Overboard (5 page)

Duncan’s body went stiff.

It was his fight, flight or fuck moment.

Sebastian prayed for the last option.

Instead, Duncan turned and ran up the stairs, leaving Sebastian alone in the basement wondering what he had done wrong. It had seemed like such a slam-dunk. Duncan’s dick wasn’t lying about the attraction.

Why couldn’t Duncan just follow through and give them what they both wanted?

Sebastian finally admitted that Duncan would never want him for a long term relationship. He was frustrated, confused and lonely. He lashed out in anger, resenting the fact that Duncan had never wanted anything serious. He would get over it, he lied to himself.

But he would have Duncan before things were over between them.

D
uncan tossed
the last of his tools into the back of the truck and slammed the gate shut. He looked back and the house and shook his head.

What a strange fucking job.

He had nearly broken down a dozen times and taken Sebastian to bed. He needed the release so badly. No amount of masturbating on his own had satisfied his hunger.

He could still practically feel Sebastian’s hand on his dick several days later. As much as he wanted him though, there was just something about Sebastian that kept getting in the way. Duncan had never completely shaken that initial impression of Sebastian being a rich player who thought he could have anything he wanted.

So Duncan ended up denying his own happiness as a way to prevent Sebastian from fulfilling his own selfish desires. Duncan called himself an idiot each night during the cold showers he took before bed. The showers never stifled Duncan’s longing so he still had to take another shower each morning.

The last few days of the project had been a frenzy of activity to get the work wrapped up in time for Duncan to leave for the trip. He finished the day before he was due to travel. He was exhausted, but needed to hurry home and pack his bags.

He felt bad leaving so quickly, especially since Sebastian was so chatty, and this time it didn’t seem that Sebastian was trying to get into his pants one last time. He actually sounded like he was worried about being lonely.

He’s such an odd bad boy. So unpredictable. Just when I think I have him figured out, he starts acting human. But that has to be a trick of his.

Duncan pushed Sebastian from his thoughts.

He regretted not having had a chance to go shopping. Flannels and paint-stained t-shirts were not exactly how he had envisioned being dressed during the vacation.

Not that he had any idea what he would have bought if he’d had the time and money. He had no fashion sense.

He should have just texted his sizes to his sister and let her pick out a few things for him. He might have if he even knew what sizes he really wore. Most of the tags on his clothes were either faded, at odds with other tags, or had long fallen off.

Fuck it. I’ll buy a swimsuit on the first day and won’t take it off until I get home.

Thinking of buying even something as small as a swimsuit reminded him that he needed his money. Jason still owed him the last check. Because of the payment structure, the last check was two-thirds of the total payment. He had promised to pay that afternoon but Duncan hadn’t seen it in his bank account when he’d checked on his phone earlier.

He pulled over to the side of the road and found Jason in his contacts list.

“What’s up, Duncan?”

“I need my money, Jason. I just left the site. The job’s done.”

“Really? It’s finished for real? Are you sure you’re not bullshitting me?”

The blood started pounding in Duncan’s ears. He hated any hint that someone thought he did not do his job well. Duncan worked hard and with honesty. Everyone knew that about him. He’d put Jason in his place if he decided to challenge that.

“What are you talking about? I just finished the final shit a few minutes ago. Sebastian is happy as shit. Send me my goddamn money.”

The line went silent long enough that Duncan thought the call must have dropped.

Finally, Jason said, “Listen. I’m sorry, man. But I just got a call from Sebastian about ten minutes ago. He’s pissed. He’s threatening lawsuits or some shit. I can’t afford that. I hate to do it, but I have to hold onto this money until this is all sorted out. I might have to come after the money I’ve already paid you. If the customer’s not happy...”

“The customer was fucking happy. The job was done and done right. I don’t know what kind of bullshit he’s pulling, but I need that money right now. I’m leaving for a vacation tomorrow and that money better be in my bank ASAP.”

“I just can’t do that, Duncan. I’m really sorry but something happened. Something bad. You did something that’s bringing my business real heat. I don’t know what it is, but you aren’t seeing a damn penny until I get to the bottom of it. I have my own vacation starting tomorrow too. We’ll regroup afterward.”

The line went dead for real that time.

