.
Relief washed over Jack, making him want to fling his arms around him and hug him.
“Thank you.” He grinned at him but managed to keep his hands to himself.
Michael was brooding. He knew he was brooding because he couldn’t focus on a damned thing. Not any of the current cases they had open, not the new account, not the new programme he was working on, and he certainly couldn’t give a flying fuck about the bloke sat in front of him wanting his girlfriend, who was thirty-five years younger than him, placed under surveillance so he could have her every move monitored. He listened politely and handed them over to Lewis.
When he realised that he hadn’t had lunch, he knew the brooding needed to stop. There was no way he was getting into anything with Jack, no matter how appealing, how gorgeous, and no matter how much those grey eyes turned his insides to mush. That would only lead to disaster. He owed money, had nowhere to live, worked two jobs, and had some damned thug dogging him for ten grand that wasn’t really his debt, but if he didn’t get clear of it, he would forever be in some idiot’s pocket.
Michael closed his eyes on a sigh. Thinking about it, Jack would never be free because the interest would keep piling on and on. He’d seen it so many times. He’d be beholden to them for the rest of his damned life. They would have a chokehold on his life, and it would ruin any chance he had of making something of himself.
He needed to pay it off and start fresh. He rubbed the side of his nose. It wasn’t like he’d be able to get a bank loan to cover it… Michael paused. Blinked. Rubbed his nose again. He looked at Jack, who was laughing at something Carla had said, and made a decision.
He picked up his phone and made a couple of calls, then looked back at Jack who was now sorting through a pile of papers. He texted.
Michael: Meet me in the flat in ten
Jack put the paper down and pulled out his phone. He frowned when he read the text.
Jack: Why?
Michael: It’s lunchtime, you need food, and I need to talk to you. I will feed you, and you can listen.
Jack flicked an uncertain glance his way, then answered, put his phone away, and went back to his task.
Michael looked down as his phone pinged.
Jack: K x
He stared at the kiss.
By the time the door of the flat opened and Jack peered in cautiously, Michael had the makings of sandwiches on the kitchen counter. “I’ve got ham, cheese, and tomatoes. Any combination or all of them?”
“All please. Can I help?” Jack sat on the stool at the island where a mug of tea waited for him.
“Nope.”
Michael finished the pile of sandwiches, plonked them on the island, and handed Jack a plate. He threw a couple of bags of crisps down and grabbed a box of grapes from the fridge.
“You didn’t have to do all this.” Jack had his head down again.
“I know. Eat.”
They ate, and Michael watched as once again he ate carefully and methodically. When there were only grapes left, and they sat sipping drinks and nibbling on the fruit, Michael tried to think of the best way to approach his proposal. It had sounded like a fantastic idea in his head, but out loud…not so sure. He licked his lips. The only way was to be direct, but first, there were a couple of things that needed clearing up. He took a breath and ploughed on.
“Have you considered going to the police? The debt isn’t yours. Bryce is extorting the money from you.”
Jack’s eyes widened. “No. No, please, I can’t go to the police. Mr. Cross, I can’t. Please don’t go to the police.”
Michael sighed. “Could you call me Michael?” He couldn’t cope with all this Mr. Cross nonsense.
Jack blinked. “If you like… Michael… But I can’t go to the police.”
“Why? What Bryce is doing is illegal.”
Jack put his face in his hands for a moment, then looked up at him with frightened eyes. “I know it is. But the police won’t be able to make anything stick, they never can. He’ll get off, and I’ll end up in a bag at the bottom of the Manchester Ship Canal. After they’ve taken me apart, piece by piece, that is. It’s not worth it. Truly it isn’t.” He shook his head. “I’ll just pay it off as fast as I can.”
Michael’s chest hurt. He could see how frightened he was, but he could also see that the debt would never be paid off. It would drag him down and drown him as surely if they did throw him in the canal. He sighed. No police then.
“Okay. I won’t go to the police, but I have a proposal.”
Jack looked up. Wary. “Oh?”
“Yep.” He pursed his lips for a moment, took a breath, and continued. “I will loan you the ten grand to get the idiots off your back and you can pay me back in a way that will leave you enough money to rent somewhere to live and have enough money to live on.” Michael looked up at Jack. His gorgeous eyes were wide and stunned. He took advantage of the silence. “There are some small converted flats just around the corner. I know the developer, and you can rent one at a decent rate. I will stand as guarantor for you. They can be furnished.” He drained the last of his coffee and looked into the empty mug as he waited for him to speak.
Silence ticked between them for longer than was comfortable.
Eventually, Jack spoke in a low, confused voice. “Why?”
Michael thought for a moment. It was a good question. Telling him it was because he had some weird crush on him probably wouldn’t help. Telling him he cared about him might be even worse.
“You…need a break. You’re a good employee and I believe in giving people a lift when they need it.” Probably better putting it like that.
Jack looked up and Michael was forced to meet his gaze. His face was unreadable. He stared at him for a moment. “And?”
“And what?” Michael asked frowning.
“And, what do you want in return?”
“What?” Not this again. “Nothing!” Michael put his mug down harder than he intended. It sounded loud in the silence.
Jack jumped at the sharp sound, then stood up, cheeks flaming.
“Come on, you don’t know me from Adam yet you’re offering to bail me out, feed me, lend me money. You never did tell me how you came to be there when Bryce called. Why were you following me? Now you want to lend me ten grand and find me somewhere to live.”
Michael didn’t answer. Couldn’t answer.
Jack threw his hands in the air. “You’re creeping me out.”
Michael got up and put the mug in the dishwasher. “Forget it.” He shut the door and fiddled with the settings. He should have kept his damned mouth shut.
“Fuck that,” Jack said and came to stand beside of him. “If you’re daft enough to offer me that sort of deal I’m taking it. I just want to know why. I don’t want any nasty shocks later on.”
Jack made an exasperated sound. “If you want sex with me, that’s fine. I fancy the arse off you. I’ve already said you can have me and you’re okay, I don’t do relationships.” Jack wrote imaginary quotes around ‘relationships’ with his fingers in the air. “And just so’s you know. I’m not submissive. I’m versatile. I don’t do bondage or massive pain, but I’m okay with rough. In fact, I like rough.”
Michael was staring. Open-mouthed. He knew it but couldn’t stop. Of all the things that he thought he might say he jumped on the one that stood out.
“You don’t do relationships?”
“No. Hook-ups, yes; relationships, no.”
Michael twitched his shoulders in a tiny shrug. “I don’t do relationships either.”
Suddenly, Jack grinned. “Take that look off your face. I am not walking back into the office stinking of sex.”
Michael stared in open-mouthed shock at his leap, then laughed. It broke the tension. He had no intention of taking him up on the offer, no matter how tempting, but oddly found himself wanting to tease. “We could shower?”
“Fuck off. They will know. That’s the other thing. I wouldn’t want this public knowledge. I don’t want them all thinking I’m your bit on the side. No-one in the office can know. I don’t even want them knowing that I’m staying here.”
Michael’s grin faded fast. “They don’t know jack shit about my personal life.”
Jack tilted his head a little. “Are you gay? Are you out?”
“I don’t discuss anything personal. Ever.”
“So, whatever we got up to in here would be completely and utterly just between us?”
“Whoa… Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Michael’s heart was pounding. He’d been joking, well, half joking, but Jack had leaped right ahead, making Michael feel panicked.
Jack looked at him for a long minute. His eyes were unreadable. He rubbed his chin. “Isn’t that what you are suggesting? You lend me ten grand, help me set up home, and then we have great sex with no strings attached and nobody knows?”