Page 20 of Hitting the Jackpot (Las Vegas Littles #4)

Lake

“This feels wrong,” Lake whispered.

“But is it?” Dom asked.

“I need a better look!” Brandon added.

“Oh, our view is very good. Too bad for you,” Dom teased.

“That’s not nice,” Ezra said.

Dom cackled. “Maybe not but oh! Look at him bend over.”

“I don’t like this.” Lake rubbed his stomach.

Dom nudged his side. ‘If he didn’t want us to watch, then he wouldn’t be wearing those tiny shorts.”

“I know TJ from the club,” Lake told him. “He’s an exhibitionist.”

“See!” Brandon’s voice from tinny from the speaker phone. “We’re helping him with his kink.”

“We’re good friends like that,” Dom said.

Shaking his head, Lake couldn’t believe his friends. As the pool was being cleaned, they really shouldn’t all be watching. Lake and Dom from the window in the dining room and Brandon and Ezra farther away out their kitchen window.

Of course, TJ was wearing the littlest shorts imaginable.

Still TJ was their friend and Lake didn’t want to objectify his friend.

“Relax, Lake,” Dom patted his back. “When Remi and I interviewed TJ for the job, he asked if he could indulge in his kink here. He likes being watched. And this is a safe space for him.”

That was okay then. And TJ was a very attractive man.

“I’m going to go see if Jesse is out of the shower—” Lake turned and squealed.

“What?” Brandon and Ezra shouted.

Dom turned and groaned. “How long have you two been standing there?”

“For quite a while,” Remi replied.

Jesse was smirking.

“Busted!” Brandon giggled. “We’ll call you later.”

“Why don’t you boys turn around,” Remi suggested.

“Shit! Hi, Daddy!” Brandon said before the phone was disconnected.

“It’s not what you think,” Lake said, holding up his hands.

“You’re not ogling your pool boy?” Jesse asked.

Dom snickered. “We have a pool boy.”

Remi growled.

“We were just looking!” Dom defended.

“That’s all you better ever do,” Remi told him. “Now come help me bring the breakfast dishes in.”

“Fine.”

Lake looked over at Jesse.

Jesse was still smiling as he strode forward.

His Daddy didn’t look mad. In fact, if Lake wasn’t mistaken, Jesse’s gaze kept going to the window.

“He’s attractive,” Jesse said. He threw his arms around Lake’s shoulders then turned them back toward the window.

“TJ’s a great guy too,” Lake said. “He has three degrees and loves to build things.”

“Baby. It’s okay to watch if that’s what he wants.”

“I know. I guess it just feels weird.”

Jesse turned Lake to face him. “You can just keep your eyes on me. I liked to be watched by my boy.”

Lake smiled. That he had no problem with.

“Breakfast!” Dom announced as he carried in a bowl.

The delicious scents had his belly rumbling. He’d worked up an appetite both last night and that morning. Being with Jesse was like living in a dream. Lake had spent so much time hiding and not being himself that he was ready to wake up and none of this be happening.

Even that morning Lake was wearing a bright blue-yellow shorts and camisole set that he’d never been brave enough to put on around anyone. Jesse had found it in Lake’s drawer and had dressed him in the outfit.

Lake had bought the outfit on a whim, hoping he’d be a brave boy one day.

He was brave. Had been brave. He’d gone after what he wanted for the first time in his life. Lake didn’t have doubts about him and Jesse. Lake just wondered how he’d gotten so lucky.

“You are beautiful,” Jesse whispered to him. “Both on the outside and the inside.”

Lake peered into Jesse’s eyes. They were practically the same height. That had always bothered him in the past but as Jesse led Lake to the table being laden down with food, he found that he no longer cared.

His friends had been telling Lake that when he found the right partner, all the pieces would fit into place. That was how it happened for them. Lake had wanted to believe and yet it wasn’t until that moment that he understood.

Lake had thought his pieces were bent on the edges because he was still hiding something that was vital to his true self.

Jesse pulled out Lake’s chair and Lake slid into his place. Jesse sat beside him.

“I love that outfit on you,” Dom said as he sat across from Lake.

“Me too.” Lake smoothed out the bottom of the camisole.

“It’s a very good cut,” Jesse said. “Nice material. We should get some more.”

This was what support felt like. Lake took a deep breath. “I think I would like to explore more clothes like this.”

“Of course.” Jesse rubbed the back of his neck. “Anything in particular?”

Lake looked over at Dom, who was smiling and nodding in encouragement.

“I wear the lace bodysuits because they’re easy to cover and I do like lace. I wanted to try some other materials though. Maybe more like the one I wore on our first date. I felt good wearing that.”

“This will give us so much to explore,” Jesse said with a smile. “And I know of a store on the way to my brother’s that has gorgeous custom pieces made for men.”

“I want to go!” Dom demanded. “I like to dress Lake up!”

“He’s not a doll,” Remi reminded his boy.