Duncan pounded his open hand against the steering wheel until his palm went numb.

The lawyers sounded so much like Sebastian. The fucking asshole just couldn’t stop himself from being an asshole. Just when everything had seemed weird but okay between them, Sebastian’s true nature had come out.

Duncan had considered calling Sebastian after the trip and asking him out. The guy had seeped into his skin and Duncan had started to wonder what it would be like to go on a couple of dates with the pretty boy. Seeing Sebastian helping with the labor the last few days had convinced Duncan that there was a real man trapped in the rich boy persona, someone he could maybe love and certainly trust.

I should have known. Nothing about him is real.

Duncan’s face turned to stone during the rest of the drive to his apartment. He tossed shit for the trip into his two threadbare suitcases without even worrying about whether things matched or if he had enough underwear.

None of it mattered. This vacation was going to be the death of him.

He couldn’t afford to go without that money.

Fuck. He couldn’t afford
not
to go because of the cancellation fees.

Losing that check would be a catastrophe. The kind that would force him to consider moving back in with his parents until his finances recovered.

He rushed to the bathroom and dropped to his knees to vomit in the toilet. His body shook and ached after the heaving ended.

He would not move in with his parents. That was an unacceptable option.

But with his sister getting married, he couldn’t move in with her. What other options did he have?

Sebastian’s smug face flashed through his mind. Instead of wanting to toss him on a bed, he wanted to throw him off a balcony, preferably the top floor of a high-rise.

Sebastian was the problem, not Jason. Sebastian and his lies were the reason Duncan wasn’t getting paid.

He screamed in his tiny apartment.

He should have known better than to accept the job after the disastrous speed-dating afternoon. Sebastian had shown his true colors there and had followed through to show those true colors to Duncan in exquisite detail.

All the trust Duncan had felt for Sebastian was composed of lies fueled by lust. Duncan needed to stop thinking with his dick and falling for perfect bodies and corrupted souls.

He flinched at the memory of Sebastian wrapping his hand around his dick and him running away.

Of course Sebastian was mad.

He had jilted the money man. Sebastian had lied to Jason because Duncan had run away instead of fucking him.

Duncan wished he had fucked him until he couldn’t walk the next day, collected his check and never called the bastard again.

He grabbed his keys and stormed to his truck.

During the drive, he couldn’t tell if he wanted to kill Sebastian when he saw him, or drop to his knees and ask Sebastian take him to his bedroom.

Both. Neither.

Fuck.

He pounded on the door instead of ringing the doorbell.

“Sebastian, get your ass out here, motherfucker. I need to kick your ass.”

Sebastian’s smile at seeing Duncan immediately disappeared.

Duncan didn’t like being the cause of the fear in Sebastian’s eyes. He suddenly had trouble believing that Sebastian would have screwed him over, but what other explanation was there?

Duncan tried to unclench his fists and soften his stance.

“I needed that money,” Duncan said slowly. He avoided eye contact to keep his anger in check.

“Well, I’m glad you were able to work on the project then.” Sebastian’s tone made the statement more of a question. “What’s going on here? Is something wrong?”

Duncan found he now didn’t believe his own interpretation of events, but he had nothing better to yell at Sebastian. “Yeah, something’s wrong. You grabbed my dick. I backed away. You decide to get back at me by telling Jason that I didn’t finish the job right. That’s some petty bullshit.”

Sebastian tried to wave Duncan into the house, but Duncan didn’t budge. Sebastian stepped onto the porch instead and closed the door behind him.

He wore a black tux with a red bow tie and red kerchief in his jacket pocket. The outfit probably cost more than Duncan’s pickup.

Despite his anger, Duncan couldn’t tear his eyes away from Sebastian. He looked amazing. His own heart started racing. He had not expected to see Sebastian again and now that he was so close, he definitely didn’t want to fight anymore.

He steeled his resolve by reminding himself that he needed the money.

“Someone is lying here and I need answers because I really need that money immediately for something very important.”

Sebastian opened the door again. “Why don’t you come in, I’ll make some coffee or we can have a couple beers and get to the bottom of this. I promise I didn’t do anything to hurt you, and I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

Sebastian reached his hand out to Duncan.

Duncan, with the weight of the world threatening to crush him and in desperate need for a lifeline and a shoulder to cry on, took the hand and followed Sebastian.

