Need You Tonight (2 page)

I
hate
being the other man. I hate having to be here at all.

Her hand travels higher, to where I’m
not
hard.

She frowns. “It seems you’re not ready.”

Leaning forward, I gaze into her heavily made up eyes and think of every erotic thing I can. Of every porno I’ve watched, every dirty magazine I’ve read. Finally,
finally
I get a semi. “I needed to see your
gorgeous
face.”

She licks her lips, and I know what she’s thinking. Where she wants to put her mouth when we’re alone, and I’ll let her. My stomach roils at the thought.

This is the last time
, I remind myself. Tomorrow morning, I’ll be free, and I can finally do what I want to do. Go where
I
want to go.

“Such a charmer,” she coos.

That’s me. The most charming of the Morgan boys. The agency I work for charges two thousand dollars for an hour of my time, all because of one technicality I refuse to change. So, that makes me the most expensive of the Morgan boys as well.

Wouldn’t my momma be proud?

The crowd starts clapping, rising as a collective of one. Except for me. I sit there, with a fucking hard-on, as Mrs. Groves blows kisses to her husband. Not that he cares what or who she does. He’s a frequent client where I work as well.

Grabbing the glass of champagne in front of me, I down it and then hers, because she won’t miss it. Not that two glasses will do anything. Not that I want the alcohol to do
anything
. I can’t be drunk around clients. Agency rule and all that shit. Then again, I don’t want to be drunk around clients. The women who pay for my services are aggressive as hell and think they own me.

Point of fact, they
do
own me.

Mrs. Groves grabs my shoulder, urging me up. “Let’s go.”

Flashing my dimples at her friends out of habit, I follow her out of the ballroom and into a private elevator. She’s on me as soon as the doors close. Groping, kissing, and fumbling to get my pants down.

“God, you’re huge,” she says cupping my dick and balls with both hands.

That’s what they all say. I’ve heard it so often that it means nothing. None of this does.

I lift her chin. “You make me hard.” My smile still pasted on, I take out a condom and roll it on. “Sorry. Rules and all.”

“Rules are made to be broken,” she says with all the assurance her privileged existence affords her.

There’s no way in hell we’re doing anything without protection. “I doubt your husband would want to kiss you with my come in your mouth.”

Her eyes widen at that visual. “You are so, so bad, Manuel.”

Manuel. I barely stop myself from rolling my eyes.
Jesus.
Like I’d give her my real name. Besides, I think it’s an added thrill for her go down on someone who could pass for one of the guys who mows her lawn.

With a pleased smile, her head bows and I close my eyes, pretending that I’m with someone—
anyone
—else. Someone who loves me. Someone who hasn’t paid for the use of my body.

The very last time
, I chant in my head. I dig my hand into her hair, then cup her neck, and shove her against me.

She moans loudly.

The elevator zooms upward, toward the penthouse on the fifty-first floor, and her nails dig into my ass. God, I hate it when they get rough. When they assume I want it hard and fast. Only, she’s right, I do want it fast.

I want it over. I want this night over.

Glancing at the numbers, I count the seconds before I can put an end to this. Too soon and she’ll know, too long and she’ll complain.

Right before the elevator stops, I groan loudly, faking my orgasm. Yeah, it’s possible for guys, too.

Satisfaction blooms on her face as I turn away slightly and adjust myself. I tie off the condom and tuck it into my pocket. She links her arm through mine and the doors open with a soft
woosh
. We walk in silence to her hotel room.

“Do you want me to come inside?” I ask, stopping at her door.

She wipes the corner of her mouth and hands me the key. “Can I persuade you to do more than what was agreed?”

“No penetration.”

A pout forms on her lips, one that looks practiced. She’s probably used it on her husband to get her way. “Money is not an object.”

“It’s not about the money.” I unlock the door and hold it open, gesturing for her to go inside. “After you.”

She lingers, placing her hands on my chest. “But you will do the,” she glances around the hallway, looking like someone who wants to get caught, “other?”

The part where I give her multiple orgasms…Yeah, I’ll do that, just like I’ve done with all the other women before her. She thinks she’s special, but to me, she’s nothing but a client. Nothing, but a means to an end—as I am to her.

Giving her a flirtatious smile, I say, “Only if you do exactly as I demand.”

Her nostrils flare. “Yes, sir,” she says meekly. Yeah, she’s into this. Any other guy would be into this, too. I mean, money for sex—any kind of sex—is a wet dream for the ones I know.

But not me.

The very last time.

Blowing out a breath, I follow her inside and let the door close behind me.

I keep salve in the first drawer of my dresser for times like this. A little dab here and there—I blow out a breath—
everywhere
, and I’m done.

Pulling a shirt over my head, I slide into a pair of grey sweatpants and head into the kitchen. My cell rings while I fix my usual breakfast of eggs, toast, and grits.

“Nobody’s home,” I mumble, flipping the egg into the air and catching it in the pan. I don’t give a damn who’s calling me today. I’m done with being at someone else’s beck and call.

It rings again and again, but I don’t bother checking it, until after I’m finished eating. Three missed calls from Cole. I groan, running a hand through my hair. Knowing his overly protective ass, he’s halfway here already.

