Chapter Three
I was exceedinglyproud of myself this morning. I had been sure to set two alarms and had gotten an early start so I could get to the Mason building an hour before the meeting time. I had to make a very special effort to be on time anywhere. I had made peace with it a while ago because I understood my issues. Being late was something I had been struggling with all my life. My other quirks always seemed to make me focus on the minutia of my life until time literally slipped away from me. I would obsess about cleaning something, and I’d be late. Or I would have to change because Penny jumped up into my lap and got cat fur on my black slacks. I couldn’t let these things go, usually, so I would have to take care of them. Then I’d run out of time.
But today, I had been absolutely sure I took care of every contingency, so for once I was early, and I needed all of the extra time to make some measurements for the freezer and refrigeration units that were going to have to be ordered. The lead time on these particular models were weeks out, and I needed to talk to the reps about options the client wanted to incorporate before the final order. I had been sent a key to the building a few weeks ago by a lovely woman named Maeve. She told me to feel free to go in and do any preliminary drawings I might need before getting started, but I had refrained. I couldn’t justify trespassing before the official meeting with their representative. I had used it this morning, however, to get these measurements done so I could get them out of the way. But let’s be honest, I really just wanted to get inside this building by myself for the first time and just soak it all in. It was even more stunning inside than I had ever imagined. The foot thick plaster moldings were mostly still intact in most places and the tracery on the ceilings, while needing to be retouched, was still outstanding. I was in love already.
I was making my way into one of the supply closets that would eventually be torn out to make room for a cooling unit when I realized I couldn’t find my tape measure. Shit, I knew it was in the bag last night, but it was nowhere to be found this morning. I flushed in embarrassment. How unprofessional was it to show up for a big job without the proper tools? I looked like amateur hour. It didn’t matter if I was dressed smartly in my pressed khakis, bright white button down, black suspenders, and my favorite aqua bow tie. I may look professional, but I needed to act it.
I started to rummage around on the workbench in the closet in hopes I could find a tape and salvage some small part of my professionalism. It was not looking good. I looked all around the table, then moved to the other workbench nearby. When I still hadn’t found anything I could use, I turned away from the door, leaned down and decided I’d look in my bag one last time. Maybe I had put it in a different pocket than I thought last night. I reached into the back slip pocket and hit pay dirt. I grinned like a fool and stood up holding my prize when out of nowhere the door to the supply closet banged into the wall. I whipped around, startled, and felt all the color drain from my face as my eyes bugged wide.
“You know, trespassing can get you arrested, boy, and with an ass as beautiful as yours, you’d be mighty popular.” This deep rumbling voice came across the room and sent chills up my back. Slowly a huge hulking figure emerged through the doorway taking up the entire opening. He washuge, tall and bulky, not husky, just muscular. His shoulders and arms bulged against the sleeves of his plaid button down, and his thick thighs were tightly encased in dark wash denim. Even his thick-soled work boots seemed oversized.If his feet are that big, I wonder…
I gave myself a mental shake and brought my eyes up to his face. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, what a face. The god in front of me was stunning. He had thick dark hair that waved just right and was a little long, so it curled lovingly around his neck and ears. He had a strong jaw with the perfect amount of dark scruff. All of that dark hair and thick eyelashes framed the most beautiful eyes I’d ever seen. The color was like sea glass, somewhere between green and blue and glowed against his tan skin. I knew I should be nervous about being caged in a small room by this stranger, but fuck, this guy was every wet dream I had ever had come to life. Why did I always find danger so sexy?
Those gorgeous eyes were staring daggers at me now, but there was a little glint of amusement. He had noticed me checking him out, just fucking great. But if I was being honest, I didn’t care. Tall, dark, and sexy could tell me to drop to my knees right here and worship his more than likely beautiful thick cock, and I’d do it without hesitation. There was something about him that made me nervous and comfortable all at the same time. This was a whole new kind of dangerous. I was fucked, and I didn’t really care if that was literally.
“You through, or do you need another minute to get the full picture?” He was openly chuckling at me now, a deep rumble I felt like the swoop and dive of a rollercoaster deep in my belly. I blushed all the way down my chest and all the way up to my ears and bit my lip at the delicious feeling. The dark Adonis began moving into the room, and I realized he was backing me up against the wall behind me. “You know there’s nothing back here worth stealing. What are you hoping to find?” As he walked forward, he was now giving me a slow up and down perusal that made my skin prickle wherever it landed. He paused when he reached my crotch, and my cock gave an involuntary twitch. He must have noticed because a sinful smile spread across his mouth before his tongue peeked through and slowly licked his lips. He drew his eyes back up to my face and settling on my mouth a second before finally making eye contact. I felt an instant connection, my breathing kicking up another notch. Fucking hell, who was this guy?
“Tell me, beautiful, how old are you? I’ve got to meet someone for an appointment in about half an hour, but we can have some fun before then if you’re legal.” He kept walking toward me until my back was pressed up against the wall and he was right up against me and only inches from touching. Those eyes, I now could see were actually blue, kept getting closer and closer, but then his words finally made it to my fuzzy brain, and the truth clicked into place.
“Are you, Mr. McDaniel?” I asked softly against his lips. They were so close I could have stuck my tongue out and licked them. I really, really wanted to lick them.
But those soft pillows were suddenly gone, replaced with empty space when he reared his head back and stepped away from the wall. “How do you know my name?” He had a scowl on his face now and looked downright scary, “Do I know you?”
