“Never,” I admitted.
“Then maybe it’s time for you to start.”
“How?” The question came out as a whiny plea.
Jack hitched his hands under my armpits and tugged me onto his lap. It felt awkward at the same time it felt perfect. His arms were wrapped tightly around my waist, and I rested my head on top of his. I could feel every gentle exhale of breath, and I wanted to stay just like this.
“I know it’s a lot to ask this quickly, but do you think you can trust me?”
“I want to.” And, fuck, if that didn’t scare me to death. There were very few people in the world I trusted. After the bullshit with the band, the only person I trusted implicitly was Jordan, and yet, I wanted nothing more than to place Jack on that list.
“Have I done anything so far to violate your trust?”
I shook my head, afraid to speak, because I wasn’t sure what I would say.
“Let me help you, Slade,” Jack pleaded. The vulnerability in his request startled me. “I’m not promising you forever, but I’m asking you to take one day at a time with me. Believe it or not, this is new ground for both of us.”
“But you’ve been in relationships like this before?” He told me he had, but I hadn’t asked for any details.
“I have, but I’ve never met someone like you, Slade. And it’s been a hell of a long time since anyone has had this sort of pull on me.”
I sat up a little straighter, proud that I had an effect on him too.
“We’re going to get everything sorted out for you, that much I can promise.” He pressed his lips to my hair again, this time staying there. Silence washed over the room. I focused on his breathing now, smiling when he sucked in a sharp breath as I ran a hand over his chest.
“What’s in this for you?” Just because I wanted to trust him, didn’t mean I did. Men like Jack didn’t do shit like this for someone without expecting something in return. I still didn’t know what he did for a living, but everything about him screamed shrewd businessman. And the price tag on his car said he was damn good at what he did.
Jack’s chest rumbled with laughter. His hand slid lower, his fingers dipping beneath the waistband of my sweatpants. “I’m assuming you mean other than access to this beautiful ass?”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Besides that. I am not a fan of feeling like a kept boy. This isn’t Pretty Woman, and I’m not going to let you throw money at my problems to make them go away.”
“And that, right there, is why I’m willing to help you, Slade. I look at you and I see a boy who has lost confidence in himself. I hope that someday you’ll trust me enough to explain how you wound up where you are, but for now, it’s enough to know that you want to be better. You’re not happy with the status quo. And, for the sake of honesty, it gets me hard seeing the way you light up when you follow my instructions. If you’re game, I’d like to continue seeing you.”
“You mean like dating?” I scrunched my nose up.
“Exactly like that,” he confirmed.
Dating complicated things. And I wasn’t sure where Jack thought he could take me that we wouldn’t be a spectacle. Even if I had the money to go out and buy a new wardrobe, Jack and I were still like night and day. He was polished and refined, while I would always be rough around the edges. I wasn’t going to change myself that much just to be the perfect boy for him.
“I’ve never dated before,” I admitted. “I’m not sure…”
I’m not sure I’d be any good at being a boyfriend. I’m not sure I could keep it together and not embarrass you. IknowI’m not good enough for you.
“You’re dwelling again,” he scolded me. He wasn’t wrong. “And I can practically hear all the crap your brain is trying to tell you.” He pressed his palms to my cheeks, pulling me down for a hard, fast kiss. “Your insecurity lies to you. There are so many places I would love to take you, Slade. And don’t sell yourself short; when I show you off, I guarantee everyone’s going to realize that I am the lucky one.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Jack’s stomach growled.
“Oh shit, I was going to surprise you this morning, then I got distracted. Dammit. Why does this always happen?” I squirmed, trying to get up. “I do this all the damn time. Stupid.”
“Slow down, boy,” Jack urged me. Instead of letting me up, he held me tighter. “There’s some fruit and yogurt in the fridge that will make a good, quick breakfast. I’d come in to remind you to eat. You need to take better care of yourself, starting with eating breakfast every morning.”
“If I wait, I don’t spend the entire day starving,” I admitted.
“That shit stops right now. If you need food, you tell me.”
“I already told you, I’m not taking your charity,” I spat out.