“
B
eer
.” Duncan said.

“Import or domestic?”

“Look at me, man. Do I look like the kind of man that has that strong of a beer preference? Something with alcohol.”

He struggled to sort through the shitty developments. Either Jason or Sebastian was lying to him.

He didn’t know Jason.

He knew Sebastian, but didn’t really know him. Was he the playboy jerk from the speed-dating day or the gentle, kind mind who had grabbed his dick the other day?

Duncan realized how easy it was to imagine them both being different sides of the same playboy jerk. Sebastian could easily use kindness temporarily to get what he wanted.

But Duncan wanted to believe Sebastian felt something more for him. Duncan wanted to be the man who could tame the party animal.

Sebastian tossed his jacket over the back of a kitchen chair and turned to the fridge.

Duncan enjoyed the view of Sebastian’s firm ass in the form-fitting dress slacks. The tight, hard ass begged to be squeezed. Duncan’s hands twitched in anticipation. He shoved his hands into his pockets to make sure they behaved.

“Wait,” Duncan said. “I can’t keep you too long. You’re clearly going somewhere important.”

Sebastian opened two bottles of beer and handed one to Duncan.

“Oh, this old thing? I just pulled it out of the closet.”

Duncan frowned at the joke that flaunted Sebastian’s wealth. That money was the basis of most of Duncan’s issues with Sebastian. Without that money, he doubted that Sebastian would be quite the jerk he sometimes appeared to be.

He thought Sebastian sometimes felt guilty about the money since he hadn’t actually done anything to earn it. The pretty boy needed to find a job that would build character and get his hands dirty. Something that could help ground him and let him be proud of himself.

Sebastian ran his hand through his golden hair. “Actually, I had a meeting planned with my dad. I was hoping for any excuse to not go. Family, right? Who needs them?”

Duncan had almost forgotten about his own family problems. His had been so focused on trying to decide how he felt about Sebastian. He wanted to fuck him while yelling “Fuck you,” at him.

Sebastian sounded sad, though, and Duncan found himself wanting to make those sad eyes twinkle again. So instead of pressing him about what had happened with Jason, Duncan said, “Yeah, family can be rough at times. What’s the story tonight?”

“Well, here’s the thing. I’m not even sure my dad’s wrong, but he’s still an asshole. He’s been on me about not doing anything with my life. I’ve been trying, but I just don’t know how. How pathetic is that?”

“What do you mean? You don’t know how to run a company or do investments or...?”

Duncan tried to think of other things rich guys did but, other than golf, couldn’t think of any.

“No. I haven’t even gotten that far. I can’t even think of something that I want to do. It’s like I was always around so much money and opportunities that I never learned what I might actually be interested in doing. More responsible people were always doing things for me.”

Sebastian took a few swigs.

Duncan gave him time. Sebastian needed to say the words on his own. He didn’t need Duncan swooping in to tell him how he was supposed to feel.

“You know what? Helping you clean up the mess in the basement was probably the most real thing I’ve done in years. How pathetic? Anyway, you didn’t come here to give me free counseling. What happened?”

As Duncan repeated what Jason had told him, he convinced himself that Jason had been the liar, not Sebastian. He couldn’t believe that Sebastian would ever try to hurt him.

Sebastian threw his bottle across the room. It exploded against the tile floor.

“That dick. He’s fucking with you. I don’t get the endgame, though. He has to know you’ll come after him with a lawyer.”

“Right, that lawyer that I keep in my back pocket for occasions like this. Of course. Come on, Sebastian, I can’t afford to take him to court to get my money. How does that even work?”

“Well, you call your... Yeah, that can be pretty overwhelming the first time you do it. I guess we both have some things we can learn. I’ll help you though. We’ll get that money.”

“I don’t have time. I have a cruise. I’m supposed to leave tomorrow. Without that money, I can’t afford to go, or to pay the cancellation.”

Sebastian tapped his fingers against the counter while thinking.

The long, thin fingers pulled Duncan’s eyes to them. He couldn’t help thinking about getting them wrapped around his dick again. It wouldn’t solve his problem, but it would feel amazing. If the problems couldn’t be fixed, shouldn’t he at least have a little fun?