Page 34 of Devil's Kiss
When Derek’s eyes widened, Jordan squeezed again. “I’m just kidding. Relax. I don’t make it a habit to bring strangers back to my place, but I’m also a pretty good study on people. And yes, you’re right, I don’t know you that well. But I once knew someone like you who was in trouble. Someone who needed a little guidance and help.” He gave a rueful grin and then added, “Someone who was a bit of a punk.”
That made Derek laugh. “Yeah?”
“Oh yeah.” Jordan nodded. “He was a total shit. But someone took him under their wing, and I think he turned out okay.”
Derek contemplated the man watching him with a steady and friendly gaze, and thought how ironic it was that it was the same man he’d expected to despise throughout college.
“I still think he’s a bit of a shit, just for the record.”
Jordan’s grin was blinding as he dropped his hand. “You’re probably right, but now he thinks he can get away with it on the basis of his good looks and charm.”
Derek sighed as he let his eyes drift around the condo again, and he couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Just how rich are you?”
Jordan gave a fabulously snotty laugh and flick of his wrist. “Beyond your wildest imagination,dahling.”
Derek scoffed. “You’re a little unbalanced, aren’t you?”
“No. I’m very well adjusted. Just spoiled rotten. But at least I admit it.”
Derek’s lips twitched. He knew that Jordan was purposefully overexaggerating to ease the tension that’d been in the room.
“Think you can put up with that?” Jordan asked, his eyebrow raised in challenge.
Was he kidding? This place was a fucking palace. If anything, Derek felt weird just being here in the first place. Who was he to say if Jordan should act one way or another?
“Yeah…I think I can manage. But only if you’re sure.”
Jordan took on a serious tone that belied his earlier frivolousness. “I am. Of course, we’ll need to set up some ground rules. The first of which will be no smoking in or on the premises of the Palisades, Mr. Marlboro Man.Capiche?”
Derek dumped the duffel on the floor and nodded. “Got it.”
“Second, no strange men in my house. You want to hook up or fuck someone, you do it at their place, in a club, or hell, at the library.”
“Are you serious?”
Jordan nodded. “As a heart attack.”
“You’re giving me permission to fuck someone in the stacks at school? Good to know, professor. Can you write me a note just in case I get caught with my pants around my ankles?”
Jordan walked backward into his living room and shrugged. “Better at school than a stranger in my place. Like you said, I’m rich?—”
“And modest,” Derek added, finally moving forward, following Jordan into the living space.
When they got to the couch, Derek could see around the corner, where a narrow room housed an elaborate dining table set for eight. It was stunning in its sleek simplicity of a black tabletop and comfortable-looking white lounge chairs surrounding it.
“No. I never claimed to be modest,” Jordan said as he flounced down into the plush couch, kicked his shoes off, and then curled his legs up under him. “I’m rich. My parents are rich, and I don’t want some random hookup of yours traipsing through my belongings as he sneaks out in the middle of the night. So sue me.”
Derek took a seat at the opposite end of the couch and cocked his head to the side. “Assuming it would always be a random.”
“Oh, please. Are you trying to tell me you have a boyfriend tucked up your sleeve? I’ve seen you shaking your ass half-naked at Boyz, Derek Pearson. And there hasn’t been anybodyregulardancing with you. So don’t pretend.”
Caught totally off guard by the fact Jordan had been paying such close attention, Derek felt his face heat, and Jordan started laughing hysterically at him.
“I’m sorry, was the fact you dance at a gay club supposed to be a secret? I know you always make a wild dash for cover when I show up, but I’ve seen you there. White short shorts, tattoos all over. You’re pretty hard to miss.”
“Um…” He paused, and then Jordan flashed a widegotchagrin at him and Derek glowered. “You’re being an ass on purpose, aren’t you?”
Jordan gave a playful wink and leaned forward to open the wine. “Payback’s a bitch, right? I can be too, but I try to keep that for the people who really deserve it.” He handed a glass of Merlot to Derek and then leaned back into his couch again. “I was also trying to get your mind off how bomb-ass my place is. Did it work?”