Page 46 of Grind
Frank’s cheeks darkened. “It’s none of your business. Just eat your damn pancake.”
But Dex wouldn’t give it a rest and turned to Ezra. “You must berealspecial. He never brings anyone over. I can see why, though,” he said and his gaze slid to Ezra’s nipples, making him want to cover up.
It earned Dex a slap to the back of the head.
The way things escalated since Dex’s arrival came as a shock to Ezra, but he was certain Frank would not encourage him to flirt back or sleep with his nephew, regardless of what Dex might want. Eccentric-looking and with a mind that was seemingly all over the place, he was far from Ezra’s type and also had the vibe of someone who liked weird shit in bed. No, thanks.
But as Ezra’s confidence grew, he met the brown eyes and spoke. “If you suspect I’m with him, why are you flirting with me under his nose?”
Dex laughed out loud, grabbing another pancake. “The kitten has claws! I like it. I’m just messing with him. And you never know—”
“Oh, your boyfriendwillknow,” Frank said through gritted teeth.
It did make Dex chew much slower. “Anyway, these pancakes are bomb. Can I take some to go?”
Ezra smirked and grabbed Frank’s hand to make sure he knew it was okay. Dex wasn’t scary, just… a lot. “Depends. Are you still hungry?” Because the breakfast was for Frank, and Dex could have the leftovers.
Frank squeezed his hand, which made all the unwanted butterflies flutter inside Ezra. He knew Frank was happy to show him off because Ezra was young and pretty, but it still felt good to be acknowledged this way. Most of the guys he slept with were very much closeted, so he didn’t get to be out with them around people. And then it wouldn’t have beenrealanyway. While he wasn’t yet sure what he had with Frank, that something was most definitely real.
“I’m done, but could you pack some for me? We’ll be away a while.”
Dex made an unhappy face when Frank grabbed the plate from under his fingers. “Like, I’m sorry, okay? Force of habit.”
Frank squinted at him, then threw a pancake at Dex’s face, but his nephew caught it.
“Of course. When can I expect you?” Ezra asked, rising from the table to put together Frank’s lunch. “You could also stop by if I knew when to expect you, and have something warm,” he added, because the prospect of spending the whole day on his own in this unfamiliar place was creeping up on him with more insistence. There was only so much time he could spend working out, he’d already prepared the shopping list, he had no tools to take care of himself, and he’d used up the only yogurt in the fridge to soothe his skin, which left him with nothing. Soon enough, his pores would start congesting, and he did not want that to happen around Frank. Could Ros have some quality face mask or scrub? Or was he one of those infuriating people who just happened to have flawless skin?
“Until the afternoon, and the phone connection in the junkyard is patchy at best. Another reason why I told you not to venture out.”
“I could pop in for some food though…” Dex suggested as he munched on his last pancake. He was slim for a person who seemed to fill his mouth with whatever he found appealing at a given moment.
“You can’t. You’ve got work,” Frank said. “But can you get one of your prospects to buy Ezra’s groceries?”
Dex shrugged. “Sure, they’re not allowed to be here today anyway.”
Ezra frowned, because why would junior bikers not be allowed to at bike parts, but seeing that Frank thought about his needs even when he couldn’t deal with them himself shifted his focus immediately. So what if Frank sold stolen motorcycles, or some shit like that, when he took care of his own? Of course, Ezra would have hated to have his own vehicle taken, but there were degrees of criminality, and Frank was a good man at the core.
“Thank you, that would be so helpful! We need face masks and fiber in this house.”
Dex grinned, biting his lips. “I get it. I got a facial just yesterday.”
Ezra looked at him in surprise. “You did?” he asked but scowled when he understood the real meaning behind Dex’s grin. He would do those kinds of facials sometimes because some clients were really into them, and at the end of the day it wasn’tterrible, but he didn’t like it, and the cum always somehow got in his eye. The mess also made him feel ugly, and it irked him that some of the people with fat wallets came to him because they wanted to tear off his refined mask. “This is not comfortable. I don’t know you."
“Dex. You’re on thin ice already,” Frank said in a frosty voice. “Can you not read the room? Stop it.”
There, Ezra’s knight in a T-shirt and jeans, coming to his rescue. Maybe he shouldn’t like it so much, but he did.
Dex sighed and his shoulders sagged. “I was just jokin’… You have to admit that the idea of you getting a face mask is very funny.”
The rumble of more motorcycles outside ended this farce, and Ezra got up to pack the remaining pancakes for Frank’s lunch. He added a small can of peaches, as well as the leftover bacon, some ham, and the sample-sized bottle of maple syrup he’d found in the almost-empty spice drawer.
Frank approached him, and Ezra leaned in, eager to get a taste of the masculine aroma he carried.
“Thanks,” Ezra said softly, packing all the food in a canvas bag. “He’s a handful.”
Frank’s chest rumbled with a hum, and he kissed the side of Ezra’s head, no longer shying away from showing that they were...somethingin Dex’s presence.
“Don’t take it too seriously. He’s harmless at the core.”