“But he’s so pretty,” Dom argued.

“And he’s mine,” Jesse declared. “I get to dress him up.”

“I can dress myself,” Lake offered.

“No, no,” Dom said. “Be my pretty doll!”

Jesse grabbed Lake’s chin and turned his head. He pointed to the hickies on Lake’s neck. “Mine.”

“I could bite him too,” Dom said. “As long as he promised not to squeal like he was doing last night.”

Lake gasped.

Remi dropped his head. “I told you not to say anything.”

“And I’ll never say anything ever again if Lake agrees to be my pretty doll so I can dress him up and paint his face.”

Lake stared at his friend. “That’s blackmail.”

Dom grinned. “Is it? Oh, by the way, is Jesse spending the night again? If he is, I need to take a nap later in case I’m woken up again.”

Jesse chuckled and leaned closer. “I did warn you to be quiet.”

Betrayed, Lake snapped his head to Jesse.

His boyfriend, his partner, and Daddy smirked at him. Okay, if Jesse wanted to play, then Lake was going to show that wicked side of himself that Jesse praised. He glanced over at Dom. “Three days a week.”

Dom frowned. “Huh?”

“You get to play doll three says a week,” Lake told him.

Jesse stiffened.

“But no biting.” Lake gave a mock shudder. “That’s just creepy to think about.”

“One bite? Remi isn’t into that!” Dom argued.

“No!” Jesse snapped.

Lake was pretty proud of himself. He grinned at Jesse, receiving a narrow-eyed look in response. Being a wicked little boy was kind of fun.

Remi grabbed the back of Dom’s neck. “You’re pushing your luck. I would shut up while you’re behind.”

Dom huffed and pouted.

Jesse was gloating.

Remi seemed like he was regretting all his life’s decisions.

Lake started to laugh. He chose this. This was the family that he’d picked. Maybe he needed his head examined.

* * * * *

Lake

His palms were sweating but Lake was not going to chicken out. Glancing at the hoodie sitting over his backpack in the passenger seat, he smiled.

“We don’t need it,” Lake told Zeb. “We look fabulous in our skirts.”

Zeb didn’t respond but Lake knew that his little buddy agreed. Lake picked up Al as well. “Daddy said that he’d find someone who will make you custom clothes. We’ll get you a pretty dress in no time.”

Al’s different body shape made it hard for Lake to find the right clothes for him.

Lake understood. Until the last several years, Lake had the same issues.

It was getting easier to find pretty clothes for a man his size.

He hadn’t been able to cheat, substituting women’s designs, since there weren’t very many women his height or weight.

Al was now having the same trouble. Al wasn’t alone though. Lake, Jesse, and Zeb had Al’s back.

“How about a sweet treat?” Lake asked his stuffie friends. “We can stop by and see Ezra. Uncle Dom is off today but Ezra loves you guys.”

Zeb and Al thought that was a wonderful idea. They also knew that their uncle Dom was still at home since Dom had helped Lake get ready for work. Dom and his teasing and playing along with the whole doll theory.

It had actually been a fun afternoon. Ezra couldn’t hang out with them but Brandon had come over and sat on Lake’s bed as Dom had picked out Lake’s clothes and done his makeup.

Lake gabbed his backpack, hoodie, Zeb, and Al before he slid out from behind the wheel. He tried to insist on driving Jesse to work that morning but Remi had been heading into work so he’d dropped Jesse off.

He closed the door and hit the lock on his key fob.

The long champagne color silk skirt brushed his ankles. He wanted to twirl. Hell, why not? Lake gave a small spin.

“Gorgeous!” Clapping came close by.

Lake nearly peed himself as he yelled.

“Sorry!” Jesse’s assistant, Mason, walked over. He had a laptop bag over his shoulder and was carrying a plastic bag that looked like it held food.

“I didn’t know anyone was around,” Lake admitted.

“Who cares if they are.” Mason grinned at him. “And that outfit is fire.”

With his hands full, Lake had to resist trying to smooth down any wrinkles.

“And this must be Zeb and…?”

“Al,” Lake said. “This is Zeb and Al.”

“Well hello, Al. Nice to finally meet you, Zeb,” Mason said. “Want to walk in together?”

“Sure.” Lake followed along beside Mason. “You know about Zeb?”

“I was the one who suggested Jesse go to the store,” Mason said. “He showed me Zeb went he got back. He was worried whether you would like him or not.”

“I love him,” Lake said sincerely.

“I knew you would,” Mason said. “I keep catching Jesse buying clothes or accessories for him. I offered to order some stuff for him, but he wanted to do it himself.”

It was just like Jesse, taking the responsibility of giving Zeb’s gifts personally. The nightly surprises meant even more now that Lake knew that, even though he’d suspected as much. “He’s the best.” Even to his own ears his voice was dreamy.

Mason held his wrist up to the sensor beside the employee entrance.