Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
I pulled Jules up so I could kiss him. “You don’t need to say any more, sweetheart. You’re never going to have to go through that again because I’m going to be by your side every night. I’m going to remind you how much your uncle loved you and the last thing he’d want was for you to suffer.”
Jules nodded. Silent tears streaked down his face as he clung to me. “I failed him, Flynn. When I lost him, I didn’t know who I was anymore. There was no one to love me anymore. I’d learned how to buy friendship when I was younger, but none of those kids had liked me for me. They’d liked me because I’d showered them with gifts since that’s what you did for the people you cared about. Uncle Ray showed me that wasn’t what friendship really was. When he died, I was so lost. So lonely. I went back to my old ways but since I was older, the gifts got bigger, the parties got wilder. I did anything I could to bring back that feeling I’d only ever experienced with Uncle Ray. None of it worked, so I started to become even more reckless. I practically dared people to say something to me by wearing outrageous outfits and so much makeup that I was a completely different person when I looked in the mirror. When the first guy came along and told me I was hot and how bad he wanted to fuck me, I mistook it for a chance at love. I learned real quick that sex didn’t mean love and random sex with strangers never meant love. But I became addicted to the high of someone wanting me for something besides money. That was when I changed my last name and lived a life that wasn’t truly mine.”
“You didn’t fail your uncle, my love. You just got a little lost, and as horrible as everything that happened afterwards was, it ultimately brought you here.”
Jules chuckled. “Very true.” He turned his head so that he was looking at me again, though his tempting mouth was now much closer. “Although, if you’d been riding BJ down pretty much any street in Manhattan, I would have known there was a real live hot cowboy in the area, and I would have hunted you down.”
I laughed. “Once you found me, I wouldn’t have let you go. Ever. I would have strapped you to BJ’s back and taken you away from all of that ugliness and shown you the world that existed outside of that city.”
Pleased that Jules was more relaxed and smiling for real, I asked, “How did you end up working for Brooks? You’re obviously brilliant and it sounds like you easily could have financially ruined your father and cousin, but I’m guessing you didn’t.”
“I didn’t really want any part of the company after Uncle Ray died. It was too painful to see those reminders of him every day. So I made sure to put the company in the hands of people I trusted then focused on partying. I met Brooks by pure chance in a gay club. He was like a piece of filet mignon surrounded by a pack of hungry dogs who knew fresh meat when they saw it. I could tell it was his first time in a place like that. I figured he was closeted or in denial about who he was and was trying to find the truth. I struck up a conversation with him and then asked if he wanted to go to this little diner that made the best pancakes in the world. He agreed. I think he was a little put off by my appearance, but once he relaxed, he opened up a bit more. I felt like we were kindred spirits, so when he mentioned he was trying to find a personal assistant to help him at his father’s company, I jumped at the chance.”
“And here you are,” I said.
“Yes and no,” Jules admitted. “Brooks kept me and everyone else at arm’s length twenty-four seven. I really liked him, though—” Jules stopped abruptly then said, “I liked him, but just the normal amount. I mean, I never wanted to… we never—”
I rolled Jules until I had him pinned beneath me. “You never wanted to do this with him?” I asked as I nipped at his mouth until he was trying to force my mouth down to his. I rewarded him with a deep kiss. Jules had automatically opened his legs for me when I’d put him beneath me, so our dicks were touching. “And you probably never wanted to do this…” I continued as I began rocking my hips so our dicks were sliding against each other.
Jules arched his back, closing his eyes in the process. “God no,” he said. He jerked his head forward so fast that his forehead hit my chin. “Ow,” he groaned. I chuckled and began massaging the small bump that was already forming. “I meant yes to you and what you were doing,” Jules blurted.