Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“I could be. Do you want more?”
“That is an absurd question. I want it all.”
His eyes widened, and I saw a hint of unease there. “I’m not sure….”
“Shh. I promised I wouldn’t hurt you, and I won’t.” I used the cloth on him and returned it to the bathroom, tossing it on the floor.
I kept things neat at home, but when I was on vacation, I could let the cleaning crew handle it. I tipped very well.
I walked to the bed and lay down next to Laurie. Before I could say anything, my phone started buzzing. Who the hell was calling me here? Whoever it was, they could wait. I ignored it, but a few seconds later it was buzzing again.
I picked my phone up and saw it was Beck FaceTiming me.
He set me up with an escort, and now he was calling me? For a video chat? Well, then he could fucking deal with post-sex me. I answered the call, doubting he’d be summoning me if there wasn’t something serious.
He looked frantic. “What’s wrong? Why the hell weren’t you answering?”
“I’m busy.”
“I need your help. Where’s Laurence? I’ve been texting and calling him, and he won’t answer. I’m worried about him.”
“Laurence? Your friend from college? Why would I know where he is?”
“Did you seriously not listen to any of my messages?”
I remembered then that my phone had run out of battery at the airport. Beck had left me a few voicemails while I was on the flight, but I’d forgotten about them in the rush to get to the resort and after finding Laurie waiting for me.
“Sorry. I’ve been busy, as you should know.”
“What does that mean?”
“Busy with the man you sent me.”
“What man?” Beck sounded incredibly confused.
“Are you all right?”
“Are you?”
“I haven’t seen anyone but this gorgeous man you had waiting for me.” I tilted the phone so he could see Laurie just as Laurie yelled “no,” but it was too late.
“Laurence?” Beck yelled. “What the hell is going on?”
Surely, he knew the answer.
“Worth, I can’t fucking believe you. I set up this trip for you, and the first thing you do it the one thing I fucking told you not to do.”
“I can explain,” Laurie said.
I frowned at him. “Wait, you two know each other?”
“Of course we know each other. That’s Laurence. You’ve met him. How the hell did you not recognize him?”
I looked at Laurie then, staring in horror. “You mean you…you’re Beck’s friend?”
“Who the hell did you think he was?” Beck’s voice rose so loud I flinched.
“I thought he was a present.” Now I understood Beck’s anger. The first time I’d met Laurie—when he’d looked completely different—Beck had told me he was off-limits, even for flirting. He’d probably reiterated that in his voicemails.
“What the fuck? How dare you take advantage of him!”
“He didn’t,” Laurie said. “I could have told him who I was.”
That startled Beck into silence. A few seconds later, in a dangerously quiet voice, Beck replied, “Why didn’t you?”
“I…um….”
I’d known something was off. Laurie wasn’t like any escort I’d met. I kept telling myself he had to be acting, while knowing inside that he wasn’t.
I looked at him carefully and thought about the summer I’d met him. “You don’t look at all like you did before. Your hair was long and….”
“Ginger.”
“Yes and you…” I helplessly swept my hand up and down. His body had not looked like he spent the perfect about of time at the gym.
“I started a better workout regimen.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
“I meant to. I started to, but you—”
Beck interrupted him. “Oh my fucking God, Worth did you—”
“No!” Laurie held up his hands. “I was very willing.”
Beck made a disgusted face. “He’s my brother.”
Laurie grimaced. “I know, but he’s….”
“Jesus. I was worried about you, and you were there fucking my brother.”
“Beck, I’m sorry. I didn’t plan this.”
“But you wanted it.”
“Is that so horrible?”
“Jesus. I don’t know.”
I turned the phone so Beck could only see me. “Don’t you dare blame Laurie for any of this. If you want to be angry, be angry with me.”
“Oh I am. I left you a message telling you he would be there in my place. He needed somewhere to go, and something came up with my internship last minute, so I couldn’t leave.”
“I got an earlier flight, and my phone died at the airport. I didn’t bother charging it because I’d have to ignore a gazillion calls from our mother. Then…well, I didn’t get your messages.” I understood why he was upset. I should have listened to his messages. I should have known my uptight little brother wouldn’t give me a present like this amazing man. No wonder he spoke so highly about Laurie/Laurence, he was incredible.
When I’d met him before, he’d been so shy he seemed to want to be invisible. Beck had told me he had an awful boyfriend who was likely abusing him. That had to be who’d hit him. That asshole better enjoy the next few weeks because I was coming for him. What I didn’t know was what I was going to do now.