Quickly, I call him back. He answers on the first ring.

“What the hell, Park?”

Leaning against the counter, I try to take the edge off of him. He’s got a temper like the Hulk. “Turn the car around, bro. I’m fine.”

Cole huffs. “I didn’t—”

“He almost did, but I convinced him to wait at least twenty-four hours,” his wife, Rae, cuts in, and I smile.

“What’s up?”

“I need your help,” Cole begins.

“
We
need your help,” Rae adds.

“
I’m
listening.” I’d do anything for the two of them—short of murder and going back to my old job. Except, I’d done my old job to help my brother and he still doesn’t know it. If I have my way, he’ll never find out.

Cole clears his throat. “Can I tell him, or do you want to do the honors?”

Rae snorts. “Go on, baby.”

“Thank you,” he says, almost primly, and I snort. “Shut up, Parker.”

“Not saying a word.”

“
Anyway
,” he begins again. “We rented out Miss Violet’s place for her. To a widow—her husband died a couple years back. Rae spoke to her and got the impression that she doesn’t have a lot of money, or much in the way of family. So, she wants to rent while she looks for a house to buy in Forrestville.”

They rented out Rae’s grandmother’s place to an old lady? An old lady with little money and hardly any family. “No grandkids?”

“Not that I know of,” Cole says quickly. “It’s just her. Rae and I would consider it a huge favor if you could help her out, maybe keep an eye on the place, and be the resident handyman. We’d pay you for that part, of course. I mean, we’d have to pay someone.”

“And what makes you think I’m the man for the job?”

“Because you’re a good guy with a soft heart, Parker,” Rae says and I clench my jaw. Good and soft isn’t how I would describe anything about me. “You’ll treat Mrs. Reeves the way she deserves.”

Mrs. Reeves.
She just had to give the woman a name so I’d feel extra guilty. Not that I’m going to say no. I’m not that guy.

“Not to mention you were the one who fixed all the electrical shit at our place,” Cole points out. “Anything else, I’m sure that big brain of yours can figure out. Plus, you have the spare key and we’re in Key West.”

“Fine,” I say. “But this can’t be permanent. I’m leaving in September, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember,” Cole snaps. He doesn’t want me to move away from Forrestville. Never mind that he moved to the rich-ass side of Charlotte with Rae. And yeah, I get that he did it for our little sister, Kelly, to have a clean slate at a school where no one associates trash and the last name Morgan together.

“Your timeline is perfect,” Rae says. “Thank you so much. My grandmother thanks you, too. When we go out to dinner tonight, I’ll share the good news.”

“When does Mrs. Reeves move in?” I ask, hoping for some time to get down to the house and give it a once-over. Maybe go ahead and turn on the hot water heater. Miss Violet hasn’t lived there in over a year, and I doubt it’s turnkey ready for a renter.

On the bright side, if Mrs. Reeves is anything like Rae’s grandmother, my stomach will be in heaven.

“She’s moving in tomorrow, driving up from Jacksonville, and should be there around one in the afternoon,” Cole says.

Tomorrow? Guess I’ll be heading over there today to check the place out. “Good. I’ll meet her with the key.”

“Is there…anything else you need?” Cole asks, his voiced hushed. I know what he means. He wants to know if I need any money to tide me over until I leave in September. Four months ago, we sold The Double Deuce and put the proceeds in a trust for Kelly. Neither of us ever wants our little sister to have to depend on anyone for money, food, or a home. Now, she won’t have to.

“I’m good.” Actually, I’m more than good. I saved enough money so I won’t have to go back to any kind of agency. I’ll never sell my time or my body again. When I head to Colorado this fall, it will be with a new-to-me truck and a checking account full of money.

“Okay.” He grows quiet. “But if you need—”

“I said I’m good. Besides, I plan on charging you double when Mrs. Reeves calls me in the middle of the night to fix her A/C or something,” I joke. “Tell the Bug I said hey, and I love her.”

Convinced that I’m telling them the truth, Cole and Rae say their goodbyes and we end our call.

Tossing my phone on the counter, I make my way to the back porch and sit down on the steps. The sun shines so brightly that I have to squint, until my eyes get used to the glare. For once, the grass is completely green in the yard, but it’s not free of weeds. Dandelions populate the back. My little sister loves those things, especially once they turn to her wishing flowers.

“Make a wish and blow, Parker!” Her brown eyes shine as her little pink lips pucker.

God, I miss her so much. It feels weird not to be around her. It feels weird not to hear the screen door slam and her little feet slapping against the floor as she runs outside to play.

Maybe once she gets back into town with my brother and Rae, I can have her come stay with me for a while. At least I won’t have to worry about getting a call from the agency. At least I won’t have to lie about where I’m going or what I’m doing to anyone anymore.

It feels good to know that’s my future from now on.

As the heat relaxes me, I can’t help but think this job I’ll have working for my brother is exactly what I need. I need to do something legitimate, and not only legitimate, but worthy of getting paid. Until I leave in the fall, that is.

Becoming Mrs. Reeves’ handyman makes me feel human again, instead of like a piece of meat.