Page 26 of Matthias's Protective Embrace
“Do you mind if I take a shower? I didn’t get one after work today.”
“Of course. There’re towels and anything else you need in the cabinet.” I’m so tempted to tell him he can use my bathroom and enjoy the jets in the tub while he relaxes. Except he’s not hypothermic this time, which makes it weird to offer. I’ll have to settle for knowing the tankless water heater will let him stay in for as long as he wants.
“Thanks. For everything. It means a lot.” His voice is small and quiet. Being this close to him when everything inside of me wants to scoop him up, carry him to my room, and take care of him is testing me. My resolve is crumbling by the minute while I stand here, watching him. If I don’t leave now, I’m afraid I might not be able to pull myself away.
“Sleep tight, Frank.”
Chapter Eleven
FRANK
“You got this, Frank?”Devon asks. I grunt and hope that’s enough of a response for him. It’s all he’s getting since all my brain and muscle power is focused on not dropping this paver. These bluestones are gorgeous but fucking heavy. The weight strains my shoulder muscles even when we move them together. It’s going to be a long day, given the number of these to get through. If I didn’t like Matthias as much as I do, I’d hate him for insisting on having these for his patio.
It’ll look fucking amazing when it’s done, but they’re a bitch to move and install. Devon and I drew the short straw after lunch, so we’ve been moving them into place for the last few hours. The only good thing is that since it’s November, the weather’s chilly. If it was hot out, we’d be dying right now.
“Get that one in, then take a break,” Sam calls. He’s been hanging out around the work site for the last few hours, pitching in and giving direction. Notably, I haven’tseen him move one of these pavers. Guess that’s the advantage of being the boss.
As soon as we get the stone down, I sigh in relief. If only there wasn’t a gazillion more. No way am I giving up this chance for a break, though. Especially a boss-approved one. I flop down next to the cooler Sam brought with him. There’s a bunch of waters andGatoradesin there, but I prefer the metal bottle Matthias prepares for me every morning. The water isn’t special, but knowing he’s thinking about me, even for a few seconds, fills me with warmth.
I gulp down as much as I can manage at once before my thirst is quenched. Apparently, I need to stop for a drink more often. When I’m focused on work, it’s hard to remember. Probably why Sam feels the need to check in with us and make sure we’re taking appropriate breaks.
“Hey, Sam.” I know that voice. My head snaps up in time to see Matthias round the corner into the backyard. My mouth goes dry, giving me an excuse to take a few more sips. Maybe he’ll see me using his bottle. Something tells me that would make him happy. “How’s it going?”
I’m not sure why he’s here in the middle of a Monday afternoon. I haven’t seen him out here since the first day when he accused me of stealing. Part of me wants to run over and check on him, make sure nothing happened at work. The other part of me wants to stay here where I can eavesdrop on their conversation.
The sneaky part of me wins out, keeping me hidden behind some of the equipment while I take my break.
“Making good progress. I expect we’ll still be able to wrap up the project roughly on schedule.” That might be a rare answer, but it’s true. We’ve been working here for six weeks now and have made significant progress. While there’s still plenty to do, it looks like we’ll wrap up on time.That means moving to a different site. I’m still not sure what that means for my relationship with Matthias.
“Friday night?” Sam asks. Matthias looks over in my direction. I duck my head, fixing my eyes on the grass. I’m not even sure if he can see me back here. If he can, his face doesn’t give anything away. It’s not like I don’t have a reason to be here, but my cheeks still heat under his gaze. It’s not polite to spy on them, though they’re the ones who are having a conversation near me. I had this spot first.
“No, I don’t think I’ll make it.”
“Come on. You haven’t made it to a Daddy Night in months. We miss you.”
Well, that’s interesting. I knew Sam went to Daddy Night at one of the local clubs. It’s not really a secret. Or, if it is, it’s not a well-kept one. The whole crew knows that Sam is a regular at Daddy Nights. I’ve heard stories from Benji about his past relationship, though I think that ended a while ago. Honestly, I never put much thought into it. Sam’s just Sam. But Matthias? That gives me a lot more to think about.
“I’m not really looking for anything right now.”
“You don’t have to play. Come and have a few drinks with us.”
My stomach drops, and I put my water bottle down, too nauseous to drink anymore. I don’t know why it comes as a surprise to me that he’s out hooking up with people. Maybe because I’ve spent a lot of evenings and nights in his house and not seen any evidence that he’s bringing anyone home. Probably purposeful. It’s not like I’m here every night, only on the weekdays.
“I appreciate the invitation, but I think I’m going to sit this round out. Besides, the crowd the day afterThanksgiving is always a bit rough,” Matthias says. I keep my focus anywhere but on the two of them.
Does it make me a little happy that he’s not going? Absolutely. Do I feel bad about that? Only the tiniest bit. I want Matthias happy, but preferably with me. Although the Daddy thing does put a bit of a different spin on that. I’m not sure what to make of it, though I’m sure I’ll be running through that for the rest of the day. Or week.
“If you change your mind, let me know.” Sam claps him on the shoulder and says something I can’t quite hear.
I wait for Matthias to disappear back around the front of the house before I move.
“You okay?” Sam asks when he sees me. “You look a little off. Did you get enough water?”
“Yeah, I’m good,” I lie. It’s not that I’m not okay, but my brain’s going a thousand miles an hour right now.
“Take it easy, Frank. Don’t do too much too fast. I’d rather take the extra time than have you run into issues.”
I nod at Sam. It takes him a minute, but then he goes back to his table, doing whatever paperwork he needs to get the final orders placed.