I took a moment to gather myself before answering. I was really rattled, but now that I knew who he was, I needed to pull up my big boy pants and regain my professionalism. I pressed my hand down my shirtfront, made sure my suspenders were in place, straightened my tie—How the hell had my tie gotten turnedsideways—and wiped my hands down my khakis to ensure non-sweaty palms. I plastered on my best professional smile and got my shit together.
“We haven’t actually met formally, no. My name is Ladd Eldridge. I’m your new architect. I believe that meeting you were just alluding to is with me.” With that perfectly professional introduction, I held my hand out and waited to see what would happen.
* * *
Connor
Well fuck me sideways,this beautiful boy I nearly assaulted is our new architect? I am so fucking screwed!
I just looked at the guy’s hand while I quietly got my shit together.He must be thinking I’m a complete Neanderthal.I thought back to what I had said to him and flushed with embarrassment. Christ, I told this guy his ass would make him popular in jail, for fuck’s sake. Who said shit like that to a business associate? Oh, God, Lachlan couldneverfind out about this. He’d never let me live it down, not to mention Mom. I needed to make this right, and fast. I finally got my head out of my ass and returned his handshake. It was nice and firm. I found I liked the feel of his smaller hand in mine. But I needed to keep it professional from this point forward. I let his hand go and began groveling.
“Shit, man, I am so sorry. I had no idea. I thought you were some kid that broke in and I was going to scare you and send you on your way. You should know I would never have taken advantage of you, or a kid, or anyone for that matter.”
The guy—Ladd, his name is Ladd—smiled and shook his head, “It’s fine, really.”
“No, it’s not fine. When I saw you in here, I just jumped to conclusions. If I had been more observant, I would have noticed your clothes at the very least. I don’t know many juvenile delinquents who wear khakis and bow ties.” Man did I love his sexy as fuck bow tie.Focus, I need to stay focused.I gave him another once over with only slightly less leering than before, and a thought popped into my head. “How old are you anyway?”
Jesus Fucking Christ, I’d done it again. I dropped my head down and ran my hand through my hair in frustration as my mouth once again went rogue on me. What was it about this guy that made me instantly stupid? While still looking down, I shook my head at my idiocy this morning. I couldn’t meet his eyes for embarrassment, so I looked to the side instead, “Christ, I’m sorry, you don’t have to answer that. No excuses, but I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night and my morning quota of coffee hasn’t been reached yet. I’m not normally such an asshole, I swear.”
I heard a noise coming from the kid—He’s no kid. He’s a grown ass man you idiot—and realized he was giggling. I turned my head and knew I was in so much trouble. If the guy had been beautiful before, he was downright stunning now. His cheeks were flushed, and his smile reached every part of his face. I always loved it when people smiled with their eyes. His bright blue eyes sparkled with his amusement, and his pale skin glowed. He was my dream guy come to life in that instant. The sound of his giggle was infectious, and I let my deep bass rumble join in. I wasn’t too big to laugh at myself.
Through his smile Ladd let me off the hook, “It’s fine, Mr. McDaniel, really. It happens all the time. I’m on the small side, I get it, but I’m legal I swear. I just turned twenty-six last month.” With his confession, he blushed all the way to his ears again, and I was officiallydone. I was full on hard, again. Thank God I was wearing my tight jeans, so I wasn’t vulgar, but damn. How much could one man take? How could I ever be expected to stay away from all of this delicious perfection? There was no way, and at that very moment, I made my decision. If the guy was gay and showed any interest in me whatsoever, he was going to belong to me before this project was over. But right now I had to stop looking like a doofus in front of him.
“Listen, can we start over? Let’s pretend I just walked in here, and we’re meeting for the first time, okay?” I really wanted a fresh start with him.
Ladd smiled again and nodded so I walked forward in my most professional manner and held out my hand, “Good morning, you must be Mr. Eldridge. I’m Connor McDaniel with Douglas and McDaniel. It’s nice to finally meet you.” We shook hands once again, and the anxiety of a little earlier began to ease.
“So good to meet you, Mr. McDaniel, please call me Ladd. I always think of my uncle, James, as Mr. Eldridge,” he said with another of his quick smiles.
“All right, Ladd, if you’ll please call me Connor.”
There was silence for a moment as we both just stared at each other, a tingle of unspoken desire hovering between us as we still held hands long after what was considered professional. Ladd swept his eyes down to our clasped hands then slowly up to meet my eyes while biting his lower lip. I had noticed him doing it before when I had him up against the wall, and it was so damn sexy. Just as quickly as the moment had begun, it ended, and Ladd released my hand, settling back into business mode.
“Absolutely, Connor. Um, why don’t we get started? Let me get the measurements I need for the cooling units, then let’s walk around and discuss your ideas for the building—the bar and pub in particular. I’ve seen the plans, but I’d like to hear what you want everything to look like when we’re finished. Hearing your thoughts will help me know your style, and I can start to get a picture in my head of the finished space. Sound good?”
“Yeah, that sounds great.”
Ladd grabbed his measuring tape and got started. He was maintaining the professionalism, but every time he bent over to read a measurement, I had to adjust myself and swallow my groan. Not many people knew this about me, but when I fell, I fell fast. Lachlan had been one hundred percent right. I was a romantic to my core despite my badass appearance. I wasn’t sure if it was possible to fall in love in thirty minutes, but I was close. Hell, I’d never felt this level of attraction to someone, and I damn sure had never felt like this for someone I didn’t even know. It wasn’t just his looks or his sex appeal, either. I liked his professionalism and his willingness to forgive. Yeah, I was pathetic, but I was also determined. I’d play it by ear for now, and when I finally decided what to do about this situation, Mr. Ladd Eldridge wouldn’t know what hit him.
